SST: Death Flight (1977) - full transcript
Cutlass Aircraft has just completed America's first supersonic jetliner, and a host of celebrities and other important people have booked tickets for the maiden voyage, including former sportscaster Lyle Kingman (Martin Milner) and his ex-wife (Susan Strasberg), CEO Paul Whitley (Peter Graves), a soon-to-be married couple (John de Lancie and Season Hubley), Cutlass PR man Tim Vernon (Bert Convy) and his girlfriend Angela (Misty Rowe), television reporter Carla Stanley (Barbara Anderson), grounded pilot Hank Fairbanks (Doug McClure), and legendary aircraft designer Willy Basset (Burgess Meredith). Unfortunately the plane's hydraulic system has been sabotaged by a disgruntled Cutlass engineer (George Maharis), and last-minute passenger Dr. Therman (Brock Peters) has brought a deadly strain of influenza aboard. With no working controls at 60,000 feet over the Atlantic, Captain Walsh (Robert Reed), McClure, Meredith, and Cutlass VP Marshall Cole (Lorne Greene), have to find a way to get Maiden One down safely.
standing by to ignite afterburners. all
right let's take it through mach 1.
this is captain walsh. the airspeed is now
approaching 660 miles per hour. please direct
your attention to the micrometer window. an
empty plane and he's making announcements ...and
the number one appears we will be penetrating
the sound barrier. you will observe no unusual
vibration or sound within the aircraft. i want to
make clear to you as you will to your passengers,
that in exceeding the speed of sound
there is no safety hazard whatsoever.
(Loud Engine)
(Happy Music & Screaming Ladies)
your attention please... aviation
supersonic transport maiden one
will be arriving in approximately six minutes
maiden once an orbital invitational flight
to paris will depart as scheduled and 3 pm
(Upbeat Music)
right about here, big smiles
(Upbeat Music)
thank you
(Upbeat Music)
not with harry i know him he's never had
anything good to say to me or about me
Smile! Too late lover, smile. hey here's the
familiar face ol number 38 great running
halfback out of the university of notre dame
excuse me sir five years an old pro with the
new york giants and a one-time sportscaster lyle
kingman with his lovely wife hello lyle hello
harry when did you start meeting airplanes well
when it's a plane like this it's new just like
it was news when the network fired you what
have you been doing lately we haven't heard
too much from you sorting through offers
mostly we have a big one about to break
dave a lot of folks at home would like to know
what that is i'm sorry harry nothing's firm yet. You'll be the first to know. Thanks
(Upbeat Music)
(Commotion)
it's a gigantic deal don't you think
he can see right through that
well you want me to tell him that we're
dead broke network crum would love that
tell him nothing but you'll be back
in your own way in your own good time
maybe you've forgotten it's been a
long year and a half without a paycheck
he'll get something still a fan huh if i
were to ask you real nice would you marry me
you mean make the same mistake twice what
kind of a dummy do you think i am the best
jfk tower maiden one is chantilly outer
marker inbound for runway one right
roger maiden one clear to land runway one right
wind 340 degrees at 12 knots altimeter
three zero zero four bring the snoop down
this is carla stanley at the boarding area
bringing you the historic flight of cutlass
aircraft made in one after much controversy
and many delays approval has been granted
for an experimental flight from new york to
paris seeking a world record flight time of
2 hours and 40 minutes faster than any commercial
airliner has ever traveled and now here she is sst
come on willie let's go take some vows
they're all yours my fun was wasn't building
that lovely just you want to get some pictures
phillips you load everything like i told you
sir you've asked that question twice
already and the answer is still yes good
an because generator an extra gyro and
an extra set of tires here now get on
arrogant know it all gives me
i'd have moved him up a long time ago
now just a few moments from boarding we're going
to meet with a couple of the contest winners who
will be flying to paris as guests congratulations
sir you are jared hansen from the great state of
north dakota and happy to be here with you
thank you hi would you tell us who you are
what do you think about all this
pretty excited you're just very happy
we're together we're engaged well you
certainly look right together good luck
today's life and the circus-like atmosphere here
at kennedy airport are all obviously part of a
carefully staged event but i think it's also fair
to say that the excitement is genuine that the
america is about to launch the fastest
commercial airliner in the world
potential customers should be
impressed by the aircraft's 275
feet capability and also the cruising speed
of nearly 2 000 miles per hour do you have
any idea how many firm orders have been booked
they didn't tell me that part but uh would
you like to know about the entire color option
we'll set up our pictures
uh how much to smuggle me on board get me another
generator and a gyro and a couple of more spare
tires before i gave you everything you asked for
look don't tell me what i ask for just do as i say
please my pleasure
my
so
mickey
take a drum of bears all over the maiden please
what do you think of it wanna wrap it up or can
i eat it here how are you doing marshall on the
biggest day of my life how do you think very well
thank you hank fairbanks willie ambassador so
you're the legendary willy bess trouble with being
a legend most people think you're already dead
fairbanks were you a pilot yeah i used to fly
them now i buy them a buyer i represent a group
of south american airlines is here to examine
our plane they'll buy whatever he recommends
you got your checkbook with you because you're as
good as soul i hear largemouth's got a pretty fair
machine yeah they do have a very good machine
ours happens to be better oh you're wrong again
there's good there's better but there's
only one best than you are looking at
excuse excuse me sir yes yes sir i just got
a call from a dr thurman of the world health
organization and he would like to get a whatever
