Just want to know if this is a goof in the movie, or standard practice at the time.

After Guerrero detonates the bomb, Gwen Meighen the stewardess grabs on to a strap on the rear door. I noticed that the door was not armed. The girt bar was not attached to the floor.

Was this normal for the time?

I don't know specific procedures at the time, but Hollywood isn't exactly known for accurately portraying airline flight, etc in movies. My guess is was done for dramatic effect. We couldn't have Jaqueline Bisset sucked out that hole and ruin the scene when Dean Martin's wife learns his mistress is preggers.

Quoting SkyyMaster (Reply 1): don't know specific procedures at the time, but Hollywood isn't exactly known for accurately portraying airline flight, etc in movies. My guess is was done for dramatic effect. We couldn't have Jaqueline Bisset sucked out that hole and ruin the scene when Dean Martin's wife learns his mistress is preggers.

LOL, good point...or just how "sturdy" the 707 really was...

Trivia Time! What Airport Terminal was shown (exterior shots) in "Airport"?

Quoting Cs03 (Reply 3): Trivia Time! What Airport Terminal was shown (exterior shots) in "Airport"?

Minneapolis/St. Paul for some, and Chicago.O'Hare for others (at least on the airside portions) I know thestarting scene was MSP as you see a Northwest Orient 727-100 climb out while a Western 737-200 (in the original Indianhead, might I add) is taxiing by. On theend scene, you see a 707 climb out while a Braniff Bac 1-11 makes its way to the terminal, I'm thinking that was ORD?

Quoting WesternA318 (Reply 4): On theend scene, you see a 707 climb out while a Braniff Bac 1-11 makes its way to the terminal, I'm thinking that was ORD?

That was MSP also...very cool to see the BAC and if you look close you can still see NWA Electras at the end of the red concourse.

Quoting WesternA318 (Reply 4): I know thestarting scene was MSP as you see a Northwest Orient 727-100

Incorrect, that was a 727-200 putting out all that black smoke....And If you look at this shot its the same terminal layout as youy mention below with the BAC....

Quoting WesternA318 (Reply 4): On theend scene, you see a 707 climb out while a Braniff Bac 1-11 makes its way to the terminal, I'm thinking that was ORD?

Wrong again, that too was at MSP.......In addition to the Braniff BAC taxiing, you can see an Ozark DC9 sitting next to an Ozark FH-227B....at the end of the concourse there.....

Any of the Western Airlines planes that you saw were more than likely Boeing 720s......I dont rememebr seeing any 737-200s unless they are parked there in the last scene mentioned just above.

I was once spotting at MSP airport in 1993 and there was a lady giving a tour of the airprot to some school kids and I went over and talked to her and asked her about the movie Airport. She told me that ALL the airport scenes were filmed at MSP....She was actually a real witch to me about it...Like she just couldnt be bothered.....Oh well, I guess he had better things to do than walking around the airport speaking in almost mono-toned voice to a bunch of rug-rats...LOL. Unfortunately she had the personality of a wet dishrag....

Access-Air

One more error, but needed for the plot- Gwen wasn't able to unlock the lav door where Guerrero locked himself in. She could have opened the door. She was really hot, though, wasn't she?

I think I can answer that question for you...

The Blond stewardess -- her character name escapes me now -- is a woman by the name of Patty Paulsen (SP). She was a stewardess for AA at the time and was featured in all of AA's ads from the late 1960s -- you will see her wearing the various uniforms on the tarmac in front of the AA 707, 727, BAC-111 and Astrojets in many posters and promo shots. She retired from flying and later worked in the JFK Admirals Clup from what I understand.

