Reaching for the Skies Pioneers (Season 1, Episode 1)
TV Episode | 55 min | History

Reaching for the Skies

Pioneers (Season 1, Episode 1)

TV Episode | 55 min | History

The early history of aviation, covering the Wright Brothers, Santos Dumont, Louie Bierot, the Avro, commercial airlines, WWI and WWII military jet development, breaking the sound barrier, NASA plane landers, and Burt Rutan's Voyager.

Producer

Tony Salmon

Composer

Roger Limb

Cinematographer

Phil Gries

See all filmmakers & crew (36)

Edit Released

Updated Sep 12, 1988

Release date

Sep 12, 1988 (United Kingdom)

Contacts

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Cast	+ Add Cast
22 cast members

Name	Known for
Louis Blériot Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Aeroplane Contests at Rheims (1909)
Winston Churchill Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Matinee Theatre (1955)
Alan Cobham Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	The King's Cup (1933)
Robert L. Crippen Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Challenger: The Final Flight (2020)
Scott Crossfield Self Self See fewer	Reaching for the Skies (1987)
Bill Dana Self - X-15 Test Pilot Self - X-15 Test Pilot See fewer	Reaching for the Skies (1987)
Michael Daunt Self - Gloster E28-39 Test Pilor Self - Gloster E28-39 Test Pilor See fewer	Reaching for the Skies (1987)
Santos Dumont Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Estadio Nacional (2003)
George Felton Self - Pilot Self - Pilot See fewer	Reaching for the Skies (1987)
Ken Kellett Self Self See fewer	Flyboys (2006)
Charles A. Lindbergh Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	The Spirit of St. Louis (1957)
E. Kristinn Olsen Self - Director Icelandair (as Captain E. Kristinn Olsen) Self - Director Icelandair (as Captain E. Kristinn Olsen) See fewer	Reaching for the Skies (1987)
Anthony Quayle Self - Narrator Self - Narrator See fewer	Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Arthur Raymond Self Self See fewer	Reaching for the Skies (1987)
Burt Rutan Self Self See fewer	Vanna Bonta: What Goes Up (2005)
Robert Smith-Barry Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer
Milt Thompson Self - X-15 Test Pilot Self - X-15 Test Pilot See fewer	Reaching for the Skies (1987)
Frank Whittle Self Self See fewer	Reaching for the Skies (1987)
Orville Wright Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	The Wright Brothers Aeroplane (1909)
Wilbur Wright Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	The Wright Brothers Aeroplane (1909)
Chuck Yeager Self Self See fewer	The Right Stuff (1983)
John Young Self Self See fewer	The Wonder of it All (2007)