it is a culture i think to the pastor institute in
paris as fast as possible this is a promotional
trip it's not a mercy ship well that's just the
point so what we're promoting here is is two hours
and 40 minutes to paris and i well i figured what
better way than to lend the fastest wings in
the air and besides uh he's already on his way
and what about the culture is it safe oh
he says if the plane is safe it's safer
besides i can guarantee complete newspaper
coverage tv commentators the works it's all
free marsh beside it might be a good thing to
do i mean if you're interested in doing good
all right put them on if he's on time this
flight leaves on schedule got it thank you sir
he's really something isn't she they
all look beautiful on the ground
how much did she take near all of it
you topped off both primary and backup
systems yes sir she's all set good luck
and the rubber's oozing but that's about
it 250 million bucks later what else is now
babies wet and hydraulic seals leak
well i'll say goodbye hank aren't you going along
oh willie gets to have all the fun he stays in the
ground and gives interviews a long one i'll show
you the flight desk okay so long welcome aboard
uh just a minute
should we shake hands kiss her or what oh mate
you look uh you're looking great well exercise eat
the right foods get plenty of sleep anyone i know
none of your business i may just start checking up
on you yeah oh i'll catch up with you in a minute
well you're back on top again new job
and all are you happy generally no
right now seeing you yes save the charm
i had my fill the last time around
whatever you say me so it's
awful good to see you again
hank
did anyone tell you jim walsh just captain luck of
the draw huh well they had to put someone up there
and here is the brain center this
bird is completely computerized
i tried to convince him we didn't need a
pilot up here but they got too strong a union
all right hello captain i heard you
drew the big one you know each other
well we're practically brothers
it's my right seat eric brent hank fairbanks
heard a lot about you anything good
figures
welcome aboard governor
thank you you're in section b
anything going to paris is already a
success have a wonderful trip hello
i'm dr thurman from world health
this has to be handled very carefully
uh we know all about it brother so don't worry
last time somebody said don't worry to me three
case histories were put on a plane for miami
they were supposed to go to jacksonville we
found them in jamaica brother i hear you doctor
oh thank you
are you all right
terrific
hi dear listen oh excuse me um tim i mean mr
rooney he said that there was some place for
me to change later on downstairs the lower
galley terrific thanks you're a doll hello
hello her brains are probably all in that walk
kathy i think you could use some brains there
hello i'm angela garland miss sst i'm
dr thurman oh don't let me bother you
excuse me but did you say you were a doctor yes
an epidemiologist oh well i hate to bother you
but do you have anything for a queasy
stomach oh perhaps it's the excitement
i was starving i'm always starving i ate a pickle
pickles give me gas well coffee does that to me
me too lately i mean ordinarily it never bothers
me i have a cast iron stomach except for the last
few weeks i've been waking up every morning
queasy besides which i gained about a ton well
perhaps you should have a talk with your family
doctor oh i would but i'm already pretty sure
what he's going to tell me i mean wouldn't you be
i mean those are the obvious symptoms aren't they
you think you're pregnant well if it's
true congratulations mrs scotland oh miss
it's miss garland but not for long
what's new baby hi hi doc how you doing
oh excuse me
check that's completed
ladies and gentlemen it's with a great deal
of pleasure that cutlass aircraft welcomes
you aboard maiden one for its inaugural
flight to paris turn one roger turn one
there's no traffic why are they holding us
up we're so beautiful they hate to let us
go i have a friend in the tower and he has
promised to help me make it into overtime
no crosstalk during departure maiden one cleared
for takeoff roger maiden one ready to roll
190 200 210 220 rotate
gear up
climb and maintain flight
level 650 good luck maiden one
roger maiden one at four five zero
beginning climb to six five zero
oh timothy sweetheart i look at you i go bananas
oh okay fine but listen there's something i
would what are you doing maybe we're 12 miles
high this could be a first yeah but there's
something i want to know yes yes i love you
i adore you i tell you there is plenty of time
well do you remember that operation you had
all that yeah yes yes you really know what that
is my darling but i may not know what it is but i
know what it does did you have it well of course i
did you heard me make the appointment did you keep
it yeah sure of course i did and we better tell
the believe it or not people because i'm pregnant
there's a lot of that going
around not in my district
come on don't panic you know
me the old troubleshooter hmm
just tell me what are we gonna do about it have
i ever let you down ever even once i just wanna
know what are you gonna do about it i i listen if
it's true and we're i'm not saying that it isn't
true but i give you my solemn word of honor that
we will do whatever is best for both of us okay
yes
and and i don't believe it this is marvelous
what a happy surprise how are you paul well
i'm tickled to death what do you think but you i
mean the the flight how the contest i won the trip
uh this is bob connors mr connors are you a
winner too no i'm with anne we're together
well then i would say that you are very
definitely a winner good for you both of you
oh i think i'm blocking the road i
was just gonna have a look around
join me for a drink with the other two of
you i'll wait for you back in the main lounge
say who is that old boy uh that's paul whitley
the man i used to work for president of whitley
electronics well opportunity knocks let's
go and have that drink oh let's not bob he
was just being polite oh what's wrong with us
being polite i honestly don't feel like a drink
but then have coffee or tea anything come on
come on a guy like whitley i could use a break
