To Fly!

Interior of Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater (pictured 2010)

The 1960s and 1970s were periods that saw increasing numbers of museum theaters as part of the effort to modernize museums with audiovisual content. The idea of a giant-screen theater at the National Air and Space Museum (NASM) itself dates back to 1970 in a 153-page report by the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) curator team, which argues that the NASM needs a "contemporary medium of communications" that will resonate intellectually and psychologically. The report suggested a giant-screen experiential film that would showcase the American landscape and the country's introduction to technology, ending with predictions of the country's future with the availability of technology.[12]

In 1974, when hearing that the Smithsonian Institution will open the new building of the NASM in Washington D.C. as part of the United States (US) Bicentennial, filmmaker and IMAX Corporation founder Graeme Ferguson proposed to then-director of the museum, astronaut Michael Collins, to open an IMAX theater as he believed it would be a big contribution to the museum. Collins had not seen an IMAX film and was not convinced at the time. However when Collins went to Expo '74 to give a speech, an IMAX representative "coaxed" him to go to the event's own IMAX theater and see Man Belongs to the Earth, a 23-minute environmentalist documentary narrated by James Whitmore and featuring Chief Dan George. Fascinated by the giant-screen technology, Collins immediately expressed interest in building an IMAX theater, convinced that the experience would provide a sense of realism to visitors.[13][14] On July 1, filmmaker Francis Thompson proposed to them a film about the history of flight for them to play as part of the US Bicentennial, and as their theater's premiere film. Thompson was notable for the Academy Award-winning triple-screen short documentary film To Be Alive! (1964). With a US$750,000 budget, they set the project's deadline to 1976. Conoco Inc. helped fund the project "as a Bicentennial gift" to the NASM.[12][15][16][17][18] The Smithsonian later commissioned filmmakers Greg MacGillivray and James[19] "Jim" Freeman to make the film. The duo assumed the Smithsonian knew them from Jonathan Livingston Seagull (1973), which they co-filmed and received an Academy Award for Best Cinematography nomination; as well as from The Towering Inferno (1974), whose aerial shots were filmed by them and became a box-office success. They had known IMAX from reading monthly technology journals, and were "delighted" of the commission.[20]

Collins told MacGillivray and Freeman he did not want the film to be too history-oriented: "I have plenty of historical plaques on the wall of my museum; please give me a film that entertains, and allows the audience to be amazed by flight."[20] MacGillivray praised Collins for giving him full creative freedom.[21] Collins and Deputy Director Melvin B. Zisfein also gave a list of suggestions, 20 of which were fulfilled.[22] The Smithsonian and Francis Thompson, Inc. (credited as consultant company) offered them a film treatment, but they deemed it not perfect enough, and expanded it into "a chronological story that contained humor, comical fictitious characters, and [...] a little bit of flight history." They also took some inspiration from their previous surf films,[20] as well as their experience with aerial filmmaking.[23] They analyzed 12 out of the 13[24] existing IMAX films at that time for inspiration and reference.[25] The first they saw was Man Belongs to the Earth. They "got really pumped" seeing the opening aerial shot[18] of the Grand Canyon, which is set to soaring music.[14] They observed how those 12 films vary in genre, from fiction, documentaries, to comedy; they wrote To Fly! so that it would be a mix of them, giving audiences a compact definition of IMAX.[26] The opening scene is humorous so that audiences can relax and laugh, arguing that the purely factual nature of the NASM will come off as "a dry, historical drama" on film.[20] Thompson agreed with this decision, saying that there are enough fact-based Bicentennial films, and that people need more entertainment.[26] MacGillivray said that the film's "unpretentiousness and lightheartedness" makes it a form of escapism from the overwhelming life,[7] and that IMAX is perfect for the film as it "allow[s] myself as a filmmaker to impact the audience in a greater way";[27] he also called it a coincidence because the film depicts aviation when it was brand-new, and that IMAX was a brand-new product.[10]

