Indeed, I was having an interesting conversation the other day, when I heard the new president of the EAA give a talk at the Oshkosh Air Ventures show. He said he was so excited that Disney was doing a show called "Planes" which would be similar to the animated Disney movie "Cars" and when asked why, he simply stated that this is a great way to keep general aviation alive in the future, and a great way to meet young kids and introduce them to aviation, as they will remember that movie just like my generation remembered Tom Cruise in Top Gun. Click over here
Why do I care? Well, I started cleaning aircraft at age 12 and I loved to watch planes fly around and we didn't have anything like Top Gun or Planes in the movies, I was inspired in real life having a dad who was a Navy jet pilot. Imagine if I'd been able to see an animated cartoon or series of them back in my days as a little kid? Although, I have yet to see the movie, the trailer on YouTube looks grand and really something, and if it is done anything like Cars, then it will be a big hit indeed.
Now, as I understand in this 3-D movie there is ground equipment that talks too. The cars talk, the aircraft are alive, which isn't so far-fetched considering our recent advances in artificial intelligence, military UAVs and drones, or the future of the Google Car, which will probably be bought by the USPS to deliver your mail someday. But let's not forget every car and aircraft needs washing, and therefore we need some decent representation from aircraft washers, if not in this first movie then definitely in the sequel. Okay so, how does one clean an aircraft?
Well, the simple answer is; very carefully, but the long answer involved aircraft cleaning and washing manuals, training, and attention to detail. Aircraft cannot drive-through car washes like cars, well they can, but that is not how robotic aircraft cleaning equipment actually works in the real world.
Why? Because aircraft come in different sizes and shapes and it wouldn't be a one-size fits all. So, the animators will have to work on all this won't they? For the next movie that is. I certainly have to hand it to Disney for their marketing brilliance and choice to produce this awesome movie, and I, like you, just can't wait to see it. Please consider all this and think on it.
