Finally we were able to take to the skies!
Covid restrictions call for the donning of face-masks in the aircraft. It’s a small inconvenience for the privilege of being back in the air!
For months the helicopters at Heliair (and around the country and the world) have sat idle in their hangars as the Covid-19 pandemic shut countries and economies down. It’s been very hard to sit on our hands for the past few months while the crop circle season seems to have carried on regardless. What strange times we are living through, it’s been a season like no other – so full of mixed emotions – this pandemic will have a profound and long-lasting effect on us all whether we realise it or not. Despite not being able to get in the air ourselves, that the crop circles have continued to happen has been such a source of hope and inspiration. Their power and beauty have been a light in these sometimes dark times and we are very grateful for them.
We have been very fortunate that we have found some wonderful partners to work with while we were grounded. Our grateful and heartfelt thanks go to AEROBO, Dan Hudson and Hugh Newman who have supplied drone images to keep the Temporary Temples website up to date. It’s intrepid, hard-work recording the circles, long hours driving, long hours editing photography and keeping the website up-to-date. The work that goes on behind the scenes to bring the circles to the world can be arduous as well as exciting.
On July 4th restrictions were finally lifted in the U.K to the extent that flying became possible, but there was a lot of work still to do for businesses making themselves Covid compliant and for helicopter pilots there was a whole litany of things to get in place after not flying for so long – medicals, ratings, aircraft safety checks and reams of risk assessments etc – it’s not like a car, where you roll it out of the garage and away you go!
So just over two weeks later on Monday July the 20th after all the hard work carried out by Heliair we were able to take our first flight of 2020. While much had not changed, there were new procedures to get used to; social distancing where possible, meticulous cleansing of hands, and in the helicopter itself, the donning of face-masks to protect each other while in close proximity. It’s not a great look (as you can see form the picture!), but it’s a small inconvenience in an effort to keep everyone as safe as possible. We are so grateful for the professionalism shown by Heliair and their dedication to get back up and flying.
Flying over the Stanton St. Bernard crop circle of 2020
It was a beautiful day, just a few pretty fair-weather clouds in the skies as we took off from Thruxton and headed to Wiltshire to record circles at Stanton St Bernard, Etchilhampton and Luxenborough (near Stonehenge). All the circles were holding up pretty well and looked beautiful in the sunshine. Flying over the circles in an experience to be recommended, crop circles were meant to be seen from the air! As always we were enchanted and delighted by the circles we saw. We have taken several flights in quick succession to catch-up with the circles that are still around and to record the new ones happening just this week. We are looking forward to the rest of season – whatever it brings!
We are often asked why we have not moved to the convenience of using drones, and fully understand where the questions comes from, but as the last couple of months has proven to us, we simply could not do all we do using drones. Drones definitely have their place in recording the circles, their most appealing quality is sheer expediency and for filming they are clearly a good way to go – but there are also some limitations – as we have learned first-hand this year. Nevertheless, we are eternally grateful for the work shared with us by these very skilled operators.
We’d like to take this opportunity to wish you all well and to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the support you have given us. We really hope you’ll enjoy the photography on the website and will continue to support us into the future.
With love,
Karen & Steve Alexander
A few more images form our first day back flying!
Recent Comments