Airport Minute Podcast

Chris Henry has been a lifelong aviation enthusiast. Since the time he started volunteering at the local air museum at the age of 12 airplanes have been part of his life. He went to college for air traffic and worked for US Airways in Pittsburgh before working as a medical helicopter dispatcher. Then went on to become an air traffic controller before going to work in his current role as the Museum Program Rep for the EAA Aviation Museum.

Nancy O’Kane, better known in Internet circles as “The Captain”, is much more comfortable watching movies than talking about them. Nevertheless, she has succumbed to the charms of her husband and agreed to take part in his podcast. When she’s not talking about George Kennedy and his cigars, she’s a full time student majoring in history and minoring in classics. She’s also busy being a caretaker to Rio, the most neurotic dog on the planet. Rio is afraid of thunder, lawnmowers, and plastic bags.

Mr. Davidson tells Sr. Felice to take car of the injured man behind him.

Meanwhile, in the aft entryway, Cy Jordan watches as Dr. Compagno and Sr. Katherine Grace tend to Gwen, who head is bloodied. Dr. Compagno shines a flashlight in Gwen’s left eye while Sr. Katherine Grace takes her pulse.

“How is her pulse, Sister?” asks the doctor.

“Weak,” responds Sr. Katherine Grace.

“I have some adreneline syringes in my bag. Will you prepare a shot?” asks Dr. Compagno.

Cy turns to look at the men in the starboard lavatory, who are struggling to cover the gaping hole in the fuselage left by the bomb.

“Will it hold?” Cy asks

Pete Mummert is a co-host of the Indiana Jones Minute podcast, a show that the AV Club once hailed as “not nearly as tedious as a thing like this could potentially be.” He lives with his wife and two cats in San Francisco, a town in which the term “snow desk” only rarely enters casual conversations.

Nancy O’Kane, better known in Internet circles as “The Captain”, is much more comfortable watching movies than talking about them. Nevertheless, she has succumbed to the charms of her husband and agreed to take part in his podcast. When she’s not talking about George Kennedy and his cigars, she’s a full time student majoring in history and minoring in classics. She’s also busy being a caretaker to Rio, the most neurotic dog on the planet. Rio is afraid of thunder, lawnmowers, and plastic bags.

Vern tells Cy to go back and check the damage and report by interphone. And, according to the manifest, “there’s three doctors aboard.”

“Let’s hope they’re not dentists,” says Harris.

“They’re probably pitching in already,” says Vern to Cy, “and get anybody else that can help.” Cy gets ready to leave the cockpit.

“And,” says Vern, “find out about Gwen.” Cy nods and leaves.

In the passenger section, there is moaning and yelling. Stewardess Maria in First Class is passing out blankets. Cy points to a man being treated in his seat by a doctor.

“Put him on the walker,” says Cy to Maria, pointing at her portable oxygen bottle. “We’re going to cut off the oxygen.” C

Tom Taylor is the cohost of the Indiana Jones Minute and the Caddyshack Minute podcasts. He’s also the author of the novel In Memory of Todd Woods. He lives in Chicagoland wth his wife and son, and is so busy he has no friends, except for all you nice people!

Nancy O’Kane, better known in Internet circles as “The Captain”, is much more comfortable watching movies than talking about them. Nevertheless, she has succumbed to the charms of her husband and agreed to take part in his podcast. When she’s not talking about George Kennedy and his cigars, she’s a full time student majoring in history and minoring in classics. She’s also busy being a caretaker to Rio, the most neurotic dog on the planet. Rio is afraid of thunder, lawnmowers, and plastic bags.

TGA Flight Two is in a steep dive. Captain Harris is trying to bring the plane down to an altitude where the air is thick enough to breathe.

Meanwhile, Toronto Center continues to monitor the double bloom of the aircraft’s transponder on their radar screen.

As Vern arrives back in the First Class cabin, the plane beings to level off. Vern takes another breath from the mask, and then removes it from his face to check the cabin air. He then heads for the cockpit.