While there is no extensive cast list, actress Ellen Bry played an unnamed role.[28] Credited writers include Thompson, Robert M. Young and Arthur Zegart. Thomas McGrath wrote the narration.[29] Researching was also done throughout pre-production; it overall took around seven months.[27] Collins, physicist Jeffrey Kirsch, astronomer Paul Knappenberger, as well as aviators Walter J. Boyne and Donald S. Lopez Sr. helped with the process.[30] Freeman's girlfriend Cindy Huston was the camera assistant; MacGillivray's then-girlfriend (now-wife) Barbara Smith was the production assistant, craft service specialist, still photographer and behind the scenes cinematographer; Bill Bennett and Jeff Blyth were the production managers; Brad Ohlund is the second assistant camera, and Phil Schwartz was the first.[20] Other credits include Byron McKinney as executive producer; Elizabeth Howell as secretary and bookkeeper; Rae Troutman as grip; Brad Ohlund as assistant grip; and John Divers as storyboard developer.[10] NASA, the Office of Naval Research, and California Institute of Technology were also involved in the production.[29] According to MacGillivray, To Fly! is the best film he and Freeman worked on together for over 11 years, and Freeman's swan song.[20]

MacGillivray and Freeman directed and filmed To Fly!, with them switching roles constantly. Principal photography occurred for a period of five months throughout 1975,[10] with a pause in June to film the action sequences of Sky Riders (1976).[31] They worked extensively: seven days a week and 14 hours a day[7] from 5am to 9pm. Their filming budget, US$590,000,[10] was relatively small, but did not disturb the production in any way. It also prompted a storyboard; using that and the script, he and Freeman made various ways (self-coined "IMAX moments") to thrill the IMAX audiences and to rely on visuals more instead of narration.[20] Each scene was planned to fit with the IMAX format. The colored parts of the storyboard were then presented to clients to avoid miscommunications post-filming. As firm believers of filmmaking as a collaboration, MacGillivray and Freeman were also open with the crew, allowing creative suggestions from them.[10]

At the time, there was only one line of IMAX cameras which are heavy, weighing 80 pounds (36 kilograms), and have low specifications, dismaying the filmmakers, who wanted To Fly! to be an IMAX game-changer.[25] Additionally, they were worried of damaging that one and only camera model they were able to get, and also wanted to minimize the need for retaking should it be needed. Ferguson and fellow IMAX co-founders Bill Shaw, and Robert Kerr were proposed to produce three new cameras with detailed higher specifications.[20] MacGillivray also said that the cameras will also be used for American Years, a 50-minute epic IMAX film for the temporary Philadelphia '76 theater, also a Bicentennial celebration. Ferguson granted the proposal with glee.[32] However while filming To Fly!,here was a scene using the second camera that required filming from a parachute, but the parachute did not deploy and the camera was destroyed.[33]

Shot of the Blue Angels in diamond formation over the Colorado River and Yuma Desert. This 35-second sequence took 4 months to prepare.

Many shots in the film took a long time to prepare: for example, the 35-second shot of the Blue Angels speeding over the Colorado River and Yuma Desert[10] took over four months to choreograph. MacGillivray described it as time-consuming.[27] Camera mounts were designed by the United States Navy (USN) for a McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II used to film the Blue Angels scene. Despite lack of confidence that it will work successfully, fellow friend Nelson Tyler managed to spend two months developing two mounts for the camera helicopter, one to film forward-moving shots and another equipped with a camera dolly to film from the side, that allow smooth aerial shots. Remote-controlled devices were also built to move the second mount. Mounts were also by Boeing for the Boeing 747,[10][26][34] as well as on a monoplane piloted by Art Scholl, which was used to film front point-of-views.[20] The mounts took weeks to test so that the camera can stay intact without even a bit of vibration.[10] The hot-air-balloon aerial scenes were filmed from a helicopter.[35] Real-life expert balloonist Peter Walker was chosen to play the role of Ezekiel. Because during the colonial times hot-air-balloons were powered by helium, the USN donated free helium for the film crew as a gift because of the Blue Angels' presence in the film.[36]

Aerial work platforms were used to support the balloon basket, as well as the camera; the former was supported by two platforms as it moved in "moved in opposing directions to heighten the illusion of actual in-flight motion." To create a scene where a 1891 Sierra No. 3 locomotive hits the screen, the film crew placed a mirror at the end of the track, then point the wide-angle camera sideways to point to the mirror for a symmetrical view of the rail as the locomotive approaches and shatters the mirror. For shots featuring close-ups of the pilots "flying" the air vehicles, the illusion was made by filming with the sky in the background while the aircraft's engines rev and the camera moves in and out of a "rough" dolly. Bob Wills also flew the Kauai coastline hang-glider,[10][37] one of the scenes suggested by Collins and Zisfein[22] during a period where the sport saw spiking popularity.[38] A stagecoach was used in a scene where it races with the locomotive. Prior to that scene, a Conestoga wagon is depicted. The 747 aerial scene was filmed from a 737 donated by Boeing. A Curtiss Model D was flown by Frank Tallman for the mechanical flight sequence. A Ford Flivver was used in a segue between the car and mechanical flight scene; this was done by a low shot accelerating with audiences assuming this is the car, but to their surprise it flies beyond the ground above Coastal California. Other filming locations include the Gateway Arch, Lake Powell, Monument Valley, and Yosemite Falls.[3][10][39] The barnstorming scene was filmed in California.[17] There was a deleted scene in the opening sequence where the crowd witnessing Ezekiel's ascent perform barn raising.[10]

