Few inventions have changed the ways flying is taught or how the experience is conveyed more than action cameras. These small, lightweight, extremely capable, mass-market products have become pervasive in aircraft cockpits during the past decade, and pilots have enthusiastically adopted them—with both commendable and regrettable results.
Aerobatic pilots—and competition judges—who strive for perfection may be the most obvious users, but Acrowrx creator Paulo Iscold wants everyone to enjoy aerobatics from anywhere in the world.
Athletes, corporations, and schools, all use video today for training. Being able to learn from mistakes, repeat lessons, and review others in training, is an invaluable tool that is under utilized in aviation.
Aircraft designer and manufacturer CubCrafters announced the integration of a thermal infrared camera option for improved situational awareness in low light and reduced visibility.
One of the challenges that all aviators face frequently is trying to visualize the actual weather, based on the various weather reporting and forecasting products we have available to us.
I was so excited. After years of only passively watching the action camera craze in aviation, I was finally getting on board. The combination of a new-to-me aircraft and cheap cameras was too much to resist. First flight down, I dutifully collected the gear, went home to fire up the computer, and saw…nothing.
Optimized for optical and infrared surveillance, Tecnam’s special mission version of the P2012 Traveller, dubbed “Sentinel,” can be had with an available quick-change kit for when moving people is the mission.
A typical day for an AOPA photographer might find him shooting out of the open door of an airplane at more than 100 knots, trudging to remote locales to bear witness to the many roles general aviation plays around the world, or framing intimate portraits of remarkable pilots in the GA community.
A staff of two full-time photographers and two editor/photographers bring more than 130 years combined experience to the pages of AOPA Pilot, each telling visual stories from his own distinct perspective. These professionals brave extremes of heat and cold; lug heavy equipment through sand, mud, and snow; and arrive at the airport well before daybreak to bring aviation stories alive. Here are some of their favorite images. —Sarah Deener
eMedia Associate Editor David Tulis’ photojournalism career began with a black and white Valentine’s Day photo of a jogger caught in an Atlanta snowstorm that was picked up and widely distributed by United Press International while he was in college. “Mentors, perseverance, and good fortune led me to a wire service and newspaper photojournalism career that included covering every U.S. president from Jimmy Carter through Donald Trump; dozens of Super Bowls, World Series, Masters golf tournaments, and NCAA football championships; three Olympics; numerous hurricanes, tornadoes, and other natural disasters; and world travel on five continents,” he says. A private pilot certificate and a willingness to learn new skills brought him to AOPA where he can combine his love of photography, aviation, and writing.
Fascinated by photography since his youth, Technical Editor Mike Collins taught himself black-and-white darkroom skills in junior high school. He went on to earn a degree in photojournalism from Western Kentucky University and worked as a newspaper photographer and photo editor before transitioning into aviation. “Photojournalism is all about storytelling,” he says. “And aviation is full of great stories just waiting to be told.” Today he most enjoys the opportunities to simultaneously tell a story through photos, words, and video.
The most interesting, rewarding, and demanding flights AOPA staff members get to do are the photo/video flights that produce images for AOPA Pilot and Flight Training magazines, AOPA.org, and AOPA Live.
“Growing up, we always had cameras in the house,” said Senior Photographer Chris Rose, explaining both his mother and grandfather were avid photographers who encouraged Chris and his sister to take photos whenever possible. When the time came to choose a major and minor in college, “graphic design and photography were my clear choice,” he said. Soon after, he joined the staff of AOPA in 1993 as a graphic designer, and continued to do freelance photography on weekends. As AOPA and its number of media outlets increased, so did the association’s need for photography. In 2008, with mentorship from AOPA Senior Photographer Mike Fizer, Rose transitioned into the role of photographer, and then to senior photographer in 2017.
At the age of 14 Senior Photographer Mike Fizer built his first darkroom, and he’s never looked back. “I started Fizer Photography in 1984 and fortunately landed Flight Safety and Flying Magazine as clients that first year,” he says. “In 1988 I was hired by Dick Collins to work for AOPA and it has been a great ride since.”
Pilots are mission-minded, and they are also mindful of weight and balance. Through trial and error, they'll assemble and make room in the confines of a cockpit for the equipment that will work best. Whether it's a floatplane trip, a trek across the Atlantic Ocean, or a short cross-country, our editors share what works best for them.
FlyQ Insight is a wildly unconventional new aviation app that moves the iPhone directly into the pilot’s line of sight and uses its internal camera to interpret the landscape.