“Global Two, Toronto Center,” radios the air traffic controller. The scene shifts to Harry Standish, Tanya, Mel and Bert Wetherby listening to Mel’s radio.

“We’re level at one-zero thousand,” reports Captain Harris over the radio. “Retu

With more than 35 years experience in Film and Television, Rob Draper has worked on everything from Regional TV News to Hollywood Feature Films.

Known as a technical innovator and creative risk taker in the industry he has pioneered many new techniques and worked on development of motion picture products for SONY, Panasonic, Fuji Film, Arri and Zeiss. Rob was also the first to run a full scale Hi Definition shoot in Hollywood on the then “new gen” camera’s.

Rob set the style for what has become known as Reality TV in a groundbreaking series he shot for Universal called “The Street”…after which the New York Times declared “the show practically creates a new visual language”. Rob also worked on some of the first Music Videos used to promote feature Films and developed a visual style for using promotional music videos for retailing in a 5 minute Hollywood extravaganza for Coca Cola.

Rob’s photography on the Sundance Audience award winner, The Spitfire Grill, drew accolades worldwide.

Rob’s website: http://www.robdraperacs.com/

In the aftermath of the explosion, Stewardess Joan is tending to the Tourist passengers. Vern, in the aft entryway, puts an oxygen mask on the unconscious Gwen, who’s sprawled on the floor of the cabin.

Meanwhile, Stewardess Joan removes Ada’s hat, and helps her with her mask. Marcus Rathbone, not wearing a mask, is turning blue while facing backwards in his seat. Joan seats him back down and straps an oxygen mask on Rathbone.

Vern makes his way from the back of the aircraft, taking breaths from spare masks hanging from the overhead compartments.

Meanwhile in the cockpit, the stars are wheeling across the windscreen as Harris struggles with the ship. “Trans Global Two,” he says into his mask’s microphone, “Decompression – – making emergency descent.” Harris reaches for the aircraft’s transponder code. Harris changes the IDENT to 7700, the emergency squawk code.

On the ATC radar screen, a double target bloom appears, signaling the location of an aircraft in trouble. The scene dissolves into an image of the 707 making a sharp descent in the night sky.

Mel, Bert, Tanya, and Harry listen intently to the radio in Mel’s office.

“Request One Zero Thousand,” says Harris.

“Roger,” says Toronto Center, “Descend and maintain one zero thousand. Report your intentions when ready.”

Vern struggles to get to the front of the aircraft, while checking on the status of the passengers. He takes a deep breath off Guerrero’s now-available, unused oxygen mask.

Gwen re

With more than 35 years experience in Film and Television, Rob Draper has worked on everything from Regional TV News to Hollywood Feature Films.

Known as a technical innovator and creative risk taker in the industry he has pioneered many new techniques and worked on development of motion picture products for SONY, Panasonic, Fuji Film, Arri and Zeiss. Rob was also the first to run a full scale Hi Definition shoot in Hollywood on the then “new gen” camera’s.

Rob set the style for what has become known as Reality TV in a groundbreaking series he shot for Universal called “The Street”…after which the New York Times declared “the show practically creates a new visual language”. Rob also worked on some of the first Music Videos used to promote feature Films and developed a visual style for using promotional music videos for retailing in a 5 minute Hollywood extravaganza for Coca Cola.

Rob’s photography on the Sundance Audience award winner, The Spitfire Grill, drew accolades worldwide.

Rob’s website: http://www.robdraperacs.com/

D.O. Guerrero has locked himself into the starboard lavatory. Gwen rushes to try and open the door.

Guerrero takes a final moment, looking at himself in the lavatory mirror. He hears the noise and clamor of people outside. While staring at his reflection, he reaches for the trigger on the briefcase handle.

Outside the lavatory, Gwen continues to tug on the door. There’s a sudden explosion.

Gwen, still holding onto the lavatory door, is thrown backwards toward the aft hatch.

