Air-to-Air Cessna 180

Lowflynjack

Lowflynjack

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Jack Fleetwood
Been waiting to shoot this amazing 180. Dream plane for me!

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I notice there's an access door on the RH side, hinged on the lower engine cowl, that goes across the split between the upper and lower cowls. Looks like there may be a similar access on the LH side, but difficult to tell from the pictures.

I don't see a similar door on the pictures of some other 180s. Is that a mod for an engine STC conversion or something? Pponk?
 
not only is your work awesome as usual, it's cool because the doofus in the kstate shirt in the left seat is a couple of seniority numbers below me at work. we were in same new hire class at two different airlines together and have known each other or over 20 years. The owner in the right seat was just a bit senior to me at my last airline.
 
GRG55 said:
I notice there's an access door on the RH side, hinged on the lower engine cowl, that goes across the split between the upper and lower cowls. Looks like there may be a similar access on the LH side, but difficult to tell from the pictures.

I don't see a similar door on the pictures of some other 180s. Is that a mod for an engine STC conversion or something? Pponk?
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Not sure. I thought it was standard. The 182 I fly has one on each side.
 
A truly impressively looking example of the model and (as usual) truly impressive photographs of it. Great use of light.

Now the OCD nit picks. You probably do this already but if not... I know everyone wants to/needs to concentrate on focusing on the lead when flying in formation. But for a lot of these photos, you're not flying super tight formations. Maybe remind your subject pilot/passengers to remember that the goal of the flight is making photographs and try to remember to not keep the death stare on the photo ship 100% of the time. Probably 90% or even 80% would get it done just as safe and would allow a good window for shots where both front seat occupants are actually looking where the plane is going which makes a much more impressive photograph.

Now before the peanut gallery burns me at the stake, I know its a formation thing and I know you've got to watch your lead like a hawk. But the passenger doesn't. Ever. And once you've begun your bank to do a peel off, you no longer need to keep the death stare on the lead, you can now look where you're going.

And if you've got at least 1/4 mile between yourself and the lead? Yeah you can probably spend at least a little bit of time watching where you're going instead of the death focus on the camera ship.

Its a total 100% nit pick. But its something I notice that separates the amateur subject pilots from the pros that fly for the manufacturers when they do their PR photo shoot flights. [/soapbox mode]
 
Lowflynjack said:
Not sure. I thought it was standard. The 182 I fly has one on each side.
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Interesting. Maybe a model year thing?

I love the drone shots on the grass!
 
Rgbeard said:
1/4 mile separation? Jack? I don’t believe we did that. :p
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Maybe not. Never done a photo shoot so I wouldn't know. Maybe 1/8 mile then? Only making assumptions from what knowledge of what pics shot with telephoto lenses tend to look like.

What I do know is this. I spent lots of time flying banners very close (less than 1/8 mile) from planes that I had not done a pre flight brief with (because they flew for other companies) and was not in radio contact with (because they didn't feel the need to have radios) and right or wrong, I did not spend 100% of my time death focused on them and somehow I lived to tell the tale. Obviously YMMV. Shrug.
 
Juliet Hotel said:
A truly impressively looking example of the model and (as usual) truly impressive photographs of it. Great use of light.

Now the OCD nit picks. You probably do this already but if not... I know everyone wants to/needs to concentrate on focusing on the lead when flying in formation. But for a lot of these photos, you're not flying super tight formations. Maybe remind your subject pilot/passengers to remember that the goal of the flight is making photographs and try to remember to not keep the death stare on the photo ship 100% of the time. Probably 90% or even 80% would get it done just as safe and would allow a good window for shots where both front seat occupants are actually looking where the plane is going which makes a much more impressive photograph.

Now before the peanut gallery burns me at the stake, I know its a formation thing and I know you've got to watch your lead like a hawk. But the passenger doesn't. Ever. And once you've begun your bank to do a peel off, you no longer need to keep the death stare on the lead, you can now look where you're going.

And if you've got at least 1/4 mile between yourself and the lead? Yeah you can probably spend at least a little bit of time watching where you're going instead of the death focus on the camera ship.

Its a total 100% nit pick. But its something I notice that separates the amateur subject pilots from the pros that fly for the manufacturers when they do their PR photo shoot flights. [/soapbox mode]
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If they’re not looking at me, I’ll delete the photo! To each his own, but we’re in very close formation. If I catch you not looking at me to often, I’ll call off the shoot and live another day.
 
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Lowflynjack said:
If they’re not looking at me, I’ll delete the photo! To each his own, but we’re in bed close formation. If I catch you not looking at me to often, I’ll call off the shoot and live another day.
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They're your pics. If that's what you want, then more power to you.

No idea how close you actually are because cameras can be funny that way. Seems like you've got a bit of distance but can't really tell.

Like I said in a previous post, I've got lots of time flying in very close formation to other pilots whom I did not pre brief with and who I was not in radio contact with and I never felt unsafe doing so because the waiver I had and the waiver I knew they had dictated what I could expect them to do and what they could expect me to do and that always seemed like enough.

I guess I just got very used to flying less than a wingspan or two from planes I wasn't talking to without being nervous about it. Watch them? Absolutely. Watch them at the detriment of everything else that's going on around you? Never. That's just how we did it. Was it right? Dunno. I was just trying to do what I needed to do to pay the rent. And yeah, part 91 pro flying can make you do some pretty idiotic things in the name just trying to pay the rent. Guilty as charged.
 
WOW, that is the best one yet. That color scheme... holy crap! Nice work to you, and the owner of the plane, or whoever designed that paint scheme, did an awesome job. Love. It.
 
Tantalum said:
WOW, that is the best one yet. That color scheme... holy crap! Nice work to you, and the owner of the plane, or whoever designed that paint scheme, did an awesome job. Love. It.
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I agree, but I could never say so! Not in earshot of any of my Michigan friends anyway. I’m an Ohio State hater! :)
 
Tantalum said:
WOW, that is the best one yet. That color scheme... holy crap! Nice work to you, and the owner of the plane, or whoever designed that paint scheme, did an awesome job. Love. It.
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Thanks! I loved this shoot and the beautiful colors that popped! I’m truly blessed to be able to shoot such beautiful planes and get awesome people in the magazines. Sometimes it doesn’t seem real.
 
I don't know I just looked through about a dozen Flying magazine covers everything from Falcon jets to light sports and in the photos if not both of the pilots then at least one of them has the death stare going on

I don't mind it, makes the pictures seem more authentic I guess.. but it could just be a personal preference thing. I can see both sides of it but I certainly don't think it has anything to do between being a professional vs not

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Tantalum said:
I don't know I just looked through about a dozen Flying magazine covers everything from Falcon jets to light sports and in the photos if not both of the pilots then at least one of them has the death stare going on

I don't mind it, makes the pictures seem more authentic I guess.. but it could just be a personal preference thing. I can see both sides of it but I certainly don't think it has anything to do between being a professional vs not

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It's interesting that the pilot of the Epic felt it necessary to keep eyes on the photo plane. He obviously doesn't believe that watching the photo ship "separates the amateur subject pilots from the pros that fly for the manufacturers when they do their PR photo shoot flights".

And the same applies for this "pro" that flies for Diamond Aircraft. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of similar examples. Maybe an amateur banner towing pilot is the only person that is skilled enough to avert his gaze from other planes he is flying close to.

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