Aerial Photography Photo Gallery: Gliders

November 7, 2009: Sterling, MA, just-for-fun acrobatic glider flight with pilot Devan Wiebe. Photographer: Charlotte. Gear: Nikon D200 body worn in body harness, 24-70mm f2.8, 20mm f2.8, SB800 strobe:

the Blanik glider coming in for a landing Devan preparing the Blanik glider glider under tow to altitude releasing the tow rope and diving left turn left turn straight down sunset - time to land securing the Blanik glider Devan securing the Blanik Devan loves to fly

April 4, 2010: Greater Boston Soaring Club flying at Sterling Airport. Pawnee tow plane pilot: Devan Wiebe. Glider pilot for Charlotte's flight: Ira Blieden. Photographers: Paul and Charlotte. Lenses: 10.5mm, 24-70mm, 18-200mm, 80-400mm.

Devan in the Pawnee Devan in the Pawnee Pawnee tow plane and glider towing glider glider landing Devan towing in the Pawnee glider under tow glider glider landing

Felix almost ready for training flight Felix and his instructor Devan towing Felix Devan towing Felix Felix flying under tow Pawnee tow plane towing glider glider glider landing glider glider Devan towing Felix Pawnee tow plane Devan landing the Pawnee tow plane

Charlotte and Ira getting ready Charlotte and Ira Charlotte and Ira getting ready to take off under tow Charlotte and Ira under tow love that fisheye lens! Lazy 8's fisheye looking down and the other way back Ira Blieden Ira and Charlotte landing glider after the flight

May 2, 2010: a beautiful day, and a good time was had by all at Sterling Airport! Charlotte took a seriously acrobatic glider flight with pilot Devan Wiebe, as did her coworker Mo's two children, and she took her own second and third glider pilot lessons.

Wearing parachutes and going for serious G forces, Charlotte rides with Devan in the Puch. What a ride! Camera gear: 12-24f4 on D200 in body harness.

hookup for serious acrobatics the Puch on tow the release left bank over we go! coming over the top down upside down ready for more straight down straight up and over over the top the money shot! down around again heading home landing

Mo Dolaty's son Amir and daughter Sarah also go up for seriously acrobatic fun with Devan:

Mo's son, Amir, getting into his parachute Amir and Devan in the Puch Amir and Devan in the Puch Amir and Devan landing in the Puch Amir and Devan with the Puch Amir and Devan Sarah and Devan in the Puch Devan and Sarah with the Puch

After flying four aerobatic flights and several towplane flights, even the energetic Devan is seriously depleted:

Devan is worn out one tired pilot

Much calmer: Charlotte's second (and, later, her third) training flight:

Blanik trainer Charlotte's second lesson Charlotte and Mike Newman walking the Blanik

Other people playing:

ultralight biplane biplane taking off experimental plane Puch landing thermaling Puch Puch

May 22, 2010: Another seriously aerobatic flight with pilot Devan Wiebe, this time with the 10.5mm fisheye, not in a body harness, to allow for shots back at us from the nose. I also took two more lessons (#4 and #5, much tamer).Other people were also playing: the Stearman biplane was aloft.

aerobatics upside down upside down upside down coming around left bank fisheye view over we go upside down straight down right bank over the top coming over upside down upside down over the top straight down whee!! landing Steerman biplane

May 23, 2010: Shooting with the 80-400VR, other people playing and my lessons (#6 and #7):

Blanik trainer Blanik trainer small biplane taking off Charlotte and the Blanik Charlotte piloting the Blanik Charlotte lifting off Charlotte on tow Charlotte flying the Blanik on tow experimental plane taking off experimental plane towplane landing plane

10 July 2010: Rebecca's very fine, hour-long aerobatic flight with Devan at the controls of the Puch. The grin says it all! Straight and level flight didn't figure into this equation in the least! Sorry I missed their takeoff; I was taking an instructional flight at the time myself.

Puch is upside down Puch pointing straight down Puch wingover Puch approach Puch on final Puch landing Puch landing Puch landing Rebecca is happy! my friends come in all shapes and sizes

7 August 2010: The view from the Bird-Dog towplane on a very good soaring day. Charlotte shooting the 12-24f4 on a D200 in a body harness.

gliders on the grid preparing to take off with a glider on tow climbing climbing out view towards the reservoir after the release hooking up climbing out cumulous clouds everywhere on tow the release; you can see the ring on the end of the rope hooking up off the ground looking back at the field on tow tow rope dropping away returning to get the next tow customer the club's newest Blanik L-23 on its maiden tow newest addition to the GBSC fleet on its maiden tow the new white L-23 is off and flying free on its maiden flight

13 November 2010: Charlotte solos in a Blanik L-23! Briefing from instructor Fred Looft, on tow behind Vitaly in the Pawnee, landing, and Dezi performing the ceremonial cutting off of her shirttails. Photos by Margaret Haynes-Lamont.

pre-solo briefing with ionstructor Fred Looft ready foir takeoff alone on tow behind Vitaly on final alone Charlotte landing walking the Blanik back to the line, and debriefing with Fred Dezi cutting the shirttail Charlotte and Dezi, with shirttail

January 2012: I finish my glider add-on rating at Estrella Sailport flying a Schweizer 2-33, enjoying an aerobatic flight in an MDM-1 Fox, and then flying a Schweizer 1-26.

Estrella Sailport sign after the handshake

Glider flying at Sugarbush Soaring, Labor Day weekend, 2012:

Joined Connecticut Soaring Association October 2012.

Flying an ASK21 at Harris Hill, Labor Day Weekend, 2013.

Aerobatics training in the MDM-1 Fox at Estrella, December 2013.

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Last modified 17 April 2017