WELCOME TO ISNAP ISAP News/Symposium
ISAP announces International editor for ISnAP: Mike Green Hi everyone, my name is Mike Green and I am a semiprofessional aviation photographer and editor of Jetwash Aviation Photos. Born in London, England, my focus on modern military aviation has seen me travel throughout Europe, the old “Soviet Bloc,” Far East and numerous times to the United States in pursuit of expanding my portfolio and photographic skills. When Larry Grace asked me to become the International Editor of ISnAP I jumped at the chance. It seems like he is really determined to move ISAP forward and I want to be a part of it, so any chance to improve the magazine and I’m in. I look forward to getting in contact with some of you soon and making the monthly ISnAP something to really look forward to, with more contributions from the people who matter, and that’s you guys! ISAP 2012 symposium plans ISAP XI will be held May 17 through 19 in Norfolk, Va., and attendees may wish to stay over Sunday, May 20, for the Warbirds Over the Beach air show. Current plans for the field trip include the Military Aviation Museum’s Fighter Factory and Naval Air Station Oceana. Some of our confirmed presenters include Scott Kelby, who will discuss Photoshop and Lightroom topics; Eddie Tapp, who will share easy-to-follow tips and techniques for getting the best quality images; RC Concepcion, focusing on social media and website design; and Carolyn Wright, a photographer and attorney who will address copyright and other legal issues. Scott Slocum has been added to the ISAP-XI program as our ISAP member speaker. ISAP-XI symposium registration open online Registration for the ISAP-XI symposium is now open to all ISAP members in good standing. The registration fee is $225. After April 15, registration increases to $250; registration closes May 1. April 15 also is the deadline to reserve a hotel room at the special symposium rate of $92 (plus tax) per night. A link to the hotel for reservations at the discounted rate has been set up on the ISAP website. You can pay your registration fee online using PayPal or a credit card, or you can pay by mailing a check and the information below to: Bonnie Kratz ISAP XI Symposium N4752 Valley Road Luxemburg, WI 54217 Please make your check payable to: International Society for Aviation Photography. If you have any questions email us at info@aviationphoto.org
Member Forum launched on ISAP website As ISAP improves benefits for its membership, there will be several changes to our social networking options over the next few months. First off, we’re pleased to announce the ISAP member forum, which you can reach from the home page of the ISAP website (http://aviationphoto.org). Subject areas include photographic tips, software techniques, equipment for sale, and the upcoming symposium. More areas will be added as the need arises. It’s the ideal place to get authoritative answers to your questions. When registering for the forum, ISAP members must use first and last names. No nicknames or call signs will be allowed. All users will be approved before they can post on the forum. Once you have signed up with your username and password, our volunteer staff will approve you as soon as possible. Membership reminder Are you having trouble logging into the members-only section of the ISAP website? It’s most likely because your membership has expired. All membership expirations last year were extended to December 31, 2011. Renewing is easy--just go to the website, where you can renew online using PayPal or print out a form and mail it in with a check. Please fill out all requested information. A first and last name is required to join ISAP; your application will be rejected if you simply enter a call sign. Any questions on your membership status, you can email us at: membership@aviationphoto.org February cover shot © Lyle Jansma l Jansma Design, LLC While on assignment for Warbird Digest, ISAP member Lyle Jansma captured this image of the Tillamook Air Museum’s P-51D Mustang in its 332nd commemorative livery. Located on Oregon’s Pacific Coast, Tillamook Air Museum currently utilizes a former U.S. Navy blimp hangar, which is the largest clear-span wooden structure in the world. Its collection has been described as “one of the country’s top private World War II aircraft collections.” Piloting the Tuskegee commemorative P-51D is TAM Pilot Brent Conner, while the T-6 photo plane was piloted by TAM Director Mike Oliver. Lyle Jansma captured this image using a Canon 1D mkIV, 24-105 F4 L and Kenyon KS-6 gyrostabilizer. Camera settings were recorded at 105mm, ISO 200, f/4.5, 1/40 second. For more information on the Tillamook Air Museum please visit www. tillamookair.com
Documenting A Moment In History A Tuskegee Stearman Comes Home by Mike Collins
Have you ever had an assignment that was so challenging to orchestrate, that when the time came to press the shutter, the moment almost seemed anticlimactic? My photo of Matt and Tina Quy’s original Tuskegee Stearman trainer flying over the historic Moton Field hangar complex nearly became one of those. Only the knowledge that I was capturing a moment in history prevented that sensation. This story began sometime in February 2011, when I saw a short item in a New York Times email newsletter about a pilot in California who restored a Stearman that had originally served as a trainer at Moton Field—where World War II’s Tuskegee Airmen all received their primary training. He was planning to fly it from California to Washington, D.C., where it would be conveyed to the Smithsonian to be featured in a new museum, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, scheduled to open in 2015 (until then, it’s on display in the National Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center). And one of his stops was going to be at Moton Field in Tuskegee, Ala., where the then-new airplane was used in 1944 and 1945 to train the first black military pilots. In my mind, I immediately saw a photograph of the Stearman flying over the restored Moton Field hangar complex, now the National Park Service’s Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site. And I set out to create that image.
