FLIGHTLINE. Photography Hints EAA CHAPTER 119

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1 EAA CHAPTER 119 FLIGHTLINE EAA Chapter 119, 60 Aviation Way, Watsonville Airport, Watsonville CA March It s soon going to be spring and summer, and air shows and fly-ins will be popping up as well. A lot of people take photographs of airplanes, and occasionally they ask me how I take my photographs. There are a lot of people out there who do much better work than I do, but I thought I would write down some of my techniques. If you have an opportunity to go to a seminar by a professional air-show photographer, I highly recommend it. If nothing else, the stories are great Photography Hints Safety first, if you re near aircraft, make sure you know where everything is, props are not fun to walk into. If you re in the air flying and you re near anything, don t be the photographer if you re the pilot. I will take photographs of the ground when I am flying in my Stinson 108. The Stinson is a slow airplane, very stable, and the amount of time I spend not looking at the sky around me for traffic is measured in seconds. When I see something I want to photograph, I spend time to make sure that I am not interfering with other traffic, that there are not dangers nearby such as birds, align the Stinson with my subject and then take the pictures. If I am planning a longer shooting ses- bt Brian Moffet sion, I ll ask a pilot to come along and help. In the case where I am doing formation air-to-air photography, I do not fly. I only fly with people I know have experience in formation flying. There is too much that can go wrong and in most cases the airplanes are close enough so reaction times are critical. If there is a loose formation, where the aircraft are quite a bit further apart, I might reduce the experience needed in formation flying, but I am not sure about that. I have only done air-to-air work with pilots who are trained formation fliers. Late afternoon light looks the best, it softens harsh shadows and casts a pleasing color on your subjects. This particular item tends to get a lot of talk in the photo areas, and it is very true that the light in the early morning or late afternoon casts a very nice warm glow on your subject. However, if you are not able to do photography at the right time, it s better to just to photograph what you can. There are ways to help the photographs you do take. Shade is your friend, it eliminates problems with lens flare, glare on whatever you re shooting through, and allows you to see clearly without having the sun in your eyes. Even a hat will help with that last part, but getting under a structure or a wing really helps. If you re shooting in the air, taking photographs with the sun behind you helps. However, occasionally shade can come from the airplane your photographing. In general, it s recommended that you do not shoot at a high enough speed to stop the prop, as this makes continued on page 5

2 EAA CHAPTER 119, 60 AVIATION WAY, WATSONVILLE AIRPORT PAGE 2 President s Corner As February draws to a close, I am again struck by the number of incredible winter flying days we ve had this year. While the lack of rain doesn t bode well for Californians in the long run, I ll enjoy it nonetheless while it lasts! At our last chapter meeting in January Sean Farrell and Scott Randolf showed clips from their recent formation flying support on the T.V. show Myth Busters and talked about the aerodynamic principles affording extra lift to birds flying in that familiar V -formation. Thanks again Sean and Scott! In the news for February is the passage of the FAA re-authorization bill, which will provide funding for the next 4 years in support of ATC services, airport improvement grants, etc. This is a welcome development after no less than 23 stop-gap extensions (since 2007) that allowed, among other things, a Washington D.C. lawmaker to essentially hold the FAA (and by extension all of us as pilots and passengers) hostage under threat of temporary shutdown. Hopefully this will allow the FAA to be more forward thinking in its planning and policies, at least for the near term. Perhaps the best news is that user fees are not part of the funding, and are unlikely to become so despite ongoing inclusion in budget proposals for One provision of the re-authorization bill requires the FAA to develop a plan to integrate unmanned aircraft (UAs) into the national airspace system by 2015, while setting new standards for performance and safety. Existing law requires UA operators to obtain a Certificate of Authorization from the FAA to fly in civilian airspace. A manned chase plane and at least one ground observer are currently required to monitor UA flights to meet a see-and-avoid standard, which may be relaxed under future FAA regulations. An unrelated regulation slated to go into effect February 27th will directly impact pilots operating in the Monterey Bay and Gulf of the Farallones National Marine sanctuaries in California. The new regulation enables NOAA to impose fines of up to $100,000 for flying at low altitude (1,000 to 2,000 MSL) over these (as of yet ill-defined) areas. Both the EAA and AOPA encourage pilots to fly friendly over these sensitive areas, provided that safety of flight remains the top priority. Note that the final rule s provision states that pilots who stray into the (did I mention ill-defined ) airspace are presumed to have disturbed wildlife In other news, a recent petition to waive requirement for a 3rd class medical certificate for recreational use of an aircraft under 6,000 pounds max gross weight (similar to the current rules for exercising the privileges of Sport Pilot in a Light Sport aircraft) was denied by the FAA. The EAA and AOPA are expected to advance their own similar petitions in the near future. Since February 21st, KWVI s self service fuel island has been shut down for an upgrade, which will take approximately two months. During that time an alternative fueling island will be staffed daily from For more information contact the airport office. Looking ahead, the February Watsonville Pilot s Association (WPA) meeting will be held Wednesday February 29th starting at 7:00pm. Jon Thornton and I will be presenting, along with David Saylor of Aircrafters, for the WINGS/AMT portion of the meeting President s Corner continued on page 3

