Just in time for the long Memorial Day weekend, PBS Detroit will air “On a Wing and a Prayer,” about an American Muslim taking flying lessons, on Sunday afternoon, May 25 at 3:30 p.m.

The hour-long documentary traces the improbable dream of a Pakistani-Muslim living in America who pursues his dream to learn to fly in spite of the many risks and challenges he faces in a post 9/11 world.

In this moving film, viewers meet Monem Salam, his wife Iman and their children during the course of Monem’s decision to follow his passion and attempt to secure his pilot’s license.

Monem is a portfolio manager, the son of a Pakistani commercial pilot. His wife Iman’s family is Palestinian who, initially dubious about the marriage, now accepts the cultural differences. With three young children, Iman’s prankish student days are behind her. She’s happy to find time to cultivate her inner domestic diva, wisecracking about her entertaining skills and her husband’s flight plans.

In the aftermath of 9/11, the flying lessons are not so easy to arrange and once underway, it’s a bumpy ride filled with technical glitches and confusion. It’s a situation that Iman doesn’t hesitate to comment on. This gently funny film follows Monem as he works towards his goal, engaging his wife, family and community in the process. Monem’s “green” decision to commute by scooter only heightens his likeability. Producer/director Max Kaiser from Hand Crank Films notes: “Monem’s father was a commercial airline pilot for 25 years, instilling in Monem the love of flight. Society’s perceptions of Muslims made his journey a very difficult one, yet did not deter Monem from following his heart.”

Viewers will learn about much more than just Monem’s flying. The film tells an emotionally uplifting story about the fears, hopes, and aspirations of a Muslim man and his family attempting to achieve their simple, yet increasingly challenging, dreams.

“It’s a very special story, and when I first saw Monem and his wife in the film, I knew this was something that would resonate strongly with television audiences,” adds Alex Kronemer, executive producer at Unity Productions Foundation. “This is not just a story about a Muslim-American as he learns to fly. It is also a powerful story about a young family and their everyday struggles with money, work-life balance, family, community and beyond — which is what makes it perfect for public television.”

Co-produced in 2007 by Unity Productions Foundation and Hand Crank Films, On a Wing and a Prayer: An American Muslim Learns to Fly is presented and distributed by American Public Television.

You don’t want to miss it.