Executive Controller, January 2012

January’s cover for The Executive Controller! Photographed in a hangar in Minneapolis, MN. Lots of help from Chuck Spanbauer. Of course, thanks to Dallas Jet International. Good luck on a quick sale!

We shoot aircraft  for Brad Harris of Dallas Jet International.

To quote an article from Brad’s blog, Aircraft Sales Insights, demand is stepping up.

Brad says:

“We’re seeing improvement in aircraft sales, as evidenced by the number of transactions we’re completing at DJI. Improvement has been particularly dramatic in the first quarter of this year, especially since the first two quarters of each year are traditionally slower – there is generally a push of transactions in the last quarter of each year.”

The Aircraft Sales Market is Improving for Large Cabin, Newer Airplanes

“You can see from the chart that first quarter sales for 2011 have eclipsed the first half year in the previous two years. The trend line displayed is conservative, since the last period reported is a quarter rather than a half year. Other brokers are reporting similar results.”

So, dust off your hangared aircraft and give us a call to schedule your shoot today!

Taylor Greenwood has been busy.

So busy, that he’s discovered a need to organize his time and travel schedule into a regular tour.

Taylor and his crew photograph aircraft regularly at the Oakland County International Airport, Waterford, (near Detroit) and Dallas Love Field; as well his home airport of Appleton Wisconsin (conveniently, the home of Gulfstream) and nearby Wittman Regional Airport, the home of EAA’s Airventure show each year.

This Friday, my fiancé and I will donating our time to photograph the annual “Shall We Dance”  fundraiser for the Sexual Assault Crisis Center here in Appleton. It is our goal to help raise awareness of an issue that seems to be sometimes overlooked. We love the opportunity to photograph anything and everything, especially something related to such a great cause.

The event itself is not aviation related, but we thought it would be good to share with everyone out there that if you ever need your aviation event photographed, we are highly qualified to capture everything you are looking for.

My background expertise definitely is not event photography. I guess this gives good meaning to the words “my better half”. Melissa is an outstanding event photographer, and she usually takes the show on assignments like this. I help with what I can. We’re a fantastic team and I take great pride in that and the product we produce. Our interest in aviation and event photography is definitely the perfect match for anything you might be planning. So keep it in mind!

Good morning everyone! Just the other day I had the pleasure of meeting with a friend and pilot from Orchard Beach Aviation in Manistee, MI. He came over to discuss some photo options for a new website and marketing campaign they are working on.  While chatting over some delicious pizza from Franks Pizza Palace, Rob and I decided it would be easiest if we could just take care of the photos here. (Maybe hey was conveyed to visit again because he liked the pizza so much. For Orchard Beach Aviation, we’ll be doing exterior, and interior shots as well as some air to air photos of some of their fleet.

Ironically, even though ATW is definitely the closest airport to our business, it hasn’t quite become a home yet. When I started photographing in Westfield, MA, I would go a few times a week just to chat with the folks at the FBO and take pictures of some of the aircraft with the FBO’s and pilot’s permission. However, I have not achieved any sort of relationship here in Appleton to allow me to do so at ATW.  First things first, I had picked up someone from an inbound flight about a year ago and boy how things have changed! Platinum Flight Center completely renewed the image of the FBO and were so much more accommodating than my previous experience my last trip out there with the company under  it’s previous owner. The staff was welcoming, and even took a few of my cards to share with anyone who might be interested. Rob and I asked the folks at Platinum if we would be able to conduct a photo-shoot there. YES! they said “YES”! I am so pleased to perhaps begin to call ATW the home of Taylor Greenwood Photography.

So bring your aircraft over to us at the Outagamie County Regional airport in Appleton, Wisconsin, and we’ll give you some photography that will show all the luxuries that your jet has to offer!

Episode 8 – Surviving a Startup, and Balancing Art with Business -An Interview with Taylor Greenwood

Striking images that sell airplanes have propelled Taylor Greenwood from startup to success in about four years.

Topics we cover in this conversation:

• Breaking into the aviation industry rather than being a “native.”
• The importance of a methodical, consistent process and a checklist, even for artistic endeavors.
• Managing the feast & famine of a startup business
  - zero to 49 airplanes in 2 weeks
• Specializing in an ideal client type – not just anyone
  with a pulse and a checkbook.
• Getting those first crucial clients.
• How marketing efforts feed on each other in an geometric way.

