http://www.aneclecticmind.com Web site and blog for Maria Langer, freelance writer, commercial helicopter pilot, and serious amateur photographer. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:41:35 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2012/01/18/a-tethered-balloon-flight/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2012/01/18/a-tethered-balloon-flight/#comments Thu, 19 Jan 2012 01:14:39 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/?p=7524 Never a routine day. It was my second time in a hot air balloon and I can assure you that a tethered flight -- although kind of nice -- isn't anything nearly as spectacular as the "real thing." Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2012/01/18/a-tethered-balloon-flight/feed/ 0 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2012/01/03/hovering-with-the-balloons/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2012/01/03/hovering-with-the-balloons/#comments Tue, 03 Jan 2012 20:40:10 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/?p=7502 Just a quick post after an unusual photo flight. I'm the odd bird in this flock. Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2012/01/03/hovering-with-the-balloons/feed/ 0 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/29/the-fruits-of-my-labor/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/29/the-fruits-of-my-labor/#comments Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:00:40 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/?p=7498 …or why I love my work as an aerial photography pilot. I'm part of the equipment. Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/29/the-fruits-of-my-labor/feed/ 4 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/18/flying-m-air-videos-on-you-tube/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/18/flying-m-air-videos-on-you-tube/#comments Sun, 18 Dec 2011 17:33:19 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/?p=7488 I didn't find what I hoped to, but am still pleasantly surprised. Although I didn't find any videos of my recent Santa fly-ins to Deer Valley Airport, I did find three other videos shot by passengers over the past two years and posted on YouTube. Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/18/flying-m-air-videos-on-you-tube/feed/ 0 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/17/santa-and-pilot/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/17/santa-and-pilot/#comments Sun, 18 Dec 2011 01:00:00 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/?p=7486 A photo from today's flight. I flew Santa to the Deer Valley Airport (KDVT) Restaurant again today. Before we took off, I rigged up a GoPro on the inside of the cockpit bubble pointing at us and set it to take one shot every 10 seconds. Here's one of the nicer shots, snapped about a minute before we landed on the ramp in front of the restaurant. Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/17/santa-and-pilot/feed/ 0 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/16/more-gopro-camera-tests-more-aerial-photos-and-videos/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/16/more-gopro-camera-tests-more-aerial-photos-and-videos/#comments Fri, 16 Dec 2011 20:49:45 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/?p=7481 Another chapter in my never ending saga: any excuse to fly. There's nothing I like more than to go flying over the desert right after a good rainstorm. So on Wednesday, as the storm clouds moved north and blue sky started to appear again, I loaded up my GoPro cameras and mounts, and went flying. Here are the details and photos. Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/16/more-gopro-camera-tests-more-aerial-photos-and-videos/feed/ 7 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/12/move-over-reindeer-santas-got-a-new-sled/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/12/move-over-reindeer-santas-got-a-new-sled/#comments Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:03:00 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/12/move-over-reindeer-santas-got-a-new-sled/ I take the honorable Mr. Claus by helicopter to meet his adoring fans. Not your usual flying gig. Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/12/move-over-reindeer-santas-got-a-new-sled/feed/ 4 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/10/snowballs-from-my-oven/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/10/snowballs-from-my-oven/#comments Sat, 10 Dec 2011 19:36:21 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/10/snowballs-from-my-oven/ Another recipe from my annual baking extravaganza. This year, I made "Snowballs." This is a small spherical cookie made primarily of butter, flour, and finely chopped nuts, dusted with powered sugar. Tasty without being too sweet. Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/10/snowballs-from-my-oven/feed/ 1 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/09/required-reading-for-helicopter-tour-pilots/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/09/required-reading-for-helicopter-tour-pilots/#comments Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:00:24 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/09/required-reading-for-helicopter-tour-pilots/ Two accident reports that clearly demonstrate how "hot dogging" can get you -- and your passengers -- dead. Learn from their mistakes. Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/09/required-reading-for-helicopter-tour-pilots/feed/ 11 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/08/dealing-with-in-flight-passenger-requests/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/08/dealing-with-in-flight-passenger-requests/#comments Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:53:23 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/08/dealing-with-in-flight-passenger-requests/ Remember the primary job of every pilot-in-command: fly the aircraft. What's more important: conducting a safe flight or making the client happy? Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/08/dealing-with-in-flight-passenger-requests/feed/ 4 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/07/interesting-links-december-7-2011/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/07/interesting-links-december-7-2011/#comments Thu, 08 Dec 2011 06:30:00 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/07/interesting-links-december-7-2011/ Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/07/interesting-links-december-7-2011/feed/ 0 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/07/shop-smart-for-services-avoid-dealing-with-middlemen/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/07/shop-smart-for-services-avoid-dealing-with-middlemen/#comments Wed, 07 Dec 2011 23:53:21 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/07/shop-smart-for-services-avoid-dealing-with-middlemen/ I cannot stress this enough. I've said it before and now I'm saying it again. Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/12/07/shop-smart-for-services-avoid-dealing-with-middlemen/feed/ 0 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/11/30/interesting-links-november-30-2011/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/11/30/interesting-links-november-30-2011/#comments Thu, 01 Dec 2011 06:30:00 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/11/30/interesting-links-november-30-2011/ Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/11/30/interesting-links-november-30-2011/feed/ 0 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/11/23/a-few-aerial-views-from-todays-flight/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/11/23/a-few-aerial-views-from-todays-flight/#comments Thu, 24 Nov 2011 00:05:00 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/11/23/a-few-aerial-views-from-todays-flight/ Any excuse to fly. This blog post lets the pictures and captions tell the story. Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/11/23/a-few-aerial-views-from-todays-flight/feed/ 2 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/11/22/the-old-gold-dredge-in-buckhorn-wash/ http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/11/22/the-old-gold-dredge-in-buckhorn-wash/#comments Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:00:19 +0000 Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/11/22/the-old-gold-dredge-in-buckhorn-wash/ The story I heard with yesterday's photo. Yes, it's the remains of an old dredging barge miles from any body of water. Continue reading →]]> http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/11/22/the-old-gold-dredge-in-buckhorn-wash/feed/ 0