Boston POTN Meet

Oh i should probably mention, it's a Boston trip. Or 'Mission' as he likes to call it.

Tobin Bridge, above Zakim Bridge, Waterfront (Near the airport, some restrictions, but not as many as you'd think), and Fenway/Backbay areas...

Brendan, I'm very interested.

A few questions though... I've heard a rumor that there's a no-fly zone inside Rt 128. Is that the case, do you know?
Where does he fly out of?
How low can he go?


By the way, $180 is cheap! Check out these prices:
http://www.heliops.com​/Tours.html
$299 for 35 minutes...

Now that's different!

If it's o-kay with you, I'd like to go along on the Boston Mission!

Is this a sunrise type thing?

Scottes wrote in post #8113125
Brendan, I'm very interested.

A few questions though... I've heard a rumor that there's a no-fly zone inside Rt 128. Is that the case, do you know?
Where does he fly out of?
How low can he go?


By the way, $180 is cheap! Check out these prices:
http://www.heliops.com​/Tours.html
$299 for 35 minutes...

1. No-fly inside 128 is not true.

2. We can meet him on the South Shore. Around the marshfield/hingham area.

3. He can go low, within reason. Depends on the location. Tobin area, i'm guessing if he stays a little back, he can level with it. As he probably could with the prudential. But he can't panic anyone on the ground and he's really conscious of that. I've flown with him under 100ft in some areas... he's a little nutty, but safe. He's willing to get in and get the shot. So you wouldn't be disappointed.

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #8113152
Is this a sunrise type thing?

Well, i've contemplated this quite a bit. With Boston, during sunrise you'd only get a few things well. The waterfront and Tobin is nice in the morning. The pru and fenway and such are nice during the evening. So it's a real toss-up. My personal preference is during the late afternoon. Just a hair before sunset.

mumbles wrote in post #8113008
As long as we are on the subject of meets.... I have a guy that has a helicopter.

He's willing to take 3 people around ...

What make helicopter? What areas of Boston?

i was thinking of hiring a heli to shoot over Boston, but perhaps this might work instead. $180 sure beats the $750 an hour I was quoted for going up by myself.

Some thoughts for those that have never shot in a heli with the doors off...

Use a neck strap or other retention device for your equipment. Its best to use only one lens if you are alone, or have a person help you with changing your lens. Its real easy to drop something when you are sitting on the edge of the door, juggling a camera body, two lenses, lens caps, wind and rotor wash, etc. If you drop a lens, you could kill someone on the ground, If something blows back into the tail rotor, it could cause a T/R failure which means you are going down now!.

You will get some rotor wash at the door opening that wants to push the camera, and causes some unwanted lens motion. It happens both in flight and during a hover. Its not real bad, but something to be aware of so it's not unexpected.

Oh yea, keep the seat belt tight! Its really not scary since coordinated turns never make you feel like you will fall, etc. You are always planted in your seat really well. But looking down in a tight high bank turn can play tricks with your mind

Wicked friggin pissa idea!

Any idea on how often you guy would be able to do this?

sfaust wrote in post #8113192
What make helicopter? What areas of Boston?

i was thinking of hiring a heli to shoot over Boston, but perhaps this might work instead. $180 sure beats the $750 an hour I was quoted for going up by myself.

Some thoughts for those that have never shot in a heli with the doors off...

Use a neck strap or other retention device for your equipment. Its best to use only one lens if you are alone, or have a person help you with changing your lens. Its real easy to drop something when you are sitting on the edge of the door, juggling a camera body, two lenses, lens caps, wind and rotor wash, etc. If you drop a lens, you could kill someone on the ground, If something blows back into the tail rotor, it could cause a T/R failure which means you are going down now!.

You will get some rotor wash at the door opening that wants to push the camera, and causes some unwanted lens motion. It happens both in flight and during a hover. Its not real bad, but something to be aware of so it's not unexpected.

Oh yea, keep the seat belt tight! Its really not scary since coordinated turns never make you feel like you will fall, etc. You are always planted in your seat really well. But looking down in a tight high bank turn can play tricks with your mind

Not sure on the make, but it's a 4 seater. Hence 3 folks. Any areas we designate. Hell we can make it longer if needed. I figured an hour might be ok, but hell, the longer the better.

Neck strap is key. Especially to change lenses. I brought one lens last time, but quickly regretted it. 3 is a happy medium.

And as for the rotor wash, it's like putting your hand out a car window at 60-80 mph. It's not going to suck you out or anything, but it'll certainly move your hand a little bit. Higher shutter speeds are key.

Oh and size limitations, the helo is a bit 'tight' we did however have a friend up yesterday that was 6' 4" and he fit in no problems.

Sounds like a R44. I used one in Aruba doing aerials of the resorts. There was only two of us on that trip, so it wasn't all that tight. Nice flying heli and not a bad choice if a JetRanger is too expensive.

http://www.airchartern​etwork.com.au …licopters/ROBIN​SON-44.jpg

Yeah that looks like it.

Ok, who's in?

mumbles wrote in post #8113429
Yeah that looks like it.

Ok, who's in?

Me.

I'd love to do something like that. $180 for a 'copter ride is a bargain. If anyone can spare me a (L)lens other than my kit one too, I'd be buying you drinks all night afterwards!

Harm wrote in post #8114358
I'd love to do something like that. $180 for a 'copter ride is a bargain. If anyone can spare me a (L)lens other than my kit one too, I'd be buying you drinks all night afterwards!

Is that an 'In'?

Harm, I have a Tamron 28-75mm you can borrow, and a 100-300 cheapie.


Speaking of that, what lenses should we bring? The 10-20 and the 24-70 are definite. Is it worth bringing the 100-400? Or the 85mm just to get a little more reach over the 24-70?