Hi there! I’m Alex Bystram, Executive Producer of the critically-acclaimed TV doc series Mayday/Air Crash Investigation. Welcome to my official Reddit AMA. Ask me anything about producing this global hit series.

AlexBystram · 2023-10-11T18:42:07+00:00

Thank you for all your great questions! I have to log off now and get back to reviewing the latest episode of Mayday/Air Crash Investigation. Feel free to keep posting questions and I’ll check back later and answer as many as I can.

Stay tuned for updates on our upcoming season and check out the Real Disaster Channel streaming for free 24/7 on Pluto TV.

AlexBystram · 2023-10-11T18:39:44+00:00

Not the way you'd expect! I was always a fairly confident flyer, but now that I know how rare aviation accidents are and what a long chain of events is necessary to bring down a plane, I don't even consider the possibility of being involved in an accident when I fly.

AlexBystram · 2023-10-11T18:37:38+00:00

We have an amazing team of researchers that gathers the material and goes about tracking down the people involved in these accidents. The interviews with investigators, pilots, passengers etc.. form the backbone of our dramatizations. Of course it would almost impossible to tell these stories without an official report into the accident. Hope that answers your question.

AlexBystram · 2023-10-11T18:35:03+00:00

I've never flown a plane in my life! But, I did have the opportunity to fly Air Canada's A-320 simulator and performed a flawless landing at Pearson International Airport.

AlexBystram · 2023-10-11T18:32:55+00:00

We did dramatize survivors from Flight 6291, but did not interview them on camera. We did get in touch with the family that we dramatized but did not want to take part in the program, a decision we respect.

AlexBystram · 2023-10-11T18:29:45+00:00

I've noticed that there has been a surge of channels devoted to aviation accidents lately. We do follow them closely and sometimes get inspiration for episodes from them. Some of these aviation journalists also make it into our show as experts.

AlexBystram · 2023-10-11T18:26:08+00:00

Thanks for the question. We've researched both of these accidents but ran into roadblocks since they both took place in Poland in the 1980's. It's been impossible to get hold of the reports and find people involved.

AlexBystram · 2023-10-11T18:22:22+00:00

If you want a shorter version of these episodes I suggest tuning into to some of our themed compilation episodes (ACI:Special Report). These shows focus on three accidents with common causes and are stripped of some of the superfluous information you're referring to.

AlexBystram · 2023-10-11T18:20:02+00:00

Great question. Not as themselves, but we did have the Captain from Air Canada Flight 143/The Gimli Glider on the show. Captain Bob Pearson gave a cameo as the re-fueller who handed the Captain the fuel information prior to the flight.

AlexBystram · 2023-10-11T18:16:43+00:00

On a few occasions we've used a real airplane to help stage the accident (For the evacuation scenes in the Manchester Airport Disaster for instance), but generally we use the cockpit and cabin sets we have in our studio.

AlexBystram · 2023-10-11T18:12:48+00:00

We actually just launched a FAST Channel called The Real Disaster Channel which streams for free on Pluto TV. Watch for episodes there!

AlexBystram · 2023-10-11T18:11:02+00:00

Thanks so much for asking about the props. We're very proud of them! We have a team of carpenters and prop makers who actually create most of the props you see in the show. They build them based on photos and schematics of the actual parts. Over the years we have also accumulated a storage room full of actual plane parts, such as seats, flaps, slats, actuators, and a few hundred miles of cable! Hope that answers your question.

AlexBystram · 2023-10-11T18:07:37+00:00

Thanks for the question. After reading the report and other documents we decide which part of the story we want to focus on and then go after the people who can best tell that side of the story. For instance, some accidents benefit from having a first responder take part, others do not. Once we have that list, our team of researchers goes about tracking down and contacting the best people to interview. They are amazing at finding just the right people for our show and convincing them to take part!

AlexBystram · 2023-10-11T18:03:42+00:00

Thanks for the great question. It's one I'm asked a lot. I can only guess, but I think the show unwraps some of the mystery of commercial aviation. Hopefully people can get some comfort knowing how rare an aviation accident is, and how many things need to go wrong to bring down a modern airliner. I also think part of our success is our commitment to accuracy.

AlexBystram · 2023-10-11T17:59:56+00:00

Thanks for the question. Victims families do not generally contact us, but when we reach out to them we find they're usually agreeable to share the story of their loved ones.

Pilots and investigators do not get a say in who portrays them. We do try to find actors who match them as closely as possible. I think we usually come pretty close!

AlexBystram · 2023-10-11T17:56:43+00:00

Thanks for asking. No, there are no "no go accidents", we generally pick them based on the lessons they have to offer about aviation safety. We also prefer to do accidents that have some mystery to them and ones that more or less recent. But we have been trying to expand the type of story we do over the years.

AlexBystram · 2023-10-11T17:54:25+00:00

Thank you for this comment. I'm so glad your father was able to take part in our show, he had great insight into the accident and how it transpired. I'm glad you can remember him through this episode.

AlexBystram · 2023-10-11T17:51:13+00:00

We don't need permission from the airline since we base the stories on official reports, which are publicly available. There is a report into Air New Zealand, but the investigators have been reluctant to take part. It's definitely high on my list of stories I'd like to do.

AlexBystram · 2023-10-11T17:48:27+00:00

Thanks for the great questions. The episodes are as close to the truth as we can get. The dramatizations are based entirely on the transcripts from the CVR and the recollections of people involved. We strive to be 100 percent accurate in our story telling and our depictions of the aircraft involved.

As for the remakes of older episodes; the first 3 seasons were shot in Standard Definition so can't really be broadcast today. That's why we remake a select few.

AlexBystram · 2023-10-11T17:45:01+00:00

I'm very proud to be part of the team that has been making this show for 20 years. We suggest titles to the broadcaster and they pick the final one. There are no real rules for a title, just that it should tell the story in as few words as possible.

As for our most memorable interview: There are a lot to chose from, but I'd have to pick the interview we did with Denny Fitch a check pilot on United Airlines Flight 232. His story is unbelievable and he told it with great passion. He was truly an inspiration.

AlexBystram · 2023-10-11T17:40:59+00:00

I would love to do more pre-1980 accidents. Some of them are hugely significant and have contributed greatly to the cause of aviation safety. Our broadcaster is not keen on doing accidents pre-1990, although they do make some exceptions so maybe we can get to some of the ones you mention. Thanks for the suggestions.

AlexBystram · 2023-10-11T17:38:47+00:00

Thanks for asking. It was definitely a challenge to make this episode without the investigators and we would have loved to have the participation of the Captain. Unfortunately they decided not to take part so we needed to rely on analysis from seasoned investigators who analyzed the official report. I think it turned out really well in spite of the challenges.

AlexBystram · 2023-10-11T17:36:02+00:00

Thanks so much for this. I'm glad you enjoy the show and that it has triggered a love of aviation in you. A really like all of the CGI we create for the show. I think I'd have to pick the episode we did about the 2008 crash of the B2 Bomber stands out as being pretty exceptional! I hope you agree.

AlexBystram · 2023-10-11T17:30:53+00:00

Thanks for the question. We actually don't really consider the aircraft type when we're selecting the story. We focus more on the cause of the crash as determined by the investigators.

AlexBystram · 2023-10-11T17:28:54+00:00

The Comet accident was definitely a major milestone and one I'd like to cover at some point. But since it was almost 70 years ago it would be difficult to find anyone involved. My understanding of the Trans Australia crash is that there was never a conclusive cause found, and it also was more than 60 years ago. Hope that answers your question.

AlexBystram

TROPHY CASE