First of all, there's not much room! I carefully position my long legs so my knees are low, out of the way of the controls, and my feet don't interfere with the rudder pedals. I'm strapped in with the seatbelt, have a camera strap around my neck, and a headset with the wire going down to the intercom box on the floor. Twisting sideways to shoot out the window, I’m careful not to bump the pilot's elbow or clipboard, or get the headset wire tangled or pulled. Most of the time I’m holding my breath to keep the camera steady against the gentle bumpiness of flight. Sometimes I'm not sure if the actual subject is in the picture properly or if it got bumped out entirely; no time to check as we move along, so I just take extra shots. For photography, Werner cleverly rigged the window on the passenger side with a hinge on the top. When the latch is opened, the window easily flips outward and up, kept propped open by the wind. At first I resist opening it, thinking I can angle the camera lens to avoid window glare. Actually, I'm just hesitating to stick out the length of my arm against the cold wind, a few thousand feet up in the open sky above water or wilderness, to grasp the latch to pull it in and close.... With a little more prodding from Werner and the irresistible scenery, I finally turn the latch and let go. The window flies up. The rush of fresh air and the free, clear view to the incredible beauty takes my breath away. This exhilaration is addictive! I am soon thankful for digital technology obviating the expense of film... But it gets quite chilly after a while, so I close the window. Then, suddenly some spectacular views appear and there isn't time to open the window, or they’re out the back window where I can only shoot through the glass. Thus, the spectre of window glare never quite dissipates...

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2) Explanations

3) Filing Flight Plan

4) Photography

1) Flight Planning