Emotional documentary 'Honor Flight' thanks WWII veterans for their service

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  Veterans are shown in a scene from "Honor Flight."Honor Flight

It has almost been seventy years since the end of World War II, but at least according to the upcoming documentary “Honor Flight,” it’s never too late to say thank you.

Directed by Dan Hayes, the poignant film chronicles a Midwest community racing against the clock to fly thousands of veterans to Washington, DC to see the memorial constructed for them in 2004, decades after their epic battle. In particular, “Honor Flight” highlights four former servicemen: Stars and Stripes Honor Flight Ambassador Joe Demler, Orville Lemke who fights to hold off terminal cancer to make the trip, 89-year-old poet Julian Plaster and Harvey Kurtz, who saw the iconic flag go up at Iwo Jima.

“It was important to make this film to educate Americans on the amazing lives of the greatest generation and create awareness for the efforts of the Honor Flight Network non-profit, which flies veterans to see the memorial built in their honor,” director Hayes told FOX411’s Pop Tarts column. “These ‘Honor Flights’ are often the first time they’ve been thanked and the last trip of their lives. The 24-hour journey is full of surprises that deeply move all who are involved.”

And for veteran Demler, it was one of the best – albeit emotional – days of his life.

“It did bring back a lot of memories, but sharing our experiences with our fellow veterans and seeing the Word War II Memorial with them was wonderful. Some of them had never talked about their war experiences before being on the Honor Flight,” he said. “But the sad part is, so many veterans never got to see their Memorial or experience the Honor Flight, many passed before it was built. But for those of us who did, we see it as better late than never.”

Hayes also stressed the importance of exposing younger generations to the plight of our servicemen all those years ago.

“Making this movie changed our lives. We’re in our late twenties and early thirties and, like almost everyone in our generation, take a lot for granted,” he continued. “After hearing their stories, things were put into perspective for us. We can never thank them enough for what they did for our country, but we can try.”

Ahead of Memorial Day, the documentary will be available on video on demand via SnagFilms, and the filmmaking force is challenging all Americans to really show their graciousness.

“Not everyone can go on an Honor Flight, so we’re bringing it to them. Through social media and the film, we can show these living heroes, one last time, just how grateful we are for the freedom and opportunity they’ve left us,” Hayes added. “Last Memorial Day we asked people for 50,000 views on the film’s trailer to show vets support. They responded with 4.5 million. Last summer the film’s premiere broke the Guinness World Record for the largest audience at a film screening in history. The world record was broken in honor of our World War II veterans and their legacy. On May 14 the film will be available on video on demand, iTunes and Amazon… The only way we can bring honor to the lives of our vets is through our own.”

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FLYING ON AUTO-PILOT: Attendants Take Flight Over While Air India Pilot Naps

Published May 05, 2013

FoxNews.com

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  Jan. 30, 2013: An Air India passenger plane takes off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, India.Reuters

An Air India pilot has been suspended after reportedly leaving the cockpit during a flight to take a nap in business class, leaving two female cabin attendants to man the controls.

The incident happened 33,000 feet in the sky on a 160-passenger flight from Bangkok to Delhi in April, The Telegraph reports.

A complaint said the plane’s co-pilot asked one of the plane’s attendants to take his seat while he disappeared for a bathroom break. Shortly thereafter, the pilot asked another attendant to do the same so he could catch up on his sleep.

Both pilots returned to the cockpit 40 minutes later after one of the attendants accidentally knocked off the plane’s auto-pilot switch, The Telegraph reports.

Air India investigated the reported incident and suspended the pilot and both attendants, but said Friday that passenger safety was never compromised.

The airline said in a statement that both pilots never left the cockpit. However, it confirmed that the auto-pilot switch was turned off, and said the two cabin attendants spent too much time in the front of the plane.

Click for more from The Telegraph.

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FAA Chief Grilled on Flight Delays

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House Republicans grilled FAA Administrator Michael Huerta on Wednesday about whether his agency is making every effort to stop the furlough of air traffic controllers that resulted this week in widespread flight delays across the country.

The furlough of roughly 15,000 air traffic controllers is part of larger federal-budget cuts known as sequester -- a deal Congress made in 2011 after failing to agree on less-drastic reductions.

Though the agreement, which took effect in January, provides little discretion in transferring funds and making cuts, congressional Republicans are suggesting the Obama administration has provided even less flexibility within the Federal Aviation Administration -- to disrupt air travel enough to force Congress to reach a better deal.

“This imperial attitude … on the part of the administration is disgusting,” said Kentucky Republican Rep. Hal Rogers. “Then to turn around and try to blame the difficulties of flying on Congress is unacceptable.”

Rogers made his remarks during a Republican-led House appropriations hearing in which members of both parties focused on why the FAA hasn’t transferred funds, particularly those earmarked for outside contracts and consultants.

“I agree this is no way to run a government,” Huerta said. “But we’re complying with the law.”

Huerta testified that the agency has made efforts to reduce the impact of sequester on Americans, including “drastically” reducing overtime.

He declined to answer Rogers’ repeated questions about whether he and other administration officials have discussed transferring money, including funds from within the larger Transportation Department.

However, Huerta, when questioned by committee Democrats, said he would consider “relaxing” the furloughs if he could find contract savings, including those for equipment.

At about the same time, the FAA warned of more flight delays Wednesday “as a result of employee furloughs due to sequestration.”

The agency said furloughs, combined with bad weather, are resulting in delays at Chicago's O’Hare Airport and the Las Vegas and Tampa, Fla., airports.

FAA officials have said they have no choice but to furlough all 47,000 agency employees, including nearly 15,000 controllers, and close 149 contract air traffic control towers to meet obligations under the sequester, which cuts the agency budget by roughly $600 million this year.