3 PAGE 3 President s Corner continued on the topic Sport Aviation, What it Means to You. EAA Chapter members are encouraged to attend. At our March 6th Chapter meeting I am planning to present on one of the newest aircraft based at KWVI: The Tecnam P2006T light twin. This is a very unique aircraft designed by Giovanni Pascale borrowing heavily from the Partinavia P68. Barring (much needed) rain, a P2006T will be on display outside the hangar for a show-and-tell I first flew the P2006T two years ago and wrote about the experience in the April 2010 issue of Flightline. Two years later, I am excited to take my multi-engine commercial check-ride in the aircraft! Looking further ahead, on March 24 & 25 we will host another EAA Sport Air Workshop. On Saturday March 24th chapter members are invited to join us for a BBQ (Burgers, Chili, Salad, & Sodas) along with those attending the workshop. March 24th is also the Santa Cruz Police Department (SCPD) PRIDE (a program for at-risk middle school students) Young Eagle s field trip. If interested in helping please contact chapter secretary Tom Hail. April 28th will be this year s Day in the Sky As in previous years, Chapter 119 will have a Young Eagles table with information on the program, and members are encourages to participate in the event s static aircraft display. It will not however be a flying event or be sponsored by the chapter. For more information contact Tom Hail. It s not too early to start planing for May 5th, which will be the first Young Eagle s Rally for. In previous years the morning coastal overcast has often delayed the first flights, so this year we plan to start an hour later and fly from 11:00am to 3:00pm. For more information contact... you guessed it: Tom Hail. I look forward to seeing you at our March chapter meeting, starting at 7:30pm. Snacks, hangar talk, and a showing of the P2006T will start at 7:00pm. Bring a friend! Chapter 119 Membership Due Now Membership in Chapter 119 is $15 per calendar year and is due now. Checks payable to EAA 119. Mail to: 60 Aviation Way, Watsonville, CA or can be paid at the Chapter Meeting. Your Treasurer thanks you. EAA CHAPTER 119, 60 AVIATION WAY, WATSONVILLE AIRPORT Chapter News EAA Chapter Minutes Guests None Attendance 21 chapter members Date: 7 February Time: 7:30 PM PST Place: EAA 1119 Hangar, 60 Aviation Way, Watsonville, CA Type: Chapter Meeting How called: Regularly scheduled. How notified: Chapter Newsletter and Website calendar. November meeting minutes were approved by the membership. Jim made the motion, Jim Carter seconded it. Treasurer report Checking: $ The two CDs were placed into savings: $ Total: $ Meeting notes Cleanup Airport Blvd will take place on 11 February, 9am Fly Mart swap meet will take place Saturday 25 February at the terminal parking lot FAST Safety presentation 29th Feb on Experimental Aircraft EAA Sport Air Workshops on March SCPD PRIDE Young Eagles rides on 24 March Day in the Sky will be on 28 April, like last year Young Eagle rallies start on 5 May Air Academy scholarship goes to Jose Rocha (June 26 -July 1) Presentation Sean Farrell and Scott Randolph talked about and presented pictures and video of the Myth Busters episode investigating efficiencies when flying in formation like a flock of geese.