Anyway -- it was not until the 747 came into service in 1970 that AA started arming cabin doors before gate departure on jets (on very early 707s until about 1965, the escape slides were not attached to the doors -- they were held in compartments ABOVE each cabin door and taken down and attached when needed). The many women I fly with who worked during the 1960s have confirmed that doors were not armed until there was an actual emergency -- a "reason" to actually arm it and send the PAX down the slides. I guess the fear was that too many slides would be inadvertently deployed at the gate and inflate into jetways -- on props the slides did not inflate, they were just rubber chutes that were held taught at the bottom by the first few PAX who left the aircraft. It would appear that the thinking at the time was that if a DC-6 slide were accidentally opened armed, it would not have been a big deal -- and that when 707 girt bars came along (after Boeing attached slides to all cabin doors about 1965), there was the potential for operational problems if doors were always armed while the aircraft operated. Not sure if this procedure was aircraft specific or involved all AA jets (CV990 and BAC-111).

Anyway, I understand that Patty was very valuable during the production of "Airport" as an information source and advised the director on many technical points. I think this is one of the reasons that "procedures" are generally followed in the script and make it one of the most technically accurate of all airline-themed films. I would imagine that she simply advised the production team that the doors would have been disarmed during that phase of flight according to her procedures. I have often noticed the disarmed door, too and hope that this hypothesis illuminates things.

Quoting JFKPurser (Reply 8): -- it was not until the 747 came into service in 1970 that AA started arming cabin doors before gate departure on jets (on very early 707s until about 1965, the escape slides were not attached to the doors -- they were held in compartments ABOVE each cabin door and taken down and attached when needed). The many women I fly with who worked during the 1960s have confirmed that doors were not armed until there was an actual emergency -- a "reason" to actually arm it and send the PAX down the slides. I guess the fear was that too many slides would be inadvertently deployed at the gate and inflate into jetways -- on props the slides did not inflate, they were just rubber chutes that were held taught at the bottom by the first few PAX who left the aircraft. It would appear that the thinking at the time was that if a DC-6 slide were accidentally opened armed, it would not have been a big deal -- and that when 707 girt bars came along (after Boeing attached slides to all cabin doors about 1965), there was the potential for operational problems if doors were always armed while the aircraft operated. Not sure if this procedure was aircraft specific or involved all AA jets (CV990 and BAC-111).

Thanks!

We can assume then that there must have been an FAR issued in the late '60's early 70's that mandated arming doors at departure.

Not sure about whether the door was disarmed or not, but I did one hell of a job getting that 707 out of the snow like that. Did you see the concentration and determination on my face? The sweat beading off my brow? I AM the man!

Quoting JoePatroni (Reply 10): Not sure about whether the door was disarmed or not,

No, it was not armed. Take a look next time you watch it.

Remember "arming" those doors was just a matter of inserting the girt bar into latches on the floor.

Quoting JoePatroni (Reply 10): Not sure about whether the door was disarmed or not, but I did one hell of a job getting that 707 out of the snow like that. Did you see the concentration and determination on my face? The sweat beading off my brow? I AM the man!

I think I remember the Mechanic that was Cockpit qualified saying..... "The Instruction books says that was impossible."

I think you replied, "Thats one nice thing about the 707, it can do everything but read..."

You may have driven it out of the snow with visions of that box Cigars that Mel was promising you but we have to give some of the credit to the 707..... 

Access-Air

I think all the exterior shots were done at MSP, although "Lincoln International Airport" in the movie script was supposed to be serving Chicago, all two runways of it. When our Mr. Patroni was stuck in traffic on his was to pull that 707 out with his teeth, he made a reference to being stuck on Manheim Road, which I do beleive is a real street near O'Hare. I was 12 at the time the movie came out, and flew commercially the first time the following year. I was so disappointed when I discovered all airports didn't name their concourses after various colors as in the movie.   

Quoting SkyyMaster (Reply 13): I was so disappointed when I discovered all airports didn't name their concourses after various colors as in the movie.

MSP concourses are still named after colours I believe...Red Blue Green and Gold..... 

Yep Manheim Road is one of the roads that borders OHare.....

Access-Air

Quoting NYCAAer (Reply 7): She was really hot, though, wasn't she?

She still isn't too bad!

