Flying

I love to fly. I love taking cool pictures involving aircraft. Covering the base has contributed some neat asignments. The top photo was not military related, I was flying with the Red Baron stunt team. I had always
wanted to fly in an open cockpit biplane. This was so cool. The photo was made with the camera in my lap
while we were doing barrell rolls. We did a bunch of aerobatics including a hammerhead stall. That was awesome. And I got carsick every time we traveled when I was a kid.



I also am terrified of heights. Have trouble climbing anything above a six foot ladder. So why will I walk to the end of the open ramp of a C-130 at 2500 feet? I don't know.

Air to air refueling is an amazing site, so much skill involved. This was kinda scary. One little miscue and
we in trouble. I have never worried about flying with military pilots. Figured they knew their stuff.


In August of 1998 I got to do something I had wanted to do all my life. I flew through the 100 knot winds
of Hurricane Bonnie and photographed inside the eye. As a 3rd grader I saw a tv show about these folks
who flew into hurricanes and never thought I would have the chance. That was an assignment I didn't
tell my mom about until it was over.

Anyway, some of the most fun I have had as a photographer has been in airplanes documenting things
most folks will never get to do. How blessed is that?