Flight Page #4

INT. PASSENGER CABIN - DAY

The passengers clutch each other as they rattle like bobblehead dolls; it's getting worse.

INT. COCKPIT - DAY

WHIP pushes the throttle and the 17-year-old Jackson-

Ridgefield JR-88 accelerates directly into a huge blackcloud. He begins to dip the nose level to the ground.

EVANS:

Why are you leveling off, sir?

WHIP:

I'd like to spend less time in thisshitty air, Kenny. Is that alrightwith you?

WHIP pushes the 17-year-old Jackson-Ridgefield JR-88 directlyinto a huge black cloud. He begins to dip the nose towardsthe ground.

EVANS:

We’re approaching maximum airspeed!

18.

WHIP:

F***ing right! I’m gonna need somespeed to punch through this crap.

INT. PASSENGER CABIN - DAY

The passengers howl in fear as the plane pitches forward.

INT. COCKPIT - DAY

EVANS calls out to WHIP...

EVANS:

You’re over-speeding!

WHIP:

Not yet!!

The AIRSPEED INDICATOR moves from GREEN right up to the

YELLOW line.

WHIP banks the plane steeply to the right. From the cabin we

HEAR the passengers SCREAM!

Now ATC comes on the radio...

ATC:

(on radio)

Uh, SouthJet 227, this is

Jacksonville Center. Say altitude.

WHIP:

Tell ‘em we’re climbing.

EVANS:

(scared and lying badly)

Center...uh...SouthJet 227 is

leaving niner thousand...for Flight

Level 180.

ATC:

(on radio)

SouthJet 227, this is Center. You

need to check your Mode-C. Your

transponder indicates you’re

descending.

EVANS looks at WHIP -- panicked.

WHIP:

You’re useless Evans, sh*t!

(keys the radio)

19.

Center. This is SouthJet 227, we’ve

encountered some bad air here. Some

pretty severe downdrafts. We’re in

our climb now.

ATC:

(on radio)

Roger.

The shaking gets incredibly violent. WE HEAR SCREAMS from

the cabin. Evans points to Whip’s airspeed indicator.

EVANS:

(terrified)

Look at your airspeed! You’re toofast for this rough air!

WHIP:

I’m right on the line Kenny. Right

on the line.

WHIP starts to hum the Joe Cocker song again as he cranes hishead up close to the windscreen -- looking intently at thedark sky.

WHIP (CONT’D)

C'mon sweetheart, show me the sun.

Suddenly, we see a beam of light breaking through the blackclouds -- 12 o’clock high. A God ray.

WHIP (cont'd) (CONT’D)

Finally, daylight.

WHIP banks the plane hard, lifting the nose -- pointing itdirectly at the crack in the darkness. He shoves the

throttles to full power.

The plane is banking, rising and accelerating.

INT. PASSENGER CABIN - DAY

The screaming passengers go quiet with the strange newdevelopment. The shaking has eased from a 10 to a 5.

INT. COCKPIT - DAY

Whip keeps the plane climbing steeply. The Vertical Speed

Indicator shows we’re ascending 2,000 feet per minute. The

altimeter spins up past 12,000 ft.

20.

The murky grey outside becomes lighter and brighter, until

suddenly, in a dramatic reveal...

WE BREAK THROUGH THE CLOUDS!

Instantly the air becomes perfectly smooth.

Whip levels off and maneuvers between the two towering cloud

walls -- smooth as silk.

Gliding over the fluffy white clouds and through the

shimmering rays of the sun -- it feels like WHIP just flew

the JR-88 into heaven.

A joyous CHEER ERUPTS from the passenger cabin

WHIP pulls the power back and switches on the auto-pilot.

EVANS is cheery, almost giddy...

EVANS:

Glad that’s over.

WHIP, however, is very shaky and beaded with sweat.

WHIP:

How tall are we?

EVANS:

16 thousand. That was incredible

sir...

WHIP:

Ken, turn us north and take us

home. Your plane.

EVANS looks at him and nods.

EVANS:

My plane.

WHIP:

(picks up the phone)

Margaret, I’m coming out.

WHIP hangs up, puts on his pilot hat and exits the cockpit.

EXT. NICOLE’S GEORGIAN GARDENS APTS FRONT DOOR-ATLANTA-DAY

NICOLE has her keys out as she hustles for her door. She

looks to find the door slightly open. She pushes it fully

open to see FRAN, the building manager, standing in her

living room holding her camera. He tries to be casual...

21.

FRAN:

Where you been Nicole?

She is scared and pissed by his invasion of her space.

NICOLE:

F***! Fran...get out.

FRAN:

You’re like a little ghost. I

never know when you’re here.

NICOLE:

Get the f*** out Fran!

She grabs the full-bodied 35 MM camera from him.

FRAN:

As the building manager I have a

legal right to enter an apartment

if I believe the occupant is

unwell. Especially if said

occupant is not current on her

rent.

He takes a slimy step towards her. She steps away.

NICOLE:

Fran, please just gimme a minute.

Get out. I have the rent. I will

bring it down to you. Just let me

shower.

FRAN:

You could just bring the check down

now, use my shower. I got good

water pressure. You know that...

FRAN leans against the door frame, trying to strike a

seductive pose. NICOLE smiles and holds up her camera.

NICOLE:

You’re in the perfect light Fran.

(he smiles, preening)

Back up a little...little more.

FRAN steps outside and on to the landing.

INT. NICOLE’S APARTMENT FRONT DOOR -- ATLANTA -- DAY

NICOLE kicks the door shut and locks it, escaping FRAN who

calls through the door.

22.

FRAN (O.S.)

Tricky tricky, girl. Alright, so

you shower up and come down. For

real. We don’t gotta talk about

the check. Hang out a lil bit...

NICOLE puts her camera down gently on the table.

NICOLE:

(sotto)

In your f***ing dreams.

She now flings her purse on the ground in frustration...the

contents spill on to the carpet. Amidst the flotsam we focus

on yet another candy tin that springs open. NICOLE fixes her

stare at the hypodermic needle resting inside.

INT. CABIN - GALLEY - DAY

WHIP exits the lavatory drying his hands with a towel. He

looks down the aisle to see TRINA far down the cabin. TRINA

sees WHIP, comes back up the aisle and stands with her back

to him watching the passengers.

WHIP opens a bottle of orange juice and takes a big swig. He

then pours half of it in the sink. WHIP places the openjuice bottle on the liquor cart, reaches up, and grabs thecabin mic to address the passengers.

WHIP:

Folks, this is Captain Whitaker.

If you look up, I’m here in thegalley. I will wave to you.

WHIP steps into the aisle so the passengers can see him.

WHIP waves with a calm smile that would put anyone at ease.

WHIP (CONT’D)

Good Morning. I apologize for thebumps, but Florida just doesn'tseem to like us Georgians. Must be

the beatin' the Bulldogs put on theGators last fall.

Titters of laughter from the passengers as WHIP moves the

half step he needs to put himself behind the liquor cart.

WHIP (CONT’D)

Stretch out and relax. The air

might stay a little cranky so I’mgonna ask that you sit tight if youcan, with your seat belts fastened.

23.

We now watch from behind WHIP as his free hand reaches into

the top drawer of the liquor cart and pulls three small vodka

bottles out.

WHIP (CONT’D)

We won’t have beverage service butthe girls will walk through withwater and snacks and I’ll have youin Atlanta in about 40 minutes.

Thank you.

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