Glad you like it Erich, more to come as Jeremy and I work on this series of projects together. There are a few little hiccups that bother me but I know how to fix them. The version I loaded to Vimeo is H.264, you should see it on an 85" Sony in 4K. The Squadron seems very pleased with what we're doing so that's great.
I was going to run some tests with the Canon C70 and the RED Komodo after the first of the year, but a cinematographer that I really trust just called me with his version of that comparison and I'm not going to waste the time, seems the C70 pretty much mops the floor with the RED. Canon has promised to ship me one to shoot with as soon as they have a production model available.
Thank you Joe! Bit of a challenge, every frame was hand held because of the logistics involved. We were right at the permissible perimeter distance from the area where they were making the weaponry that was getting mounted on the aircraft. Jeremy was a tremendous help keeping us safe and within regs, I was just focused on capturing what was going on. There is nothing quite like being so close to a jet fighter when they light the burner, it literally goes through your body it's so intense, immersive to say the least.
JWilsonphoto wrote:
Thank you Joe! Bit of a challenge, every frame was hand held because of the logistics involved. We were right at the permissible perimeter distance from the area where they were making the weaponry that was getting mounted on the aircraft. Jeremy was a tremendous help keeping us safe and within regs, I was just focused on capturing what was going on. There is nothing quite like being so close to a jet fighter when they light the burner, it literally goes through your body it's so intense, immersive to say the least.
I can only imagine that it makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Joe, yes, it's a strange combination of emotions and sensory experiences. You're standing there in the dark, ear plugs and ramp muffs over those, but the noise and the vibrations are so intense that you kind of have these waves of panic, even though your mind is telling you that everything is under control. I don't know that I have felt that in any other life situation, it's like you're in complete control, doing your job, but your senses are telling you that you should be bolting for cover, funny. So, while all of that is going on in your head, your task is to remain calm and pan that camera like it was on rails, no problem............
Our ISAP field trips to El Centro get you out by the runway, and the sensation is similar, but when these guys are loaded for bear and going for it, and you are right by the runway, it's just a lot more intense. The dark adds to the intensity as well, but your knees shake in the daylight too.
JWilsonphoto wrote:
Hi Joe, yes, it's a strange combination of emotions and sensory experiences. You're standing there in the dark, ear plugs and ramp muffs over those, but the noise and the vibrations are so intense that you kind of have these waves of panic, even though your mind is telling you that everything is under control...
...and after 20 years of hearing that on a daily basis...Tinnitus!
There were two activities in my life where I felt vibration in the marrow. Adjusting the thrust reversers on a C-141 and trimming the A/B fuel control on fighter jets.
You are under the engine adjusting controls so you feel the engine vibration, then, with the thrust reverser you feel the exhaust run through your body, maintaining the agility to make minor adjustments while trying to hear the guy in the cockpit telling you the instrument readings. We would get him to flash the taxi lights when the setting was perfect.
The A/B adjustments were even more interactive, especially at night. Suddenly a big flash lights up the work area and the air flows through you with the noise. It is addictive. After I was engine run and taxi qualified, I found the cockpit was addictive too!
I knew someday I would be paying for all that fun, and here I am, not regretting it one bit. I was able to save my knees from all the jumping down from the wings. So far I still have the originals.
Changing all the lights in the hangars to LED next week. The manufacturer of our lighting quit making the bulbs, and they are ridiculously expensive to run. So there's my version of the new green deal, and it makes sense. If you run the existing lighting a lot the power bill is about a grand a month! A couple of guys put solar panels on their roof, at considerable cost, and have discovered that they won't live long enough to see any appreciable return on their investment.
Jim if it is like what I have experienced you will have more light at a better usage rate from the LED's. I have converted my entire house over and we love them.
You are right Joe, these are high intensity LED fixtures designed specifically for aircraft hangars and large warehouse applications so they should be perfect. I changed everything at home over a couple of years ago, after they standardized the quality of light and color temperature. Those glorified fluorescent hybrid floods they tried to pawn off on use for a few years were terrible, and you had to call hazmat if you dropped one.
My Buddy Glenn's sister locked me out of his hangar (long story) after she came for his memorial service. She was all about control and getting her hands on Glenn's sizable fortune and my relationship with him threatened her greedy little heart. Funny, a month or so after she locked me out she had the nerve to call me to ask if I thought a $1,200 electric bill was unreasonable. Then she asked if I could check to see if there was something wrong in the hangar that might cause that kind of bill. I knew immediately what the problem was and told her I'd be happy to help.........but she locked me out of the hangar. I told her she needed to make a trip from Georgia to McKinney to turn the lights off, and that my guess is that would solve her problem Six months later we bought the hangar from her under an assumed name so she wouldn't know I was involved.
JWilsonphoto wrote:
My Buddy Glenn's sister locked me out of his hangar (long story) after she came for his memorial service. She was all about control and getting her hands on Glenn's sizable fortune and my relationship with him threatened her greedy little heart. Funny, a month or so after she locked me out she had the nerve to call me to ask if I thought a $1,200 electric bill was unreasonable. Then she asked if I could check to see if there was something wrong in the hangar that might cause that kind of bill. I knew immediately what the problem was and told her I'd be happy to help.........but she locked me out of the hangar. I told her she needed to make a trip from Georgia to McKinney to turn the lights off, and that my guess is that would solve her problem Six months later we bought the hangar from her under an assumed name so she wouldn't know I was involved. ...Show more →
I'm sorry Jim but that make me laugh so hard that the neighbours heard it that's shy of a 2000 mile round trip. just to turn out the lights....
