I
went to Long Beach California to learn to fly a number of years ago because I
wanted to get some real research of flying sequences for my World War II novels.
Of course, I didn’t fly a Spitfire but a Cessna. Unfortunately, my flying instructor was a
chauvinist and after I returned home, I wrote this short radio play which is
based on the theme of revenge. I hope you enjoy it.
[F/X means sound effects for radio.]
N.B. The formatting isn't correct for a radio script as this site can't accept different formats.]
FLIGHT
20 minute radio play by Linda M James
BRAD – 30s- chauvinist pilot instructor
LUCY – 20s - seemingly dippy student pilot
EXT ACCOUSTIC
F.X.
IN THE BACKGROUND, aeroplanes taking off, doing circuits and landing in the
background.
F.X.
In the foreground, someone pacing up down nervously. Another pair of footsteps
approaching rapidly. This is a fast talking American flying instructor,
Brad. He takes no prisoners.
Brad
Hi
- You Lucy?
F.X.
A LARGE OBJECT DROPPING TO THE GROUND.
Lucy
(English accent)
(English accent)
Sorry.
Hallo - I was expecting-
Brad
I'm
Brad. Johnny got sick. I'm taking you up today. Got your log book?
Lucy
Oh,
yes. I've just-
Brad
How
many hours?
Lucy
(very
proud)
Four,
actually.
Brad
makes a dismissive noise through his teeth.
Brad
Four?
Well, isn't that great? Got your headset?
Lucy
Headset?
Brad
Headset.
Lucy
Sorry.
I forgot.
Brad
Jesus...
I'll have to lend you my old one. Ground exams?
Lucy
Yes,
I've passed them all...
Brad
Well,
that's something.
Lucy
Well...
nearly all.
She
laughs, then stops abruptly.
Brad
Let's
get going. I'm due at the airport in an hour.
Lucy
But
the lessons are an hour long!
Brad
Look,
lady - I 'm doing you a favour. Johnny's sick, remember.
2: EXT / INT ACOUSTIC
F/X
Brad climbing into the 'cockpit' of the plane. A CLICK AS HE PUTS on his
harness and seat beat.
Brad
You
running behind?
Lucy
Sorry.
F.X.
Lucy hurriedly climbing into the 'cockpit'. MOVEMENT as Brad puts on his head
set.
3: INT. ACOUSTIC
Brad
Here.
F.X. He passes the spare one to Lucy who puts it on.
Brad
You've
done the pre-flight inspection?
Lucy
Yes.
Brad
Okay.
Seat belt on. Check.
F.X.
the click of a seat belt.
Brad
Shoulder
harness adjust. Check. Mixture. Rich. Check. Carburettor Heat. Prime as
required.
A long pause. small movement of a knob being
pushed, back and fro.
Brad
Enough! Throttle - Open - how much?
Lucy
Ummm
- an inch?
Brad
makes another dismissive noise.
Lucy
Half
an inch. (laughing) Of course.
She
hurriedly moves the knob to the right position. we hear the click of switches.
Brad
Master
Switch... On. Electric Fuel Pump...On.
Propeller area.
Lucy
(shouting
through 'cockpit window')
Clear!
Lrad
Ignition...
Start.
F.X. the roar of an engine and propellers turning.
They
now have to talk louder. Brad switches the radio on and we hear its crackle.
Brad
(into
headphone)
Long
Beach Clearance. This is Cessna 7434 Hotel at Million Air North with
information Alpha. Request taxi 25R
Tower
Cessna
7434 Hotel. Taxi into position and hold. Contact ground at 133.0.
Brad
(into
headphone)
133.0.
34 Hotel. ( to Lucy) Okay. Let's go.
Lucy grabs the joy stick hard.
Brad
Jesus!
This isn't your ex-husband. Caress the stick - don't strangle it!
Lucy
Sorry.
F.X. A light aeroplane taxiing down the runway in
a zig zag direction. the engine noise
fluctuates.
Brad
Keep
your distance from that plane! - it's a GROB 109 - over $100,000, for fuck's
sake!
