Risky Photography, Part 2

Position and Hold
Copyright 2007 V1VrV2

Approach Light Perspective
Copyright 2007 V1VrV2

These photos were taken shortly after the one in the previous entry. My goal was to capture the excitement and technical nature of airport operations. And, of course, to not get myself arrested...

Shortly after I took the second photo, a white Chevy Blazer rolled up. The driver, a uniformed officer, wanted to know what I was doing. The smart-aleck part of my brain briefly considered answering, "Looking for signs of intelligent life," but instead I held up my camera and my airline ID and said, "Just taking some artistic photos." He examined my ID and said something like, "Well, don't stay here too long."

The absurdity of this reply was stunning. "Why?" I thought, "Do I look more suspicious with the passage of time? If taking lots of photos of this airport is illegal, is taking only a few of them somehow MORE legal? How long is OK, and at what point do I become a criminal? Isn't this a public street? What the hell are you talking about?"

I also briefly considered telling him that, two hours before, I had landed a Boeing 757 on that very runway, and that there wasn't much I couldn't have already seen in the course of my job.

I didn't say any of it. I smiled and said, "OK." And that's why you're looking at these photos now. Silence is the better part of valor, I guess.

Risky Photography, Part 1

B-777 Approach, LAX
Copyright 2007, V1VrV2

Some photos are taken at significantly more risk than others. Standing in the middle of Sepulveda Boulvard in Los Angeles is risky enough. Aiming a camera at a commercial airliner, closeup, might also get you harrassed by the airport cops. If you stand 100 feet underneath a Boeing 777 on approach with full flaps extended, you have about three seconds left before you'll nearly be knocked off your feet by the downwash.

All three factors came into play with this shot, so I hope you enjoy it. It's all part of my service to you, the loyal blog reader.

An Adventure Has Begun

Riveting Experience
Copyright 2007 V1VrV2

"I had always wanted an adventurous life. It took a long time to realize that I was the only one who was going to make an adventurous life happen to me." -- Richard Bach

I've been "offline" for a few months -- not blogging, not writing a whole lot. My spare time, what little there is, has been consumed with an airplane. In this case, it's a home-built airplane project, a Vans RV-8.

Its arrival in my workshop signified the beginning of a new, great adventure for me, and I've been throwing myself into the construction process with all the zeal of a kid building a sand castle at the beach. The rewards have been tangible. My outlook on life is clearer, I'm less concerned with what's going on in the popular and media cultures, I notice more details in everything, and I've made some new friends along the way.

It's like anything else in life -- the more you devote your attention to something, the more important it gets.

This project is something I've looked forward to all my life, and half the excitement of the past several months has been watching myself enjoy the process so much. In the past, I've had a tendency to put off the really Big Things until conditions are "just right." However, as a wise person once pointed out, if you wait until conditions are just right, you will never get started. This project has only begun to teach me things. I have a feeling that drilling, de-burring, countersinking and riveting are merely the smallest lessons. The real lessons are coming from a whole different level.

Fire up your Microsoft Flight Sims

Meigs Field, January 2007
Copyright 2007 by V1VrV2

This week marked the 4th anniversary of the destruction of Chicago's Meigs Field by mayor/tyrant Richard M. Daley. The above photo depicts what the airport looks like today.

Today, I flew around KCGX's virtual traffic pattern on my computer, just to spite Mayor Daley and his arrogance. It's a shame this is the only way we can enjoy the place anymore. I don't think I'll ever be able to walk in the park that replaced the airport without my blood pressure rising to unsafe levels.

Let's vow to never let this kind of thing happen again.

The Sky is a Constant Surprise

Multiple Cap Clouds
Copyright 2006, V1VrV2

Sometimes you see things you just can't explain. And that's good. It keeps you humble and on your toes. The sky doesn't give two hoots about your thousands of hours or your laid-back professionalism. Sometimes it grabs you by your lapels and says, "Look, buddy, you don't know everything, and you haven't seen everything. And here's proof."

The Grandest of Canyons

The Grandest of Canyons
Copyright 2006 V1VrV2

I feel fortunate to be able to regularly fly over some of the most specacular scenery anywhere. This photo was taken from only 20,000 feet over the south rim of the Grand Canyon. We were able to talk Los Angeles Center into a medium-altitude "canyon tour," something our passengers greatly enjoyed. Here, easterly winds are pushed up vertically along the rim of the canyon, forming a distinct line of clouds.

Silver Lining

Silver Lining

Copyright 2006 V1VrV2

I seem to have taken a lot of photos featuring rainbows lately. I thought you might like this one. Seen recently near Denver, the rainbow underneath this storm near Denver seemed to be reassuring us that friendlier skies were coming soon.