A hole appears in the outer wall of the lavatory. Debris from the explosion and loose objects are sucked out of the aircraft. In the main cabin, jackets, blankets, pillows, papers, and other items fly aft. The noise of the escaping air is deafening. Passengers are screaming.

In the cockpit, the decompression alarm blares. Engineer Jordan dons an oxygen mask. Harris, already wearing his mask, scans the instrument panel.

Back in the main cabin, every loose object continues to be pulled aft. Vern, prone in the aisle, is being dragged toward the tail. Other passengers grab him to keep him from going further back.

Gwen, in the aft entryway, is hanging onto a jumpseat strap. Playing cards litter the floor.

The last remaining blankets and hats continue to fly through the air. As the pressure equalizes to the 20,000 ft altitude, the wind dies down.

Emergency oxygen masks deploy from the overhead compartments. Passengers struggle to put on oxygen. Vern stands in the aisle and yells, “Get on oxygen!”

Back in the cockpit, Harris and Jordan are working the controls and

Vana Heflin O’Brien is the daughter of actor Van Heflin. A Peace Corps veteran, Ms. O’Brien is now a Marriage & Family Therapist in Portland, Oregon.

Vern is standing in the aisle, trying to talk Guerrero out of detonating his briefcase bomb, while the entire Tourist section of Flight Two watches. Vern tells Guerrero that blowing up the plane will hurt his family.

“They’ll be hounded and blamed,” says Vern. “Listen to me. Think.” Vern gestures to the passengers behind him. “Guerrero,” he says, “let these people sit down. We’ll talk.” Guerrero ponders for a moment. “I promise,” says Vern, “until you’re ready, no one will come close.” Vern turns around and tells the passengers to sit down. They all take their seats, still facing the back of the plane.

“Guerrero,” says Vern, “You know know that you’ve failed.” Guerrero shakes his head, confused and questioning. “The only way you can help your family, “continues Vern, “is to give me that case.” Guerrero looks back at Vern, with a look of sadness. “Give me the case,” repeats Vern. “If you do, I promise that no one on this plane will hurt you.”

Guerrero looks at the case, looks back at Vern, and begins to lean forward to hand over the briefcase.

Just then, the door of the starboard aft lavatory opens up, and a passenger steps out behind Guerrero. Guerrero, surprised, turns around.

Marcus Rathbone jumps up from his seat and yells, “Grab him! He’s got a bomb!” At those words, Guerrero wheels around, shoves the exiting lavatory occupant out of the way, and enters the starboard lavatory.  The lavatory passenger runs up the aisle, knocking Vern off his feet. Gwen, being closer to the back of the cabin than Vern, runs towards the lavatory door.

Whit Bissell as Mr. Davidson

Gwen and Ada are continuing their play-acting in Row 23. Mr Davidson objects.

“Can’t you see the lady is upset?” asks Mr. Davidson.

“I told you, keep out of it!” says Gwen, shoving him aside. She grabs the weeping Ada. “Sit down and be quiet!” she says, yanking Ada into her seat.

“You hurt me!” wails Ada, “You hurt me!” Ada begins to sob, loudly.

“Stop it,” yells Gwen. “You’re hysterical!” Gwen leans over and slaps Ada across the face. The passengers react in shock. Mr. Davidson grabs Gwen by the shoulders to restrain her.

Ada turns toward Guerrero, who has been purposefully ignoring all the drama. As Ada turns, she throws her arms around Guerrero’s neck. “Help me!” she yells. “Please, help me!” Guerrero lets go of the attaché case as he tries to pry Ada’s arms from around his neck.

From the First Class compartment, Vern sweeps the aisle curtain open and races to the back of the Tourist cabin. While Ada keeps Guerrero occupied, Gwen lunges forward and grabs the briefcase from Guerrero’s lap. “No!” roars Guerrero.

Gwen pivots to hand Vern the briefcase, but Marcus Rathbone intervenes.

