Author Archives: Rob

Astar Over My Head

These shots are from a few years ago. I had the privilege to spend a day with the late Alan Purwin during the filming for one of the Transformers movies in Chicago. I got to fly with them on some of the shoot but I also was on the ground when they went off on part of the filming. I put myself directly ahead of the Astar when they took off and Alan buzzed me. I noticed when going through the images that the cameraman was tracking me with the stabilized mount on the nose as they flew over the top.

Fish Selection

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This post is about fish. No other reason than I was running through some shots and came across these pictures from the Ocean Coast Aquarium in Newport OR. Taking pictures of fish through thick aquarium glass is a bit of a crapshoot as the distortion can be bad and the potential for reflections is high. Since fish can be so fascinating, though, I always give it a go. Most of the shots turn out to be disappointing but a few work out. Some of the fish have happy looking faces (allowing for some anthropomorphizing) while others look sullen. You can let your imagination run riot.

Cavanaugh Air Museum

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I have been to Addison in Texas a few times recently for work. The trips have been pretty much in and out with little spare time so I have not been able to check out the Cavanaugh Air Museum before. On a recent visit, though, my flight got in at a time that meant I could get there for the final 45 minutes that they were open. Not a lot of time but better than nothing and the temperature was over 100 degrees so being out for too long was not going to be fun!

It was a quick trip around but still fun. Some nice examples of aircraft in the hangars and a few interesting bits outside. The intense sun meant they were hard to photograph and I wasn’t going to hang around out there too long. The ramp was reflecting the heat even more so it was roasting out there. Lots of nice stuff but the F-104 and the pair of A-1 Skyraiders were probably the high points for me. The painting gallery was also well worth a look and it was in the air conditioning so definitely a welcome spot.

Seattle Post Intelligencer

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The Seattle Post Intelligencer was one of Seattle’s newspapers before we moved here. I used to read some of their work on the aviation business but they sadly went out of business a few years ago. We were watching a program about Seattle on TV and they showed this building near the water with a globe on the roof. This was the old building for the paper. When we were up the Space Needle, it was easy to pick the building out. I think it will have to be visited at ground level before too long!

A Pair of Douglas’s Finest

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The Lyons Museum included a few larger types in the hangar. At one end they had both a DC-3 and a C-47. While notionally different types, they are in principle the same aircraft and one that Douglas churned out in huge numbers. The DC-3 was configured in a slightly more comfortable way than the C-47 though. Troop transport was not a luxury business. Get as many people and bits to where you are going as you can. The paying passengers were a more demanding crowd and the interior is designed to make them feel like they were being treated accordingly. Either way, they are both great looking aircraft.

Cruise Ships Being Turned Around

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From the top of the Space Needle, you can survey a lot of what goes on in Seattle. Cruise ships berth along the waterfront near the Alaskan Way Viaduct but they also come in further up the shore. Two ships were in port up there while we were up the Needle. I had got a shot of them at one point shortly after getting to the top but, as I walked around, the sun popped out and bathed them in light while all around them was still in shade. Now they really popped so I figured another shot was in order before the sun vanished – which it did a minute later.

G650 Passenger Watches Me Watching Them

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The G650 was a plane that got off to a good start. The combination of space and range made it a popular choice amongst those that have $60-70m to drop on a plane. Recently, things have been a bit quieter as the competition has ramped up but the deliveries this year have perked up. This one was departing out of Boeing Field and, as I zoomed in to check the sharpness of the shot, I could see the passenger in the cabin who seemed to be looking back at me. She didn’t have a camera, though, so I am the only one with a shot of the encounter!

RedJet

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The fastest way to cross the Solent between Cowes and Southampton is the Red Jet. These catamarans have replaced the hydrofoil service that was the quickest way over when I lived in Cowes. The hydrofoils were interesting to ride on, particularly when the weather got a bit rough, and they had a single prop that, if they threw it off, left them bobbing out in the water awaiting a tow. The RedJets are clearly bigger and probably a lot more reliable while still being fast. I have never ridden on them but my family do frequently.

Air Canada Max8

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Production of the 737s is rapidly transitioning from the NGs to the Max at this point. Still plenty of NGs being built but the Max is no longer a novelty and soon they will be the vast majority of what is coming out of Renton. I have seen a few Air Canada Max 8s and another one was heading out on a test flight while I stopped for lunch at BFI. I like the new Air Canada colors. As with any livery change, there are plenty that don’t appreciate it but I like the combination of retro and new and the fact it isn’t like everything else is good. The bandit eyes are a bit more of an acquired taste but they are fine I guess.

Sounder Locos

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Scanning back through some images looking for something else, I came across these shots of some Sounder commuter rail locomotives. I shot these as part of a shoot that had a previous post. I hadn’t focused on the locos so much but this train had a loco leading but two locos trailing as well. The trailing locos were the old and the new with an F59PHI and an MPX together. No idea why three locos were on a relatively short train but I guess there was a good reason!