Because of the nature of IMAX, an new set of filming rules were abided, and many conventional rules were "temporarily set aside." It took three months to test the cameras and other equipment to ensure production will run flawlessly. Because the IMAX screen is enormous, extreme-long shots were treated as wide-angle shots, while the latter was treated as normal shots. Condensed movement was used to switch between an extreme long shot to medium close-up, and a wide-angle lens was used to further expand the film's view. Shots lengths were long so that audiences can observe the entirety. According to MacGillivray, "Because the audience sits lower in relation to the screen in an IMAX theatre, the new center lies approximately one-third up from the bottom of the screen. Therefore, all scenes need to be framed with this in mind, but particularly the closeup. Plenty of headroom is needed in all closeups (in IMAX, the medium closeup) so the audience can establish comfortable eye-contact."[10]

The scene with a vertical view of New York City used a 30mm fisheye lens, giving it edge curvature and image distortion. For lenses specifically built for Hasselblad cameras, shutters were removed and the mounts were modified in order to fit in the IMAX cameras, and the focal lengths were changed from 30mm to 60mm.[10] Amid filming, the film crew wished they had a zoom lens that could have eased some of the filming; they used the first IMAX zoom lens in their later film, Behold Hawaii (1983).[40] The filmmakers wanted a bright, colorful, naturalistic film, prompting them to use the 65mm film stock Eastman Color Negative 5254, and merely use a standard 85 filter. The lenses and magazines were checked following camera modifications. To have a dramatic look, they used cross-back light or cross light. The then-new O'Connor 150 tripod head was used due to its ability to withstand the heavy cameras. Filming ended on schedule, despite all the technical challenges faced; MacGillivray largely credited this to the extensive preparation done pre-production.[10]

The film showcases the Saturn IB launch on July 15, 1975

The space sequence begins with the launch of the Saturn IB rocket. They were given "special permission" to film it, marking the first time a rocket launch was filmed on IMAX.[10] The film crew took this part of the production more seriously, as it cannot be repeated, unlike the other parts of production, despite their equal level of difficulty.[17] As they left the camera outside for a day, humidity causes the camera to become condensed; this was exacerbated by seasonal thunderstorms. Despite their best efforts, the camera was later found wet and jammed, and they immediately cleaned and lubricated it for around three hours. They managed to catch the launch on film despite initial uncertainty.[41]

With such a low budget, the film crew initially conceived the space sequence as merely a compilation of astronomical images, but realized they needed some kind of movement for a giant-screen film, and thus saved money on the live-action filming so that a better space sequence can be created. They expected To Fly! to be compared with the Cinerama classic 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and, despite their limited resources, try to make the space sequence as reminiscent of the film as possible. When reading about the film's production, they learned that something small like stars on an IMAX presentation is nothing on a traditional presentation; after some difficulty, they managed to create the stars on a Kodalith negative sheet film. Another thing they learned from 2001: A Space Odyssey was that movement is important. The IMAX nature meant that they could only film the space sequence at 6 and 12 frames per second and that stop motion technique is impossible; additional limitations prompted detailed communication with the NASM to help assist the production. George Casey and Lester Novros of Graphic Films provided planetary models and studio facilities for scenes that require them, as well as using their expertise to ease the production.[41]

