The Important Role of Your Community Airport
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The Important Role of your Community Airport Dan McDowell, MnDOT Aeronautics friends, and just by word-of-mouth the An airport can be many things to many level of tourism begins to grow. people. It can be a place of magnificent But that’s just one small facet of solitude like during an early summer’s the value your airport brings to your morning, just as the sun rises and the community. Your airport also opens the stillness is punctuated only by the chirp door for conventions and conferences of birds in the distance. Perhaps a very to choose your city for their venue. thin layer of fog will form over the field When they come, the attendees use local Photo courtesy of Gary Chambers and in minutes dissipate as the air quickly hotels, restaurants, and entertainment Aviation Photography/St. Louis, Mo. 2018 warms. It is moments like this when there facilities. Area parks, recreation sites, and than 150 miles away), can only happen are few things in life more beautiful and shopping will also be visited as your city when your community has a quality GA tranquil than the silence of an airfield demonstrates all it has to offer to the new airport. When a plant has a manufacturing before the days’ operations begin. Now is visitors. line down and needs a specialized part or when your airport begins to show its real In an article titled, Airports as Engines technical assistance, only GA can truly value to the community. of Economic Development: Great Airports speed the new part or technician to the site One of the first things people will Are Critical for a Region, by Cyrus quickly and efficiently. notice about any airport is that it is a place Freidheim and B. Thomas Hansson, as Also, by having and maintaining a that provides fast, intercity and interstate published in Strategy-Business Magazine, quality airport in your community, you transportation. Some larger General authors Friedheim and Hansson said, open the door for faster mail and package Aviation airports can handle aircraft that “Airports are magnets for business and delivery, Aeromedical services, Law provide intercontinental capabilities. trade. Extensive and frequent air services Enforcement, rapid response Disaster Whatever the case, having that capability are critical to attracting conventions and Relief, increased tourism, just-in-time there for fast, on-demand transportation trade shows, and play a major role in services, and perhaps a flight training opens the front door to the community for the location of corporate and regional company and more. The point is that your new businesses to come in and start new headquarters, service companies, airport can be the magnet that attracts factories, warehouses, and commercial research and development facilities and organizations, companies and agencies to stores. It also expands the opportunities manufacturing sites.” This in turn opens come to your city by choice, and quickly for growing, or new trade, and commerce. up new job opportunities throughout the when needed. In the US, GA airports have become region. And that brings in new income It is because of your local airport vitally important in the economic growth and tax revenues for the cities, which that new opportunities for your city and and prosperity of small to medium can bring improvements in infrastructure region to expand commerce and trade communities. Cities with airports that are and the overall quality of life for all the throughout the state, nation and the world well maintained and user-friendly bring citizens. can be possible. Thus with the increased in traffic that has a positive impact on When new businesses locate at or economic activity and employment, local the city both directly and indirectly. For near the airport, or even in the local city, consumer attitudes and behaviors change, example, the airport is a great way to they will make regular purchases of food, and the standard of living for all people in attract tourists to your city. Aviators tend fuel, supplies and more, all from local your city and the local region increases. to enjoy sharing good news with fellow suppliers. The goods, gear, parts, and even Oh by the way, “A study by Harris aviators and non-aviators alike when they services the company produces can then be Interactive found that a large majority find a new location that is interesting, quickly taken to the airport. There it will of business aircraft flights are made into fun and enjoyable. Once the friends of be put aboard an aircraft and rapidly flown airports with infrequent or no scheduled aviators hear about a great experience in to the customer or location where those airline service.” Perhaps now you your city, the friends make plans to come things are needed. That ability to rapidly understand the important role of your and explore. Of course they tell their respond and meet customer needs (more community airport. 12 Minnesota Flyer • June 2018 Making Better Memories Gary Chambers Tips for aviation photography You can enjoy aviation events all year long with your photographs. The goal is to take photos you will want to look at, post on social media, print and hang on the wall. The tips here are simple and universal for all of your photography subjects. We will concentrate on composition, lighting, and exposure, but first a few words about safety and general tips. You can’t enjoy an event unless you do it safely. It is tempting to get a unique image but do so by obeying all crowd lines and volunteer’s instructions. Set a This series of photos taken at various airshows courtesy of Gary Chambers good example. Even if you have a long history around aircraft, follow the crowd rules. You can serve as a good example to folks that are new to aviation that are unfamiliar with the hazards. AIRPLANES ARE LOUD. WEAR HEARING PROTECTION. Enough yelling, lets talk about photography. If you fly, you know your airplane. If you photograph, know your camera. Be comfortable with all of the features before the event and practice. Don’t wait for an airplane to be passing in front of the crowd to wonder why it won’t focus. Most cameras have a mode “A.” Your the image. If a plane is flying right to left, manual will say it is for automatic, I say place the subject on the right side of the it is for average. Using modes such as image so the motion causes the eye to shutter priority, often abbreviated Tv for flow towards the center of the image. If Time Value will let you adjust to get a the right to left flying plane was on the left nice propeller blur or a sharp image of a side, the direction of motion would carry but clouds can act like a giant soft-box jet flying past. Use the viewfinder instead the viewer’s eye off the image on the left you would find in a photography studio. of a rear-viewing screen so you can brace side. One other decision on compilation The last of our creative trilogy the camera against your face for a steadier is how much of the image the subject is exposure. Photos of planes flying image. occupies. You can zoom in on the subject, with stopped propellers is caused by a Unless you want your images to look have the subject nicely framed, or have shutter speed so fast that the propeller like most everyone else’s images, vary the subject a small part of the image where appears motionless and the plane looks your camera height. Sitting can allow you the aircraft is part of a larger scene like a unnaturally to be hanging in the air. This to brace the camera even more by keeping seaplane landing on a glassy smooth lake usually happens at shutter speeds faster it close to your body and add more sky near sunset. 1/250 and faster that is 1/500, 1/800, etc. background to your photo. Likewise, The lighting rule of thumb is to have Those fast shutter speeds work well for jet holding the camera high over your head the light at the photographer’s back. That aircraft. 1/125 and slower for a pleasing can give a pleasing result. Lastly, memory is not always possible at air shows. You blur on a spinning propeller. is cheap. Take images at the highest can have dramatic effects backlit subjects. These tips are just a starting point for setting possible. Nothing worse than Again, don’t wait for the day of the event making lasting memories. getting a great image that is only good for to practice with light. The best light is Challenge yourself to expand your viewing on a cell phone because the file morning and evenings. It is often called creative envelope. The Internet is full of size is too small. the golden hour in morning and evening ideas you can use. Let’s get creative! We’ll keep it simple but the best light may only last minutes. Camera stores and photo clubs are also with three items, composition, lighting, Noontime sun can be harsh with a lot good sources that offer human interaction and exposure. The first question to ask is of contrast characterized by really dark to answer questions. what is the center of attention? It may be shadows and highlights with little to no Stay safe and have fun. the whole airplane or just the pilot. What detail. I avoid it if I can get the image at story do you want to tell with your image? any other time of day.