Lucy
Sorry.
F.X. continuation of plane's erratic taxiing to
the runway.
Brad
Okay
brake. (Pause.) Now! Now!
f.x.
the engine noise dies to a steady drone
Brad
Switch
frequency to 120.50
Lucy
Sorry
- didn't quite catch that.
Brad
(through
stitched lips)
120.50.
f.x.
Lucy switching radio frequency with some effort.
Lucy
1-2-er...0...
Brad
mouths obscenities under his breath.
Brad
5-0.
Long
Pause while lucy fiddles with radio. crackling noises
Brad
Okay.
Over to you.
Lucy
Pardon?
Brad
Get
clearance for takeoff from the Tower.
Lucy
(
terrified)
For
take-off?
Brad
(as
if to a retarded dog)
That's
how we're gonna get the plane up, lady.
Lucy
But
I've never done that.
Brad
That's
why I'm asking you to do it now... Just say - Long Beach Tower.
Lucy
Long
Beach Tower.
Brad
This
is Cessna 7434 Hotel at Million Air North.
Lucy
This is Cessna 7-4 -4... No -3
Brad
4!
Lucy
Pardon?
Brad
Fucking
4!
Lucy
Sorry
- I seem to have forgotten the number completely now.
Brad
(very
slow)
Cessna
7-4-3-4
Lucy
Oh,
yes. ( very slow) Cessna 7-4-3-4.
Brad
Hotel
at Million Air North.
Lucy
At
a Hotel at Million Air North.
Brad
Jesus
- it's not a Hotel! That's the number of the fucking plane! Hotel at Million
Air North.
Lucy
Sorry.
Hotel at Million Air North. Funny name, isn't it?
Brad
Requesting
permission for take off.
Lucy
Requesting
permission for take off.
Brad
Easy,
huh?
a
long pause.
Brad
Now
just press the button.
Lucy
What
button?
another dismissive noise from brad.
f.x. the click of a button.
Lucy
breathing deeply.
Lucy
(into
headphone)
Hallo.
Hallo. Anyone there? This is Lucy Barton here. Do you think we can possibly
take off now?
f.x.
Abusive crackling on the radio in response.
Lucy
Oh
dear...
Brad
(into
headphone)
Long
Beach Tower. This is Cessna 7434 Hotel. A student pilot. Please hold fire.
f.x.
More abusive crackling.
Brad
(into
headphone)
Cessna
34 Hotel. Requesting permission for takeoff.
Tower
Cessna
34 Hotel. Clear for take off. Winds at 250º at 1ºK. Eject the student.
a
dismissive noise from Lucy.
Brad
(into
headphone)
Clear
for take off. 34 Hotel.
Brad
Ready.
Llucy
(very
resolute)
I
am.
f.x.
Music from the DamBuster's March rising during the next piece of dialogue
Brad
Brad
Throttle.
Full Open.
Lucy
Throttle.
Full Open.
f.x.
The noise of the engine becomes louder.
Brad
Mixture.
Rich.
Lucy
Mixture.
Rich.
Brad
Airspeed.
Normal Climb.
Lucy
Airspeed.
Normal Climb.
f.x.
The tone of the engine changes to indicate a climb.
Brad
Rudder.
Centered ball.
Lucy
Rudder
- centred ball.
fx.
Gradually fade music of Dambuster's March.
Brad
Okay.
Not bad. Trim it up, kid.
Lucy
What?
Brad
Trim
it up.
long
pause
Brad
Remember?
- the trim tab keeps the plane in steady level flight without the pilot having
to exert any pressure on the stick. Okay? Let's do it.
long
pause while lucy fiddles with controls.
Lucy
Oh,
no. Just a ... little...no...oh... can't seem to get the - oh God!
f.x.
a Plane diving steeply . Dramatic music.
Brad
(very
relaxed)
So
what are you going to do, Lucy? (pause)
ETA - seven seconds.
Lucy
Oh
God - we're going to die!
f.x.
tone of engine changes as the 'plane' is forced into a steep climb. music
soars.
