Canadian Air Force

Globemaster C-177 London Ontario Airport - Publication

Word got out that a C-177 Globemaster out of Trenton Ontario would be flying into the London Ontario Airport YXU to pick up some very lucky Cadets who would be going up for a flight. Media had said that the Globemaster was scheduled to arrive at YXU for 9am, however, it was said that the Globemaster ran into a mechanical issue that needed to be addressed before they left Trenton Airforce Base. With only 4 hours of Sleep, I woke up at 7am and headed on out to London, I arrived around 8am.. thank goodness I had my coffee with me but should have brought some food with me too. After hearing about the Globemasters delay, it was now said it would be at the airport around 10:30am - 11am, more waiting and by now, the coffee was starting to work and I needed to relieve myself but there were so many people around.. thank god for fields and bushes lol. 11am rolled around, still no Globemaster, rumor had now spread that it was still on the tarmac in Trenton and wouldn’t be arriving until 12:30pm - 1pm.. at this time a lot of the people that were there waiting were getting in their cars and leaving.. me however.. I didn’t have plans and had already waited 5 hours, no point in leaving now. Around 1:45pm we heard that the Globemaster was in the air and on it’s way to YXU… my time line might be a little off but I remember it was somewhere around 3pm when we saw it on approach out of the east. Over this website I had on my phone where I could listen to the Control Tower I heard “ Bison5, you are clear to approach and land on runway ONE FIVE “ I quickly grabbed the camera and ran up onto this mound that was directly in line with the centre of runway 15 and it put me up high enough I was up over the fence and knew this was the best angle to get an amazing straight on shot.
As the Globemaster approached it looked like it was to high and to far into the runway to make a landing so we all thought it was going to do a touch-and-go, or a low pass then circle around to land which would have been so cool, unfortunately, it dropped like a rock and came in for a landing.. I was surprised, figured it would need a lot more of the runway to land than what it used. Knowing that they were there to pick up cadets for a flight, we knew that the C-177 would be doing a take off which would bring it right at us. When it landed it came in from the opposite end of the runway from us and was to far away to get a decent shot of the landing, so the take off was what I was waiting for. It took roughly 35 mins to load the first group of Cadets up, then we heard over the scanner that they were getting ready to taxi passed runway 09 and down to the back of runway 15. Back up on the dirt mound I was dead centre of runway 15 and could see the Globemaster start to roll.. I could hear the 4 massive engines power up and see all the dust blow around behind it on the runway creating a large dust cloud. It’s a bit intimidating seeing something that huge come right at you, then lift off of the ground and stay up in the air, then fly right over your head. I remember looking up at one point when the plane filled my frame and I couldn’t shoot anymore and all I saw was Grey .. no sky, just grey.. it was right over my head, the sound was so loud I could feel the rumble in my chest then a massive amount of air blowing back on me… just crazy.

After editing and posting on social media it was pointed out to me that the London Ontario International Airport (YXU) had shared my image on their site, their twitter, Instagram and facebook which is pretty awesome! It was definitely worth waiting around on Creamery Rd. for 7 hours to get the shot… now it’s the long wait until September for the London Air Show!

C-177 GLOBEMASTER - take off from YXU
© Kevin Vyse Photography
Image Publication on YXU website, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter

Great Lakes International Air Show 2016

   Helicopters, Fighter Jets, Vintage Airplanes, Paratroopers, Gliders and vendors, the 2016 Great Lakes International Air Show was fantastic! With a clear sky, a scorching sun and a very small breeze, the Snowbirds took to the skies to open the show. Screaming in from the left, right, front and back, not knowing where they will be coming from next or how many of them there will be, the snowbirds never disappoint! As an air show veteran, it was nice to see a few new maneuvers in their routine. 
   This year there was everything from a transport truck that had a jet engine on the back of it shooting a gigantic flame out the back and making large clouds of smoke, to a glider. A C-130 Hercules flew in from 8 Wing Trenton Airforce Base, made a few passes, dropped some WDI ( Wind Direction Indicators ) then two SAR Techs  leaped out the back, with parachutes of course. Once on the ground the C-130 made a pass, landed to show how quick it can stop, turned around and picked up the SAR Techs, then took off to show how little room it needs to take off. They were on duty so, so they could not stick around, but when they left they did one more high speed pass before they left the air space.
   Another crazy display, which I've never seen before at an air show was the car drop... Yep, I said car drop! A helicopter came out with a long cable hanging from the bottom of it and on the end of that cable was a white car. The announcers played it up like it was a car that parked in a no parking zone so the OPP came up with a way to get it out of the way... thats when they brought it out. Once nice and high in the air, they decided to "put the car down " ... and put it down they did. The cable cut loose and the car fell for what seemed like quite a while until BOOOM!!!!! a big cloud of smoke and bits and piece of car went flying! 
   Two favourites at the show were the F-18, Of course, and Pete Mcleod, A Red Bull Racer/stunt pilot who is the youngest race pilot in the history of racing ( I believe ). The F-18 Demo Jet ripped the skies hitting 1000km per hour just screaming by, you could feel it in your chest. With it's high altitude capabilities, it's quick high G turns, rolls, flips it's always an amazing sight.. My fav by far. 
Pete Mcleod, wow... this guy is insane! The things he does with this plane are mind blowing. Flips and rolls like nothing else.. things that make the plane look like it should just fall apart, or things a plane should never do. Climbing so high the engine stalls out, the tumbling uncontrollably back down to earth, Pete then regains control, powers full throttle using the earths gravity and the power of the engine, he gathers up a ton of speed to push him through the next series of flips and turns. 