you
we're experiencing a little clear air
turbulence and we should be through it
very soon and meanwhile please note we've
turned on the seatbelt sign thank you
now i remember my memories like a trick knee
it pops in and out fairbanks the other guy
that was involved with that big brouhaha a few
years back they took away your pilot's license
everything would lock me out of the terminal for
needlessly risking the lives and the safety of the
passengers in your charge there's nothing wrong
with your memory mr bassett things i remember i
remember pretty good there's the things that i
forget i don't remember at all were you guilty
i was flying from los angeles to atlanta over
new mexico a passenger suffered a heart attack
a major heart attack i radioed the nearest airport
told him to have an ambulance standing by and went
in for a landing well they busted you out for that
it wasn't exactly optimum weather it's kind
of hairy coming in well you didn't have to
report that quietly i didn't my co-pilot
did you know him he's your captain what
hi lyle hi carla mrs kingman hi glad to see you
out among them again oh we still make a few of the
freebies last week we opened a hotel in tucson and
did a telethon in abilene well you're a-list with
me and with a lot of other people i know my kids
would rather meet you than anybody i can think of
well thank you it's nice to think maybe all
those sunday afternoons added up to something
the rumor mill has it that you maybe do some
congratulations from what i read bar crest
estates means to be the biggest thing in arizona
it's nothing definite it's not said yet well if
it's right i wish it to you i'm gonna grab a drink
two more hours and i'm on again buy satellite yet
you do have an offer you're not thinking of
taking that that mike real estate thing hey it's
a job a big one like hellman's not offering
you a job he wants to buy your reputation
because his own is so rotten you
said that so i got to know him better
65 000 feet captain we are at
altitude set cruise control
setting cruise control 1.7 on
the eepers looks good at 2.5
ladies and gentlemen this is captain walls
if you look out your windows you'll see a
sight that very few except the astronauts have
ever seen although the sky above remains black
the aircraft itself is in full sunlight we
are literally at the edge of outer space
a couple of flutters on the pressure gauge and
falling that leaky seal must be acting up again
switch to backup hydraulic system
switching to secondary hydraulics
i better go have a look okay yeah hop to it
so if it all works out we'll be married in the
spring but then you are engaged well that's great
just great well it's not well the deal isn't quite
nailed down yet but i'm working on it sales is my
line and if i can't close in paris then i don't
deserve it how is he selling himself man well
we're here together well and i'd say he is a very
good salesman i think so huh i know so she worked
for me for three years and i i couldn't sell her
on staying you know what i can't quite figure out
anne is why you left if i had the opportunity
i'd certainly rather work for you really
count your blessings because if she hadn't left me
if she hadn't left whitley you might
never met her um how about a refill
the captain this is phillips uh i think
you um i think you better get down here now
what's the problem the seals they're just not
holding up can you unplug them or replace it
i'm afraid not in flight some solution here
that's what you're here for well there's only
one solution you have to turn this back
and land at the nearest possible airport
for a simple hydraulic leak come on the manual
is very clear on that captain forget forget the
manual these these seals are defective they could
blow at any second seen every variety of leaky
seal and i've yet to see one give completely hey
captain i know when i'm talking about this when
i'm here i'm telling you that if we don't turn
back if my tail between my legs with another
company two months away from having their plane
in the air like nothing better than to see us fail
come on captain you don't understand it if we
keep going we're gonna be you get out a pump
you start drying this stuff up
this plane stays up you got it
captain you heard me get busy
atlantic satellite control this is made in one
patch me through to air rink i need an emergency
line to marshall coal cutless maintenance
kennedy new york all mike wants me to do is
talk to the money boys uh country club boys bend
the elbow slap a few backs make a few commercials
for which he is going to pay me a percentage
a generous percentage of every dollar he makes
mile he's a crook you know it and i know
it he has not been convicted of anything
you're forgetting we're broke stone cold
bare-knuckled broke i'm trying to find a
way for us to survive and if that means doing it
to them before they do it to us so be it i know
you're hurting lyle but you don't believe that
you don't believe a word of it don't you think so
you've been living with a stranger cookie because
that's the gospel according to lyle kingman
it could be a pump would he got too much pressure
uh when you get to paris replace the entire
hydraulic assembly including the backup unit
that'll be everything you'll need at the goal
uh roger sir phillips has just come up
sir i don't care what walt says we uh
we can't make it oh damn it phillips
i'll settle down both of you if it
leaks at twice the present rate you'll have
plenty of pressure seals don't disintegrate
they are disintegrating i'm telling you
anybody with a pair of eyes can see that
hey what are you trying to kill us all you idiot
i don't care fire me just turn this thing around
less you're a pro behave like one
this is not just a promotional event
a whole future right on that flight i will
not abort it that is final it's called
that now you wouldn't be saying that
if you only knew that i've heard it
you're there to solve problems not create
them get on it did you hear get on it
jellyfish oughta be in a hangar not a plane
what are you waiting for lindbergh he's dead
let's get out to the prototype
and try to think this one out
you're really upset
you're serious about that guy well
that's one for the books what'd you do
in bed sir from hot tea and lemon don't
