Flying Carpet: Dutch Treat

It was Charlie Hicks, former CBS-TV anchor and NAU faculty member, who teaches international media and entertainment management at the NHTV Breda University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands. Anything to promote international relations, right?

Following approvals, student producer Floor van der Vlugt phoned to arrange the details. All three students were excited about flying, van der Vlugt said, “but one is very nervous.” I suggested we meet early for cooler and smoother flying and filming.

We convened on a sunny morning at Flagstaff-Pulliam Airport, where Hicks introduced van der Vlugt, interviewer Nicola Vogel, and videographer/editor Sietse van den Nieuwenhuijzen. Vogel was the nervous flyer, so I seated her up front near the center of gravity where she was less likely to feel turbulence.

After the crew prepared their equipment, I emphasized safety and comfort during my preflight briefing and noted the ice water I’d brought to keep everyone cool. Once taxiing, Vogel said, “I feel safe after all, thanks to your explanations.” Her eager picture-taking during takeoff suggested she was far from panicky.

Our first destination was Sunset Crater, a colorful volcanic cinder cone, followed by cosmic Meteor Crater near Winslow. By the time we steered west to film scenic Sedona, Vogel was peppering me with questions such as, “What’s it like to fly at night?” When I offered her a turn at the controls, however, she responded with astonishment. It’s easy to forget how exotic piloting an airplane is to the ground-bound, especially coming from a country with limited general aviation.

“Flying the plane sounds a bit scary,” Vogel replied, wide-eyed, “but how would I feel afterward if I missed the chance to try?” She gingerly took the yoke, and within moments beamed at the others as she got comfortable. I retook the controls to thread the red rocks approaching Sedona, which Vogel enthusiastically videoed for her mom back in the Netherlands.

Upon landing, we encountered the team’s classmates interviewing Sedona Airport Director Amanda Shankland for another segment. The other group offered to shoot our takeoff for my group’s B-roll background video. In return, van den Nieuwenhuijzen would film the airport on climbout for the other group. I rocked wings after takeoff, only to discover afterward that the other team had attributed my proud “airman’s wave” to turbulence.

By the time we reconvened with Hicks back at Flagstaff, the students were elated about both their filming and the flying, I’d fostered new overseas friends, and Vogel proudly proclaimed “I flew the plane!” to anyone who’d listen. Later we learned the team had won “most outstanding video package” on the project. No wonder I guess, given their pilot’s-eye views from above.