The goof that made me laugh was when Dean Martin got into his seat using the control column as a grab handle!
Watch for it.
BA84

Quoting Access-Air (Reply 12): but we have to give some of the credit to the 707.....

It's all about the Pratt's   

Tom at MSY

Quoting Access-Air (Reply 14): MSP concourses are still named after colours I believe...Red Blue Green and Gold.....

Not anymore; they're letters.

A (NW Airlink "island"), B (NW Airlink attached to...), C (...NWA), D (NWA, and where the observation deck is), E (Other airlines at Limburgh), F (NWA), G (NWA Int'l), and H (Humphrey)

Quoting NWADC9 (Reply 18): Not anymore; they're letters. A (NW Airlink "island"), B (NW Airlink attached to...), C (...NWA), D (NWA, and where the observation deck is), E (Other airlines at Limburgh), F (NWA), G (NWA Int'l), and H (Humphrey)

Ahh thanks for that I wasnt aware that they actually changed those....and here I flew thru MSP last year.....Duh on my part...LOL.....

Access-Air

They picked MSP hoping to have lots of snow, and it was practically a snow-less winter. Look at the meager piles at the end of the movie. Should have gone to Buffalo or ?

IIRC, Dean Martin was not fond of flying, and took the train to the Twin Cities ( local news got a hoot out of that).

Did anyone catch that all reference to runways at Lincoln were the same numbers of runways in MSP in 1970..
and 'two-niner" was the long one at Lincoln AND MSP?
And in the book, were the runways in question also 29 and 22 as in the movie?
safe

I think it's funny how the airline in the movie used ticket jackets as their boarding passes. That little old lady just walked up, said her son dropped his wallet and got on the plane. Were all the airlines like that back then? Man, I miss the days of being able to go into the concourse to plane spot, or go with friends or family, without a ticket!

What I always wanted to know (and I LOVE this movie) is could you REAAAAAALLLLLLY use engine power alone to move a stuck aircraft out as Patroni did? If you read the book he lowered the flaps even to "engender lift"...................Come on pilots and mechs.........is it possible? And does anyone know how they did that stunt?

Quoting SkyyMaster (Reply 13): When our Mr. Patroni was stuck in traffic on his was to pull that 707 out with his teeth, he made a reference to being stuck on Manheim Road

That scene shows a maroon and white police car going by. It's a Minnesota Highway Patrol car.

Quoting Sampa737 (Reply 22): I think it's funny how the airline in the movie used ticket jackets as their boarding passes. That little old lady just walked up, said her son dropped his wallet and got on the plane. Were all the airlines like that back then? Man, I miss the days of being able to go into the concourse to plane spot, or go with friends or family, without a ticket!

That's the way it was!! I think the statute of limitations has run out,I got on a NWA flight 20+ years ago with the help of a T.A.....whole 'nother story!

Quoting Sampa737 (Reply 22): I think it's funny how the airline in the movie used ticket jackets as their boarding passes. That little old lady just walked up, said her son dropped his wallet and got on the plane. Were all the airlines like that back then? Man, I miss the days of being able to go into the concourse to plane spot, or go with friends or family, without a ticket!

I remember when ticket jackets had blank spaces for flight numbers, gate assignments, boarding and departures times, and seat assignments.

That was back when airlines often had seating charts with stickers with seat numbers. When the gate agent pulled the coupon for the flight, he or she would put a sticker with a seat number on the ticket jacket.

I also figured out when I first saw that movie that it was shot at MSP.

A) I recognized the terminal, having flown into and out of MSP several times. Also, ORD had 3 terminals at the time.

B) The snow-removal equipment had the letters "MAC," which is the municipal body that owns MSP. ORD equipment has the seal for the City of Chicago and the words, "City of Chicago" and "Department of Aviation."

C) There is a sign for Super America, which is a regional chain of service stations. Super America operates in the Twin Cities, but not Chicago.

D) At the time, Western didn't fly to Chicago. IIRC, Western didn't get into ORD until after deregulation.

