James Pastouna

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Just to show not all my work is doom and gloom. My only light hearted theme. The preacher John Holme (Yes, the same name as the porn star, I found out when I ‘googled’ John’s name) came to my attention when I saw a tabloid news flash with “Preach for the Sky ”. John flying a Paramotor was up in the air with his megaphone looking down from above for unsuspecting sheep to flock with. John liked to land among the public with a megaphone in hand and preach the good words. Then one day in Salisbury a gust of wind flew him off course into forbidden aviation space. Some witnesses were at home and this guy was flying past their windows in a residential area. A house wife actually told me she was washing the dishes, looked up and saw this man flying a Paramotor zooming between her washing lines in the garden! 

Somehow I got commissioned to make the story. I’ll be honest the secretary of the commissioner took a shine to me at the WDR and next minute I have a research trip to Florida to meet John. He is from Salisbury, England and was taking flying lessons. John told me he prayed for a filmmaker to make a film about him and his work. My suspicion:  John was convinced God (Please note I don’t say ‘he’), sent me. John would first have to convert me to his type of evangelism. I’m a proud adherent of Greek Orthodoxy because I loved my Dad. My first memory was my baptism as a boy. 

I really like John but he was so exhausting! The God thing popped up all of a sudden whilst flying from Naples in Florida to Miami Int. Airport in his 2 seater. John was not a particularly great pilot and I was a little nervous. Am sitting in the co-pilot’s seat. Below the Everglades and lots of alligators. Would I, could I survive a crash land?

John starts a conversation.

“James, God brought us together, he’s so powerful. You know what? I actually look forward to dying to meet him”

“Yes, John, he is loved.” (Where’s he going with this)…

“He chooses over life and death.”

“I’m sure he does” (This was the time before the woke thing started.)

“He works in mysterious ways.”

“Very mysterious, I’m sure John.” (Me trying to be clever).

“Hold the yoke, (steering wheel), James.”

“No way, no. I’m not holding that thing.”

“Do you believe in God?”

“John, please.”

Then John takes his hands off the yoke and the plane goes in a slight dive. I grab my yoke and hold the plane steady.

“Do you.?”

“John, I do, with all my heart.”

The landing was bumpy. 

Am telling this story as the statute of limitations has passed. Flying a plane without a licence is illegal although there were mitigating circumstances. A God test.

Later whilst doing a film about Boeing vs. Airbus, the kindly press colleagues at the Everett assembly facility in Seattle let me fly a 737…

On a simulator. 

The film by the way was a huge mega hit. 

The film was turning into gold. A real personality. By the way with film stories what really helps is ‘people finding’ John is unbelievably charismatic. John did some flying and converting. The people really loved him and many became believers. He reached people others could not reach. 

John hated Stonehenge. The thought of all those unbelievers. So on the last day of filming, he told me to follow him during his flight in the car. He had a special treat. We ended up watching him fly over Stonehenge. Some viewers think the last shot is a trick shot, it really happened. 

Years later after visiting Guantanamo Bay, filming in Karachi after Daniel Pearl’s execution, hurricane Katerina, Ramallah, Vietnam, covering riots I phoned a commissioner about a pitch.

Oh, Mr. Pastouna the Flying Preacher man!