TERROR IN THE SKIES: DISCOVERY NETWORKS INTERNATIONAL COMMISSIONS AIRASIA 8501 SPECIAL
TERROR IN THE SKIES: AIRASIA AND BEYOND to investigate the impact of 'Super Storms' and an increasingly automated cockpit on the aviation industry
March 19, 2015
London, UK, 19 March 2015: Discovery Networks International today announced the commission of a 1x60' documentary special - Terror in the Skies: AirAsia and Beyond, produced by ITN Productions, about the tragic events of flight 8501 on 28th December 2014.
AirAsia flight 8501, with its 155 passengers and seven crew, was lost in a storm 40 minutes into its journey from Indonesia to Singapore - concluding the worst year for aviation disasters in a decade.
Premiering in April, Terror in the Skies: AirAsia and Beyond will air on Discovery Channel in more than 220 countries and territories. In the US, it will air on Science Channel on Tuesday, April 28 at 10 p.m. EST as part of the network's Days of Disaster event.
Elizabeth McIntyre, Vice-President, Production and Development, Factual, for Discovery Networks International, comments: "Terror in the Skies: AirAsia and Beyond is a great example of how our London production hub can respond to the public's appetite for news stories such as that of AirAsia flight 8501. Working with ITN Productions, who are renowned in the factual field, this documentary provides one of the most comprehensive explanations as to what happened that day."
Comparing and contrasting the story of this doomed flight with aviation tragedies of the recent past such as Air France flight 447 and Malaysia Airlines flight 370, the documentary will examine the impact of the Earth's increasingly severe weather on the aviation industry. It will question whether so-called 'super storms' are becoming more frequent and severe, putting planes at greater risk than ever before. It will also explore whether today's aviation technology leaves pilots too dependent on automation, resulting in an information overload in critical situations.
For the first time, computer-generated animation will breakdown radar data from the final moments of the flight, while world-leading meteorologists will use bespoke weather data from the day of the accident to look at the effects of the storm on one of the world's safest planes, the Airbus A320. The special will also demonstrate the consequences of a mid-air stall, performed in a light aircraft by an experienced test pilot, explaining how such an occurrence could have been a factor in flight 8501's final moments.
The documentary is supported by exclusive interviews with renowned global experts and those close to the event, including the legal representative for the victims' families.
Terror in the Skies: AirAsia and BEYOND is commissioned by Elizabeth McIntyre, VP Production and Development, Factual, for Discovery Networks International. Tom Gorham is Executive Producer for Discovery Networks International. Ian Russell is Executive Producer for ITN Productions.
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About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world's #1 pay-TV programmer reaching nearly 3 billion cumulative subscribers in more than 220 countries and territories. For 30 years Discovery has been dedicated to satisfying curiosity and entertaining viewers with high-quality content through its global television brands, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Investigation Discovery and Science, as well as U.S. joint venture network OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. Discovery controls Eurosport, the leading pan-regional sports entertainment destination across Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa. Discovery also is a leading provider of educational products and services to schools, including an award-winning series of K-12 digital textbooks, through Discovery Education, and a digital leader with a diversified online portfolio, including Discovery Digital Networks. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.