Robert Zemeckis' movie.

Denzel Washington prepared for the role of Whip Whitaker by practicing on a flight simulator. Besides learning how to convincingly perform as a pilot, Washington also had to learn how to authentically behave like someone battling addiction. In Flight, Whip Whitaker confesses to being inebriated while piloting Flight 277 and saving the airplane from mechanical failure. The narrative raised moral and ethical questions about Whitaker's situation, having successfully saved most of the lives of Flight 277's engers but also putting them in danger by flying the plane while intoxicated.

Flight's 277 Crash Was Inspired By Alaska Airlines Flight 261

The Movie Used The Drastic Measures Taken By The Real-Life Crew As Inspiration

Flight 277 in Flight was inspired by the real-life Alaska Airlines Flight 261 which crashed into the Pacific Ocean on January 31, 2000. Flight 261 had taken off from an airport in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico, and was traveling toward San Francisco, California. It was meant to make one scheduled stop before reaching its final destination in Seattle, Washington. The plane malfunctioned and inverted for a short time before it crashed and killed everyone on board. All 88 people on board, which included 83 engers and 5 crew , did not survive the impact (via Medium).

Flight 277 in Flight was not based on a true story and was loosely inspired by the real events of Alaska Airline Flight 261. Brief instances of dialogue used in Flight were taken directly from Flight 261's CVR transcript, or the conversations that took place between the pilots in the cockpit and other messages given to crew and engers on the overhead speaker.

Besides that, there are not many similarities between the fictional Flight 277 and the real-life Alaska Airlines Flight 261. The main reason why Flight 261 went down was a mechanical error due to improper maintenance. No survivors of Flight 261 were ever found.

William 'Whip' Whitaker Was Created For The Flight Movie

Whip's Battle With Addiction Was At The Center Of The Movie

The protagonist of Flight, pilot Whip Whitaker (Washington), was created for this, one of Denzel Washington's best movies and is not based on any real person. The character was imagined by screenwriter John Gatins after a having conversation with an off-duty pilot on a flight. The conversation made Gatins realize that even people as composed as commercial airliner pilots can have difficulties and struggles in their personal lives.

Although the hook of Flight centers around the fictitious heroic actions of Whitaker, the core of his story is mostly about his attempts to control his addictions.

This became the inspiration for Whip Whitaker in Flight, who battles addiction issues with both alcohol and illegal drugs. Although the hook of Flight centers around the fictitious heroic actions of Whitaker, the core of his story is mostly about his attempts to control his addictions.

Whitaker was created specifically for Flight to emphasize the isolation within his substance abuse, which is what drew director Robert Zemeckis to the screenplay (via The Hollywood Reporter). Zemeckis revealed that he understood Whip's sense of disconnection and compared it to a similar sense of feeling alone in the world that Marty McFly experienced in Back To The Future. Washington went on to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his portrayal of Whip Whitaker at the 2013 Academy Awards.

What Flight Changed About The True Flight 261 Story

The Real-Life Flight Was A Tragedy Without Any Survivors

Gatins, Zemeckis, and the creative team behind Flight changed almost everything from the true Alaska Airline Flight 261 story in order to tell its tragic tale of addiction and isolation. The fictional Flight 227 took off from Orlando and was meant to land in Atlanta. The plane crash in Flight also took place on land as opposed to the ocean.

The biggest change between Flight 261 and the plot of Flight is the number of causalities. In Flight, only six people were killed including four engers and two crew . Neither of the Flight 261 pilots had ever been suspected of being intoxicated while flying either and Alaska Airlines was not mentioned in the film. It was replaced with the fictional airliner South Jet Air.

How Flight Compares To Other Denzel Washington Movies Based On True Stories

Some Of Washington's Biggest Roles Were Based On Real People

Alongside Flight, Denzel Washington has made several movies that are based on true stories. Some are similar to Flight, drawing small details from real events to make a largely fictional tale. However, in other cases, these films are more accurate to the actual facts. Washington has appeared in a couple of notable biopics in his career with his performance as Frank Lucas in American Gangster and playing Malcolm X in Spike Lee's movie. In both cases, these movies changed certain facts to fit the Hollywood story but also recreated key moments in the real lives of these men.

Other movies told a larger true story, not just focused on one person. The true story behind the Titans is an inspiring sports tale while Glory is a profound look at some of the forgotten heroes who fought in the American Civil War. Both of these films focus on the true story of a group of people, seeking to capture the historical significance they were responsible for. As such, the movie embellishes and changes many facts about what really happened while staying true to the message of it all.

Denzel Washington Movies Based On True Stories

The movie from Washington's career that is the closest to Flight's approach to adapting a true story is Unstoppable. The film stars Washington and Chris Pine as train conductors who must stop a runaway train before it crashes and threatens a nearby town with its chemical cargo. While the events and characters are fictional, the story is inspired by an incident in Ohio in 2001 with the runaway train CSX 8888.

Source: Medium, The Hollywood Reporter