In a scene where the spaceship passes Jupiter and Io, they filmed separate elements in separate film rolls; each "required four separate passes of the negative through the camera, each time being rewound to heads and rethreaded to a common start frame." The camera was placed on a motorized dolly. They filmed Io first, then Jupiter, then the spaceship. According to Blyth, "The [space]ship was a 2 inches (5.1 centimetres) transparency of a 3 feet (91 centimetres) starship model rear-lighted on a stationary glass frame"; MacGillivray Freeman Films constructed it, and Blyth designed it to have the same color palette as the 747. The starship's components were based on then-future ideas about propulsion systems like advanced ion thrusters, as well as magnetically-confined fusions like deuterium-3 and helium-3. Overall models took 150 hours to create. The scene featuring the dark Earth and a horizon sunrise used a dolly. Some scenes, including the Saturn scene, was filmed at a homemade animation stand; others used a pseudo version of the slit-scan photography kit used for 2001: A Space Odyssey. A modified auxiliary peg bar was used to attach the models; the glass sheet with the starship was suspended nearby the bar. Several motors and control devices were tried to film the extremely slow scenes, and the zoom motors were determined to work the best. To add movement to the shots, a geared head and a custom gear operated by the zoom motor, creating a "slight" pan. They filmed all these scenes on 16mm first, to make sure they were replicable on IMAX. Collins assisted this entire segment of production to ensure realism.[41]

The penultimate set of shots of nebulae used bellows and Hasselblad close-up lens, the camera facing a water-filled tray; the nebulae were a mixture of jet black ink and white enamel paint, with color coming from the gelled lighting. The materials' temperature, thickness, size, and type had to be precise and same to achieve the reaction. Since they had to film at 96 fps, two solutions were most implemented to slow down the movement: pouring mineral oil and applying paint thinner to the tray; the latter was favored as it created more interesting movements akin to three-dimensional effect. Often a small wire was shaped and dipped into the tray to create specific patterns.[41] Jim Palmer created the laser beam effects; he had experimented with various types of patterns pre-production.[10]

Overall, the space sequence took 4½ months to prepare, test, and film.[41]

One of the many multi-screen scenes in the film; this in particular is in the space sequence

To Fly! was edited by MacGillivray and Freeman himself, with Alexander Hammid supervising,[29] on a Moviola. Knowing that they would experiment on different editing styles, the film's shots were directed beforehand so that it would allow them to do so. Pacing is normal, so that audiences have enough time to explore the entirety of the shots. In the opening, the part where Ezekiel is still at land merely uses 1⁄6th of the IMAX surface; as he ascends, all of the screen is utilized; this is to give a dramatic sense to the film, as well as a reference to aviation, which the film calls "like the opening of a new eye."[10] That idea, whose goal was to give audiences a good impression of IMAX, was taken from the similarly-styled opening sequence of This is Cinerama (1952).[26] Multi-screen images—the act of placing duplicates of images in the same screen— were occasionally done, inspired by the multi-projector film Labyrinth (1967) and the first IMAX film Tiger Child (1970). After learning that an inconsiderately-placed multi-screen scene would create a confusing experience for audiences, Jim Liles of the Optical Department at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and filmmaker Dennis Earl Moore designed new mattes where the bottom row is 15% larger than the top, allowing for clearer focus of attention. Smith supervised research for the stock footage to be incorporated into the multi-screen scenes, and handpicked footages shot by MacGillivray himself. After editing, a Cinemeccanica Norelco AAII 35mm-70mm projector was installed at their studio and sat relatively close to the screen to get a feel of what To Fly! would look like on IMAX. Overall, editing took four months.[10]

MacGillivray considers To Fly! "an audiovisual voyage through time", and thus wanted the best person to compose the film score. Eventually it was composed and conducted by Bernardo Segall and performed by "the most professional and experienced symphonic" 49-piece orchestra in California at The Burbank Studios. Segall was chosen because he was considered a great classical composer whose works have "an air of sophistication and elegance, which would maintain the steady rhythm and pulse of the film."[10] The score was the first in hstory to use a keyed bugle, which is also depicted in the film's opening sequence: during the gathering for Ezekiel's ascent, a small instrumental team plays a fife, drum, clarinet, and B♭ keyed bugle.[42] The score was later edited by Richard R. McCurdy and mixed by Dan Wallin; the latter was assisted by Paul Martin. The score was recorded on a 16-track recorder, which was then mixed down to three out of the six channels at the 35mm full-coat sprocketed magnetic film. It was mixed "authentically" to create a quadrophonic surround experience.[10] Todd-AO's Los Angeles mixing facility in Hollywood was also used for post-production;[20] Joseph Ellison, later the creator of Don't Go in the House (1980), participated in this segment.[43] For the sound effects, Sam Shaw was the editor, while Ray West and Jack Woltz were mixers. Because of the vast room for creativity they can pour into the sound due to the high technology, certain scenes in the film were made just for the audio experience, including the multi-screen scene where two jets cross each other, which exploits the surround nature of the sound system. MacGillivray expected audience to "shiver" in this scene, due to the dramatic shift of attention. Another instance is in the scene where the locomotive hits the screen; the engine noises went from the center to all around the audience.[10]