E) Even though there are shots in the terminal of an AA ticket counter and an AA announcement, it's curious that there is never a shot of an AA plane on the ground, despite the fact that AA has long been the #2 carrier at ORD. But, AA didn't fly to MSP until after deregulation.

A bit of sadder trivia - the 707 used in filming Airport suffered a real life crash in 1989 at GRU, killing all 3 people on board and nearly two dozen on the ground.

http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19890321-0

Quoting Access-Air (Reply 6): Any of the Western Airlines planes that you saw were more than likely Boeing 720s......I dont rememebr seeing any 737-200s unless they are parked there in the last scene mentioned just above.

At the beginning of the movie (I just watched it again, lol) that IS a 737-200, and most likely operated the MSP-Bismarck-Rapid City-Salt Lake City routing WA had from the DC-4/-6B days. Further on in the movie, Mobile 1 drives past a 720B at the gate...other than that, I didnt see anymore. But it WAS nice seeing the Lake Central hangar though...   

"Global 10, Lincoln Tower, cleared for takeoff!"

Watch out Meadowood residents!

bcoz

LMAO!

I watched the movie this afternoon and thought that it was incredibly ridiculous. Has been years since I saw it.

I love Patroni.

On an other note. I was driving on New York RT.17 westbound today in the Binghamton area and saw a huge horizontal stabilizer being transported on the back of a flatbed truck with a police escort. Any Idea why something like that would be traveling on that road? It was as wide as the trailer was long. Up until I got home to see that Airport was on , that was the highlight of my day.

Who in western NY would build such a thing? Why would it be going by truck down my road?

Don't forget about Airport '79 'Concorde' when George Kennedy opens the cockpit window and shoots the flair gun to attract the heat sensing missile. I thought that it was one of the better "Airport" movies.

Quoting JoePatroni (Reply 10): We can assume then that there must have been an FAR issued in the late '60's early 70's that mandated arming doors at departure.

I'm not sure about this -- many different procedures are approved by FAA and can differ from airline to airline regarding the same general issue, but it is up to the airline to present a specific procedure change (such as door arming) and have the FAA give them the OK for it. Whether the whole industry had to switch to this method of door arming because the FAA issued a FAR regarding it may or may not be the case. I wonder if there is a list posted on the web where you can see which FAR was issued and when...

Quoting Mohunk (Reply 20): They picked MSP hoping to have lots of snow, and it was practically a snow-less winter. Look at the meager piles at the end of the movie.

Damn retroactive global warming!!  

Does anyone know which gate was used in MSP for the departure and arrival for the Golden Oddessy flt to Rome. I think it is gate F1 but I am not sure. When Maureen Stapleton runs down that corridor it looks like the corridor that runs past McDonalds and down past the shoeshine stand but I am not sure

The original 'Airport' had one of the most accurate depictions of enroute ATC to be found in any Hollywood feature. I believe Los Angeles Center played the role of Toronto, Cleveland, and Chicago centers. Filming was done on the mid-shift. 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' was also filmed at ZLA. It's a little less accurate, but still better than most movies.

I loved the twin jetways to the forward and rear doors of the plane - the First Class and Coach jetways. Very cool.

I've been trying for years to find a proper picture of the "Airport" 707 in "Trans Global" colors. All I've been able to come across is the sketch from the movie poster.

Can anyone point me in the direction of a photographic image of the aircraift?

Thanks!
C.

Quoting TymnBalewne (Reply 37): I've been trying for years to find a proper picture of the "Airport" 707 in "Trans Global" colors. All I've been able to come across is the sketch from the movie poster. Can anyone point me in the direction of a photographic image of the aircraift? Thanks! C.

If you look carefully, in the background in one of the shots there is a large 'artist's rendering' of the Trans Global 747...in service soon..... LOL


nomadic :?)

Nowadays I think we feel cheated if we don't fly a wide-body over international waters. The 707 was the way to fly back then, pretty chique, I'm assuming. I can't remember but did the overhead bins even close?

