Air traffic control in paradise

[rob_x2004]

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Day off from flying, actually four days a week is days off, and the next day was eight hours maybe we will maybe we wont fly because weather had closed in.

No idea how long the strip is, Chinese Migs used to use the place. And yep, he is the controller, that is his communication.

 

 

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.......R24Elmarit

[stuny]

Rob -

 

I hope you send copies of these to him -- He'll love them. All are excellent environmental protraits, with perfect composition and your usual lovely full tonal range and strong contrasts. The strip is paved (kind of a requirement for jet fighter aircraft), and over 12 meters in length so your Twin Otter ought to be able to take off without difficulty.

 

You're a pilot?

[martinop]

Interesting series. Where is the airstrip located in Vietnam, Laos or other country?

[elansprint72]

Rob,

I see the access road, could you post a shot of the runway,,,,, oh

 

Those Migs, their gear was quite narrow, right!

[jmr]

Rob,

 

excellent.

 

Serious expressions for a serious job. Thanks.

[stuny]

Paul -

 

This is in Laos. Whenever we are in SE Asia natives tell us that the Lao are even friendlier than they are (and SE Asia is VERY friendly). Our experience confirms that.

[wda]

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I like the wider lens for environmental portraits and these two are fine, despite the rather serious expression.

 

David

[rob_x2004]

Thank guys.

 

Stuart, I worded a bit casually I guess. I was up there, out of time, not sensible in Laos, waiting for a couple of days for a flight out. Blue Sky airlines, so called because I could take photos of the outside from the inside without opening any of the windows. Serious, I'll find the shot.

 

Paul, it was the place where a fellow, safe at home with a health and dental plan for his wife and kids, was famously misquoted as saying "We will bomb them back into the stone age" which is probably a bit barbaric when you think of it. Particularly when you consider that the villagers maybe hadnt yet reached the stoneage.

 

Pete, Sam Neua Airstrip up the north east, is in marvelous condition, and is either very narrow...or a couple of miles long:rolleyes:. My argument the next day was that it didnt matter that we couldnt see the mountains, we could be at fifteen thousand feet by the end of the runway.

 

John, David, point an R9 at someone and they get serious. Specially people in jobs or positions. Out in the bush, some of the village kids, and adults were still gun shy. Not camera shy. Its different.

 

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[elansprint72]

Rob,

Some heavy metal in that last "shot".

[stuny]

Rob -

 

Have a look on the 3rd Laos page on our site, 4th row, 5th column. During the Vietnam era my government bombed a village of innocents, and then bombed the cave in which hundreds fled for their lives. This crude and touching alter is just inside the cave's entrance. And the Lao still could not be nicer to us.

[Photoskeptic]

Rob, like the third one the best. Really tells the story. Man, they dug that thing right out of the hills.