equate agent virility it doesn't track
the point is that paul whitley was a warm
compassionate decent man who had a very
positive effect on the woman that you fell in love
with great great i'll keep that in mind when i pay
my social security taxes don't start me defending
him or we may both regret it okay okay i'm sorry
help yourself that's not what i had in mind
i think i've got work to do i've got a schedule
remember the hotel by the mandolin we get to
paris why don't we i remember a lot of hotels
that's the trouble with me i've always been a
pushover and that's bad because the man you
happen to be in love with can go flying off
and come back years later and feel
free to say how about it sweetie
no hank it's not that i think
less of you but i think more of me
hey yeah willing hey look
down that wing what do you see
i don't see anything what am i supposed to see
that's not a control surface moving i haven't
been for the last five minutes the plane's not
on autopilot and it's not being flown manually
come on willy
captain you've got to turn this aircraft around
come on phillips no more you understand captain
the the seals are deteriorating because there's uh
there's detergent in the aerosol
it's corrosive there's what
that's not only crazy it's impossible
i'm telling you it's detergent
the beginning of leaving captain you've got to
believe me i know how do you know i know because
i put it there
make a course correctional going home
we're not turning
disconnect the autopilot autopilot disengaged
controls are locked we've lost all
hydraulic pressure keep out take
everything is shorted out i told you why didn't
you listen we could have been home by now so
how do we fly this thing we don't we're as good as
dead why didn't you turn back you've killed us all
as long as we're in balance and we're flying level
we're okay if we hit turbulence and nose down
we'll go all the way in the passengers start
moving around have the same effect you better lock
them in their seats what i'm in charge here and i
don't want to hear or see anybody but crew members
now is that clear well let me clarify something i
built this plane i built it to fly whatever i can
do to keep it flying i'm gonna do all right
hank let's go and see how bad it is below
i might give you a small discard that was the game
that charles proposed to me during the halftime
you scored four touchdowns remember i should that
was the biggest sunday i ever had well yesterday's
uh this is captain walt we're experiencing an
in-flight problem there's no cause for alarm but
we have turned on the seat belt sign and asked
that all passengers return to their seats and
remain there until further notice i repeat do not
leave your seats thank you an in-flight problem
there's nothing to worry about folks all that
means is the captain has dropped his glass eye
into his martini as soon as he recovers it he'll
be confident enough to let us move around again
oh my god
why did you do that for money i never thought
i would come to this why didn't walsh do what
i told him he was supposed to turn back before
it got this far and my poor plane was to hobble
home discredited a watchman picked up the order
said it i'm gonna kill you really but get out of
here i'll tell you one thing you're getting
the money's worth because you've killed the
plane but what about the people what about 250
people up there what are we going to tell them
it wasn't supposed to happen this way don't
you understand who it was well i said only
one satisfaction and that's if we go he's going
to die with us ronnie should promote me huh i
was supposed to be production supervisor none of
this would have happened i was entitled shut up
what's the trouble probably nothing
you're either upset or angry which one is
it try both look while i don't give a damn
about status about lifestyle anything you
do is fine with me i'm with you all the way
climb into a garbage pail with
mike hellman you're on your own
i'll be gone i love you too much to watch you
do that to yourself jordis yes what's going on
why are we suddenly glued to our seat just
routine precaution there's no need for alarm
that's no answer i want an answer sir the
captain will keep us informed now just relax
did you hear that coffee tea or simple syrup
she's just doing her job yeah
well i hope they're doing theirs
stewardess what is the problem nothing serious i
have to know it's being corrected sir don't worry
don't worry yeah don't worry
that's what i keep telling you
that's what you said before look what happened
he did it deliberately we shouldn't have turned
him down for production supervisor we should have
shot him now let me get this straight now spoilers
flaps the trim don't respond at all no sir we have
zero hydraulic pressure in both the primary and
the backup systems we can't go up down a turn
what about your power engines are okay if we stay
level we can stay up until we run out of fuel
oh come on you get a five hours fuel supply we'll
get you out of this long before that stop telling
us what you're gonna do start doing it we're into
it willie hank i appreciate your help but you're a
passenger on this fight you're gonna have to leave
the cockpit regulations you want to become friends
get us to paris what do you propose to do about
the situation would you say that marriage was
a reasonable consideration it's certainly a
consideration but uh there are others i mean there
are there are clinics hundreds of clinics all over
the place where the only thing they do say that
one to me don't you ever say that word to me okay
okay okay i won't say the word but it's gonna ruin
your figure and it's gonna ruin your career having
a baby's gonna ruin that dynamite figure you got
baby tell her doc babies do not ruin a woman's
figure that is an old wives tale isn't that right
doctor there yeah well what about overpopulation
there's already too many people in the world tell
her doc wait a minute you just wait a minute i
want to see what dr thurman has to say about it
well i think i've said too much already
there it goes
better tell them
this is captain walsh due to a temporary
malfunction with the passengers in the first
two rows of the forward compartment please
move to the rear of the aircraft immediately