Brad
Jesus
Christ! Let go! I've got the controls!
f.x.
Crackle of 'angry' radio.
f.x.
the plane levels. music fades.
Tower
Cessna
34 Hotel. What the hell are you doing?
Brad
(into
headphone)
Cessna
34 Hotel. Student has a death wish.
f.x.
Violent crackle and a stream of incomprehensible obscenities explode over the
radio.
Brad
(into
headphone)
Couldn't
agree more. Over and out.
There
is silence for several seconds.
Lucy
Oh,
what's that great big white dome down there?
Brief
pause.
Brad
That's
where they housed Howard Hughes'
gigantic crate.
Lucy
Wasn't
that the biggest plane in the world?
Brad
Look,
lady, I'm not paid to give history lessons.
Let's get on with the manoeuvres.
Lucy
Could
I ask you something first?
Brad
(irritated)
What?
Lucy
Are
you screwing the boss's wife and stealing the assets of the air-school?
Brad
What?
Lucy
You
see, Johnny didn't get sick today. We arranged it.
Brad
What?
Lucy
You
think constant repetition succeeds in
imprinting something on the mind, don’t you?
Brad
What?
Lucy
Dear,
oh dear. Ever heard of a thesaurus? You have
been screwing the boss's wife, haven't you?
Brad
suddenly laughs.
Brad
What's
it to you if I have?
Lucy
Well,
quite a lot, really. I'm Johnny's wife and for some strange reason you've been
telling everyone Johnny's the culprit.
A
pause
Brad
Say
what is this? You've flown more than 4 hours.
Lucy
(very
flirtatious)
Wow
- I love intelligent men.
Brad
And
I love good-looking broads.
Long
pause. we wonder what they're doing.
Lucy
So
you have then?
Brad
What?
Lucy
Tut,
tut. (Pause) Been screwing Big Al's wife.
Brad
She
was gagging for it. Not surprising looking at Big Al though.
f.x.
The radio crackles angrily.
Lucy
And
what about the money?
Brad
Look
lady. Big Al ain't hot on brain cells.
Know what I mean? The way he runs the air school. Jesus! That guy ain't gonna miss the odd buck or
two.
Lucy
$70,000
actually.
Brad
Hey
- what is this? The Spanish Inquisition?
Lucy
No,
but Johnny's a bit upset. Silly really. He's only going to lose his job and go
to prison, isn't he?
Brad
Well,
I could think of ways to keep you busy while he's away.
f.x.
The radio crackles again.
Lucy
That's
very sweet of you. But why did you do it?
Brad
Do
what?
Lucy
(childlike)
Steal
the money and screw Al's wife?
Brad
The
guy's a total shit. You know what he pays me? Nut money. Me! - the best pilot
he's ever had! I'll screw every dollar out of his arse. And as for his bitch of
a wife -
Lucy
I
think we'd better get ready for descent now, don't you? What's the procedure
again? No, don't tell me.
f.x.
Noise of the engine alters as they change direction.
Brad
Hey
- what is this?
Lucy
Apply
full power. Put the carburettor heat to the off position. Change pitch attitude
and lower flaps. Now what else? Of course!
Contact
the tower! (into headphone) Long Beach
Ground. Cessna 34 Hotel requesting permission to land at Million Air North.
Tower
Cessna
34 Hotel. Permission to land at Million Air North.
f.x.
sound of the engine changes as plane descends.
Brad
Look
lady - you gonna tell me what's going on.
Lucy
Sorry.
Must concentrate.
f.x.
The sound of the engine dies.
Lucy
switches off the controls.
Lucy
Well,
thank you very much, Brad. It's been really interesting. (into headphone) You got all that on
tape, Johnny? Al with you?
f.x.
loud crackle and incomprehensible insults over the radio.
Lucy
(into
headphone)
Couldn't
agree more!
f.x. Lucy climbing out of the 'plane' , we hear footsteps
retreating and lucy humming the theme
from the DamBuster's March.
Fade
out to music
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