And then everyone in coats and ties and the ladies in dresses in hats. Americans have taken the "casual Friday" thing to "casual everyday" a bit too far nowadays. I'm not saying you have to dress up to fly but there did seem to be a bit more pride "back in the day". Living in Sao Paulo, I have volunteer teams come in from the US all the time. They're easy to spot with ragged shorts, Old Navy T's and baseball caps. Then I look folks from other countries and many come off their planes looking like they just stepped off the "Airport" set!

I think I do remember the arlines taking a sticker to the boarding pass for seat assignments.

Airport and Aiport 77 were great flicks. Didn't Airport 79 involve the Concorde? Never saw it.

Ok, here is a little trivia.

Some of the pax on flight 2, the Golden Argosy include:

Mrs. Cunningham from Happy Days
Lucius from Planet of the Apes.
T'Pau from Star Trek (the original Series)

Nobody mentioned Patroni making the wheels spin in the snow trying to get the jet to move! Maybe he should have "popped the clutch". It's sad really..LOL

Quoting Access-Air (Reply 14): MSP concourses are still named after colours I believe...Red Blue Green and Gold.....

Quoting NWADC9 (Reply 18): A (NW Airlink "island"), B (NW Airlink attached to...), C (...NWA), D (NWA, and where the observation deck is), E (Other airlines at Limburgh), F (NWA), G (NWA Int'l), and H (Humphrey)

You're almost right.

A is the concourse attached to C, while B is the island. C9 is used for HP (and I guess maybe US now). G is both international and domestic, but all international arrivals come in there (except Canadian precleared). Terminal is Lindbergh (named after some guy who flew    )

Ummm, hello - I am still looking for my party in the airport.

Quoting JGPH1A (Reply 36): the First Class and Coach jetways. Very cool.

They have those at some airports. DTW has that set up at a few gates.

Quoting Sampa737 (Reply 39): I can't remember but did the overhead bins even close?

No. They were open like on a train (most trains at that time). It wasn't until the 747 came along that closing overhead bins were common place. I remember flying on planes with the open racks and I am only 31.

In the movie the scenes where ticket counters are. Is that now the area where all the shops are? The area in the movie looks bigger than the area for check in at MSP today.

I've always wondered if that movie was backed by Boeing in an attempt to make people feel better about Jet travel, there are so many references to how sturdy the 707 is.

Quoting JoePatroni (Reply 10): I did one hell of a job getting that 707 out of the snow like that. Did you see the concentration and determination on my face? The sweat beading off my brow? I AM the man!

  
Indeed you are!
I am most impressed by your couragiousness in Airport '79 when you were shooting your flare gun out the cockpit window,  
Sorry to hear about your wife's passing. How did your son do after finishing college?

Quoting Sampa737 (Reply 39): Airport and Aiport 77 were great flicks. Didn't Airport 79 involve the Concorde? Never saw it.

Yes it did involve the Concorde and was the same Concorde that crashed in Paris in 2001.
You may want to pick up a DVD copy of 'Airport - Terminal Package'.
I've seen these on Amazon and eBay for about $15 (US).
It has all 4 Airport movies.
My favorites are 75 and 77.
It was Airport 77 that started my love for aviation.

Quoting Qf772 (Reply 45): I've always wondered if that movie was backed by Boeing in an attempt to make people feel better about Jet travel, there are so many references to how sturdy the 707 is.

You would have to ask Arthur Hailey (though you would need a Ouija board for that) as that is the way the novel was written.

Quoting Superfly (Reply 46): You may want to pick up a DVD copy of 'Airport - Terminal Package'. I've seen these on Amazon and eBay for about $15 (US).

I have that  And of course Airplane and Airplane 2 

The original "Airport" was always my fav. I've always thought that it was the most realistic and accurate of the films.

"77" is probably my second favorite (In fact, I watched it last night on DVD). The original film obviously had a great cast, but "77" has a pretty damn stellar one as well.

bcoz