Taylor Greenwood specializes in photos that show the unique character of an aircraft.

His passion for things that fly shows, whether he is photographing a rugged vintage aircraft or the latest, most stylishly appointed  business jet.

Taylor’s  photographs engage the imagination and desire of aircraft buyers.   They provide a window for aviation enthusiasts to bring their passion into their home or office. All of his photographs speak to the parts of us that love to fly.

Taylor was introduced to aviation photography at the Barnes Municipal Airport in Westfield, Massachusetts.

He graduated from the Hallmark Institute of Photography, and was announced as  a finalist in the annual Best of College publication.  His work has been displayed at the Hallmark Museum of Contemporary Photography.

See Taylor Greenwood’s Checklist for a Great Photo Shoot

The weather doesn’t always cooperate with client’s objectives, so Taylor Greenwood Photography makes the best of it.

Before . . .

After . . .

Now, if only he could do that for my yard. . . .

When I attended Hallmark Institute of Photography in 2007-08 there was what seemed to be a universal goal between all of the students. To become excellent photographers and travel to places they’ve never been before and photograph what they see along the way. I have been very fortunate at beginning to meet that goal, only, instead of mostly documenting what I see, I ended up photographing private jets and other luxury aircraft.

Having started out in Westfield, Massachusetts many of my initial clientele were New England based companies, and individuals. We would often do photography of jets that were flying in from Boston, Bradley International, New York City, and quite a few from Teterboro, NJ. Many clients kept their planes in Westfield at Airflyte Inc. which is where all of our photo-shoots were facilitated. We regularly travel back and it will always be a place I love to call home.

What soon became a second home and is still a frequent stop for us is the Oakland County International Airport. We travel outside of Detroit to a town called Waterford. The people are wonderful food is always great, and the jets are plentiful! It is always a sincere pleasure to work at KPTK with the great crews at Pentastar Aviation as well as ADI.

We stay busy locally in our current hometown of Appleton, WI which is also home to the Gulfstream completion center. I’ve heard Lance Armstrong pays a visit every once in a while when his G-IV is being worked on.  It’s a quick shoot by plane down to Chicago and about a 3.5 hour drive for us. (A quick trip compared to the 18 hrs of driving to Massachusetts).

Lastly on our list of frequent travel stops is Dallas, TX. There are a few airports in Dallas alone and we’ve seen them all! Lovefield, DFW, and Dallas Executive all keep us reasonably busy with lots of private aircraft! It is always a wonderful stay.

So with a thank you to all of our hosts in the cities and towns big and small, we’ll continue to keep the wheels on our vehicle what seem to always be rolling…well…rolling.  We are always seeing new places and living that dream. Meeting that goal, that we all had in photography school.

"Release the Hounds" - A New Kind of Luxury Makes Fun of the Old in Audi's Prison Break commercial.

One of the perks of being an aviation photographer is that we get to meet people, see aircraft and go to destinations that are an aspiration for most of us.

Sometimes working in this market means more than “luxury” the way many people think of it.

You may have seen Audi’s Superbowl commercial that showed millionaires breaking out of a luxurious prison.

But this market is also the place to find smart, hardworking people who really, really love what they do and do it very, very well.

As an example, we met Cyprian Lerch of Privé International on a photo shoot. Privé International serves a very exclusive clientele that values convenience, luxury, exclusivity and impeccable delivery. High net-worth individuals who are members are able to access destination properties, aircraft, yachts and automobiles. They specialize in the “Art of Living Well.”

To learn more about Privé International, see their website. We especially enjoy (okay, so we drool over) their blog entries.

Privé International specializes in 'The Art of Living Well.' They featured the yacht 'Starfish' recently in a post on their very inspirational blog.

Jets.com is another company that provides bespoke membership opportunities for people who love beautiful aircraft. They provide all-inclusive access to the aircraft you want at the time you want it, from very light to very large-cabin jets.

To see their gallery or get the details on the membership program, go to their website.

Jets.com offers membership access to a variety of aircraft, so you can get the right jet for each trip.

We highly recommend both companies and enjoy working with them.