First, I looked up Matt Quy in California, called him, introduced myself, and told him what I wanted to do. He signed on immediately. Quy would fly the historic Stearman to Alabama after visiting Oshkosh during AirVenture, and our window for the shot was a Saturday afternoon—the fallback was Sunday morning, just before he would leave for Washington. At the time, Quy was a captain on active duty in the Air Force, with lots of formation experience flying dissimilar aircraft. So all I had to do was find a platform aircraft and a pilot, and I was reasonably confident we could accomplish our photographic objective—but as it turned out, that was easier said than done. I couldn’t get anyone on the phone at the local flight school, and after I left a couple of voice messages with no response, I moved on to Plan B.
Consulting a sectional chart, I called the nearest airport. And the next closest, and the one after that, and the one after that. Some had no flight school; at others, the school had no suitable aircraft. Auburn University Regional Airport had Cessna 172s, but would not allow them to be used for photographic flights except by university photographers (and they didn’t see the humor when I asked if they might hire me for a day). Finally, I found some great folks at a flight school in Huntsville, willing to send a CFI and a Skyhawk to Tuskegee (a 45-minute flight each way, added to my bill). We were in business!
The first curve ball came when the Stearman’s owner asked if I could facilitate some air-to-air footage for a Smithsonian video crew documenting the biplane’s historic journey. They turned out to be great people, and not sure how this would play out, I offered to share my video if they couldn’t accompany me aloft. (Oh, did I mention that they’d never done any air-to-air work, and that they didn’t have any budget for aircraft rental?) The next curve ball broke the other way. When I arrived at Moton Field the afternoon before the shoot, I discovered that the FBO had a skydiving operation with a couple of Cessna 182s, fitted with jump doors that could be opened in flight. Eureka! That would provide a much better camera platform than a stock Skyhawk. And accompanying Quy on the leg from Oshkosh to Tuskegee was Mike Anderson, a pilot in the same squadron; when the FBO’s chief instructor checked him out in the 182 so that he could fly it for the photo mission, I cancelled the Skyhawk I had arranged. Saturday morning saw eight or 10 local Tuskegee Airmen visiting the airport, watching Quy fly, and being interviewed by the video crew. One of them, Leroy Eley, 84, of Atlanta, who was training at Tuskegee when the war ended, went for a flight with Quy—quick, attach a video camera to the Stearman’s wing strut! The heat and humidity of this sultry summer day forced these fascinating gentlemen to head for home by midafternoon—just as cumulus clouds towered menacingly just west of the airport. As a precaution, the Stearman was quickly taxied to a hangar.
The threat passed, and when the sun got a bit lower in the sky, we started flying. The haze was thick and the sun dim, but the air was smooth. Hoping for a better sun angle, we flew the Smithsonian’s still photographer first, then the videographer. I gave each a quick primer on air-to-air photography—the still shooter was especially appreciative of the suggestion to shoot at a slower shutter speed, to avoid freezing the prop—and a safety briefing. Then it was my turn. We flew several passes over the airport, a couple for stills and others for video. The realization that it had been more than 65 years since that airplane had operated in the Moton Field traffic pattern, preparing Tuskegee Airmen for war, sent chills
down my spine. Then, Quy asked if we could fly over the abandoned Tuskegee Army Airfield, seven or eight miles northwest, where the Tuskegee Airmen had received advanced training in AT-6 Texans. While those images weren’t important to my story, I certainly wasn’t going to say no. And somewhere along the way, the clouds parted, sunlight burst forth, I kept shooting, and we all smiled. The resulting story, “Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen,” appeared in the December 2011 issue of AOPA Pilot; it can be read online (http://www.aopa.org/members/files/pilot/2011/december/f_tuskegee. html). I also produced the accompanying video, in which you can hear Quy relate the Spirit of Tuskegee’s history and see the airplane in flight.