“That’s personal property!” shouts Rathbone, snatching the briefcase out of Gwen’s hands. “You have no right to take it away from him. Rathbone passes the briefcase back to Guerrero, who is now standing in the aisle. Vern reaches for Guerrero’s briefcase, but is blocked by Rathbone. There is a crowd of passengers and crew now standing in the aisle, blocking Vern from getting any closer to Guerrero.

“Stop! No!” shouts Guerrero, now standing next to the Tourist cabin galley. “You stay where you are! Don’t — try to get any closer!” He holds the briefcase now at chest height towards the Tourist section. No one speaks. There is only the sound of the jet engines as background noise.

“Guerrero, listen to me,” says Vern, calmly. “Do you hear me? Listen: they know about you on the ground. Your insurance is no good! It’s canceled, it’s worthless. No one has ever gotten away with a thing like this.” Guerrero looks at Vern with a puzzled and sad expression.

“No one has ever collected a penny,” continues Vern. “You won’t help your family – – you’ll only hurt ’em. You’ll kill yourself for nothing if you explode that bomb.” At the mention of the word “bomb,” the crowd panics but Vern calms them down. “Stay where you are!” he says to the passengers.

Guerrero looks increasingly confused and distant. “Your family will be hounded,” says Vern.

Whit Bissell as Mr. Davidson

Phil Burke is the real-life counterpart to Airport’s Mel Bakersfeld character. He’s been the Director of Operations for the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport since May of 2013. Unlike Mel, Phil gets home on time at the end of a normal workday, doesn’t have a loud-mouthed brother-in-law pilot, and unfortunately doesn’t have a fireplace near his office.

Mel, Tanya, Bert Weatherby, and Harry Standish continue to listen to Trans Global Two’s voice traffic on Mel’s aircraft radio. Cleveland Center approves Flight Two’s descent to flight level Two One Zero.

Commissioner Ackerman steps into Mel’s office, inexplicably from Mel’s work room. “Mel,” says Ackerman, “I’ve just talked to the other commissioners, and they all agree with me. So as not to have any more trouble with the Meadow Wood residents, I’m instructing you to shut the airport down until seven a.m.”

Mel takes the copy of the Selcal dispatch to Flight Two from his desk. He hands it to Ackerman.

“Read this,” says Mel. “It’s a dispatch we just sent. The plane’s on its way back here. Do you still want us to shut down?”

Ackerman reads the dispatch, then looks back at Mel. “Under the circumstances,” says Ackerman, “I, uh…” and trails off. Ackerman exits through Mel’s work room door. Mel sits back at his desk and continues to listen to the aircraft radio.

“Global Two, Toronto Center,” says the voice on the radio. “Continue slow descent.”

Meanwhile on Flight Two,  Gwen and Ada put Vernon’s plan to distract Guerrero into action.  Gwen pretends to strong-arm Ada back to her seat in Tourist Class, while Ada dabs at her eyes with a handkerchief. Ada is sobbing, and the passengers react with outrage.

Mr. Davidson in 23-C stands up. “Now, whatever she’s done,” says Mr. Davidson to Gwen, “you don’t have to be so rough!”

Gwen steers Ada into her seat and turns to Mr. Davidson. “Please, don’t interfere!” says Gwen.

Vern, hiding behind the First Class bulkhead curtain, sneaks a peek at the drama unfolding in Coach.

Ada is doing her part in the melodrama. “Ask the Captain to reconsider!” she pleads with Gwen. “I don’t want to be handed over to the Italian police!”

“You should have thought of that before!” shouts Gwen. “Now, get back in your seat!”

“All I ask is to be sent back, ” sobs Ada. “Please don’t hand me over in a foreign country!”

“Can’t -” begins Mr. Davidson.

