Best Aviation Movies to Watch with Your Family

You are probably cooped up with your family right now thinking about what to do, and more importantly, how to stay entertained. Movies are a go-to when you want to spend some quality time with family, whether that be because of a national pandemic or it’s a rainy day. Sometimes you just want to spend an evening with your family that involves little planning and thought. That’s why we curated a list of 5 aviation-themed movies that you can watch with your family. You will be sure to find a movie that will appeal to all the people in your house. So start that pop-corn, throw on some comfy sweatpants, grab a cozy blanket, and get to watching.

1. Memphis Belle: This action-packed, feel-good WWII movie is a perfect blast from the past. It is a fictionalized movie about the 1944 documentary Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress. Memphis Belle follows the crew members of B-17 bomber, Memphis Belle, as they prepare for their 25^th and final sortie into enemy German territory. This movie is perfect if your family is full of history-buffs and enjoys a flare of drama. Watch on iTunes, Amazon Prime, or Google Play.
2. Fly Away Home: This movie is perfect for the families that are always ready for a sappy family-oriented movie. Although aviation isn’t the main subject in Fly Away Home, it shows how aviation, aircraft, and some cute geese, can bring a broken family together. Watch as Amy and her father craft a way to teach abandoned, baby geese how to migrate south. Watch on iTunes, Amazon Prime, or Google Play. Fun Fact: this movie is based on the incredible story of Bill Lishman and his program “Operation Migration.” Lishman taught Canadian geese to migrate by following his ultralight aircraft south.
3. Top Gun: Does this movie even need an introduction? It’s an aviation-classic—no matter how many times you see it, it never gets old. Some might even say, it’s Tom Cruise’s best role yet. And since Top Gun: Maverick is coming out December of this year, we must be sure to watch and remember just how great this movie is. It’s perfect for all families. Watch on iTunes, Amazon Prime, or Google Play.
4. Planes: If you have small kids at home and need to instill the lifestyle of aviation in them, then you must watch Planes. It’s the parallel to Cars, the movie. Planes is an animated movie that follows Dusty, a crop duster who lives in a small town, and how he achieves his dream of one day becoming a high-flying air racer. The vibrant, quirky Disney movie will capture your attention whether you’re 2 or 92. Whether you need to entertain the little ones or need a mindless break, you must watch Planes. Watch on iTunes, Amazon Prime, or Google Play.
5. Flying the Feathered Edge: The Bob Hoover Project: We couldn’t make this movie list complete without a captivating documentary. Flying the Feathered Edge: The Bob Hoover Project shows how influential and magnificent the legendary Bob Hoover truly was. If you weren’t already awed by Bob Hoover and his accomplishments, you will be after this movie. This is for the families who can’t get enough of well-directed depiction of an influential life through interviews and historic footage. Watch on iTunes, Amazon Prime, or Google Play.

Now dim the lights and enjoy!