THE BUSINESS OF
PHOTOGRAPHY
The main office area of the studio houses Deana’s and Tom’s desks and our two conference tables – the near one where Gail is seated, and the pool table around the corner. Clients rarely visit the studio since most assignments are shot on location.
by Paul Bowen
Most ISAP members shoot airplanes because we love to, whether we get paid or not. But I’m one of those lucky guys who have been able to make a living from being a commercial photographer for nearly 40 years. About 15 years ago I became exclusively an aviation photographer. I still enjoy shooting planes, but there’s a different urgency behind my shooting, which translates into paying the bills. My business, Paul Bowen Photography, Inc., (PBP) has three divisions – one person per division! I have a great crew. My assistant/2nd photographer, Tom Jenkins, has been with me nearly 25 years. Deana Torgerson has been our studio manager for around 12 years. Some of you know them, or have spoken with them, and realize how important they are to the business.
The studio is rarely used now for photography beyond copy work. It is primarily used for storage.
Our first division relates to the assignment portion of the business. My primary assignments come from the general aviation manufacturers or OEMs and from aviation magazines. I spend most of my time drumming up business and shooting. When I return from a shoot, whether he has gone with me or not, Tom converts and adjusts my RAW images into TIFFS, while I get on the phone and try to get more business, or get stuck with normal paperwork that we all have to endure at times. Tom and Deana make sure the images get to the client in a timely manner. Our second division is our stock photos. We are represented by Science Faction, which has an affiliation with numerous other stock houses including Getty and Corbis. Because we always retain the copyright of our images, we have been fortunate to have a steady stream of income through the agencies and through direct sales from our studio. Although we make more from our assignments, the stock income has been a lifesaver during these past years of budget constraints in the business jet community. Both Tom and Deana oversee stock. During the past seven years they have scanned old slides from shots taken early in my career and have made them available digitally to license as stock images. We have thousands of images in our Master Stock files, both in high resolution and low. We respond to inquiries immediately by sending low res selections to our clients. The third division is what we call Air To Air and is primarily our publishing end of PBP. This includes books, calendars, posters, note cards and fine-art prints or wall decor. Deana is in charge of this operation with assistance from my wife, Gail, who with her accounting background, also takes care of the PBP bookkeeping and serious paperwork. This is the division that we’re starting to spend more serious time with as we continue to attempt to keep our doors open during what has been three very challenging years for our business. I hope that what I share with you will help you have more fun shooting and make some money, too.
Our series of four Air To Air coffee-table books began in 1998. Gail and I decided to publish our own book, which basically meant we were responsible for everything from the creation of the book, marketing, distribution and financing. We could have bought another house for what each of the books cost to print – 11,000 copies each of the first three books and 6,000 of the last book printed in 2007 – but, the investment paid off. We made money off the books and promoted our photography to the world. The perceived value of my work increased because I had a book(s). I gave a LOT of books away, which I loved doing, plus it promoted our assignments and stock.
Tom converts the RAW images into TIFFS and all are stored on the hard drives seen in the background. An additional copy of the images is sent home with Paul so there is redundancy in case of fire or tornadoes.
Our large posters were actually our first product that was printed on a press. We sell them from our studio for $25 retail and they cost us under $2.00 each. Sporty’s Pilot Shop also sells them. Our first poster was of one of my early “vortices” images showing a Citation business jet flying above the fog layer over Lake Tahoe. This image first appeared on the cover of Flying Magazine and received such a great response that the poster was a natural spin-off. The many storage cabinets are primarily filled with binders full of slides.
Our Air To Air Warbirds calendar began in 2002. Even though the initial cost was substantially less than the books, the risk was greater. Obviously, calendars have a limited marketing life and it’s very difficult to know how many to print. We don’t make any money off of the calendars because I give away most of them. The ones we sell pay for me to have those to give away. I do it because I love it and it’s good promotion for my assignments and stock (see a pattern?). The calendars are my annual reminder to the world that I’m still around. We’ve been asked about printing a business jet calendar but we’ll never do that because someone who flies a Learjet would not want a month displayed with a Citation. Everyone in aviation loves warbirds, so I can send calendars to all my clients and know they will display them.
One room in the studio is dedicated to three of our five computers. Here Tom is converting RAW images from a recent shoot.
The Air To Air products include posters, coffee-table books, calendars and note cards.
