Night Smoke
Words: Nicholas Pascarella
Photography: James Woodard | Nicholas Pascarella
Full Disc Aviation was afforded the opportunity to meet with Team Messenheimer at their home base on a warm evening in early May for some night shooting. Pilot Adam Messenheimer met us at the terminal and escorted us across the airfield, passing rows of tied-down Cessnas and Pipers bathed in the warm rays of the setting sun hanging above the horizon. The undersides of the low clouds were painted orange, casting a warm glow across the airfield. Teammate Erik Voss was at the hangar to greet us, and the beige hangar door hinged upward to reveal Team Messenheimer’s strikingly gorgeous Pitts S2C. Adam pulled the aircraft out and lined her up for us just as the rain started to fall, typical of Virginia in the spring. Undeterred, he climbed in the cockpit and fired her up for us. If that wasn’t enough, he asked us if he should hit the smoke. The photography tells the rest of that story. Our gracious hosts Adam and Erik were incredibly accommodating and the shoot could not have gone smoother; we extend our warmest thanks to them for their hospitality. -NP
