Went to my first airshow today. Here’s a few things I took away from it:
- Grown men love planes. Especially pictures of planes.
- Protective ear equipment is a great accessory.
- Don’t ask enthusiasts, “What type of airplane was that?” Even if you’re just trying to get caption info.
- SWAIRFEST is a hilarious name/acronym for an airshow (it stands for Southern Wisconsin Air Festival).
- Jet trucks are one of the more unnecessary creations mankind has ever invented
Pictured above is the aforementioned jet truck. Worst noise I’ve ever had the displeasure to hear. Jet trucks are so loud, using adjectives to describe the noise would be an exercise in futility. Also, the truck used 80 gallons of diesel fuel in just about 45 seconds. I guess I just don’t get the awesomeness. Although, this picture might be the manliest photo I’ve taken — it just screams testosterone…and diesel.
However, going to stuff like this always reminds me how cool it is to be a photojournalist. Not only did I get to stand about 100 feet from where these planes were flying, but I also got in free, got prime parking, met some of the pilots and generally had a good time (minus the 45 seconds that jet truck drove by). Not many people get to experience the diverse amount of subjects I encounter on a day-to-day basis, and I hope I never take that for granted.
Lukas Keapproth 