Deana and Gail are about to hang a metal print, which has an almost 3D, or HD feeling in the proper light. H&H Color Labs in Kansas City made the print
Our note cards were also an obvious product. When we printed the posters there was extra room on the sheet of paper, so we added the note cards to the edge of the posters. We also printed business cards and promotional post cards. Later we added bookmarks to the poster print-runs. The posters and note cards were printed locally, so we went to “press checks” and learned more about the process. The note cards have been a financial disappointment, especially in the past 10 years there have been fewer and fewer letters and notes written with the explosion of email communication. Our fifth and last category of Air To Air products is our fine art prints and wall decor. This is the area we are promoting more and more. Last year we added two new printers – the Canon PROGRAF iPF6300 (24 inch wide) and iPF8300 (44 inch wide). Both handle paper or canvas rolls. With our huge file of images to draw from we have great choices for our customers. Years ago we started promoting 11x14 prints for $35 each. We would print 5-10 prints at a time and store them. Now we don’t do that. If someone wants an image from our web site we make a custom print per their request. We also send out low-res images from our stock files to give them a selection. It’s quick and easy and the customers appreciate the personalized attention.
produce what we would consider to be our most marketable and stunning images. We all need ego boosts once in a while and if they can create promotion and potential income for us, so much the better. I run ads in about seven aviation pubs each month, promoting our stock images and all of the Air To Air products. But I haven’t paid a dime for any of the ads run over the past 10 years. I barter stock images to be used in the editorial content of these magazines. They couldn’t afford to pay me my regular prices and I couldn’t afford to buy the ads. It’s a win-win. I often receive emails and calls from fellow shooters and I’ll usually share information. Some of you out there know more than I do and have a lot to share with the rest of us. I encourage you to do so. So what do I see for the future? Who knows! But I’m still having fun and bills continue to get paid.
But our big prints are where we make more money. Currently, Gail and Deana are meeting with an interior designer to provide large prints for a new private hangar that is being completed here in Wichita. They need prints for the waiting area and offices. Both paper and canvas product will be used. Gail is also working with H & H Labs in Kansas City to have images printed on metal. We’re very excited about this and feel there will be a market for these expensive pieces of art. We will also have a gallery exhibit in Wichita in April, which will force my team to edit and
The Mustang print on canvas is part of the new line of fine art prints available through the studio and was printed on our new Canon printer.
r e v ! o C ot h S
I shot this photo back in November as part of a article for called Finessing A Russian Bear for “Sport Aerobatics” magazine. Another ISAP member Gary Daniel and myself were working with Tony and Julia Wood, owners/pilots of this beautiful Sukhoi 26. The Wood’s own a fantastic aerobatic flying ranch called Akroville,TX (www.akroville.com) with 2 runways and 2 aerobatic boxes that draws the pilots to Akroville. We were there shooting for the article and I had ask them to turn on the smoke and make a right turn low into the valley and fly up the hill straight at us. As you can see the smoke on the Sukhoi wasn’t working well so I didn’t get the nice curved trail behind it I wanted but did get a great In Your Face Shot that just screamed Cover.... Sure enough I was right! As a side note, I’d tried to shoot a Sukhoi In Your Face during takeoff before but wasn’t successful. The reason it didn’t succeed was that you don’t lift the tail on a Sukhoi during the takeoff run so you can’t see the canopy head on. You see if you lift he tail enough to see the canopy the prop tends to gets shorter and it makes a lot of noise and sparks. I knew from these attempt that it had to be flying low straight at you to get the shot.....How Much Fun Can You Have! Camera Info: Nikon D300, Nikon 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 at 300mm, 1/250th @ f9.5, ISO 200
LIVING LEGENDS
OF AVIATION AWARDS SHOW By Hayman Tam
In Hollywood, January marks the start of the awards season as celebrities flock at various events to be feted in the company of their peers. Sandwiched between the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild awards is a special intimate awards event celebrating the best in the field of aviation. Often referred to as the Academy Awards of Aviation, the Living Legends of Aviation Awards is a black tie gala in which the Legends of Aviation honor significant contributions to aviation. Held this past January 20th at the Beverly Hilton, this is considered the most prestigious and important recognition event of aviation. This year’s memorable evening of aviation awards and entertainment featured Morgan Freeman, with a special tribute to Cliff Robertson and a 90th birthday salute to Bob Hoover. The “Living Legends of Aviation” is a select group of 70 people of extraordinary accomplishment in the aviation field. Among the defining criteria used in identifying “Living Legends” are aviation entrepreneurs, innovators, industry leaders, record breakers, astronauts, pilots that have become celebrities and celebrities who have become pilots. As the initial group of Legends evolved, these extraordinary people of aviation nominated others to join them, and the list has gradually grown to seventy people. As Legends take their flight west, new inductees selected by their fellow Legends replace them. 2012 marked the ninth anniversary of the Awards, held at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills in the very same ballroom as the Golden
Globes. Barron Hilton himself is a pilot, aviation enthusiast and also a “Living Legend”. The original event host was Airport Journals, a publication that helped my aviation photojournalism efforts in the beginning. My editor contacted me back in 2008 to see if I was interested in being an event photographer at their next event. It turned out that he thought I was based in L.A. but I assured him that we (my wife is my second shooter) would be honored to be there. It’s been three consecutive years now and it is one of my favorite annual photographic efforts. The event is covered with a photo team typically seven in number. The event starts off with a cocktail reception, which requires red carpet coverage, and guest registration coverage where the Legends receive their medals and autograph the many items put up for auction. Once folks have started dinner, there are some table shots of key VIP tables. The photographer’s table is easily spotted as being tucked in a far corner, where we frantically shovel food in our faces prior to the start of the festivities. Once the lights go down, folks are shooting the podium action at different distances, one or two covering stage left and a chosen one takes care of green room shots. Most of the team is then tasked to cover the “after party”, providing opportunities to capture the Legends in a more relaxed setting. It should be noted that normal press photography is limited to the red carpet as the guests approach the reception doors. Once inside, other than guests, we are the only event photographers.
