Curious on the backstory behind the photos? This is the place. You'll find not only write ups on local outings, but also reviews of major events I’ve attended.
Nearing The End Of An Era: The USMC AV-8B Harrier II
As the mighty AV-8B Harrier’s service comes to an end in the US Marine Corps, I had an unexpected opportunity to see over a dozen in action in Southern California.
Earlier this year, I found myself out in the Mojave Desert in Southern California, awaiting a historic moment—the Boom XB-1 taking to the skies for its first supersonic flight, which I had posted about on this page months ago. While awaiting that momentous occasion, a friend of mine, seeing that I was in Southern California, reached out with an unexpected heads up: one of the last large deployments to Naval Air Facility El Centro of the AV-8B Harrier II was happening simultaneously down in El Centro, a small desert town tucked away near the southeastern corner of California.
I hadn’t seen a Harrier up close in years, and this was one of the final opportunities to witness a large-scale deployment to El Centro before its retirement. As soon as the XB-1 wrapped up its flight, I hit the road, making the four-and-a-half-hour drive south. On the drive down, I crammed in everything I could about El Centro—where to go, what to expect, and most importantly, the best spots to photograph the action.
I arrived just in time to catch the golden-hour action. The second I stepped out of the car, I was hit with that unmistakable sound—the sharp, high-pitched whine of Rolls-Royce Pegasus engines idling. It immediately brought me right back to memories from airshows past. Then, as if on cue, a Harrier started taxiing out, passing right in front of me. Not just any Harrier either—I spotted the rare TAV-8B twin-seat training version, a far lesser seen variant.
Apparently seeing that rare aircraft was a good omen, because that first evening ended up being nothing short of incredible. I watched no fewer than ten Harriers in action from both squadrons, who were in town participating in Service Level Training Exercise 1-25. These jets from VMA-231 "Aces of Spades" and VMA-223 "Bulldogs," both based out of MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina. In total, there were more than a dozen aircraft flying missions designed to prepare Marine units for operations around the globe. The exercise also gave me the rare opportunity to see many of the Harriers carrying live ammunition. Several were using water injection—a system that provides extra thrust during takeoff—making their departures noticeably smokier and even more dramatic. It's easy to forget what an incredible payload these relatively small aircraft can carry to the fight.
I ended up staying three days under the warm Southern California sun. In addition to the Harriers, the skies were buzzing with other base regulars, including the Blue Angels out for their winter training as they geared up for the 2025 air show season. As you'll see a ways down the photo set, Blue Angel #7 suffered a blown tire, and had to utilize the cable! Not something you see too often.
As I write this, VMA-231 is just a couple weeks away from wrapping up Harrier operations entirely. Being there to witness one of their final large-scale exercises felt like a full-circle moment.
We are nearing the end of an era for a truly unique aircraft.
2025 Leeward Air Ranch Warbird Round-Up
The latest adventure takes us to Central Florida at the legendary Leeward Air Ranch!
A little over a month ago, I had the privilege of attending the second annual Warbird Round-Up at the Leeward Air Ranch in Central Florida. This invite-only event was particularly exciting for me, as Leeward Air Ranch is a private airport boasting a well-kept 6,247-foot grass runway. There’s just something special about watching warbirds take off and land on the very surfaces they were designed for back around the Second World War.
The excitement was amplified by the fact that, much like Texas, Florida is home to a wealth of warbirds. I was looking forward to seeing some rare aircraft in attendance, and I wasn’t disappointed. Among the rarities that graced the event were the tip-tanked Cavalier Mustang and the slow-flying Convair L-13. While the airplanes were certainly a highlight, what truly made the event memorable were the people. From the organizers to fellow attendees, it was wonderful to reconnect with old friends and make new ones, brought together by our shared passion for aviation.
As you’ll see in the accompanying photos, I was fortunate enough to partake in some air-to-air photoshoots involving some truly special aircraft. A huge thank you to those who put on this incredible event. Enjoy!
February 28 - March 2, 2025 - Leeward Air Ranch (Ocala, Florida)
VERTICON 2025
The world’s largest vertical convention and trade show comes to Dallas!
Calling all helicopter enthusiasts!
Last week, I made my way to the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in downtown Dallas to witness the arrivals for the 2025 edition of VERTICON, the world’s largest trade show and conference focused on vertical aviation. Formerly known as the Helicopter Association International Heli-Expo, the event was rebranded last year to better reflect the evolving landscape of vertical aviation.
The array of helicopters on display was nothing short of impressive. From the compact Guimbal Cabri G2 to the heavy-duty Super Puma, a wide array of vertical markets was covered. One highlight for me was spotting a rare classic—the Bell 214ST, which filled the area with its unmistakable "Huey sound" long before it came into view. Alongside these impressive aircraft, we saw a diverse lineup of operators, including QuikTrip's Bell 429 and VHI's freshly restored Sikorsky S-92.
As the helicopters arrived, I was captivated by the VERTICON team, who expertly and swiftly disassembled the blades from many of the helicopters, making them fit through the convention center doors before reassembling them inside, where they could be displayed safe from the elements.
It was truly enjoyable to see VERTICON take place in an area with such a rich heritage in the rotorcraft industry. Looking ahead, the next event is scheduled for March 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia!
March 2025 - Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center (Dallas, Texas)
Best of 2024
A curated selection of my favorite photos from the year 2024.
Time for my 2024 aviation photography recap! I've decided to take a different approach this year. Instead of selecting only a small number of my flashiest edits, I’ll focus more on the variety of aviation captured through my lens and the photographs that have been most meaningful to me. On a personal level, this has been an incredibly busy year, and unfortunately, that means I have a massive backlog of photos I haven't even had time to look at since I took them. However, that doesn't mean I'm not proud of the photos I have edited!
I can't forgo mentioning the people involved in these adventures... It's been such a pleasure meeting so many incredible people who share my passion for aviation. Whether it was a fellow photographer, a pilot, or an air traffic controller, every interaction has left an impression on me. You know who you are!
Anyway, enough blabbing from me. Here's my top 50 aviation photos from 2024!
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport 1/16/23
Various traffic seen at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on Monday, January 16th, 2023.
Various traffic seen at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on Monday, January 16th, 2023.
Winter Storm Mara
Winter Storm Mara strikes Dallas Love Field.
A powerful winter storm wreaked havoc across much of the Southern half of the United States the past few days, with temperatures plunging well below freezing in North Texas since Monday. As I was stuck at a hotel near work, I was able to photograph a bit of the action taking place at Dallas Love Field which was greatly impacted by the deep freeze. While these freezes are not uncommon in many parts of the United States, North Texas typically only sees these large scale events once or twice a year at best so the infrastructure in place is not quite as capable of handling these long-lasting ice storms. The following photos show part of the team effort required to crank flights out in the midst of these brutal conditions. The system is finally winding down in North Texas at the time of this writing, with temperatures finally staying consistently above freezing tomorrow.
