I have often been thankful that I took up photography, even when I didn't have a
camera along. Photography has certainly taught me to SEE and enjoy the visual
poetry of experiences such as the one Chris described. Why, just the other day
I
was out on a site survey, enjoying the magnificent view below me as the light
turned
golden and wishing I had my OM-4T and 85 f/2. Just as I was about to remark on
it
to my companion, some crazed Limey in a homely old bomber bounced us and durn
near
blew the doors off our helicopter. Looked like he thought he was flying a real
jet,
like a Charlie model F-16. Certainly distracted me from the view... ;-)
Gary Edwards
Chris Barker wrote:
> Dear Zuiko Lovers
>
> I have decided to tell you part of today. It is a soppy tale, so please move
> on
> now if you are easily bored... You may not know the area, but be assured that
> Yorkshire is a lovely county in the north of England.
>
> Went flying today over Yorkshire and there was proof positive that God
> provides
> us with a a beautiful world. We (my navigator and I) let down to low level
> (not
> below 250ft) just to the north of Harrogate after having dropped 2 practice
> bombs at Wainfleet Range in the Wash. The small valleys to the west of Ripon
> were filled with little houses issuing little columns of smoke from their
> chimneys. With the slack gradient (little wind) there was mist around them.
> We
> headed over Grimwith Reservoir, south of Malham Tarn and turned NNW by Settle
> to
> attack a simulated targete (road over railway bridge) west of Langsrothdale
> Chase in the Yorkshire Dales. As we popped up to 2500ft in the attack, I
> realised that the target was right next to the Ribblehead Viaduct, part of the
> Settle to Carlisle railway. Northern England was laid out at our feet and, in
> the diffuse light of the late afternoon, it looked quite beautiful. The sun
> was
> low, but there was also a high cover of Cirrus to soften the light; the world
> looked warm and lovely. We flew underneath a helicopter in the dive at the
> target (it was at about 2000ft) who was trucking SW, perhaps enjoying the late
> afternoon light with no turbulence and we waggled our wings to show that we
> had
> seen him - in case he was worrying about the proximity of a fast jet.
>
> And... I did not have a camera to record the scenery. After a few more
> minutes
> we came to the end of our usable fuel and climbed out to FL270 (approx
> 27000ft)
> to return to Germany where the weather was dank and wet - what the UK had
> experienced the day before. And I thought that you might like to share the
> experience.
>
> I do envy you Stateside Zs who are visiting Yosemite (prior to the Master
> Plan)
> and Zion, Arches and Bryce. But I treasure some of the flights during which,
> while carrying out training that I would be doing anyway, I and my nav see
> God's
> world in all its glory.
>
> And, yes I know that Mr Environmental (me most of the time) would not
> appreciate
> the tale of a flight that will use a fair amount of the world's scarce fossil
> fuels - a flight that only carries 2 people. The noise the machine makes is
> not
> too attractive either, but it is part of the training that we need to carry
> out
> to maintain operational proficiency.
>
> Next time, I'll take a little OM with a 28/2.8 and hope that the vibration in
> a
> jet aircraft is low enough to allow some sharp photos.
>
> Endit....
>
> Chris
>
> ~~ ><>
> Chris Barker
> Mailto: cmib@xxxxxxxxxxx or mailto: cmib@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
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