FLIGHT INTO TIME

Year Published: 1930

Format: 16mm

Description: TWA, or the Trans World Airlines, was an American airline in operation from 1930 to 2001. Though it was one of the most successful airlines in 20th Century history, the airline suffered major financial losses and eventually went bankrupt in 2001. This film was most likely made in the immediately post-WWII era, when the Lockheed Constellation was used for trans-Atlantic service. It promotes the safe, luxurious, modern and efficient service offered by the airline. A longer version of this film can be seen here:     • TRANS WORLD AIRLINES  FLIGHT INTO TIM...   TWA Trans World Airline logo with a map behind it, the music starts at 0:15. An image of a map appears as does the title "Flight Into Time" at 0:19. Sailing ships appear on the map, and the narrator starts speaking at 0:25. At 0:32, drawings of monsters similar to those that ancient people used to believe inhabited the unknown parts of the Earth appear on the map. At 0:50-1:08 the Mediterranean is highlighted with a path, the narrator says, "today you can walk the highway of history." Lockheed Constellation is shown in TWA livery. The camera shows the sky and clouds at 1:22. The audio seems to cut again at 1:28-1:29. At 1:33, another audio cut "below Madrid—" and an image of the plane’s engine at 1:34. There is another audio cut at 1:36. A full image of the Constellation at 1:47. At 1:57, the video shows the luxuries of a TWA flight. At 2:13-2:14 the narrator says "courteous service women," in discussing the stewardesses At 2:16-2:21, general pilot and flight attendant duties are shown. At 2:05, a passenger brushes her hair in the privacy of a lounge area. At 2:19, the captain or first officer uses a drift indicator to measure wind effect on the flight, as part of dead reckoning. Another image and audio cut at 2:23, narrator says "Lisbon, Portugal is behind." At 2:29, navigator shoots the sun to get a position reading. Plane is on the ground at 2:35, then there is another audio cut. The plane is back in the air at 2:39, headed to Rome. At 2:45-3:03, the TWA plane lands in Rome. Another audio and image cut at 3:15. The navigator computing the course and using a pencil to mark position 3:27. The radio operator is shown at 3:36. Audio skips at 3:40. The map with the flight pathway appears again at 4:03. End of film text at 4:07-4:26, and credits roll at 4:27. Photography: Robert Stanton, Don Catlin, Clement E. Conger, and John Roberts. Written by Frank BeckwithEdited by Stanley Cypher Supervisor: Frank Hargrove A Herbert Kerrow Production, New York City.