Photographic Logbook: Second Chance Photos

December 14, 2007: Second Chance Photos

Over the last year and a half, I've accumulated a lot of photos. Most of them scroll past on my computer's screen saver and, occasionally, I'll see one that makes me pause and wonder why I did not post it here. So here's a collection of photos going back to early 2006 that got a second chance and nicely summarize my first two years based in New York.

March 6, 2006: My new home base at the Le Roy airport is a tranquil place. I was standing in front of my hangar after flying when I took this photo looking toward the west. The line of red lights are the runway end marker lights for runway 28. I had the airport to myself and had just made a greaser of a landing shortly after the sun slipped below the tree tops. It was all very peaceful. Total time: 404.5 hours.

April 30, 2006: My new "home city" of Rochester, New York. The city is split where the Genesee River winds through, but the plethora of bridges spanning the river make this break completely transparent to the ground-based traveler. Clearly shown right of center are the Chase, Bausch & Lomb, and Xerox towers that dominate the skyline. The arched bridge in the foreground is the recently completed Frederick Douglas - Susan B. Anthony Bridge (which I have heard the local radio DJs refer to as the Freddy-Sue bridge). Total time: 424.3 hours.

August 12, 2006: This intriguing view was captured from 6500' just south of Dansville, NY. Trees cover the gentle slopes of a plateau, the top of which exhibits odd contours where local farmers have claimed the rolling terrain for their own purposes. Total time: 445.7 hours.

August 12, 2006: On the way home to Le Roy after a trip to the Cherry Ridge airport (Honesdale, PA), we overflew the Genesee River (foreground) at 6500'. The fields west of the river gorge are filled with local examples of strip farming. Total time: 445.7 hours.

September 2, 2006: Kristy and I flew back to southwest Michigan for a visit. On the way home, we flew over the Battle Creek airport, nearly obscured by a scattered cloud layer. Even so, there's no missing that 10,000 foot long runway! Total time: 452.8 hours.

January 3, 2007: This series of sunset photographs was taken from 4500' near Rochester while returning home from my first trip to the Adirondack mountains. It made for a spectacular end to one of my most memorable aeronautical daytrips. Total time: 493.1hours

February 17, 2007: This is the Genesee County Airport in Batavia, NY. It's only about 10 miles from my home base in Le Roy. With its long runway, it's a great place to practice pattern work. The last time I did this, there were three of us practicing in the pattern: my Warrior, a Cessna that was slower than me (must have been a 150) and an experimental jet that was much faster than both of us. Total time: 498.9 hours.

March 20, 2007: I spent much of early 2007 visiting new airports in western New York. I visited Wellsville, close to the Pennsylvania border, one evening close to dusk. When I departed, the setting sun had given the monochromatic winter landscape an almost autumn-like blush. Total time: 503.1 hours.

May 26, 2007: Dansville Municipal Airport is about 25 minutes southeast of Le Roy as the crow -- er, Warrior -- flies. It's the closest airport with food available (emphasis on available, none of the options are particularly great). It's always a pleasure to visit Dansville. This airport simply has great character for several reasons:

1. Dansville is the first airport I ever visited where the surrounding terrain is higher than pattern altitude. It's still pretty novel for me to see trees beyond my wingtips on the downwind leg!

2. Gliders from the Finger Lakes Soaring Club are often circling the skies over Dansville or landing on the grass running along the east side of runway 14-32.

3. There's a big, World War II era hangar on the field. From time to time, I have seen an N3N biplane lurking in the corner of that hangar.

4. Finally, there's a small parking area outside the fence where I've seen the general public park and eat lunch while watching the airplanes come and go. This may seem like a minor thing, but for every person who takes pleasure from watching airplanes doing what airplanes do, it means one less person out there who is annoyed or distrustful of "those little airplanes". I wish all airports encouraged this.

July 2, 2007: A view of the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania taken near sunset upon departure from runway 28 at Wellsville Johnston Airport. We most certainly did not have hills like these when I was learning to fly in Three Rivers, Michigan! Total time: 534.7.

November 25, 2007: In western New York, the terrain features run mostly north-south, with the Finger Lakes being obvious examples. Not far to the south, however, mid-Pennsylvania is dominated by east-west oriented ridges like this one that make the state look like a giant ruffled potato chip. I photographed this ridge while traveling southeast to Wings Field outside of Philadelphia. Total time: 583.0 hours.

November 25, 2007: I saw at least two nuclear power plants while flying across Pennsylvania to Wings Field; they must grow there. With its twin cooling towers, this one reminded me of the Springfield nuclear power plant run by Mr Burns (but I did not hear a crow when it came into view). It's actually the Susquehanna Nuclear Power Plant, named for the nearby river. This thing was right on my flight path and I decided it best to divert around lest I get a closer look at an airborne F-16 than I would ever care to. Total time: 583.0 hours.