Comments on: Dan Brown Doesn’t Know Much about Helicopters http://www.marialanger.com/2009/11/22/dan-brown-doesnt-know-much-about-helicopters/ Web site and blog for Maria Langer, freelance writer, commercial helicopter pilot, and serious amateur photographer Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:42:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Maria Langer http://www.marialanger.com/2009/11/22/dan-brown-doesnt-know-much-about-helicopters/#comment-133895 Maria Langer Tue, 19 Jan 2010 13:22:46 +0000 http://www.marialanger.com/2009/11/22/dan-brown-doesnt-know-much-about-helicopters/#comment-133895 Eric: "Silent altitude" really cracked me up. So did the scene over the glass pyramid atop the building -- did you get to that yet? Making it seem as if a nearly empty helicopter would have trouble lifting away from the top of a building in the winter at near sea level. Sheesh. I agree: he <em>is</em> trying to write movie scenes. He's probably been advised to. All that means is that his misinformation will be propagated visually to movie-goers sometime in the future. Eric: “Silent altitude” really cracked me up. So did the scene over the glass pyramid atop the building — did you get to that yet? Making it seem as if a nearly empty helicopter would have trouble lifting away from the top of a building in the winter at near sea level. Sheesh.

I agree: he is trying to write movie scenes. He’s probably been advised to. All that means is that his misinformation will be propagated visually to movie-goers sometime in the future.

]]> By: Eric N. http://www.marialanger.com/2009/11/22/dan-brown-doesnt-know-much-about-helicopters/#comment-133890 Eric N. Tue, 19 Jan 2010 05:42:09 +0000 http://www.marialanger.com/2009/11/22/dan-brown-doesnt-know-much-about-helicopters/#comment-133890 Ha! So funny, I just got done reading page 349 (page one of Chapter 93) where Dan Brown wrote "silent altitude". I'm not a pilot, but I research aviation a lot and when I come into some money I plan on taking classes for a single engine fixed wing license. So that "silent altitude" thing caught me off guard. I'm like... is there something I don't know!!!!?!?!?! I found your blog very entertaining and it secured some of the various statements that Dan Brown made that I felt were inaccurate. With that said, I believe he's trying to create scenes that Hollywood will automatically accept for ther adaptation (should a third Langdon film happen). I would imagine that his descriptions of hardware like that are unimportant to him compared to his true intersts... which he very clearly describes - archtiecture, history and so forth. As a I writer, I can certainly confirm that elements of a story I include that aren't interesting to me often don't make it to the research point... at least not as much as other elements. -E Ha!

So funny, I just got done reading page 349 (page one of Chapter 93) where Dan Brown wrote “silent altitude”. I’m not a pilot, but I research aviation a lot and when I come into some money I plan on taking classes for a single engine fixed wing license. So that “silent altitude” thing caught me off guard. I’m like… is there something I don’t know!!!!?!?!?! I found your blog very entertaining and it secured some of the various statements that Dan Brown made that I felt were inaccurate.

With that said, I believe he’s trying to create scenes that Hollywood will automatically accept for ther adaptation (should a third Langdon film happen). I would imagine that his descriptions of hardware like that are unimportant to him compared to his true intersts… which he very clearly describes – archtiecture, history and so forth. As a I writer, I can certainly confirm that elements of a story I include that aren’t interesting to me often don’t make it to the research point… at least not as much as other elements.

-E

]]> By: Maria Langer http://www.marialanger.com/2009/11/22/dan-brown-doesnt-know-much-about-helicopters/#comment-132735 Maria Langer Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:40:25 +0000 http://www.marialanger.com/2009/11/22/dan-brown-doesnt-know-much-about-helicopters/#comment-132735 Lisa: Thanks for your comment. I started to respond but realized I was going too long for just a comment. So I wrote a new blog post with my response. You can find it here: http://www.marialanger.com/2009/12/04/writing-tips-writing-accurate-descriptions Lisa: Thanks for your comment. I started to respond but realized I was going too long for just a comment. So I wrote a new blog post with my response. You can find it here: http://www.marialanger.com/2009/12/04/writing-tips-writing-accurate-descriptions

]]> By: Lisa McCubbin http://www.marialanger.com/2009/11/22/dan-brown-doesnt-know-much-about-helicopters/#comment-132728 Lisa McCubbin Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:28:29 +0000 http://www.marialanger.com/2009/11/22/dan-brown-doesnt-know-much-about-helicopters/#comment-132728 Hi Maria, I just wanted to let you know I found this blog immensely helpful as I am writing a chapter in my book that involves a helicopter ride. I must say that I am striving to find new ways to describe the sound a helicopter makes. It's rather unmistakable when you actually hear it, but to describe it to a reader is much more difficult. I recently wrote... "the deafening drill of the helicopter's rotors made conversation impossible..." and one of my proof readers balked at the use of the word "drill." I'd love to hear your comment on that one! Hi Maria,
I just wanted to let you know I found this blog immensely helpful as I am writing a chapter in my book that involves a helicopter ride. I must say that I am striving to find new ways to describe the sound a helicopter makes. It’s rather unmistakable when you actually hear it, but to describe it to a reader is much more difficult. I recently wrote… “the deafening drill of the helicopter’s rotors made conversation impossible…” and one of my proof readers balked at the use of the word “drill.” I’d love to hear your comment on that one!

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