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Just Flying Around
Dana Brejakova, Contributing Editor & Photographer

This one is for all those times when I decided to carry my heavy camera on board and shoot pictures. Instead of being present in my usual interval of woohooing and helping scan the weather and traffic, I was constantly changing camera settings, pushing the release button, zooming, fighting my elbows, trying to eliminate obstacles in front of the lens, twisting my neck and torso to snap the best shot possible while trying to compensate for the occasional bumps and sometimes even a head-banging turbulence.

So many weekends where Jimmy the Squirrel just winked at me and I was happily climbing into the cockpit to become a dot in the sky. Either just the two of us or together with our friends – the famous T-hangar Mafia – we were chasing open horizons enjoying the wonders and thrills of flying. Short trips, long trips, spontaneous trips, or just flying around have always been a marvel. As I am shuffling through my material, I am realizing that I have created a wonderful visual diary that is always there to throw us back in time and recall some of the best memories we created at the best playground ever – the sky.

Trip to Arizona last year with our friends. Our wingman in his bright yellow SuperCub having a closer look at the topography while we were having a closer look at him.
The same trip to Arizona last year. The pastel colors of a cascade-structured mine in the background were attracting my lens when our friend in his timeless Cessna was passing us by.
San Carlos Lake and the dam. Trip to Arizona, 2019. Gorgeous view.
A little bay at the San Carlos Lake area. Beautiful topography right below us.
Leaving Casa Grande Airport, AZ. When I quickly turned around and saw the layout, I needed to capture that in the picture. Btw, can you spot an aircraft on the letter "E" ?
Another interesting, almost a painting, layout. This was quite unique view at the flora somewhere in central Arizona. I do not know exactly what type of bush that was but I was mesmerized by its texture and hues of grey and light pink color.
Tiny reservoir (very likely a man-made cattle tank) looked like a little shiny mirror that some giant forgot in the middle of a meadow.
Rocks formation in central Arizona. Can you also see the tall saguaro cactus everywhere? You would not want to emergency-land here.

Sometimes even a plain structure of the airport and runways offers quite charming setting when looking over my shoulder.

Looking over my shoulder at Alamogordo White Sands Airport, NM. I simply loved the new look of the runway #4. Btw, Alamogordo airport has a lovely FBO where we all sat down for a while and had a deep philosophical conversation about the meaning of life and F1 racing. As you can see, my crowd can cover quite a wide range of interesting topics. Haha.
Airport in Ruidoso, NM. Wide open horizons.
This was one of the longer trips we took in our Husky last year, visiting our friend in Arkansas. It was a beautiful autumn afternoon at Trigger Gap airstrip that was situated on the top of a hill. I remember vividly chasing the distant sun with our dear friend in another Husky. Unforgettable bush flying in one of the most charming topographies.
Gila Wilderness Fly-In, NM, 2018. Very neat and probably one of the most genuine and laid back settings right in the middle of the nature. Another sweet memory - bush flying in the late afternoon passing the green hills and trees while the setting sun was giving the whole picture a golden frame. The contrast between the golden dust from the sun and dark green hills was striking to the bone and we were owning that piece of space and time.
Gila Wilderness Fly-In, NM, 2018. Closer look at the happy campers.
Gila Wilderness Fly-In, NM, 2018. Jimmy's Aviat Husky opening the line of the bush planes. Hot sunny afternoon, I burnt my ankles (Why do I always burn my ankles? I should probably wear much longer jeans) in the sun that day but I could not care less.
Gila Wilderness Fly-In, NM, 2018. Aviat Husky in the field of wild flowers. Nature is what these birds love.
One of our many trips to Ruidoso, NM. Beautiful view on Sierra Blanca with the snow cap on top. It was winter and it was cold.
Another Ruidoso, NM, trip. Wilderness at the background is a perfect match for Jimmy's Aviat Husky. Almost like in Alaska. We need to go to Alaska.
Just flying around. One early morning, the North-East of KELP opened quite spectacular view. Our wingman in his bright yellow SuperCub almost touching the misty clouds that looked like white cotton candy.
Another short trip to the same area of North-East of KELP around the same time of day and there it was again. The layer of the cotton candy-ish clouds in a bright contrast with the dark green hills. It looked surreal.
North-East of KELP, this time during late afternoon hours. The clouds were gone and the hills looked like they were covered in soft velvet.
Cactus-Fly In, Casa Grande, AZ, 2019. Detail on the War Bird Ryan PT-22's fuselage during the magical hour light.
Can you spot the flock of white birds passing by? Not sure what species they were but my guess was Great Egret considering the habitat.
And here he goes again in his bright yellow Super Cub. Our wingman Jerry enjoying the marvel of flight.
Conditions aligned and I could not go any other way but snap this picture of our wingman passing the Guadalupe Mountain. This photo would be even better if I shot it on a slower shutter speed to crown the bird with a propeller disc instead of freezing it. This forever trade-off between slower speed and losing some details versus crisp picture with frozen propeller. Oh well, I made a choice.
Another cool shot of Jerry, yes, yes, frozen propeller again. I hope the aviation photographers are not suffering ... too much.
100 points for finding the bird. Super Cub named Blue Bear blending very well into the local biotope. One of the last adventures with Blue Bear together before we hauled her up North to D.C. Good times.
You never know where your adventure may take you or what you may see. One Saturday morning, just flying around our area, we caught up with the real cowboys and cowgirls. I love this photo. I snapped it as two cowgirls were just zooming by in the distance. I was not expecting a good outcome while trying to capture them but sometimes I get nicely surprised. Yeehaa, y'all.
STOL Competition, Hondo, TX, 2018. First live STOL competition I have attended. I was a little bit afraid I would find it boring but once again, boy, was I wrong. Some sharp skills and nerve wrecking (well, for me) distance measuring to determine the winner. Apart from cheering up the aviators, I was pointing my lens up to the sky looking for texture until I found it. This Aviat Husky looks like she just went up to touch the cloud. One of my top favorite pictures.
STOL Competition, Hondo, TX, 2018. Super Cub right at the edge of dark grey clouds. Happy with the composition.
STOL Competition, Hondo, TX, 2018. Aviat Husky and Bird Dogs lined up getting ready for the next round.
Flying back from Hondo, TX, 2018. A fuel stop in Alpine airport brought a wonderful surprise: AT-6s rolling on the runway and taking off. I felt like a child in the candy store. Beautiful landscape and AT-6 right there rolling to go airborne ... Yay!
Alpine airport, TX, 2018. I just could not help it and I decided to leave the old tractor on the scene together with the AT-6s. Another photograph I am very happy about.

Without a doubt, being able to fly is a marvel and being able to fly freely is a bliss. What one can see and experience up there is something else. The best sights I have ever experienced were from the bird's perspective. All those who are blessed enough to be the part of the aviation family know there is another dimension to this life and it is up there for everyone who looks.

By Dana Brejakova, Contributing Editor & Photographer
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