Clients applauded the rough cut; two of the biggest, the Smithsonian and Conoco, gave various inputs for the final cut. Rud Lawrence and Tony Sheldon-Moir represented the latter; while Collins, Zisfein, Von del Chamberlain, and Gene Knight represented the former. Conoco later became the film's sponsor. The whole post-production process, combined with the space sequence production, took a total of six months.[10] According to MacGillivray, the final cut was finished very shortly before the films' release.[26]

An estimated number of a million people have seen To Fly! at the NASM in its first year, with approximately 80% of seats occupied.[20] The Elyria Chronicle Telegram, however, claimed the numbers to be 8 million.[5] Over 100 million people have probably seen it in theaters, with over 15 million at the NASM;[9] 4.5 million of which are in the first four years,[3] and reaching 13 million in 1996. On the day of its 20th anniversary, a CBS This Morning report dubbed it "the longest running ticketed film in one location in history." As of 1996, the film accumulated over 300 million viewers worldwide.[27] Initially, Collins had only projected 3½ NASM visitors to see the film during its initial one-year run.[17]

The film's earnings spiked from US$20 million in 1993[73] to US$100 million in 1999.[74] It was the third highest-grossing IMAX documentary as of 2002, earning US$113 million, behind The Dream is Alive (1985, US$150 million) and MacGillivray Freeman's Everest (1998, US$114 million).[75] To Fly! set several box-office records,[20] earning over US$86.6 million domestically as of April 2015.[76]^: 3 A 2003 Duke University Press publication reported it grossed more than US$150 million worldwide.[77] It was the highest grossing documentary of all time before Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004), though remains the second-highest grossing giant-screen documentary film, after Everest.[9] The Lodi News-Sentinel reported in 1991 that over 100 million people have viewed it at schools and television.[78] The film is the longest-exhibited documentary in the world,[79] the longest-running sponsored Washington, D.C. film, as well as the highest grossing sponsored film of all time.[9] However, the film has seldom screenings in non-IMAX theaters, making it unpopular among filmgoers.[48]

To Fly! was raved by film critics and scholars, listed among the best films of the 1970s[80] and the best documentaries.[81] John Alderson of the Chicago Sun-Times summarized his and other critics' reviews with: "The subject [of To Fly!] charms its imagination, while the IMAX format goes right to the brink of [audiovisual] sensory overload."[34] The Washington Post hailed it a Washington icon[3] and a must-watch to all Washingtonians.[79] Carl Sagan wrote in his book The Demon-Haunted World (1995) that he had watched the film at the NASM more than five times, and it still astonished him.[82] The film was cited by academic sources as an example of the role of screen size in the amplifying the cinematic thrills,[83][84] the power of aerial photography in a film,[85][86] and IMAX as a form of cinematic travel,[27][45] as well as a pioneer of cinematic kinesthetic responses and coverage of science and technology.[12][87][88] The film has been called one of the best IMAX films,[48][46][44][89] with David Handler of the Newspaper Enterprise Association agreeing with audiences for dubbing it "the ultimate film trip",[90] and Stuart Heritage of The Guardian considering it one of the few high-quality IMAX films, labeling it "dreary" and "educational".[91] BioScience and the Michelin Green Guide called it a must for NASM visitors; the latter gave the museum a full three stars.[92][93] Contemporarily, it was hailed the most underrated, electric cinematic spectacle.[9][45][48]