rose number one and two please
take a seat in the rear lounge
uh our cabin attendants will assist you thank you
okay folks you've heard the captain rose one and
two to the rear lounge please it's only temporary
thank you i'm gonna find out what's going on bob
sir please return to your seat go get this
straight i'm going up there uh no sir you're not
tell me what to do you pansy i've been called
that before yeah and what do you do about it
i try to ignore it and if that fails and neither
the groin usually works you're not coming forward
is that a fact that's a fact calm down get
a hold of yourself [ __ ] stop it stop it
sit down you don't frighten me you're
frightening the passengers now sit down
over there
sit down
all right yes five years ago i just seen that
punch coming no it may be sick put your head back
uh
it worked
now this is captain walsh thank you for your
cooperation our flight level is now stabilized uh
however for the time being we'll leave passengers
in the rear lounge please remain where they are
uh thank you
you have a nice touch i'd almost forgotten me anne
if i'm supposed to be such a great big success
how did i how did i manage to lose you we just
got born at the wrong time oh yes sure i remember
let's see if i'm 104 you'll be uh
what is it my mouth is lousy oh paul
i'm sorry miss you'll have to go back to your seat
ready sir
go
that's it you've got it cutler's hanging the
maiden one come in walt i read you sir we found
a way to bypass a hydraulic system and move
the control surfaces electrically god love you
send a couple of envelopes with
heavy duty wire and connecting clips
down to plug in eddie will
direct them from here eric roy
wait marshall that detergent is dangerous stuff
they're not going down there with blow torches
but i'd still wait for the fumes to clear i
appreciate your advice willie walsh get on it
how is he all right how are you
look i don't know what happened i
i was thinking about you and him
and all of a sudden there he
was what's happens happened
be awfully dumb to give up ten months for a lousy
two and a half hour plane ride all we
can do is forget it and go on from here
what is it you're going to do lore 41 to cutlass
anger nakamura here ready and waiting mrs
connect the first clip to the main generator at g4
roger roger stand by g4 it's in
that middle panel right over there
we're hooked in at g4 connect the second
clip to the solenoid s2 opposite side along
the transformer proceeding solenoid s2 lookup
i can help help why not this tail's in the same
range as ours it's the second one there on
the right second one down so be very careful
this is
grab your oxygen
come
please acknowledge anyone please acknowledge
one
hmm
attention this is emergency all passengers in the
forward compartment go immediately to the tail
section if you can't find a seat for rocky demand
use the buddy system cabin crew will instruct you
all right everyone you heard what the
captain said let's everyone move to the back
come on folks there's nothing to it it's going to
take a little stroll to the back of the airplane
okay everybody just follow a little lady let's go
come on put the air off
here breathe okay stay here
please do something blow me down
you're cutting up my circulation you're cutting
off my circulation sorry hank fairbanks cutlass
hangar explosion award i'm filling in for captain
walsh explosion any casual nation probably
we're dropping at 5 000 feet per minute
me
circuit back to your seat and put on
your oxygen mask i put a biological
board have to see if it was
damaged where is it in the bag
you can't possibly get there in
flight but i'll tell the captain
i get it hold on doc we got to get back to seat
hunter there you go get the seat belt honey
okay it's gonna be all right okay come on
still allows
come on let me have it
right
i moved the passengers to the rear
to try to get us back into palace
she's leveling off what's the altitude 10
000 feet i like a little more falling down
room at least they won't need
oxygen anymore tell them walsh
this is captain walt we've reduced our altitude to
10 000 feet now you can breathe now without oxygen
i'll take over now the man
saved your aircraft captain
forgotten how to say thank you when he
ever said the man wasn't a good pilot
appreciate what you did we all do don't mention
it a little gratitude never hurt anybody
carla carla it's all right you can breathe now
carla carla look at me i'm breathing normally
you can let go of that now you don't
need it it's all right it's all right
i'm sorry
living this sort of thing
is not the same as reporting it all right
everything's going to be fine it's all right
is anybody hurt is everybody reasonably okay
good these freebies are really getting to
be something they make you work for them
i'll be back in a minute
hey listen everybody let me tell you something
about this little disturbance do you know it's
more dangerous to cross the city street than
it is to fly the atlantic in an airplane
now we're gonna make it i guarantee it
matter of fact i'll stake my life on it
just settle down folks everything's gonna
be okay can i have your attention please
now listen to me now let's everybody hang together
and not give the good people flying this machine
any more trouble than they've already bought that
helped thank you i think you realize how urgent
this is doctor he said he'll see you please give
him a few minutes more to get things settled down
stewart hey doc it smells like a hospital in
here somebody in for knee surgery oh god there's
a biological board a viral material suspended
in chloroform the container must have ruptured
the captain must see me now i'll go with you
you were right willie never
sent the man down there
the paper had worked well they're gone and we're
about to join them if we don't get some hydraulic
pressure back in these controls is there a
way to divert the drinking and hand water
into those hydraulic lines well even if there was
it still go pouring out through the broken seals
yeah but it'll give us maybe three minutes
of pressure that's three minutes of stick
time you give me three minutes i can land
this thing what do you think marsha my work
looks like it's our best shot it's our only shot
yeah now our problem is how do we bank and make
