Squadron Leader Named the Black Female Pilot 'Nobody' — His Engine Died, and Nobody Brought Him Home — Transcript

Full transcript

1. 0:03Coffee goes on the back table. Miss
2. 0:08Captain Maya Carter, reporting to Raven
3. 0:10Squadron.
4. 0:16>> You are the new pilot.
5. 0:21It says here she was top of her class.
6. 0:25[laughter]
7. 0:27Top of which class? Cooking
8. 0:32>> advanced jet training, sir. A class of
9. 0:3440. [laughter]
10. 0:46>> Listen, Carter. I fly with pilots I
11. 0:48trust, not with a recruiting poster.
12. 0:54>> Then fly with me once, sir.
13. 1:00I do not take passengers.
14. 1:06She needs a call time, boss.
15. 1:21Easy. Nobody. Because nobody asked for
16. 1:24her. Those are not regulation issue.
17. 1:32[snorts]
18. 1:35>> They were my father's sir
19. 1:48in this room. Wings are earned.
20. 1:55Are you finished, major?
21. 2:03>> You fly the simulator until I say
22. 2:05otherwise. [laughter]
23. 2:08Nobody flies today.
24. 2:30My father flew 900 hours in these.
25. 2:35I will add my own.
26. 2:55Major, is my new pilot settling in?
27. 2:58Like family, sir.
28. 3:06Carter,
29. 3:08stay out of the major's way and you will
30. 3:10do fine.
31. 3:14>> Sir, I request a check flight today.
32. 3:20denied.
33. 3:22General Halivan evaluates this wing in
34. 3:24two weeks. She picks who leads the
35. 3:26display team, and it will not be nobody.
36. 3:43Those wings,
37. 3:45James Carter's
38. 3:49You knew him?
39. 3:53>> I strapped him into a jet for 6 years.
40. 3:56He never bent one.
41. 4:02>> Shaw gave you the simulator.
42. 4:06>> And the call sign. Nobody
43. 4:10>> good.
44. 4:11Nobody watches nobody.
45. 4:14Jet 07
46. 4:16is yours at dawn.
47. 4:19I signed the maintenance flights.
48. 4:30>> Why would you do that for me, chief?
49. 4:38>> Because your father once landed a jet
50. 4:41with no engine to save my crew.
51. 4:45Go and learn how
52. 5:01maintenance check flight. Fly it clean
53. 5:04and be back on time.
54. 5:07[sighs]
55. 5:09>> Yes, chief.
56. 5:38Good morning, Dad.
57. 5:42Let me show them what you taught me.
58. 5:53>> 322. I need to scout Jess 3.
59. 5:57>> Who cleared 07?
60. 6:02>> Maintenance flight, sir. Signed by the
61. 6:04chief. Cleanest pattern of the month.
62. 6:10Bring it down.
63. 6:19[music]
64. 6:29>> Nobody flies in my squadron without my
65. 6:31word.
66. 6:35Assigned maintenance flight, sir.
67. 6:38By the book
68. 6:42in this squadron, I am the book.
69. 6:50From tomorrow, you brief the weather
70. 6:51every morning and pour the coffee. That
71. 6:54is your flying.
72. 6:57Two sugars, nobody.
73. 7:04>> Yes, sir.
74. 7:21>> A storm cell builds over the ridge every
75. 7:23evening this month.
76. 7:25It closes the valley in 10 minutes.
77. 7:34>> Thank you, weather girl. [sighs]
78. 7:40[snorts]
79. 7:47>> It's
80. 7:49disco.
81. 7:52>> 400 hours. Cute
82. 7:58>> hours in a book do not make a pilot.
83. 8:02>> No, sir. Landings do.
84. 8:15The general wants every pilot evaluated,
85. 8:18including Carter.
86. 8:22She will embarrass the wings, sir.
87. 8:27>> Then give her the oldest jet in the last
88. 8:29slot
89. 8:40with no engine. A jet is a heavy glider.
90. 8:46Your father's rule, speed is life.
91. 8:50Altitude is time.
92. 8:54>> Speed is life. Altitude is time.
93. 9:02>> And the third rule,
94. 9:07>> he never told me.
95. 9:13>> Never leave your wingman,
96. 9:16even one you do not like.
97. 9:33Carter, stand by.
98. 9:36Nolan flies your slot.
