Heart-Pounding
Giant Screen Film
Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag
Premieres at the California Science Center IMAX® Theater
Encounter the Ultimate Aerial Combat Experience
beginning June 30, 2006
Los
Angeles –Heart-stopping action and breath-taking
aerial footage will put movie-goers on the edge of their
seats with Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag at
the California Science Center IMAX Theater June 30, 2006. Fighter
Pilot: Operation Red Flag demonstrates the
many challenges pilots and their crews face in combat training
and the precision skills needed to carry out a successful
mission.
The story
begins with Captain John Stratton, a young American fighter
pilot, who is determined to follow in the footsteps of his
grandfather, a decorated World War II flying ace. He joins
the world's best pilots at Red Flag -- the most challenging
training exercise for the air forces of the U.S. and its
allies. Flying an F-15 Eagle, Captain Stratton undertakes
Red Flag's treacherous and immensely complicated training.
His childhood vision of heroism widens as he witnesses the
teamwork of his ground crew and other pilots, ensuring a
successful operation and his safe return home.
Aviation
fans will see an array of aircraft, including American F-15E
Strike Eagles, German Tornados, Israeli F-16’s, Canadian
F-18 Hornets and the British Royal Navy’s Harrier jump
jets and more as they engage in Operation Red Flag activities.
For more details on featured aircraft, please visit www.af.mil/factsheets.
In addition, Fighter
Pilot’s showing at the Science
Center IMAX Theater is a value added experience for flight
enthusiasts as they can also get “up close and
personal” with aircraft such as Northrop’s
F-20 Tigershark and T-38 Talon, and Lockheed’s
F-104 Starfighter and A-12 Blackbird reconnaissance plane,
all on display in and around the Science Center.
Director
Stephen Low (Volcanoes of the Deep Sea, Super
Speedway) stated, "So many films on fighter aircraft
essentially fake the interaction between the planes using
a lot of quick cutting, simulated cockpit photography and
special effects. Working with the Air Force made it possible
for us to shoot actual dog-fighting for the first time between
a dozen aircraft at once. Altogether, we were working with
more than one hundred aircraft of all types. This is the
closest an audience will ever get to flying in the middle
of a massive air combat operation."
The film
is produced by The Stephen Low Company, and is a presentation
of K2 Communications (Adventures in Wild California).
Major funding was provided by The Boeing Company.
About
Red Flag:
Established
in 1975, Red Flag is a two-week realistic combat training exercise
involving the elite aerial forces from all four branches of
the U.S. military, plus their Guard/Reserve components. It
is commonly described as being more challenging than actual
combat. Since its inception, NATO and the air forces of 27
other countries have joined the U.S. in these intensive exercises,
as well as individual members of other countries (such as India)
who have participated as observers. Red Flag exercises have
provided training for over 400,000 elite military personnel,
including more than 132,000 aircrew members flying over 350,000
sorties and logging over 600,000 hours flying time. For more
information on Red Flag, please visit www.nellis.af.mil.
Note
to reporters/editors:
To download the Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag press
kit,please visit www.fighterpilotfilm.com.
To download
OFFICIAL HIGH-RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE FILM (for press
use only) please visit www.bigmoviezone.com/fighterpilotpress.
California Science Center,
located at 700 State Drive in historic Exposition Park, Los
Angeles, is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm. Admission to Science
Center exhibitions is free, except for the Marvel® Super Heroes™ Science
Exhibition. For recorded information on IMAX show times, phone
(213) 744-7400. IMAX ticket prices are $8.00/adults, $5.75/
seniors and students 13-17 with valid ID, and $4.75 for children
4-12. For advance ticket purchases, group rates, or to make
reservations for any visiting group of 15 or more (required),
call (213) 744-2019. Parking is available in the guest lot
at Figueroa and Coliseum/39th Street for $6 per car. Both the
Science Center and IMAX Theater are wheelchair accessible.
For general information, phone (323) SCIENCE or visit our web
site at www.californiasciencecenter.org. Proceeds
from the IMAX Theater support Science Center exhibits and education
programs.
