NY Red Bull Air Race Panorama

[PhilDernerJr]

First panorama that I ever took, which was from the media area at Liberty State Park. Mel helped me with the blending in assembly.

http://www.nycaviation.com/hosting/rbar_panaorama_1.jpg

[MarkLawrence]

Wow...that's a great panorama Phil!

[Sentinel Chicken]

Very cool. Were you having to shoot into the sun during the race?

[PhilDernerJr]

Yeah, shooting conditions were VERY rough from the park. As per my Facebook status..."Taking photos backlit through haze and smoke at a tiny plane that's moving 230mph from 1,000ft away is about as tough as I've experienced. Needless to say my photos blow. Was still a fun time though!"

The planes, which blow smokes themselves, left a cloud that lingered that you need to shoot through. Add to that the haze and backlit conditions, and it's a mess.

[Fighting_falcon_51]

That's an AMAZING photo, Phil! :borat: :borat:

Judging from the twitter posts it looks like you and Matt had a great time!

[alan h]

I was out at the race today and..... I probably wouldn't make it a point to go back again tomorrow or next time they are in NYC. It was a nice event but two hours of flying the same course is not something I'm interested in. I think It's definitely something that you want to watch on television because they can supply all the angles. Yes Red Bull had all those big screens but that would be for the replays. I wouldn't think to watch it on the big screen if I'm at the location. I'm not a NASCAR fan either, going around in circles doesn't do anything for me. Get me to an Airshow where each performer has their own individual routine. Now that's a performance.
Yes it takes a very special skill to fly a course better than the next pilot. I wouldn't take anything away from the pilots. I think Red Bull needs make it a show with other acts and make the race the finally. A several years ago a few airshows started a judging competition during the Airshow with a few performers and I thought that it added something to the Airshow. Red Bull has taken the race to a higher level but they need to add more acts to the event. Think boxing with the under cards. Make it an Airshow as opposed to a television show.

The south viewing area wasn't all that bad.
You can go to Ellis Island for $12.00. That's looking north. The sun will be at you back all day.

[Gerard]

WAtched the race from Governors Island before goiing in to the Brewfest!! From a distance but pretty cool watching the planes come in from South, zip past the Statue and head in to the course. The blue camera/chase copter MBB 105 would wait by the end of Ellis Island and when the plane zipped past into the course they would turn and follow in and take up position. Looked pretty cool as the planes zipped around the pylons then when finished ascend quickly and out. One of the pilots liked to spin his plane when he pulled up and out.
And what beautiful weather. 8) 8)

[seahawks7757]

Great shot phil!

[Big Tim #70]

I was out at the race today and..... I probably wouldn't make it a point to go back again tomorrow or next time they are in NYC. It was a nice event but two hours of flying the same course is not something I'm interested in. I think It's definitely something that you want to watch on television because they can supply all the angles. Yes Red Bull had all those big screens but that would be for the replays. I wouldn't think to watch it on the big screen if I'm at the location. I'm not a NASCAR fan either, going around in circles doesn't do anything for me. Get me to an Airshow where each performer has their own individual routine. Now that's a performance.
Yes it takes a very special skill to fly a course better than the next pilot. I wouldn't take anything away from the pilots. I think Red Bull needs make it a show with other acts and make the race the finally. A several years ago a few airshows started a judging competition during the Airshow with a few performers and I thought that it added something to the Airshow. Red Bull has taken the race to a higher level but they need to add more acts to the event. Think boxing with the under cards. Make it an Airshow as opposed to a television show.

The south viewing area wasn't all that bad.
You can go to Ellis Island for $12.00. That's looking north. The sun will be at you back all day.


I couldn't disagree more.

I had an absolute blast yesterday checking out the RBAS for the first time live. To watch 14 different pilots hammer that course & to see the different lines that each of them take was really cool. It amazed me the difference between the top 1/2 & the bottom 1/2 & after the first few heats, you could really start to see who was clearly running faster times. BTW, did anyone that was there see how tight Arch's or Kirby took the city side turnaround? Holy Crap!

Thanks for Fred, I have 1800 shots to go through. I'm 1/2 way sorted then I get to try some of that processing I hear you photogs talk so much about! :borat:

I really hope they come back next year because it was a really cool experience & great for the aviation community in the NYC area!

[PhilDernerJr]

Thanks guys!

I don't think I've seen a sporting event being filmed the way that RBAR is. What you see on TV is just amazing. But being there is a completely different, but just as enjoyable experience...I think.

Hearing the planes...when they bank 90 degrees away from you and you feel that BVVVVVVVVVVVVVRRRRRRRRRRR....it's awesome. Seeing them warming up two miles south, getting permission to enter the track and you see them as they pick up speed and descend to race level...knowing they mean business.

Seeing it in person, being there, the backgrounds....just amazing. Like many cool great aviation experiences, I had to put my camera down to enjoy it with my own eyes.

[Matt Molnar]

I had a lot of fun seeing it in person, but watching the TV broadcast on Sunday was much better from an entertainment and competition point of view. You could see so much more and the camera work was really impressive. The pilots of the Red Bull camera chopper are arguably just as skilled as the race pilots.

I also agree that there should be more air show elements. On Qualifying Day, they said the festivities would start at 12 and the racing at 2, but most of those 2 hours were dead time except for the skydivers and the Red Bull chopper demo. They also did a demo with the team who reinflates the pylons when they get hit...the announcer screaming a play-by-play of that as if they were saving someone's life. (He also made a very politically incorrect reference to a "Chinese fire drill" in regard to the speed at which the guys moved on and off their boat.)