“How do I get close to a plane for an air-to-air?” That question lands in my email box alot (not as much as, “what’s the best f/stop for prop bur?” answer, there in none!) The answer I give is really simple, put in the time now to get it back later. This is a classic example. Many aircraft in fall are winterized starting now so they are ready to fly in the spring. This Goose for example, it’s a spring / summer fun machine when the air is warm and the water cool. In the winter, the air is cool and the water frozen so it’s not flown. Can’t just park a plane for four to five months and think it will be happy to fly at the turn of a key. It’s take some time to winterize and often takes multiple pairs of hands to do it. Hang around a FBO, talk to the guys who pump gas. Ask them who they know winterizes their aircraft. Then, with grease rag, not camera in hand, head to that hangar as asked if you can learn and help in that process. I have meet a lot of kids in hangars who do just that. Many of them go on to become pilots with this start. Photographers can easily do the same thing. Not to become pilots but next season, be part of that crew to fly and to the eventual A2A. It’s really simple, work now, play later.