99. 9:41>> The general asked for every pilot, sir.
100. 9:46The general asked for my best.
101. 10:03>> Colonel, I am told you have a new
102. 10:05captain. Top of her class.
103. 10:10>> Still finding her feet. am.
104. 10:13>> I did not ask about her feet.
105. 10:28Captain, why are you carrying coffee in
106. 10:30a flight suit?
107. 10:36Squadron duty, ma'am.
108. 10:42An interesting use of a jet pilot,
109. 10:44major,
110. 10:51>> she is not ready, ma'am.
111. 10:55>> Then show me
112. 10:57two jets.
113. 10:59Major leads captain on his wing today.
114. 11:05And your weather officer has briefed it,
115. 11:07I assume.
116. 11:17The ridge storm builds at 1800. We must
117. 11:20be on the ground by 1740.
118. 11:26We will be on the ground when I say
119. 11:32noted. Nobody.
120. 11:48>> 07 is clean. Bring her back.
121. 11:58>> And him.
122. 12:02Third rule
123. 12:18>> try to keep up. Nobody
124. 12:22>> on your wing lead.
125. 12:49Still there.
126. 12:51>> Still here. Lead.
127. 13:01Sir, it is 17:30. The ridge is closing.
128. 13:12The cell is building early, ma'am. 20
129. 13:14minutes ahead of the forecast.
130. 13:23>> Call them back.
131. 13:28Major Shaw knows his business.
132. 13:45>> Lead. The cell is early. Turn back now.
133. 13:49>> One more pass.
134. 13:51I am not being graded by a cloud.
135. 14:07I have lost my instruments. Everything
136. 14:09is dark.
137. 14:13>> Lead, say your state.
138. 14:19[gasps]
139. 14:19>> The engine is rolling back. I am losing
140. 14:22thrust.
141. 14:28Mayday. Mayday. Raven lead. Engine out.
142. 14:37I am on your right wing. Look right,
143. 14:39Major.
144. 14:44>> I CANNOT FIND THE HORIZON.
145. 14:51Raven Lead has declared an emergency. No
146. 14:54engine, no instruments in cloud.
147. 14:59>> Tell him to eject
148. 15:02>> over the town. And where does the jet
149. 15:05come down?
150. 15:16>> He cannot glide at home blind, ma'am.
151. 15:18Nobody can.
152. 15:24>> Ma'am, nobody is on his wing.
153. 15:32>> Then put her on the speaker.
154. 15:39Major, listen to my voice. Wings level.
155. 15:43Match my lights.
156. 15:49I cannot do this.
157. 15:53>> You do not have to.
158. 15:56>> Just fly on me.
159. 16:09>> Speed is life. Hold 200 knots. Nose down
160. 16:132°.
161. 16:14>> 200 nose down.
162. 16:20Altitude is time. We have 9,000 ft. That
163. 16:23is 4 minutes.
164. 16:57>> [music]
165. 17:00>> My father's.
166. 17:02The one whose wings you put in your
167. 17:03coffee.
168. 17:08Carter,
169. 17:11I am sorry.
170. 17:15>> Apologize on the ground. Turn left 10°.
171. 17:28She is talking him down.
172. 17:33Her father did the same for me, sir. in
173. 17:36this same valley.
174. 17:41>> Clear the runway. Every truck we have
175. 18:00>> runway ahead. You are high and fast.
176. 18:03Good.
177. 18:06I have no gear lights.
178. 18:07>> Gear down now. I am looking. Three
179. 18:09wheels. You are good.
180. 18:29You are drifting left. Come right more.
181. 18:32Hold it.
182. 18:34I am going to be short.
183. 18:36>> No, you are not. Nose down. Keep your
184. 18:39speed.
185. 18:47>> Touchdown. Brakes. Major. Brakes.
186. 18:52>> I am down. I am down.
187. 19:00>> Power sergeant. Raisin here is insert
188. 19:04Mr.
189. 19:04Maybe no side of professional leading
190. 19:06and timer. Raven lead is down and
191. 19:09stopped
192. 19:12and 07
193. 19:18going around. Ma'am, she is below
194. 19:21minimum fuel.
195. 19:37The engine is out.
196. 19:42Speed is life. Altitude is time.
197. 19:5107 has no engine.
198. 19:57Nobody lands that.