course corrections until we can find a place where
we can't put it down we can switch fuel from one
wing tank to another yeah yeah that's right do
that do that sending a tank a few from one side to
the other would would turn the queen elizabeth now
we'll get to work with the water connection now
keep the line open okay let's do it you've got
the pumps let's see if we can turn this thing
come on
hallelujah while you did it
uh this is the captain i'm happy to report
that we have restored partial controls
and we are now back on course to paris thank you
i must speak with you captain
hey
that virus is racing through this plane right now
flu is a lump word to cover everything from a
24-hour stomach upset to the hong kong or swine
variety each strain has its own symptoms its own
death rate i was around in 1918 when one of those
bugs swept around the world killing and so could
this it broke out in senegal the african mortality
rate is already close to 30 percent that's why
the rush to get to the pasta institute hope to
get a vaccine how long is incubation period oh it
hits fast with some people an hour others a day
first starts with throat ulcers followed
with high fever and lung congestion
and i was the one that told him to take
it aboard that'll add to the legend huh
what are you going to tell the passengers
nothing our hydraulic system is out our
chances of landing are less than 50 don't
ask me to cope with the play note of hysterics
and for what it's worth that's confidential
he's right if anybody gets sick nothing
can be done until we land if we land
from water valve n1 to s pipe joint
at v6 on the lower hydraulic line
and one of these six roger i'll take it from
here family let me help you no it's okay
listen you go tell the cool close the john
cena restrict drinking water get going roger
hank tell me straight how much trouble
are we at come on we're both pros we've
got some problems we're gonna make it there's
a little hotel by the madeleine if we make it
if we make it you've got a date
hell i guess i'm still a pushover
the goal approached a goal approach this
is cutlass maiden one at one zero thousand
mid and one this is the goal approach
ident maintain one zero thousand
approach we are declaring an emergency request
priority landing with crash equipment on standby
roger amid one we have
monitored your transmissions
you have priority clearance good luck sir
i'm sorry to have to remind you captain
but as i said you must tell them
your maiden wanted to go request emergency
quarantine we are carrying contagious biological
material what is purpose of quarantine the
maiden one is in biological material contained
repeat is biological material contained
negative de gaulle unit is not contained
roger maiden we will have to advise health and
immigration and check on quarantine facilities
what is the nature of contagion
flu senegal flu please stand by
miss captain walt we're awaiting a technical
clearance we'll keep you informed thank you
geez those guys deserve a medal now what
this company deserves is a fat lawsuit
well one battle a day is enough
for me what we all deserve is a
sure he's drink right it's just
past his bedtime that's all
the ministers
um
turning off the lights and the acg the goal
to maiden one i regret health and immigration
advisors you cannot land with your senegal
flu not contained say again the gulf say again
middle one i regret it is not my doing you
cannot land at the goal you cannot land
anywhere in france we have no way to arrange
for quarantine facilities so quickly we would
require at least 24 hours to prepare then clear
us for an airport that can we will do what we can
continue if they won't take us who will
they'll find us an alternate there has
to be a way to isolate this thing
it's already isolated up here with us
this is fumiko air station roma please inform
maiden one that because of special condition
aboard permission to land must be denied at this
time the goal this is madrid air control officials
inform us there is insufficient time
to prepare quarantined facilities
we monitor you unfortunately permission to land is
denied also by brussels oslo amsterdam stuttgart
and london we will continue trying but we must
ask you to leave french airspace immediately
may i see you doctor
this is the captain again we are
unable to land in paris as scheduled
we'll inform you as soon as we're
cleared by an alternate airport
i anticipate no problems and
there's no cause for alarm thank you
doctor what's wrong just somebody not feeling well
anybody who does feel well ought to be in a
straight jacket maiden one to marshall cole
cutlass hanger urgent come in marshall get back to
me as soon as you can marshall call here marshall
you won't believe this i believe it we've been
monitoring hang on i may have some good news
i've got the state department putting pressure on
london they tell me there's some kind of agreement
a bilateral treaty covering emergency landings
they're talking to the ministry of health now
according to state they have to let you come
in great one way or another we'll get you down
getting down is no problem we can get down
by ourselves we got a whole ocean to get down
here standby you want to buy an airplane
no but i go top dollar for a life boat
is it difficult to swallow
and more like it's on fire you'll have
to remain here stay covered up and rest
you've got the flu flu that's it
all listen i i once beat pneumonia
and hepatitis in the same afternoon good
strong constitution is your best chance
best chance
i don't warn you doc when i took
up golf i quit going to church
look there is no point in
us catching it besides we
should be in the back with the others the weight
you weigh more than i do go ahead
let somebody else play nursemaid
it's him or me and now make up your mind
won't be silly go where you belong
i'm already there i made the mistake of leaving
you once i'm not gonna blow it a second time
look at the ears of mixed doubles you think
i've got left in me i'll take whatever it is
uh lucky me well paul whitley too tends
to strike the young and elderly first
catches it the beginning in the end cutlass
hanger calling maiden one come in one go ahead
i hear this london will honor the treaties they
don't want you but they're going to take it the