The cinematography received universal acclaim for its thrills;[34][51] a 1982 review at magazine Natural History by critic Douglas J. Peterson compared this to amusement park rides.[12] Donna Whitehead of Norwalk News praised MacGillivray and Freeman for using IMAX to the best advantage, with soaring shots galore; its illusion of reality is amplified by the score.[44] Tom Chernitsky of the Elyria Chronicle Telegram agreed with the latter point; he also credited the "unusual" camera angles and novel techniques to the film's mastery.[5] It also received positive reviews from teachers, who observed that the immersive cinematography alone makes it educational, as it teaches children what it feels to fly.[26] Praises were given to the squared segment of the opening sequence for disappointing audiences that it does not fill the entire IMAX screen, before eventually expanding.[3][16][34] John Russell of The New York Times credited the cinematography to the audiences' immersion upon the narrative despite its short duration, with the plot getting better as the film progresses. He also categorized it a poetry film, citing its "irresistible", wonderous look of nature.[48] Dan Moran of the Lake County News-Sun said that the film is one of the few Pictorium films not like the rest which were meant to make visitors asleep after a long day playing.[57] Nathan Southern of AllMovie gave the film 4½ out of 5 stars, stating that its aerial shots helped it be the vivid insight to American transportation as it should, calling the film historically significant and "One of the greatest unsung landmarks of American documentary".[94] Jim Clash of Forbes categorized it an epic film, citing its "vertiginous" cinematography.[95] The space sequence's goal of resembling 2001: A Space Odyssey is said to succeed.[34] Major film companies were urged to "watch out", predicting that To Fly! will set IMAX as a leading cinematic format.[9]

The film, especially the story, was more well-reviewed contemporarily. The Tampa Tribune rated the film 3 out of 4 stars, calling it a "fun parade" of aviation history and a "treat", saying the Horseshoe Falls and barnstorming scenes are the best.[96] Its poetic treatment towards the subject matter makes it described as a paean.[51] Whitehead called the opening scene intimate yet magical, and the ending uplifting.[44] Russell praised the narration and narrator as personal and meditative.[48] The story of the squared opening, however, was deemed foolish by Kernan, though he noted it is not meant to be the film's highlight.[3] Mark R. Hasan of KQEK.com criticized some of the film's "rough" editing, and that Ezekiel's dialogues are "quite awful", exacerbated by "rudimentary" sound mixing, though disclaimed that all these shortcomings fade after the opening, with sweeping cinematography, thematically ambient score, as well as "elaborate" and "directional" sound mixing during the spaceflight scene.[67] Jeremy Smith of Yardbarker praised the film's effective motivation, but opined the film uses IMAX as a gimmick, albeit a good one.[97] Eagan disagrees, saying that the film's shots are still breathtaking even in smaller, non-IMAX formats.[16] Ross Anthony, writing for his Hollywood Report Card site, gave the film a B+ grade, equivalent to 2.5 out of 4 stars, noting that he would've graded it A had he wrote his review contemporarily. He opined that Ezekiel is an oversentimental caricature, and that the hot-air balloon scenes were edited inconsistently, also observing that the balloon does not move at all. He also lamented the omissions of real-life aviation pioneers. He concluded that To Fly! is "amusing and informative (on a basic level)", and recommended the short IMAX experimental film Silent Sky (1977) for aviation enthusiasts.[98][99]

As the squared scene fades to this one, audiences can be heard exclaiming in awe

Audiences, regardless of demographics,[27] were "astonished" by To Fly!'s IMAX vertiginous shots.[100] Sighs, gasps, oohs, and cries were heard in most of the audiences.[9][34] During the balloon opening sequence, "ahhh"-s can be heard;[3] and during the Blue Angels and hang-gliding scene, some audiences can be heard screaming.[101] Others, however, screamed in jolt and "hastily" left the theater during its vertiginous scenes,[12] with the uncontrollable dizziness lingering long after the film finishes for some.[101] Later, the NASM added pre-entry warnings about potential dizziness and motion sickness.[87] The audience reactions also prompted them to blurb the film on their website with: "Feel the Earth Drop Away Beneath You".[12] In 2016, "Feel" was changed to "Watch" as part of a longer synopsis; a 40th-anniversary one-minute trailer was also released.[1] Expert hang-gliders were surprised at the hang-gliding stunt: "[42] years later, Bob Wills and To Fly! can blow even these guys away." Wills later died in 1977 while hang-gliding for a Jeep commercial.[38] People with fear of flying said that they are able to watch it without getting scared. Those who watched it also brought their children there to watch the film, akin to a generational tradition.[7] Audiences also found the film to be memorable.[26] The 2011 Virginia earthquake coincided with the Horseshoe Falls scene as To Fly! played at Lockheed Martin IMAX, and audiences did not think it was an earthquake assuming the shaking came from the subwoofers.[102]

As of October 8, 1992, To Fly! received 11 awards.[44] The following table only lists the accolades known online.