199. 20:03Exactly, sir.
200. 20:21200 knots. Gear down. Hold it. Hold it.
201. 20:54Not a scratch.
202. 20:56Just like him.
203. 20:59is the major all right
204. 21:05yourself.
205. 21:21You had no fuel. You stayed anyway.
206. 21:27You had no engine, sir.
207. 21:32[music]
208. 21:32>> I was wrong about you
209. 21:35in front of everyone.
210. 21:40[music]
211. 21:53Captain Charter. In 30 years, I have
212. 21:56never heard a calmer voice on a radio.
213. 21:59Thank you, ma'am.
214. 22:04>> Major Shaw, the Colonel's office. Now,
215. 22:15your wingman briefed that storm three
216. 22:17times. You flew into it to make a point,
217. 22:21>> but his gaze titan almost doesn't
218. 22:22change.
219. 22:25Eyes fixed at him.
220. 22:28>> Yes, ma'am.
221. 22:33>> You are relieved of command of Raven
222. 22:35Squadron.
223. 22:39[sighs and gasps]
224. 22:43I followed my squadron leader's
225. 22:44judgment.
226. 22:51That is the problem. Yours was missing.
227. 23:02>> Ma'am,
228. 23:04one request.
229. 23:06Do not let them write that I landed that
230. 23:08jet.
231. 23:14Then who landed it, major?
232. 23:17>> Nobody did, ma'am.
233. 23:20Captain Carter.
234. 23:22>> Great guy. Whistle does exist, right?
235. 23:34>> Coffee, captain. Two sugars.
236. 23:40>> Sit down, Lieutenant. I pour my own.
237. 23:57Leave it,
238. 24:04>> ma'am.
239. 24:08[sighs]
240. 24:12It is a good call sign.
241. 24:15I earned it.
242. 24:29This belongs to whoever leads. Check it
243. 24:31for wings first.
244. 24:35>> Where will you go, sir?
245. 24:39regret
246. 24:42instructor school to learn what I should
247. 24:45have been teaching.
248. 24:50Captain, permission to leave the room.
249. 24:56Granted, Major, fly safe.
250. 25:50I wish he had heard that radio call.
251. 25:52Chief,
252. 25:55>> who do you think taught you the voice?
253. 26:04>> [music]
254. 26:12>> The display team needs a leader.
255. 26:15Raven squadron needs a commander.
256. 26:19I can only give you one today.
257. 26:26Which one, ma'am?
258. 26:30The harder one.
259. 26:32Raven is yours, Major Carter.
260. 26:38Ma'am, I have 400 hours
261. 26:46[snorts]
262. 26:47and two landings nobody else in this
263. 26:49wing could have made in one night.
264. 26:55Ours fill a log book that fills a
265. 26:58squadron.
266. 27:09Attention to orders
267. 27:11for bringing a wingmate home at the cost
268. 27:14of her own engine.
269. 27:21That is our nobody.
270. 27:29>> Regulation issue major. To [music]
271. 27:31replace the old ones.
272. 27:40>> With respect, ma'am. I will keep these.
273. 27:50I hoped you would say that.
274. 28:02>> Ma'am, Lieutenant Nolan requests to fly
275. 28:05on your wing.
276. 28:11>> Can you keep up, Lieutenant?
277. 28:16I will learn ma'am.
278. 28:25Rule one, speed is life.
279. 28:29Rule two, altitude is time.
280. 28:34>> Rule you.
281. 28:37And rule three, ma'am,
282. 28:39>> never leave your wingman,
283. 28:42>> even one you do not like.
284. 28:56The ridge storm builds at 1,800. We are
285. 28:59on the ground by 1740.
286. 29:05>> Yes, ma'am. Any
287. 29:10questions for the weather girl?
288. 29:27>> Instructor Shaw, requesting a check ride
289. 29:31with the best pilot on this base.
290. 29:34I do not take passengers, major,
291. 29:40but I do take wingmen.
292. 29:42Suit up.
293. 29:50Two jets
294. 29:5207 leads
295. 29:59as it should.
296. 30:04Bring him back again.
297. 30:07[laughter]
298. 30:47Raven flight cleared for the break.
299. 30:54Who is leading that formation up there?
300. 30:59Nobody is, Sergeant.
301. 31:21Raven lead coming home.