Over all, it was an amazing day! The heat was intense 34ºC, no clouds and barely a breeze.. people were passing out, the EMT's had their hands full. Did I get burnt.. Oh yeah, I suffered heat stroke.. did I drink a ton of water.. sure did... did people have an amazing time.. you bet.. was it worth it.. HELL YES!!!! always is. Next up is the London Air Show in London Ontario, Canada.. cannot wait for that in September.. This year the F-22 Raptor will be there.. my dream plane. 
- Shutter Click.   

Harvard's and Hero's

This weekend ( June 20th-22nd) was a Gathering/Event in Tillsonburg On. Celebrating 75 years of the Harvards and the Veterans who flew them. This Harvard fly over was the largest one since WWII and there was no way I was going to miss a piece of history like that.

I showed up to the Tillsonburg airport around 11:30pm, from the highway I could see a small sea of yellow planes as I approached and was instantly excited for the show. The sound of 11 harvards flying through the air is outstanding, nothing like you've ever heard before. This event wasn't just harvards, the majority was, but there was also a Harvard II trainer there which was a treat to see, and two T-28 Trojan's, One navy blue, and one that was White and Orange if I remember right, it was a treat to see them take off at the end of the show. 

Harvard's and Hero's started off with one harvard and one amazing pilot who was making this plane do things I never thought a harvard could do. This plane was flipping tail over prop, straight up into the sky and stalling out, kicking the tail over the nose, crazy rolls, and really really low flying.. I mean .. if I had to guess, 30 ft off the ground, it was insane!  After that, all the harvards took to the skies to do a couple fly by's, which was then followed up by the Canadian Harvard Aerobatics Team, who always put on an amazing show with smoke and crazy stunts! - Shutter Click ~

 

The Canadian Harvard Aerobatics Team come racing in from the right, smoke on, getting set up for a steep climb.

Coming straight at the crowd while in a diamond formation, pulling back on the stick and going vertical. 

Pulling back, shooting straight up and back over the top for a smoky back roll.

Team comes straight over the crowds heads with smoke on, setting up to bank left and come across centre stage.

Two team members come flying in head on and cross last minute just missing one another.

The reason everyone gathered.. The 11 Harvard Tribute Pass.. what a sound and sight to see. 

Rick Volker, A Harvard Aerobatics Pilot gets in his harvard and taxi's up to put on quite an impressive solo aerobatics display. Who knew the harvard could do the things he made it do!

Rick Volker, Banking hard in front of the crowd as he gains some momentum and air speed to perform some more amazing aerobatics. 

Rick Volker doing a close, topside pass for the crowd and photographers.. what a photo op! 

Rick Volker doing a tight inside loop stage centre. 

SPEED and SOUND

The scream of a CF-18 Fighter Jet sneaking up on you from behind just under the speed of sound is one of the best sounds I've ever heard. 

Today was the Tillsonburg ON. AirShow, which is a small show, but it's a great show. There really isn't much of a ground display like you normally see at air shows, and there are only two acts: The F-18 and the Canadian Snowbirds. Due to it being a small show, the planes really push the limits, which makes it that much better, plus it was soooo hot out and a shorter show really saved a lot of people. 

The F-18 came busting out just under the speed of sound from behind the crowd, and flew directly over us nice and low screaming like nothing you've heard before, it was amazing. Due to it also being fathers day, we got a little bit of a longer show than normal as the F-18 Pilot radioed in to get permission to do two extra fly by's at the end of his time slot, which was a treat! 
  Half hour after the F-18 left, the snowbirds fired up and taxied out. I was fortunate enough to be in Photo Alley, which was so close to where the snowbirds were parked. And by close I mean close.. about 20 feet. When they fired up their engines, the heat was insane, the noise was better than any live rock show and the smell of jet fuel smelt amazing. You know you're close when people are leaning forward to keep standing and peoples hats are flying off as they turn their heads away hahahha so awesome! 

here's some of the images i've worked on so far from the day.. more may be added, so please, follow my blog to get updates on this even and on future shoots. Thank you for checking me out, feel free to leave comments. - Shutter Click. 

 

 

© Kevin Vyse Photography 
All rights reserved 2014 

F-18 Hornet comes flying straight over head just under the speed of sound

F-18 does a high speed pass in front of the crowd, nice and low.

Snowbirds climb high into the sky, turn on the smoke and flip over backwards

Snowbirds Pilot puts his parachute on after giving it a check over

getting ready to taxi out, Pilot and ground crew member communicate with hand signals.

Snowbirds taxi out after all checks have been done. Let the show begin! 

Panning the camera with a slow shutter speed as the snowbirds take off to the skies

F-18 fly's by the crowd doing whats called the " top side pass " showing off the top of the plane and the 2014 paint scheme.

As the F-18 starts into a steep climb, vapour forms and fly's off his wings