Shooting conditions during the reception ranges from bright ballroom to candlelight, and is a normal flash setup since you are fairly close to the subjects. I have used the Gary Fong Lightsphere with good results on my Nikon SB-600 mounted on a D70/D300/D7000 (differing bodies over the years). My normal setup for podium speakers is without flash, using my 80-200 f/2.8 from about 100’ back. My analog lens lacks VR so it is a challenge, so having six fps helps. Stage left shots are back to flash, switching to a Sto-Fen diffuser, with a 35-70 f/2.8 lens. I bought my own tuxedo this year and I will confess that I was hesitating and looking before kneeling or sitting down in the course of shooting.
This year I was delighted to learn that my separate worlds of ISAP and Living Legends would be colliding, with none other than ISAP Chairman Larry Grace himself being invited as an event photographer. Larry was a welcome addition and added to the esprit-de-corps among the photo team, along with his tireless promotion of ISAP. This event is a fantastic opportunity to see and even meet some of these aviation heavyweights. It has also been very educational in learning from the acceptance speeches how these folks built their lives around aviation, often starting as childhood dreams. Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, mentioned in his speech last year that his financial success with PayPal and Tesla Motors was simply a foundation for his real goal of building manned spacecraft. Living Legends of Aviation Inductees this year are: • Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger- The pilot who gained instant fame with his perfect ditching of US Airways Flight 1549 into the Hudson River in 2009
• John & Martha King- Owners of King Schools who revolutionized the flight training industry. They both hold every FAA class and category rating, and are backup pilots for the Fujifilm blimp. • Preston Henne- Senior VP of Gulfstream responsible for product management, engineering and flight operations. • Elon Musk- CEO of both Tesla Motors and Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), co-founder of PayPal before selling it to eBay. Award Honorees this year are: • Aviation Industry Leader of the Year - Mark Van Tine- President and CEO of Jeppesen since 2003.
• Barry Schiff- Retired TWA airline Captain, award winning journalist and author who has written for AOPA Pilot magazine for 49 years, and holds every FAA category and class rating (other than airship). Holds five world speed records and has logged over 27,000 hours.
• Aviation Entrepreneurs of the Year - Fatih and Eren Ozmen- CEO and CFO or Sierra Nevada Corporation
• Steve & Suzanne Oliver- A husband and wife aerobatic and skywriting team (Pepsi Skywriters) that as performed since 1981.
• Harrison Ford Aviation Legacy Award - Dr Richard Sugden- Doctor and pilot who has gone to Kenya to train local pilots and provide planes for the Kenya Wildlife Service. Active with Veteran’s Airlift Command, and is a warbird airshow pilot.
• Jeffrey Puckett- Owner of Jet Linx and USAero. An award winning aerobatic pilot, he founded Prayer One, an organization that introduces inter-city youth and community leaders to the world of aviation. He has flown over 3500 people to date.
• Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur - J. Robert Duncan- Chairman Emeritus of Duncan Aviation, one of the world’s largest business aviation sales and service organizations.
• Aviation Inspiration and Patriotism Award - Morgan Freeman- Oscar winning actor and private pilot since 2002. Loves flying his Swearingen SJ30 and is a Charter founding member of the Living Legends of Aviation. • Aircraft of Legend Award- Mike Sinnett representing the Boeing 787 Dreamliner design team. The first 787 entered service in October of 2011. • Bob Hoover Freedom of Flight Award - Burt Rutan - Legendary aircraft and spaceship designer of over 367 designs, of which 45 have flown. The Legends event is produced by the Kiddie Hawk Air Academy, a non-profit organization that introduces children to aviation. Kiddie Hawk follows the students as they progress, making scholarships available as Kiddie Hawk pilots enter actual flight training. Learn more about the Living Legends of Aviation Awards at www.livinglegendsofaviation.org. For Living Legends of Aviation 2010 to 2012 event photos taken by Hayman Tam, go to http://lloa.shutterfly.com.
