The film, called “Attitude Flying,” will premiere at Air Venture 2008 in Oshkosh, Wis., on July 28. It is to be shown during the Experimental Aircraft Association's Fly-In, said Charlie Hewitt, president of Mirror Studios and Fly Right Films.

Fly Right Films is starting a series to address the stresses to pilots - both experienced and inexperienced - that the information will go beyond what is being taught in flight schools today, say the series' creators.

The host and expert in the film is world-renown pilot Dick Rutan, also a certified flight instructor. The Voyager Airplane, manned by Rutan and Jeanna Yeager, made a record-breaking flight with the first non-stop trip around the world in a composite aircraft he and his brother designed.

“Today's aircraft are safe,” Hewitt said. “The missing link to aviation safety is what is happening to the pilots, who need to be trained to know when to deploy an aircraft parachute, or to take three seconds, take a deep breath and notice what is wrong once they get into trouble and fix it. Training needs to change.”

Hewitt hopes the film will create awareness among pilots before the Federal Aviation Administration mandates additional expensive training.

The underlying reason for the film is the number of pilot deaths, says co-producer Chris Jules.

“Ten pilots are dying a week, that's the reason for this film,” said Jules.

The film is written by John Wedin of Eye-Cue Productions, and filmed by Steve Rychetnk of Sprocketheads and Kevin Hedin of Digital One. Rychetnik«s work is impressive, with over-the-shoulder in-flight shots and classroom scenes with Rutan.

Hewitt«s film addresses a situation that all pilots dread: losing control of their aircraft after flying into weather, and flying by the use of instruments - losing a sense of balance and becoming disoriented.

Many contemporary aircraft are now offering electronic “glass” flight instrument systems, called EFIS, offering navigation systems driven by Global Positioning Systems that are equipped with auto-flight control systems, or autopilots.

These on-board systems allow pilots to make long-distance flights at high altitudes and into developing weather systems that require instrument flights, instead of the lower-level flights where pilots must be able to see the terrain below.

After the 45-minute film premiers at Oshkosh, it will sell for $59.95 at more than 250 outlets nationwide. It also will be released on BluRay digital and on the Internet at www.flyrightfilms.com. Hewitt says the film will come out on Blue Ray for $69.95.

About 80 percent of the high-definition production was filmed in Alaska, and offers 50 percent flying scenes and 50 percent classroom type scenes.

“This is a film for every pilot who climbs into the cockpit of an airplane,” said Hewitt. “We are calling this Ôenter-trainment' - part entertainment and part training film.”

The idea behind the film is as much of a story as the film itself, said Hewitt, who met Rutan while working on an earlier aviation safety film called “Listen Up-Talk Back” for the Federal Aviation Administration.

The company's interest in aviation films comes from Hewitt's attraction to aviation that eventually spurred him to buy a four-place composite aircraft called a Cirrus SR-20, the first in Alaska. Later after visiting the Cirrus factory in Duluth, Minn., and meeting its owners, Hewitt met and worked with Rutan on a series of FAA safety films.

Mirror Studios, the parent company of Fly Right Films, has produced a series of safety films on contract to the FAA for pilot awareness and runway safety programs called “Heads Up, Hold Short,” “Fly Right, Listen Up,” “Read Back, Fly Right,” “Face to Face, Eye to Eye, Fly Right,” all filmed over the past four years.

Later the two were honored for the films at the Gathering of Eagles banquet by then-FAA Administrator Marion Blakey. Rutan and Hewitt were talking over a glass of wine about Rutan's experiences as a fighter pilot in Vietnam. The conversation centered on something that had been haunting Rutan for years as a flight instructor.

“Dick was talking about spatial disorientation, and his experiences flying in Vietnam,” said Hewitt. “Here is a guy who flies everyday and his still haunted by something that happened as a fighter pilot in Vietnam 40 years ago. So I asked him if would be interested in sharing some of those experiences. He said sure.”

After 18 months of market research, Hewitt started scripting what he hopes is the first in a series of six films about flying.

“As a pilot understanding what happens physiologically when you become disoriented can allow you to train for regaining control of yourself and your aircraft,” said Rutan. “We hope that this will become a breakthrough for both pilots and instructors.”

Hewitt and Rutan have been on a marketing circuit that included Sun N'Fun in Florida in April, and the Alaska Airmen's Association Trade Show and Convention May 3-5 in Anchorage, and the response has been surprising.

Increases in fuel prices that have affected travel in the U.S and abroad may spur more aircraft travel for business, according to aircraft manufacturers. Most of the new piston aircraft can average 20 miles to the gallon, go faster than cars, and can fly directly from point to point, according to industry officials. This trend will require pilots to be more aware of instrument flight rules and air traffic procedures. Hewitt says that he thinks that the production is being introduced at the right time, and in the right place.

“This is the first in what we call the ÔAviator Series' and we hope to produce one a year over the next five years,” said Hewitt.