timing and positioning to make sure passes line up with available light and safe distances.
In the Air Once airborne, conditions can change quickly. Cloud cover can alter exposure settings, turbulence can make tracking harder, and the pilot may have to reposition to account for traffic or safety calls. Everyone aboard works together: the pilot focuses on flight safety, the photographers concentrate on framing their shots, and the ramp crew keeps communications open and equipment secure. The results are worth the effort— sequences showing aircraft in relation to the whole showground, dynamic angles of banking turns, and rare“ above the wing” perspectives of types like the Lockheed CP 140M Aurora or the FIAT G. 91R.
Why It Matters For the Aviation PhotoCrew, shooting from the
UK
planes
Skyvan isn’ t about glamour— it’ s about providing a service to aviation media and enthusiasts who want a different visual record of events. The photographs help show RIAT as an operational environment, not just an airshow: arrivals from overseas, tactical departures, formation rehearsals.
In a year when RIAT included debutants like the Antonov An 74T Coaler and featured aircraft across the entire spectrum— from heritage warbirds to modern multi role jets— the PhotoCrew’ s aerial perspective added another layer to documenting the Air Tattoo. By the close of RIAT 2025, the Skyvan had flown multiple sorties, each producing images that will make their way into magazines, online galleries, and archives. For the team, it was a chance to contribute to the photographic history of one of the world’ s greatest aviation events— and for readers of this first issue, it’ s an inside look at how those shots were made.
Fighters
Trainers
Helicopters
Heavy Gear Civilian
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