Additional photos taken by Larry Grace
“Bataan Amphibious Ready Group” (22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit) by Mike Green
The Mediterranean Sea, January 2012. The USS Bataan is on the homeward leg of her latest cruise heading for Norfolk Naval Dockyard, Virginia having departed her home port on 23rd March 2011 in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn (Operation Odyssey Dawn was the U.S. code name for the US part of the international military operation in Libya). Under the command of Capt. Erik Ross with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) on board, Jetwash Aviation Photo’s was privileged to be invited on board to report on the Bataan Amphibious Readiness Group (ARG) as she completed her ten and a half month cruise with the U.S. Navy 5th & 6th Fleet’s area of operations. The two other ships making up the ARG are the USS Mesa Verde (LPD-19) amphibious transport dock (which housed the CH-53E’s at the time of our visit) and the USS Whidbey Island (LSD-41) dock landing ship. The Aviation Combat Element (ACE) on board the Bataan is VMM-263 (REIN) and as with any MEU is formed around the medium helicopter unit (HMM), or as in the case of the Bataan ARG, the medium tilt-rotor unit (VMM). Jetwash Aviation Photo’s spent three days on board the Bataan whilst she cruised through the Mediterranean Sea towards her final two port visits at Rota, Spain and Lisbon, Portugal and with her complement of MV-22B Osprey, AV-8B Harrier II, AH-1W Cobra, UH-1N Huey and MH60S’s on board there was plenty of interest in the ships aviation element to keep us busy. U.S.S Bataan Facts & Figures:The USS Bataan (LHD-5) was commissioned on 20th September 1997 as the fifth ship in the “Wasp” Class of United States Navy multi-purpose amphibious assault ships. Her maiden voyage was made to the Medi-
terranean in 2000 and she was named to honour the defence by the US Marines of the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines during World War II. The USS Bataan’s mission is to enable the Navy and Marine Corps to accomplish a smooth transition from the sea to the land as the lead ship of an ARG. LHD’s are designed to transport, deploy and command all elements of a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) of some 2,000 Marines, inserting the force ashore using a variety of helicopters, landing craft and amphibious vehicles.
The “Wasp” Class ships are the first to utilise landing craft air-cushioned vehicles (LCAC’s) for assault and can also accommodate the full range of Navy and Marine Corps helicopters, tanks, artillery and other supplies necessary to support the assault force. They were also specifically designed to carry a squadron of AV-8B Harrier II attack jets for operational support as well as the recently introduced Bell/Boeing MV-22 Osprey and the future F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. In fact the Bataan
was the first ship to carry the MV-22 for an operational deployment. At 42,252 tons the USS Bataan is 844 feet in length and has a beam of 106 feet. Her well deck is 267 feet long and is capable of holding three LCAC’s. Two steam propulsion units generating 70,000 SHP drive the ship in excess of 24 knots. Her defensive systems include 2 x RAM Launchers (Anti-Ship Guided missile system), 2 x NATO Sea Sparrow Launchers (All-weather anti-ship cruise missile), 2 x 20mm Phalanx (Close range radar guided cannon), 4 x 0.5 inch machine guns and 4 x 25mm Mk.38 machine guns. Under the command of Col. Eric Steidl, the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (22 MEU) includes the 2nd Battalion/2nd Marine Division with approximately 2,000 US Marine “Grunts” on board. Now on the homeward leg of her ten and a half month cruise Col. Eric Steidl (C.O. 22nd MEU) said “This has been an epic deployment. Not just in terms of duration, but for flexibility and adaptability the amphibious forces provide the combatant commander”. During her long deployment the Bataan has conducted maritime security operations, theatre security co-operation actions and joint military exercises with regional partners in the 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility. The Bataan’s units were relieved of their duties in the US 5th Fleet as of 6th January, at which time they came under the auspices of the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean. As mentioned before, VMM-263 REIN was centred around VMM-263 “Thunder Chickens” with their MV-22B Osprey’s, HMLA-167 “Warriors”
provided the UH-1N and the AH-1W complement and are nominally based at MCAS New River, North Carolina as part of MAG-29. HMLA167 had three UH-1N and four AH-1W on board the Bataan. HMLA-167 still operates the venerable UH-1N variant of the Huey, although the crews told us they still love to fly it. Conversion to the vastly improved UH-1Y “Venom” is currently underway at MCAS New River and the pilots on board the Bataan will begin conversion to the Yankee once they return Stateside. Both the AV-8B(NA) and AV-8B+ versions of the Harrier were on board the Bataan with VMA-231 “Ace of Spades” providing the close air support element of VMM-263 REIN. Like the other units VMA-231 is based in North Carolina, albeit at MCAS Cherry Point. One other unit assigned to the Bataan during our time on board was HSC-28 with two Sikorsky MH-60S Seahawks providing Search and Rescue (SAR). Having spent a full day on the Bataan’s flight deck we were able to capture all of the aviation elements in action and the ship’s crew made us more than welcome during our time on board. For my first action of this type on board an Amphibious Assault Ship it proved most rewarding and an experience no to be forgotten. I would like to say a huge thanks to Sean and Marc at the US Navy 6th Fleet and also Lt. Katie Cerezo, ENS Garcia and ENS Brown on board the USS Bataan who without their help this would not have been possible. If you would like to see more of our report from the Bataan it can be viewed on our website at www.jetwashaviationphotos.com
