IMAX theater dazzles crowds with free showing of "Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag" Published June 3, 2009 By Catherine Cornett Hilltop Times staff HILL AIR FORCE BASE, UTAH -- Chances are if you were near the Gateway Mall in Salt Lake City this Tuesday, you were there to join the huge crowd lined up inside the Clark Planetarium, at the Gateway Mall. The reason behind the crowd was a free showing of "Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag" in the planetarium's Imax Theater in honor of Air Force Week. Hundreds of children and adults lined up for tickets to see fighter planes in action. Some sixth graders came straight from school on a field trip to see the film. Due to the large crowd and dwindling number of tickets, the planetarium decided to add another showing at 3:30 p.m. to complement those at 2:30 and 4:30 p.m., which were already sold out. As groups of parents, children and schoolchildren filed down the stairs to find a seat in the theater, an announcement was broadcasted. "Ladies and gentlemen, we have a full house," the loudspeaker blared. Despite the interruption, the children continued chattering and playing pat-a-cake with each other. Finally, the crowd was hushed as a spokesperson for L3 Communications, the film's sponsor, took the stage. After the spokesperson, three Hill Air Force Base pilots talked to the crowd. Lt. Cols. Brad Lyons and Buster Delmonte of the 34th Fighter Squadron both thanked the public for their continuing support of the Air Force. Capt. Monessa Catuncan, also of the 34th Fighter Squadron, addressed the ladies in the room, saying that though she is a woman pilot, she isn't treated any differently than one of the guys. All three pilots encouraged both children and adults to continue learning about and supporting the Air Force, and suggested that some of the children might even become pilots themselves one day. After the pilots finished speaking, the lights dimmed and the film began. All faces were turned toward the screen as participants in Red Flag took to the sky and did their best to out-maneuver the enemy. There were even a few whispers and gasps after the pilots used real bombs to take out enemy ground targets in the video. When the film finished around 3:30 p.m., the children were ushered out of the theater by parents and teachers. Many had questions to ask the adults, and the three pilots from Hill Air Force Base were standing by with answers. When one little boy found out messy rooms are not allowed in the Air Force, he suddenly lost interest. The huge turnout at the Clark Planetarium could mean that perhaps some of the children and the even adults there may find themselves someday in the cockpit of a plane, remembering "Fighter Pilot" and the words of the three pilots from the 34th Fighter Squadron. The IMAX movie will play Thursday and Friday at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Utah. See www.airforceweek.af.mil for show times.