I’ve always loved aviation. As a kid, model airplanes hung from the ceiling in bedroom. My dad would take me to the Miramar Airshow in San Diego every year. Then, I got interested in visual media and put my two passions together.
Departing Hillsboro Airport (KHIO) with the Patriots Jet Team.
For eight years, I was fortunate enough to be a volunteer with the Patriots Jet Team and their non-profit educational foundation. My experiences with them showed me two things. First, flying is just about the coolest thing a person can do. Second, it’s more accessible that most people think.
I got to ride in (and fly, in some cases) L-39s, a Pitts, a Sabreliner and a slew of GA aircraft. I even sat jump seat in a 727. Although I’m not a pilot—yet—I was able learn the basics of flying from friends. I absolutely loved it.
But for the last two years, I’ve been on hiatus. My wife and I decided to move from Southern California to Washington, D.C., for work opportunities that we couldn’t pass up. The downside? D.C.’s restricted airspace – and the fact that we don’t own a car to get clear of it.
Washington definitely has some unique plane spotting opportunities. Marine One and the other white top helicopters from HMX-1 are a frequent sight, as are the squardon’s MV-22 Osprey’s. And my office sits directly under the flight path for flyovers at Arlington National Cemetery. Nothing snaps me out of an afternoon lull like four F-15s roaring by at 1,500 feet.
This year, though, I’ve decided to get back into aviation photography and video production. I’ve got a half dozen aviation events that I’m planning on attending this year in the mid-Atlantic region and Southern California, and hopefully I will be able to announce a new documentary project in the coming weeks.
And this year I’ve upgraded from well-worn 60D to the full frame 6D Mark II and upgraded all of my glass. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to share some really neat content in the coming months.
You can follow along here, as I will be posting updates. You can also sign up for email updates below.