SKI PLANE by Rob Edgcumbe
Once a year, the EAA has a fly-in at Pioneer Field at Oshkosh devoted to ski planes. The event is also timed to celebrate the birthday of Audrey Poberezny and includes a chili cook for anyone who wants to attend. You might think that snow at Oshkosh in late January would be guaranteed but that is not the case. This year I decided to make my second trip to the event. Last year I drove up to Oshkosh for the fly-in. Jim Koepnik provided great services as a host while I was there and the conditions were excellent – cold and crisp with very good light for photographing the aircraft as they landed and departed. In the lull between those two phases there is the chance to wander between the aircraft and chat with their owners. You can also go and get some chili if you want to warm up! This year I had planned to repeat the performance. I had booked a hotel not far away and had everything in hand. I had also contact an EAA chapter not far from me in Poplar Grove IL. They take a significant group to the fly-in each year and I was interested in getting some cameras on their aircraft. They also offered a seat if I wanted it. In the weeks coming up to the event, there was a paucity of snow on the ground. January was proving to be mild and snow free. With the long range forecast showing nothing much, I decided to cancel my
hotel. If the event did go ahead, I had the backup plan with a seat with the Poplar Grove group. In the end, some snow did show up but not much and the ground at Pioneer Field in the week leading up to the event was patchy at best. On the Friday, a big storm came through the Midwest and dumped a lot of snow down near me in Chicago. Oshkosh got a couple of inches but it was enough to fill the patches. Now the question was whether the conditions would be good enough to fly at all.
Saturday morning in Chicago was not good. The cloud was low and it was still snowing lightly. I headed up towards Poplar Grove feeling a little discouraged. However, as I got closer, the skies cleared and the temperature dropped to a nice 8F. Things were looking better! I joined up with the chairman of the chapter at his farm strip and they pulled out a Piper Cub and an Aeronca Champ. Another guy was showing up shortly and I would be riding with him in a 1949 Piper Clipper. As the Cub and the Champ warmed up, the Clipper appeared overhead with a nice low pass and landed to pick me up. The Cub and the Champ had a speed disadvantage so they got on their way as I boarded. The Clipper has sliding windows and a removable door which can be very handy for photography purposes. However, when it is 8F at the surface (and a little chillier at height) this is a little less appealing. Consequently, I had to compromise with shooting through the windows. They were in surprisingly good shape so it wasn’t a huge burden. We got on our way and soon caught up with those ahead of us. A bit of work with them to get some shots and then we went on ahead. The whole group was planning on meeting at Palmyra WI for breakfast
before continuing on to Oshkosh. The field owners had left one side of the runway unploughed for our arrival and we soon had a good selection of Cubs, Champs and a few other types together on the ground. With breakfast dealt with, we headed off on the second leg. Some chances to get larger formations together were available. The Clipper was one of the faster aircraft so made quite a good camera ship as we could maneuver around the rest with relative ease. Ski plane flyers also see lots of spots around them for touch and goes so you can get a few shots of touchdowns on frozen lakes and fields. Then it was on to Oshkosh. We had briefed on the special arrival procedures before leaving Palmyra and re-briefed in the plane. It all seemed quite straightforward until you get there and realize the 1,300’ MSL is 500’ AGL and at that height, things don’t become apparent until you are a lot closer. Two pairs of eyes scanning for the referenced masts and roads worked well and we headed straight for the tower cab before making the required turn to final at Pioneer Field. There were already a large number of aircraft on the field and a few photographers on the snow banks watching us come in. Our group soon caught up with us and we had a good opportunity to look around and chat to the other crews. The weather was still gorgeous and it was hard to believe the storm had only come through the day before. Some of the early arrivals headed out before we planned to return so there is a good opportunity to get some shots of them departing, even if you are not on the best side of the field for the light. You are very close to the aircraft as they take off so getting a sharp shot from nose to tail is often problematic. However, it is all good fun!
