Comedian and filmmaker Nathan Fielder has gone off the deep end to get at the heart of what makes aviation so special. Today, he is flying a Boeing 737! Fielder’s approach to social experimentation and humor is a hallmark of his work. Having just finished his commercial flight training in Henderson, Nevada, he had purchased a used 737 for a solo around-the-world performance project. At the time of this accident, Fielder had logged approximately 280 hours of total flight time. He used a loophole in aviation regulations to make his audacious stunt a reality.
Fielder’s path to experiencing aviation would dispense with this childish attitude, once he completed a medical review form, which is standard pre-flight procedure. On this form, he faced an important pass-or-fail mental disorders yes/no question. It pointedly inquired if he suffered from depression and or anxiety disorders. He went on to ask the doctor a dozen or so questions about autism. He shared how he once flunked the questions on an autism screener. It is these personal and intimate reflections that provide insight into the many complicated layers Fielder has to traverse in both life and career.
In an earlier episode of his HBO show “The Rehearsal,” Fielder shared his interest in purchasing a plane. That ignited his passion for setting out to do something big. He spent seven months and more than 120 hours in the air learning his trade before proving his abilities to instructors’ satisfaction. Your training was deep and well beyond the typical approval period. For context, aspiring private pilots generally receive clearance to fly solo after only 10 to 30 hours of supervised flight time.
Fielder’s first Flight from San Bernardino International Airport was just under two hours and ten minutes. He flew into the area over the Nevada border before returning down to San Bernardino. For example, on landing, he was greeted with rounds of applause from his passengers, applauding his superior piloting skills to avoid catastrophe.
“If you lie on this form, it’s a felony offense, with a maximum sentence of five years in prison,” – Nathan Fielder.
His comedic persona naturally lends itself to many heartfelt and humorous moments. Fielder’s willingness to dig into the details of what it means to pilot introduces a darker shade to his shenanigans. He highlighted the difficulty for pilots to voice their concerns while in the cockpit.
“I’m trying to demonstrate how hard it can be for any pilot to say what they’re thinking in a cockpit environment, and this dangerous phenomenon that leads to planes crashing, I truly believe happens in some form on every single airline flight,” – Nathan Fielder.
Even as he hit bumps in the road through his training adventure, dealing with his own mental health issues like anxiety, Fielder stayed positive and funny about the process.
“I’ve never been officially diagnosed with anxiety, but I’ve definitely felt the emotion. A lot actually. And I’ve been feeling it for months about this upcoming flight,” – Nathan Fielder.
Fielder soon got himself stuck in the weeds with his planning. With a laugh, he noted his confusion at seeing “et cetera” on the medical registration form.
“Also, this word et cetera at the end of the sentence confused me. What else did they mean by et cetera?” – Nathan Fielder.
Fielder’s commitment to piloting goes beyond a single flight, he’s followed up the initial 737 empty side hustle with multiple returns to the cockpit. When not conducting surgical missions, he sometimes travels to rural Ecuador, piloting decommissioned planes across Ecuador’s sprawling Amazon rainforest.
His path to entering the cockpit has broader implications on today’s qualifications policies for pilots and mental health disclosure requirements. John Goglia, an aviation safety expert, weighed in on Fielder’s unique situation, stating:
“But you’re not gonna fly passengers with that,” – John Goglia.
Fielder found an ingenious loophole. He further made the point that he could legally run that kind of flight, as long as the plane is loaded with thespians rather than fare-generating travelers.
“Well, you can’t fly paying passengers, but if the plane is filled with actors, you can do it,” – Nathan Fielder.
