Re: Possible reasons for the contradictions of Indy's flying skills

Posted by Nick Kismet from 209.210.100.51 on August 16, 1999 at 10:44:25:

In Reply to: Possible reasons for the contradictions of Indy's flying skills posted by Brett (Yasim) Lambert on August 16, 1999 at 06:59:49:

Consider also this. In Hawkmen, as well as the 2 Martin Caidin novels, Indy is hellbent on learning to fly. But the aircraft he chooses are technically very primitive, except in Sky Pirates, where he gets some instruction on (if memory serves) the Tri-Motor, the same plane as the one at the beginning of ToD. The plane in Last Crusade is again one of relatively primitive design. Airplanes, espcially of that era, aren't like cars with a more or les universal control system. Just because a person could fly a bi-plane, and understand basic principals of aeronautics, doesn't mean that they could get behind the stick on a big commercial plane, designed to be flown by a crew of 2.
Consider also that Indy may have been joking when he looked at Willie and, in answer to her question "Do you know how to fly?" said "No. Do you?" After all, he figured out what the gagues were for pretty quick. As far as landing the plane in Last Crusade goes, again, he didn't do all that bad, suggesting that he may have been downplaying his previous flight experience.
Of course, the real answer is, the story called for it. As much as I'm sure they try to be consistent, there are bound to be contradictions in the story line (see any discussion about Indy and the languages he speaks, or doesn't speak)

Nick Kismet's World

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: Consider also this.  In Hawkmen, as well as the 2 Martin Caidin novels, Indy is hellbent on learning to fly.  But the aircraft he chooses are technically very primitive, except in Sky Pirates, where he gets some instruction on (if memory serves) the Tri-Motor, the same plane as the one at the beginning of ToD.  The plane in Last Crusade is again one of relatively primitive design.  Airplanes, espcially of that era, aren't like cars with a more or les universal control system.  Just because a person could fly a bi-plane, and understand basic principals of aeronautics, doesn't mean that they could get behind the stick on a big commercial plane, designed to be flown by a crew of 2.
: Consider also that Indy may have been joking when he looked at Willie and, in answer to her question "Do you know how to fly?" said "No.  Do you?" After all, he figured out what the gagues were for pretty quick.  As far as landing the plane in Last Crusade goes, again, he didn't do all that bad, suggesting that he may have been downplaying his previous flight experience.
: Of course, the real answer is, the story called for it.  As much as I'm sure they try to be consistent, there are bound to be contradictions in the story line (see any discussion about Indy and the languages he speaks, or doesn't speak)

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