preparing emergency equipment is setting up a
quarantine station proceed immediately to heathrow
london roger sir roger roger just a minute there's
no way to quarantine against this without adequate
notice you'd have to seal this plane in plastic
to stop it from spreading with no lead time at
all all they could do was jerry-rigged
something they might as well do nothing
we have no alternative we have two and a half
maybe three hours fuel left and that's it if you
land in london we'll be responsible for spreading
this contagion i remind you captain we're talking
about a 30 mortality rate look i listened to you
once now everyone in authority is notified of our
condition it's their responsibility to granted
deny entry my responsibility is to the people
of this plane let's see how far it is to senegal
what that's where the disease originated i mean
you can't do any more harm it's already been done
maybe the flu has run its course wait a minute
it's very probable that only dakar airport has has
quarantined facilities our destination is london
could we make it to senegal i don't
know our fuel is marginal if we make it
we'll make it by the skin of
our teeth look forget it hank
i have my orders and my responsibility is to
the company the passengers and nobody else
what about the passengers don't they have anything
to say about this no they don't it's my decision
gentlemen i'm afraid you'll have to leave
the cockpit it's going to get pretty busy
why don't you find out how the passengers
feel go on ask them gentlemen please
so that's the choice if we choose london we
run the risk of starting an epidemic with a
more than 30 mortality rate if we pick senegal
we may not be able to stretch our fuel that far
there's an even chance we won't make it and it's
london i'm with you friend as long as we don't ask
ourselves how many people were willing to let
die to ensure our survival as long as we feel
no moral obligation to anyone else what about
the cities that turned us away what about their
moral obligation we can't speak for them only for
ourselves what we have to ask ourselves is whether
there's more to life than just surviving whether
it's important how you survive don't give me that
look we didn't ask to be here we're not
volunteers nobody even told us there was a
health hazard on board we're innocent and this
joker here is telling us we have to die well
nobody dies well that's why
we're going to london agreed
right london london i say london
yes london london i say synagogue
senegal london senegal wherever that is it's on
the equator and not very attractive senegal london
i'm i'm sorry
senegal
so if your decision is to go to
senegal please raise your hand
listen there's some place closer
london for god sakes london
senegal sure what else senegal
way things have been going today the limousine
probably wouldn't been there to meet us anyway
those for senegal in a section
i'll tell them up front
you say you're responsible to the passengers well
the passengers by a vote of three to one have
decided for senegal it's insane maybe it is but
the passengers voted senegal they remind you this
isn't a town meeting there's one vote that counts
you that's mine and we're headed for london will
you for once in your life make a decision on your
own not everything in this world is covered by the
faa book of rules and regulations well i know you
never paid much attention to that kind of thing
you threw the book away in your career with
it i broke one of those precious rules not one
damn it dozens you didn't just come in under
the minimums you know it was sucked in at
zero and you picked an airfield so small i didn't
even have an approach radar facility you bet the
lives of everybody on board that you could force
a landing on a runway that was 500 feet too short
and never intended to handle an aircraft that
large you want me to go on i made the landing yes
but only because you were the best or the luckiest
a number one fly by the city or pants pilot this
company ever had and you were wrong your decision
the land in west texas was unprofessional
and irresponsible that has nothing to do what's
happening has everything to do with it because you
still think that a pilot of a commercial airline
is some kind of a rodeo star a barnstorming stunt
flyer with a white scarf tied around his neck
that attitude didn't belong in the cockpit when
you were busted and it doesn't belong here now
god how long will it take for that to sink in
you're right walsh that was wrong
i guess it was easier for me to blame you and face
myself and if that's true if that's true then i
risk the lies of a lot of people in order to save
one i admit it i was wrong i made a mistake a
bad one but aren't you about to do the very exact
same thing well should take this plane into london
and you'll be risking the lives
of a great many just to save a few
enough of important people on that
plane i don't want them inconvenienced
our representatives in london have
already pulled all strings necessary
to get them out of quarantine as
soon as possible understand over
washi
we're changing course sir changing change of
course aware dakar airport senegal are you
crazy yes maybe you take that plane straight
to london that is an order you read me over
i read you sir cutlass maiden one out
thank you captain walsh well you better
check with the senegalese people make
sure they have no objections shouldn't
be a captain at all or be a general
what are the ads doctor i
don't give odds mr whitney just
which means the odds are not so good people don't
seem to realize they answer the question by not
answering the question i'm not one of those people
i have an answer just waiting for a question
what's the answer yes
what's the question
will you marry me i thought you'd never ask i did
once before only that time it was the wrong answer
then if i swore i wasn't gonna cry
you were praying ah sir i was making deal
if he gets us there safe and sound
we'll make it permanent
can i ask you one more favor when we get
married on our honeymoon can we go by boat
turbulence pressure falling in all mountain passes
wind shears all quadrons not one stinking break
since this historic trip again check the fuel
gauge what do we got 20 minutes no more like 10.