I am typically not bent that way, but I'll have to say that "payback" was moderately satisfying..................
She was one of those people that was so dishonest that she didn't trust anyone because she thought everyone was like her. Glenn was estranged from his entire family because they were only interested in his fortune and had treated him terribly right up to the time they realized he was worth a ton of money, then they "love him long, long, time....................." He had told me that if anything ever happened to him he wanted everything to go to his significant other, Terri, and the two of us could decide what to do with the hangar and his planes. Unfortunately that would not hold water legally so his entire estate went exactly where he would never have wanted it to go. She and her husband barely made it to his funeral because they were locked in his house trying to figure out how much money he actually had, in the mean time the rest of us were trying to honor and say goodbye to our friend. Seems like a long time ago now, but man it hurt then.
When I walk into his hangar it reminds me of him because it always smelled like Jet A from the L39 , still does. I think it's more do to the Westwind that sits in there now, than L39 remnant, but the potpourrie is the same. One day I was working on the Cub in my hangar and Glenn taxied back in from a flight in the L39, he rolled up and turned, pointing the tail straight at my open hangar door. I didn't think anything of it because we moved our planes back and forth between the hangars as needed for extra space to work or overnite a buddy's plan or whatever. I just continued to work, until he hit the "smoke" switch. My hangar went IFR in a split second and Glenn appeared in the fog laughing uncontrollably. Then there was the day I looked up from my workbench to see a big Michelle OBama calendar hanging on my wall..................... Retribution came slowly for Glenn, but it was fun torturing him for a year while he kept asking me, "Come on, what are you going to do..................?" The life sized blow up doll of Barack he found sit-in in his cockpit one morning was just the beginning of a long series of "gotchas", we had a lot of fun.
JWilsonphoto wrote:
Had the time this year, and James III loves decorations and decorating, so we went full out. Just wrapped it up a few minutes ago.....................
Beautiful house Jim!!!
All on 1 floor?
That's is what Suzanne and I need and to a "free" state!
I may not have commented on the quality of your videos Jim but they are all great! I view everyone!
I agree about the LED lights. My basement is dark even with the old bulbs. So I went for those 3-4 panel LED replacements and the light is unbelievable and so very bright while not being harsh.
The "family dynamic" reeks greed in many families. Been there done that!!
JWilsonphoto wrote:
Good Morning/Afternoon Jan Arie,
I am typically not bent that way, but I'll have to say that "payback" was moderately satisfying..................
She was one of those people that was so dishonest that she didn't trust anyone because she thought everyone was like her. Glenn was estranged from his entire family because they were only interested in his fortune and had treated him terribly right up to the time they realized he was worth a ton of money, then they "love him long, long, time....................." He had told me that if anything ever happened to him he wanted everything to go to his significant other, Terri, and the two of us could decide what to do with the hangar and his planes. Unfortunately that would not hold water legally so his entire estate went exactly where he would never have wanted it to go. She and her husband barely made it to his funeral because they were locked in his house trying to figure out how much money he actually had, in the mean time the rest of us were trying to honor and say goodbye to our friend. Seems like a long time ago now, but man it hurt then.
When I walk into his hangar it reminds me of him because it always smelled like Jet A from the L39 , still does. I think it's more do to the Westwind that sits in there now, than L39 remnant, but the potpourrie is the same. One day I was working on the Cub in my hangar and Glenn taxied back in from a flight in the L39, he rolled up and turned, pointing the tail straight at my open hangar door. I didn't think anything of it because we moved our planes back and forth between the hangars as needed for extra space to work or overnite a buddy's plan or whatever. I just continued to work, until he hit the "smoke" switch. My hangar went IFR in a split second and Glenn appeared in the fog laughing uncontrollably. Then there was the day I looked up from my workbench to see a big Michelle OBama calendar hanging on my wall..................... Retribution came slowly for Glenn, but it was fun torturing him for a year while he kept asking me, "Come on, what are you going to do..................?" The life sized blow up doll of Barack he found sit-in in his cockpit one morning was just the beginning of a long series of "gotchas", we had a lot of fun.
Good times Jim, except for the greedy ones .
We have some good memories in that Hangar of yours for sure, I still cherish those memories.
Every time I walk into the living room and look at my photo of Happy Jack's Go Buggy I think we did good....
Danpbphoto wrote:
Beautiful house Jim!!!
All on 1 floor?
That's is what Suzanne and I need and to a "free" state!
I may not have commented on the quality of your videos Jim but they are all great! I view everyone!
I agree about the LED lights. My basement is dark even with the old bulbs. So I went for those 3-4 panel LED replacements and the light is unbelievable and so very bright while not being harsh.
The "family dynamic" reeks greed in many families. Been there done that!!
Give JIII a hug for me please!!
RD
Thanks Bud! JIII is a tireless helper, he begins to get little delirious boy 12-12:30, then he's ready to go after ra couple hour recharge.
Six months later we bought the hangar from her under an assumed name so she wouldn't know I was involved. 
