What's Up With the PAG?

Just a short note because once again I am amazed at how self-centered the PAG is...

A couple days ago, the people of New York City were once again witness to low flying aircraft and memories of 9/11 ran swiftly through their minds. The aircraft in question was one of the 747s flown by the Presidential Airlift Group out of Andrews AFB. As a side note, the aircraft was not "Air Force One" since the President was not on board. Of course the people of New York City did not know that. What they did know was the President's aircraft was flying very low around the buildings of Manhattan and being "chased" by a fighter aircraft.

Whether or not the flight was cleared at the right levels and if mistakes were made in letting the right people know is something that will come out during the investigation. Because, of course, there is going to be an investigation.

What amazes me is the purpose for the flight. Souvenir photos for friends and family of the PAG. Souvenir photos. Though knowing the PAG, the plan was probably to sell them in their souvenir shop as well. So, in order to have "updated" or "current" photos of the 747 flying over national monuments, thousands of people were affected. And why did they really need updated photos? Has the 747, which has been in use as Air Force One since 1990, changed in the last few years? Have the monuments themselves changed?

Did no one stop to think about how a low-flying "passenger" aircraft being "chased" by fighters would affect New Yorkers? A second photo-op scheduled for Washington DC has been cancelled. Why not start in DC? After all, that's essentially the home of the PAG and the President. Plus, they could have seen how it was handled without freaking out New York's survivors of 9/11. Granted, there are survivors of 9/11 at the Pentagon and Washington DC as well, but it might not have been such a blatant reminder...who knows how it would have gone down had they done it in DC first. I just find it interesting that they chose NYC.

Bottom line, I think it was self-centered of the PAG to think only of themselves and not how a low-level flyover in close proximity to Ground Zero would possibly affect others. I know I shouldn't view the whole group based on my impressions of the PAG members I have known and worked with, but I also haven't seen anything to prove me wrong. This instance just re-enforced those impressions.

Gift of Photography and Flight

One of my favorite magazines is Smithsonian. Kind of geeky of me, I know. But it is a really cool magazine and usually has articles about stuff I never would have known about otherwise.

For instance, in the January 2009 issue, there is an article about the photography of George Steinmetz. Mr. Steinmetz takes pictures while "flying" his motorized paraglider. With the paraglider, he is able to get much closer to his subject than people taking aerial photos out of a plane or a balloon.

First of all, the idea of flying around in a paraglider sounds incredible. Kind of like soaring in a glider - but better since you actually feel the wind in your face...

Second, he has travelled all over Africa taking photos of the landscape, people, animals - everything. I have always wanted to go to Africa. During my interview with Congressman Hopkins (and a board of other big wigs) for a nomination to USAFA, one of the last questions was what I would want to do if I found out I had only three months left to live. I said I would want to fly in a bi-plane, go to Africa and save the elephants (or at least one). Pretty cheesy, I know, which is probably why I remember it so clearly. Imagine how mortified I was when I left the Congressman's office. I was sure I had blown it!

I still have dreams about travelling around Africa in a Stearman, stopping wherever I want along the way. Oh, and saving the elephants.

Several years ago, I read a book called West With the Night by Beryl Markham. While reading it I had such daydreams of flying around Africa and spending my days spotting animals for safaris. How much cooler that would be than simply sitting in a jeep and driving around to see the animals. Though, of course, I would jump at the chance to sit in a jeep in Africa and see those animals up close. Animals you only see in pictures or in a zoo, behind bars.

Which brings me back to the photos of George Steinmetz. They are simply amazing. Photography is such an art. Seeing something no one else can see and capturing it in such a way that people feel as if they were there. Or simply, just to make them feel. That would be an amazing gift.

George Steinmetz has a new book out, African Air, which I want to check out. Based on the few pictures in the Smithsonian magazine, I can only imagine the book is filled with amazing photos. I would bet that it won't just be the photos I enjoy looking at, but also the idea of flying above the earth and seeing it as the birds do...