The sequester cuts took effect after Republicans declined to agree to a second round of tax increases this year, as a way to cut the federal budget.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood denied allegations Tuesday by Republicans that he's making a political statement by imposing the furloughs in an area that's visible to taxpayers.

"This has nothing to do with politics," he said. "This is very bad policy that Congress passed and they should fix it."

He said he warned back in February about possible furloughs, defending other accusations that the change came by surprise.  

There is a bipartisan Senate plan this week to transfer $50 million in unused FAA research and capital funds to prevent any air traffic control towers from closing.

Connecticut Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal said he took the administration at its word that it lacked the authority to find other means to meet the automatic cut requirements "so we are going to give them that authority if, in fact, they need it."

Blumenthal also is calling for a 30-day delay in the furloughs, which began on Sunday. He said the furloughs and tower issue are linked because closing them at smaller airports only puts more of a burden on now-understaffed traffic controllers at other airports.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Deadly winter storm wallops Midwest with snow, ice- FOXNEWS.COM EXTREME WEATHER CENTER - CHECK YOUR FLIGHT

Blinding snow, at times accompanied by thunder and lightning, which was dubbed 'Thundersnow' bombarded much of the nation's midsection Thursday, causing whiteout conditions, making major roadways all but impassable and shutting down schools and state legislatures.

Kansas, which has not seen a snow storm in the last few years, was the epicenter of the winter storm, with parts of Wichita buried under 13 inches of still-falling snow, but winter storm warnings stretched eastern Colorado through Illinois. Freezing rain and sleet were forecast for southern Missouri, southern Illinois and Arkansas. St. Louis was expected to get all of the above -- a treacherous mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain.

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has declared a State of Emergency Thursday while the National Weather Service blamed the storm on an unstable air mass, much like a thunderstorm.

"Instead of pouring rain, it's pouring snow," Scott Truett, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service, said. Snow was falling at a rate of 1 1/2 to 2 inches per hour in some areas.

Several accidents were blamed on icy and slushy roadways, including a wreck in Oklahoma that killed a teenager Wednesday. Most schools in Kansas and Missouri, and many in neighboring states, were closed. Legislatures shut down early in Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Nebraska and Iowa.

By midmorning Thursday, the snowfall was so heavy that Kansas City International Airport shut down. About 90 flights were also cancelled at Lambert Airport in St. Louis.

The track of the storm changed overnight and there may be more snow than ice expected in the St. Louis area but there is still a chance of sleet and freezing rain, Fox2Now.com reported. 

While heavy in nature, the snow in Witchita, Kan., is powdery, said weather service meteorologist Suzanna Sortin. She said the Wichita area had received between 11 and 13 inches of snow by midmorning, and places like Salina, Russell and Great Bend were expected to get up to 18 inches of snow.

With that in mind, Kansas transportation officials -- and even the governor -- urged people to simply stay home. Drivers were particularly warned away from the Kansas Turnpike, as whiteout conditions meant low visibility for the length of the turnpike, from Oklahoma to Kansas City. Interstate 70, which runs the length of Kansas, was also snow-packed and icy.

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback closed executive offices, except for essential personnel.

"Common sense is a good thing, and we'll make it through it," Brownback said.

Some travelers gave up, filling hotels rather than skating across dangerous roadways.

At the Econo Lodge in WaKeeney, Kan., assistant manager Michael Tidball said the 48-room hotel was full by 10 p.m. Wednesday and that most guests were opting to stay an extra day. He said travelers reported that snow was freezing on their windshields faster than wipers could keep them clean.

The blowing snow didn't stop everyone. Jesse Landin, feedlot manager at McClymont Feedyard in south-central Nebraska, was out early Thursday clearing a path with his tractor so trucks could put down feed for 11,000 head of cattle, which remained outside.

"They can handle it," Landin said of the cattle. "They got good winter hair coats."

Near the Nebraska-Kansas border, as much as 8 inches fell overnight, while western Nebraska saw about half of that amount, National Weather Service forecaster Shawn Jacobs said.

Some parts of Oklahoma also had up to 8 inches of snow by Thursday morning, and the weather caused a fatal wreck Wednesday. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said 18-year-old Cody Alexander of Alex, Okla., died when his pickup truck skidded on a slushy state highway into oncoming traffic and struck a truck.

In northern Arkansas, a school bus crashed Wednesday on a steep, snowy country road, leaving three students and the driver with minor injuries.

The weather service warned that freezing rain could lead to a half-inch or more of ice accumulating Thursday in central and northern Arkansas. The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., said "significant ice accumulations" are expected in far northern Arkansas.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency Thursday morning and activated the State Emergency Operations Center. The declaration allows state agencies to coordinate directly with cities and counties to provide emergency services. The Missouri Department of Transportation said Interstate 44 near Springfield was completely covered with ice Thursday morning, and traffic was moving very slow.

In Jefferson City, Mo., off-duty police sergeant Randy Werner had been perched atop a hotel for more than 24 hours as a publicity stunt for a charitable fundraiser.

As large blowing snowflakes pelted him in the face Thursday morning, Werner defiantly declared: "The weather's not bothering me, I can assure you." He then acknowledged that was a lie.

"It's blustery," he said. Werner planned to cut his camp out short, having raised less than a third of his goal.

The St. Louis region prepared with some uncertainty. Depending on the temperature and the trajectory of the storm, St. Louis could get snow, freezing rain, ice, sleet or all or some of the above. Crews were hoping to spread enough salt to keep at least the major roadways moving.

National Weather Service meteorologist Jayson Gosselin said precipitation is generally expected to drop off as the storm pushes east. Chicago and parts of Indiana, he said, could get about 2 inches of snow and some sleet.

Click for more from Fox2Now.com

The Associated Press contributed to this report

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