1990 Hawker 800A by Dallas Jet International. For Great Photography, See Taylor Greenwood

Equipment Specifications
Year	1990
Manufacturer	HAWKER
Model	800A
Price	Call
Location	Dallas, Texas
Condition	Used
Serial Number	258154
Registration Number	N359CF
Total Time	10225 Hours
Overhaul	1466 SMOH / 1731 SMOH
Hot Section Time	1 / 1731 SHSI
Flight Rules	IFR
Number Of Seats	9

Detailed Description

With the widest and most comfortable cabin in its class and 2500 Nautical Miles of range, the Hawker 800 has been one of the best selling business aircraft of all time. The Hawker 800 just got better. Recent Landing Gear/X-Rays/48-month Inspections, FDR, TCAS-II

The C-29A Variant is not your typical Hawker 800A, and offers several advantages even compared to the 800XP. It is much improved, and it supports many more mission requirements than the standard Hawkers you see on the market. This aircraft was used by the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for Flight Inspection and Navigation mission purposes. To make a long story short, the United States government approached British Aerospace (Hawker) and asked them if they would be willing to produce a special mission variant of the Hawker 800A that is significantly improved with more mission versatility, reliability, and durability. British Aerospace said “Yes!”. Hence, the birth of the Hawker 800 C-29A Variant. The C-29A Variant incorporates a multitude of real improvements to the standard Hawker 800A/800XP, to include a 600 Pound increase in maximum takeoff weight (28,120 LBS) and a 480 Pound increase in maximum zero fuel weight (18,000 LBS). This allows for a maximum passenger/baggage payload of 2500 pounds, compared to 1500 pounds for a typical 800A and 1800 pounds for a typical 800XP. Only the C-29A can carry full fuel and 9 (nine) 220 LB passnegers with 50 LBS baggage per person. All of this capability can be acquired at a fraction of the price of a newer Hawker or many other midsize aircraft. Why pay more for less capability? If it’s good enough for the Federal Aviation Administration to fly and maintain, then it’s even better for a business aircraft owner/operator. This aircraft represents a rare opportunity to acquire an even better version of the wildly popular Hawker 800, at today’s depressed prices.

Airframe:
Total Time: 10,225 Hours
Total Landings: 6925 Landings

This C-29A clearly has the highest payload capability with Full Fuel for Max Range:

C-29A: 2500 LBS (Full Fuel, 9 Passengers with a 50 LB bag each)
800A: 1520 LBS (Full Fuel, 5 Passengers with a 50 LB bag each)
800XP: 1800 LBS (Full Fuel, 6 Passengers with a 50 LB bag each)

At 2500 LBS payload capacity, the C-29A owner can fill all 9 seats and load nine 220 LB adults with 500 LBS of luggage and equipment, and load full fuel for maximum range of 2500 Nautical Miles. Neither the 800A or 800XP has this capability.

Max Ramp Weight: 28,120 Pounds [Standard Hawker 800 is 27,520 LBS]
Max Takeoff Weight: 28,000 Pounds [Standard Hawker 800 is 27,400 LBS]
Max Landing Weight: 23,350 Pounds [Same as Standard Hawker]
Max Zero Fuel Weight: 18,000 Pounds [Standard Hawker 800 is 17,520 LBS]
Empty Weight: 14,813 Pounds [Typical 800A is 15,300 LBS; Typical 800XP is 15,950 LBS]

Left Engine (Serial Number P91410)
• 9754.1 Hours Total Time
• 5856 Cycles
• 1466.8 Hours Since Major Overhaul (SMOH)
• 1.4 Hours Since Hot Section Inspections (SHSI)

Right Engine (Serial Number P91470)
• 8536.7 Hours Total Time
• 4818 Cycles
• 1731 Hours Since Major Overhaul (SMOH)
• 1731 Hours Since Hot Section Inspection (SHSI)

Auxiliary Power Unit (APU)

Sundstrand T-62T-40C81
• Serial Number E955266
• 1293.1 Hours
• 3269 Cycles

Moving Map Flight Display
Two (2) DVD/CD/MP3 Players
One 3-channel Wireless Transmitter
One 17-inch Low Profile LCD Monitor on Forward Bulkhead
One 20-inch Low Profile LCD Monitor
One 4X4 Audio/Video Distribution Amplifier w/8 Wireless Headsets

150/300/600/1200/2400/4800 Hour Inspections
6/12/24/48 Month Inspections with X-Rays
Landing Gear Overhaul
Extensive Fuel Tank Refurbishment (No Fuel Leaks – Must see it to believe it)

Hawker Beechcraft 12-year Inspection completed in 2003