With our time to depart upon us, we got ready and started to warm up the engine. The blankets and covers that most people bring with them help to keep the temperature up while on the ground work effectively so it wasn’t long before we were ready to go. As last out again, we soon caught up with a Cub that had a ski out of alignment. There are safety wires on the skis front and back but the nose up attitude is help by a bungee cord. This had obviously popped off. Solution? Land in a field and fix it. We got a chance to watch the approach from a safe distance. The bungee was quickly fixed and they were back up before you knew it. Some more group shots and then we said farewell and headed off at our own pace. Only then did the cloud cover start to show up. How lucky can you be?
GADGET BAG by Jay Miller
Like most photographers, I use a lot of AA batteries. I much prefer the
Very reasonably priced at $9.50, the ThinkTank holders are a must-
rechargeables to the throw-aways and as a result I usually tote a batch
have item for any serious photographer. As noted, I’ve looked at just
of spares that are fully charged and ready to replace depleted units as
about everything available and ThinkTank’s little package is the win-
necessary.
ner hands-down. Information is available at: www.thinktankphoto.com/ products/aa-battery-holder.aspx
Historically, I’ve had trouble finding compact storage containers that are appropriately sized for AAs. I’ve tried everything from old plastic slide boxes to rubber bands, but they’ve all been a pain in the butt and shortlived. About two months ago I decided to take pro-active measures and find something purpose-built to handle my burgeoning AA collection. A Google search netted several promising options and before long I had narrowed things down to the ThinkTank AA Battery Holder. The nobrainer part was ordering something produced by an ISAP sponsor! Turned out I made the perfect choice. Each of these small ThinkTank units holds eight AAs in two rows of four, folds into a neat, compact package, and flattens when empty. They’re made of high-strength ballistic-style nylon and are stitched professionally. When folded with batteries onboard, they’re roughly 3 inches by 3 inches by about 1 inch thick. Empty weight is “.05 lbs”! In a nutshell, they have solved my AA battery storage problems. They fit just about anywhere AA batteries will fit including pockets and camera bag cubby holes, and they’re extremely convenient to use. Batteries pop in and out of the dimensionally appropriate pockets with little effort, and a Velcro-equipped flap forms a secure hold once it’s closed. And it’s easy to segregate depleted batteries from fresh - just stick the depleted batteries in upside down and you’ll be hard pressed, even when in a hurry, to mistake good batteries for bad. Though I didn’t find it a problem, I noted that some users wished the ThinkTank AA Battery Holders had a loop so that they could be attached to a belt or camera strap. I can see where this might be useful to some, but in truth, these little holders are so small I find it hard to believe that it wouldn’t be just as convenient to stick ‘em in a pocket somewhere.
HELI-EXPO 2012
On Assignment by Kevin Hong
Mystery Aircraft for February 2012 Submit your answers for this month aircraft challenge to isnap@aviationphoto.org
ISAP Chairman
Larry Grace
lgrace@mm.com
ISAP Vice Chairman
Jim Wilson
jw@jimwilsonphotography.com
ISAP Secretary Jim Koepnick jimkoepnick@yahoo.com
ISAP Treasurer
Bonnie Kratz
bonnie@bonniekratzphotography.com
ISAP Lawyer
Albert Ross
alross@sbcglobal.net
ISAP Board Member
Jessica Ambats
jessicaambats@gmail.com
ISAP Board Member
Mike Collins
mike.collins@aopa.org
ISAP Board Member
George Kounis
george@pilotgetaways.com
ISAP Chairman Emeritus
Jay Miller
aerofax@sbcglobal.net
ISAP Membership Coordinator
Dan Beauvais
dan@danbeauvais.com
ISAP Forum
Matt Miles
JTRfromGreySt@comcast.net
ISnAP Editor
Kevin Hong
kevin@sectorkmedia.com
ISnAP International Editor
Mike Green
nellis6@jetwashaviationphotos.com
ISnAP Staff
John Ringquist
jjringquist@gmail.com
The ISnAP is a periodic publication of the International Society for Aviation Photography and is used to communicate news, functions,convention information, and other information of interest on the local, regional, and national scenes. The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the authors and should not be construed as the views or opinions of the International Society for Aviation Photography. Please submit photos as a jpg file, sized at 4x6 or 5x7 (200 dpi minimum), and text as a Microsoft Word file as attachments via email to ISnAP@aviationphoto.org