Training the Best

So I know I am a huge jouralism nerd, but one of my major pet peeves is circulated internet "amazing" pictures and stories which are either faked or misrepresented. I regularly piss off my friends and family when I send their e-mails back to them with factual edits and corrections. Sorry guys, it's the price of associating with a former photojouralist :)

So here's another one which actually had me for a few years until I discovered the truth. This picture has circulated for years as a rogue pilot doing a flyby of the USS Stennis, but it's the USS America and the pilot was Dale "Snort" Snodgrass, a Navy demonstration pilot. The move was part of his show and sanctioned by the US Navy. Feel free to circulate the corrected photo. I included a picture taken last month of Capt. Snodgrass flying in the airshow here in Pensacola. I have never seen a pilot get as low and as fast as Capt. Snodgrass. The Blue Angels come close; their high speed pass is faster but not as low and not in a turn! A truly amazing pilot, makes me shake my head every time he goes by and I've seen his show three or four times.