Series: While I wait for takeoff ...
S27R: Hong Kong International Airport
Nikon D80
Let's Get Some Shade: Kuala Lumpur International Airport
Nikon Coolpix 7900
Pin's off now: Tan Son Nhat International, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Nikon Coolpix 7900
Work's done: Hong Kong International Airport
Nikon D80
Nikon D80
Cleared for takeoff ! Hanoi International Airport
Nikon D80
Goodbye ! Narita International Airport, Japan
Nikon D80
Nikon D80
Traveling as much as I do, I do spend a lot of time gazing out of the window in ever shrinking economy class seats in airplanes.
All that tarmac time has resulted in a modest collection of photos capturing the work that goes on in ensuring all of us gets to take off. There is an amazing amount of support work that goes into preparing every flight for takeoff. Here, the lens captures some of the work that goes into making sure we're all good to go.
There's nothing technical at all to share in this series, just some notes on the photos themselves.
"Let's Get Some Shade" shows a refuelling personnel taking refuge from the hot midday sun in KLIA, while waiting for refuelling to complete. Airplanes take a lot more time than F1 cars to refuel !
Planes do not have reverse gears, so they are pushed out by little tow trucks. Once in position, the tow trucks will have to be released, and this is done by removing a certain pin. Once the pin's removed, the engineer will stand and show the pin to the pilot.
This is where you get the waving in the photo "Cleared for takeoff ! ".
In "Pin's off now", the engineer is seen walking away from the plane after removing the pin. I meant to take a photo of the engineer waving, but the point and shoot I had wasn't responsive enough to photograph the quick wave the engineer gave the pilot.
In "Goodbye !", the engineer is waving, while support staffs give the traditional bow. I love this photograph for what it reminds me of Japanese society.
My personal favorite in this series is "Work's Done". The composition just feels right to me !
6 comments:
I like these series. Most travellers only think highly of the pilots or those who worked in the airport control towers who get the planes on & off the ground safely but they never give a 2nd thought of these ground-level engineers. More to come, right? :p
I'm already imagining that this is a chapter out of your photography book which I'm gonna owned an autographed copy one day. ;)
Nice series. I didn't notice what the engineer did all these while. Next time I will take note if I happened to get a window seat.
Btw, U have traveled to almost every corner of the world. The only airport that I had been to in the series shown here is only the KLIA airport :P
I love GOODBYE. I just have so much respect for the ever-so-courteous Japanese :D They bow even as you leave their airport!!
I mean, where else can you see THAT?
jems: First of all, thanks !
I think there are some more of these photos somewhere in the archives, but it'll take a bit of digging !
Anyways, you are right in that there is a whole lot more than pilots and air traffic controllers in the ecosystem of flying.
If ever I get to publish a photography book, you'll be one of the firsts to get a copy. =)
chen: Thanks, I have been fortunately enough to have been given the opportunity to fly as part of a job I love, so I treasure it loads.
BTW, if you don't already know, you can ask your travel agency to book you into a window seat, or you can also ask during check in at the counter !
pelf: Thanks, and welcome back to the photoblog !
Japan has one of the best cultures in the world, at least on the surface =). Malaysian engineers aren't that bad as well, they wave until you're out of sight sometimes.
How you know about the pin thingy?
Excellent photos.
Great Shots Taken....
:)
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