FLY BOY FLY  has received 16 awards from screenwriting competitions and festivals internationally.

Synopsis

It’s 1927, and 20-year-old Henry works on the family farm in Nebraska, along with his mother, father, sister and brother. But frankly, the farm life bores him. He has dreams of becoming an airplane pilot – one of the many things he’s not allowed to do because he’s deaf, as his father constantly reminds him. After trying many questionable “cures” for his deafness, Henry hears of a doctor in South Dakota, a miracle worker at restoring hearing. He sets off to find Dr. Dubber. 

After dodging obstacles on his trip to South Dakota, Henry gets the devastating news from Dr. Dubber that he is profoundly deaf, and cannot be cured. Henry’s hopes are dashed, until Dr. Dubber informs him that South Dakota is the only state that allows deaf pilots, and gives him a handbill for The Silent Flying Circus. With a glimmer of hope, Henry sets out to find the Silent Fliers, an all-deaf troupe of barnstorming pilots. Once he finds them, he is repeatedly turned away, especially by Ace, the daredevil star of the show, who doesn’t want any new blood, and especially scoffs at this farm boy who doesn’t know anything about flying, and can’t even communicate using sign language. But Henry’s persistence finally pays off; Nellie Willhite, the only deaf woman pilot in the world, takes him under her wing, and under her tutelage, he learns how to sign and to fly.

Then the Silent Fliers have a devastating crash during a show, resulting in Ace’s death. The Flying Commission responds by revoking all licenses for deaf pilots. The Silent Fliers are out of business, maybe for good. At the final hearing, all the pilots, including Henry, give impassioned speeches to win the Commission over. It works – they get their licenses reinstated!  Henry gets his pilot’s license, and becomes one of the show’s favorite daredevils. His family comes to see him perform, and are amazed and proud. An enthralled spectator exclaims, “That’s unbelievable!” And Henry’s father says, “No it ain’t. That’s my boy!”