I once traded photographs for flying lessons with the National Warplane Museum in Elmira.
I went up as a passenger in a PT19, which is a monoplane. A commercial flight on Southwest, with its fancy headrest and comfy seats, feels like an armchair in the sky. This was a stiff seat, massive webbing straps, a tiny screen and my goggles. That was all there was between me and the air rushing past. That, and trying to hold a camera bag between my feet.
Before takeoff I'd unclipped the camera bag strap, wrapped it twice round my leg and clipped it back together.
We'd planned a route. Over the autumn foliage, over the southern end of Seneca Lake, then back over Watkins Glen International race track. The PT-17 looked stunning in bright yellow against the autumn leaves and the lake.
For the photographers: Canon 40D with a Tamron 28-75 zoom.
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