Fear of Landing
The Art of Not Hitting the Ground Too Hard
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The Pilots, the Probes, and the AF447 Verdict
On the 21st of May 2026, the Paris Court of Appeal convicted Airbus and Air France of involuntary manslaughter for their roles in the crash of Air France flight 447, ruling that both companies were “solely and entirely responsible” for the deaths of all 228 people on board. This verdict reverses a 2023 acquittal. The… -
Legacy of Liberty 2026: The 49th Wing Puts on a Show
The blue New Mexico sky goes on forever on the morning of the airshow, decorated by only a few wisps of high altitude cloud. We could not have asked for better weather. We drive around the airbase: a huge sprawling complex with a school, a library, a flying club… everything you might expect from a… -
The First Jet to Land on an Aircraft Carrier (Deliberately)
“The Vampire was the first jet to land on a moving aircraft carrier deliberately.” This quote from Airshow Luke, our MC at the Legacy of Liberty airshow, made me almost lose sight of the jet. Not because I doubted the claim. The DH-100 Vampire was one of the first single-engine jets and so it made… -
Fuel Switches in the Cutoff Position on China Eastern flight 5735
On the 21st of March 2022, a Boeing 737 passenger airliner crashed into a mountain. This was China Eastern Airlines flight 5735 flying from Kunming to Guangzhou in the People’s Republic of China. All 132 souls on board perished in the crash. This was the first fatal crash of a Chinese mainline carrier in nearly twelve years.… -
Outtakes from the Air Show
I’m still on the road and using the quiet hours to work through my photographs from the air show. Aviation photography sure does have a way of revealing one’s limitations! The aircraft fly faster than I expect. The framing is just a few feet off. Someone stands up in excitement and photobombs the shot. Another…