With the studio rearranging mostly complete, I’m back to editing the Acro Camp footage.  Having picked up some decent logging software, I’m going through each flight and logging the maneuvers and dialogue day by day.

On 14 May 2010 (Day 1 of the first Acro Camp), the campers flew 12 of the 41 sorties of the camp.  Each of the four campers flew three sorties.  Over the last day or two, I’ve logged two sorties by Paul Berliner and three by Lynda Meeks.  The frame grab above is from Lynda’s second flight.  After a couple of wingovers, Barry does a couple of 3G pulls just to begin introducing the sensation of positive G.  In the frame grab, Barry has just unloaded the airframe at the top of a pull.

Barry’s core program is essentially the same with each camper with whom he flies.  Minor variations to accommodate each camper, to be sure, but a very consistent curriculum.  It’ll be interesting to see how this evolves.  I first flew with Barry in 2008 and, if memory serves, he put be through almost exactly the same sequence of maneuvers in the early going.

Lynda’s story is unfolding in interesting ways.  I’ve seen and logged the ground footage in which she said that she was really bunched up on the way out to the practice area.  But it took watching the flight from three camera angles to really understand how bunched she was.  Really tense.  But also determined to fly upside down competently.  A really good story that’ll come out in the finished film.

Back to it.  More from the editing suite soon!

The NTSB’s Air Race and Air Show Safety Hearing just wrapped up in Washington.  I was able to watch the last hour or so.  If, like me, you missed part or all of it, the NTSB’s website indicates that the webcast will be available in archived form as early as this evening.  I’ll be checking the NTSB’s web page for the hearing (http://www.ntsb.gov/news/events/2012/air_show/index.html) this evening and,  if the archived version is available early enough, I might try to get through all of it and do a post or two with my thoughts (such as they are).

January is the time at which I get some breathing room and can pay attention to some of the core things about the show, the movies, and related stuff.  It will come as no surprise that my studio facilities (affectionately known as Flaming Duck Studios) have become increasingly entropic during the 10 years since I initially started using the space for that purpose.  I’ve known for a few years that I needed to pull everything apart and reorganize it.  It finally ascended to the top of the list and I’ve been working on the studio for the last two weeks.

The most important change is a relocation of the work area across the room.  I now sit facing the digital side of the studio with the video and digital audio editing system on that side.

If I swing the chair around 180 degrees, I’m facing all of my old analog equipment.  This frees much of the other space for the fridge, racks for audio and video equipment, the drum kit, and places for visiting performers to set up and play.

It’ll be a few more weeks before it’s done, but I’m really looking forward to posting a full panoramic shot of the studio when it is.