will it what are you doing you're gonna need those
three minutes of control forget it let me do it no
you're hitting by he's paid to fly i'm
the legendary kind who built this place
let's all stick to what we know
really she's a great machine the best
we're going to come up short isn't there
some place we can land this side of our car
there's nothing between here
that car but mountains in the
well you jungle get ready tell me
yes sir may prepare passengers
for possible emergency landing
oh my god easy now easy we're
gonna make it sure gonna try
you take care of yourself i got
something in mind for you later
whatever it is you've got
the right girl i love you too
see you
in case i don't get a chance to
say this again phoenix mutual
fly to play please remove all glasses loosen
your ties and your belts place a pillow in
your lap and be ready to place your face in
the pillow when the aircraft comes to a halt
proceed to the nearest emergency
exit quickly but calmly thank you
i hope it's fast hey hey come kid
come on this is what we get paid for
we're about to kill two engines can't lose
the altitude pal what the hell is that big
and he's supposed to be at two o'clock yeah
it should be but it isn't mountain head bank
you got it
hey give me a hand
30 degrees stitching gear up up
who aren't see me
you
angie
angie hey over here
oh my god took your time getting here i'm here
now willie get you out a minute just hold on
yeah how many made it a lot really a lot i
wish i was one of them now you'll live forever
i already have
wait ah
[ __ ] the plane
you tell him i'll tell him
legend many
are you all right he sure did his job didn't he
he you know both of us safe and sound all three
of us yeah well i don't know i i hurt my wrists
and my legs and talk about a splitting headache oh
no no no don't get me wrong sweetheart sweetheart
i wouldn't try to weasel out of a promise that's
what i'm wondering oh well shame on you same on
you oh baby the only thing is you know i just i
just don't think that well we're not absolutely
positive that you're pregnant you know we're not
really terribly sure i think that we shouldn't
really tell the whole world well there's no point
in telling your family and and all your relatives
and everything you know because we don't i mean
that we're gonna get married i mean we don't know
that for sure right darling i think that i think
that we ought to talk about it that's all cause
well everything worked out you know we're crying
where have you been here you all right
i'm not injured if that's what
you mean where's the champ
i'm sorry i'm sorry
are you all right miss family
i've got it right
what did you say the mortality rate was
the survival rate is at least 70 percent
i haven't been out of the top 70 percentile
since grammar school i've got it made well
there's a quarantine hospital already set
up we'll get you there as quickly as we can
how many others
14 or 15 so far doctor we
did the right thing didn't we
are we our brother's keeper the majority of our
fellow passengers answered yes they backed it
with their lives but the vaccine will they
develop it in time to make all this worth it
well there are a lot of good people at the disease
center in atlanta still working on it and we've
radioed back and they've already sent a culture
onto the pasta institute one of them will crack it
good luck
gotta get that arm well in a hurry if you're
gonna be pouring tea tea isn't that what
faculty wives do for tea the football coach is
part of the faculty what about that deal with
mike hellman i don't think i'd look good in
a garbage pail even a gold-plated one besides
this place gotta start somewhere probably some
good kids that destitution you anything you say
doctor what about these people helping us won't
they be infected no guarantees captain but
they're all volunteers who were previously
exposed to the virus with no ill effects
they'll be joining us in quarantine
will i see you at the hospital
as soon as everyone's evacuated we'll be burning
all this we should be finished before dark
whatever it takes i'm gonna
get your license back good luck
we can carry one more go ahead man.
what are you trying to do get rid of me?
never again. room for one more.
(Helicopter)
(Soft Music)