In this minute

Larr

Actor, director, audiobook narrator and voice-over artist, David shares his extensive knowledge of the acting and directing crafts with us this week as we examine two powerhouse actors go at it on a simple set. Find out more about David’s work at DaviddeVries.net

Ada is explaining to Captain Harris why she boarded a flight to Rome when she wanted to go to New York. Ada says that, according to the schedule, the next flight back from Rome “is to New York, and it’s your Number Five, and I thought they’d — want to get rid of me quickly, so they’d put me on that plane.”

Captain Harris suppresses a laugh.

“Mrs. Quonsett,” says Vern, “if you help us, I promise you that you’ll get to take trips to New York, First Class.”

“Oh,” says Ada, “Thank you.” Ada is very puzzled. “How can I help?”

“Well, Mrs. Quonsett – now, whatever happened back there, just now,” says Vern, pointing at the cabin door, “you can forget. That’s not the reason you were brought here.” Ada doesn’t know what to make of any of this.

Gwen leans in. “Mrs. Quonsett,” begins Gwen, “I hope I didn’t hurt you.”

“No, no,” says Ada, then ponders her response. “… not much,” she adds.

“Ma’am,” says Vern, “Are you frightened easily?”

“No,” says Ada. “I get nervous sometimes, but not as much as I used to. When you get older, there isn’t a lot left to be frightened of.”

“Good,” says Vern. “Alright now: you listen very carefully –”

A voice on the radio interrupts: “Global Two, this is Toronto Center. Your position is fifteen miles east of Kleinburg intersection. Say altitude.”

The scene shifts to Mel’s office. Mel, Tanya, Bert Wetherby, and Harry Standish are huddled around Mel’s aircraft radio.

Anson Harris responds to Toronto Center’s question. “Level at two-eight-zero. Request continued slow descent.”

“Roger, Global Two,” replies Toronto Center. “What altitude do you wish?”

“Request flight level two-one-zero,” says Harris.

“Roger,” says Toronto Center. “Continue slow descent. Maintain flight level two-”

Jacqueline Bisset as Gwen Meighan

Actor, director, audiobook narrator and voice-over artist, David shares his extensive knowledge of the acting and directing crafts with us this week as we examine two powerhouse actors go at it on a simple set. Find out more about David’s work at DaviddeVries.net

In front of a plane full of passengers, Gwen tells Ada what’s going to happen when they land in Rome.

“You’ll be handed over to the authorities,” says Gwen. “Now, come with me. The Captain has to make a report on you, but first he’d like to see you.” Gwen turns to Mr. Davidson. “Would you let this lady out, please?” Davidson stands up.

Ada is puzzled. “The Captain wants to see me?”

Gwen grabs Ada’s wrist. “And he doesn’t like to be kept waiting. Now, come on!” says Gwen. She pulls Ada by her arm into the aisle.

Davidson protests. “There’s no reason to treat her like a criminal!” he says.

“That’s exactly what she is!” responds Gwen, shoving Ada along. The passengers begin to murmur about the rough treatment of Mrs. Quonsett.

“Imagine,” says Marcus Rathbone, “shoving an old lady like that!”

Davidson shakes his head. “I’ve never seen anything like it in my whole life!” The passengers continue to talk among themselves.

Up in the cockpit, there’s a knock at the door. Cy opens the door, and lets Gwen and Ada into the cockpit. Ada looks around, nervously.

“Mrs. Quonsett?” says Vern, turning around in his seat to face her. “I’m Captain Demerest, this is Captain Harris. Would you come forward as far as you can?” Ada raises both eyebrows, but slowly moves closer to the front of the cockpit.

“Oh, Captain –” begins Ada, very emotionally.

“Please sit down, Mrs. Quonsett,” says Gwen, offering Ada a jump seat.

“I’m sorry to be a trouble to you,” continues Ada, “but I was on my way to New York to visit my poor daughter, who’s –”

“Then why did you get on this flight?” asks Harris, interrupting.

Ada’s voice changes and becomes very analytical. “Because, according to the schedule, the next flight back from Rome is to New- ”

Jacqueline Bisset as Gwen Meighan