4 EAA CHAPTER 119, 60 AVIATON WAY, WATSONVILLE AIRPORT PAGE 4 Pilots Flying Into Watsonville Won t Have To Worry About Going Hungry Much Longer. (excerpted from Santa Cruz Sentinal) Props, an aviation-themed restaurant, is expected to open at the Watsonville Municipal Airport by spring. The restaurant and lounge will be operated by Aptos resident Andrew Crocker, who also co-owns 99 Bottles in Santa Cruz. The City Council approved a five-year lease Tuesday for the site vacated in September by Zuniga s, and agreed to spend up to $100,000 in airport revenue to fix up the facility. The headline would be, the restaurant is coming back and it s going to be a good thing for the airport, said general manager Rayvon Williams. Williams said restaurants are social hubs at general aviation airports, places where pilots can grab a bite while their planes are serviced or share experiences with other aviators. A good eatery also can play a role in pulling in business to the airport. An airport restaurant is crucial to the livelihood and viability of an airport, Williams said. In Watsonville it s also a local watering hole, a place where families come together for special occasions. Crocker was chosen as the restaurant operator after Williams sifted through several proposals. He said Crocker showed a knowledge not only of the restaurant business but also of aviation and a willingness to be partner with the airport. Jose Andres Rocha was selected from three excellent candidates for this year's scholarship trip to EAA's Air Academy. EAA Chapter 119 & SportAir Picnic March 24, Customers and Volunteers needed. If you have any questions you can call Chris at home or him chris@k6rmw.net. 2011/Chapter 119 Officers and Position Holders President / Hanger Boss Gryphon McArthur info@eaa119.org VP Scott Randolph scott@randolphs.net Secretary Tom Hail thail.@sbcglobal.net Treasurer Tracy Laws tracy@k6rmw.net Treasurer Sharon Espinosa shaesp7133@santacruz.k12.ca.us Director Chris Laws chris@k6rmw.net Director Ken Locke-Paddon kenpaddon@aol.com Director Richard Yee ryee@cruzio.com Director Sean Farrell spfarrell10@yahoo.com Young Eagles Coordinator Tom Hail thail@sbcglobal.net Tech Advisor Dennis Thomas Dthomas773@sbcglobal.net Tech Advisor / Flight Advisor J.R. Warmkessel Flying@warmkessel.com Flight Advisor Larry Baker larrybaker@arthlink.net Webmaster Richard Yee webmaster@eaa119.org Newsletter Brian Moffet moffetb@cruzio.com Copy Editor Naomi Brokaw wordstakewing@skyhighway.com

5 PAGE 5 continued from page 1 EAA CHAPTER 119, 60 AVIATION WAY, WATSONVILLE AIRPORT what else may be included that will improve the picture. Take time out to see what else is around. When doing the photo shoot with Sean and Scott, I noticed that Scott s plane was nicely lined up with the moon in the background. If I had not paused to see what I was actually able to see, I would not have been able to get a shot that in my opinion is better than a tight close up. And finally, carry enough film or memory cards. On the last trip with Scott and Sean, I was frantically looking at the photos on my memory card trying to figure out which could be deleted. I knew there were going to be opportunities to take some more photos before we landed, and I had run out of room. If I had another memory card with me, rather than on the ground in my car, this would have been less frantic. people uncomfortable when looking at the photo. Most small aircraft have prop speeds around 2400 RPM. That means the prop will rotate 40 times in 1 second. In order to get a nice prop blur, say 1/8 of the area, you can shoot around 1/300 of a second and do just fine. For fast moving airplanes or shooting with a long telephoto lens, you can learn to pan. Panning is when you follow along with the airplane and take the photograph while not stopping. When done well, the airplane is nice and sharp and the background has motion blur, which gives a sense of movement. If you have to shoot through glass or a windscreen, avoid reflections from your clothing and skin; wear black. Shade helps because it reduces the light bouncing off of clothes and skin, but to make sure there are fewer problems I will actually wear a black sweatshirt turned inside out. The inside is fluffier, and doesn t show up in the window or windscreen. Some professional photographers wear black gloves so that their hands don t show up in the window either. Cleaning the window or windscreen prior to shooting helps as well. Don t hyper-focus on the subject, look around and see CLEAN 1957 CESSNA 182A. TT Engine 730 SMOH, prop 10 since prop rebuild. Only $38,000. King Avionics, Complete logs since new. Annual due Aug Ready to fly! Contact Doug Glass at (831) or (831) Wanted / For Sale 40 X 30 Hanger at Marina to share. My PL-1, which is a low wing is on one side and a 152 fits in also. Any thing that would fit. A project would be nice. Rent for the whole space is $350 Half is $175. Contact Steve Adams, (831) , sgadams@onebox.com For Sale, light sport instrument panel with airspeed, tach, egt, and more - Contact Bob Carr at 1(800) Bob also plans to be at the March meeting

6 Watsonville Chapter 119 Experimental Aircraft Association Watsonville Municipal Airport 60 Aviation Way Watsonville CA March 6, March 21, March 28, March 24, March Events Calendar EAA Chapter Meeting, 7:30 pm EAA Hangar. Watsonville Airport. Monterey Bay Ninety-Nines meeting. 7:00 pm start, 60 Aviation way, Watsonville. Watsonville Pilots Association Meeting, WINGS Seminar Sport Aviation, What it Means to You. Santa Cruz Police Department (SCPD) PRIDE (a program for at-risk middle school students) Young Eagle s field trip EAA SportAir Workshops, Sheetmetal work at EAA 119 Hangar. M a rc h W o r k sh o p BBQ Saturday M arch 24th T o mh o y t P a rk A t L u n c h tim e $8.00 M ENU B urger C h ili C h ip s Fresh Fruit C o o k ies D rin k