DOCUMENTARY SHORT
JANUARY 26, 2022
USA | 9 minutes | 2018
Documentary short film directed by Ed Moy
Featuring Julie Wang
Flying Solo
A short documentary about airline Chinese pilot Julie Wang, who became the first Asian woman to fly solo around the world in 2016.
Director’s Statement
“Flying Solo” began when I had the good fortune to meet Julie Wang (王争 aka Wang Zheng) while researching a larger documentary project about Chinese women in aviation history.
I had previously made an award-winning documentary “Aviatrix: The Katherine Sui Fun Cheung Story” about the first Chinese woman to earn a pilot’s license in the United States in 1931.
But when I discovered that Julie was the first Chinese woman to fly solo in a single-engine piston airplane around the world in 2016, I decided to travel to West Palm Beach, Florida to interview her.
As it turned out, Julie was not only the first Chinese woman to fly solo around the world, but she was also the first Chinese person (man or woman) to accomplish the feat.
Julie is also the first Asian woman and only the ninth woman ever to fly solo around the world, with three Americans, four British, and an Australian having preceded her.
With a generous assist from her husband Jim, we were able to record interviews and capture b-roll on location inside a private hangar and on the runway at Witham Airfield in Florida.
Thanks to the generous cooperation of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Broward Film Commission, we were also able to film inside the airport where Julie was working as an airline pilot for Silver Airways.
Flying Solo has since aired on PBS South Florida and received accolades at film festival screenings.
As with all my documentary film subjects, I found Julie to be a determined and inspirational person. She pursued her passion for flying and accomplished something few have done.
I hope that viewers will also find Julie’s story inspires them to pursue their dreams.
––Ed Moy
Flying Solo is one of the many great projects shared with CineAsian Films through our submissions process. If you’d like to join them, submit your film.
Credits
Director, Producer, Editor: Ed Moy
Producers: Jim Frechter, Derek Ting, Joyce Yung, Julie Wang
Videography: Denley Murat
Additional footage courtesy of: Julie Wang
CineAsian Films 