During the summer of 1999, award-winning aviation photographer Erik Hildebrandt dedicated nearly every professional moment to capturing the essence of one of America's fastest growing spectator phenomena: air shows. This all-color photo-journal of Hildebrandt's ultimate summer road trip presents spectacular imagery gathered at more than 15 aviation events ranging from small local airport events to the multi-million dollar EAA fly-in at Oshkosh. As he crisscrosses North America in search of the quintessential air show, Hildebrandt puts enthusiasts in the cockpits with the nation's top aviators and renowned flying teams like the Red Baron Pizza Squadron, the Blue Angels, and a variety of other military demo acts.
Erik Hildebrandt
Aviation Photographer and Author of FLY NAVY: Celebrating the First Century of Naval Aviation
Erik Hildebrandt is one of the nation's premier aviation photographers who continues to pioneer new technologies and revolutionary techniques to capture innovative aerial images. His 20-year career has earned him more than 200 hours in military jet aircraft ranging from civilian air shows to military tactical jets.
For the past two years, Hildebrandt has traveled the globe documenting the vast universe of modern naval aviation. He has flown with deployed forces over war-torn Afghanistan, through the tranquil skies over Hawaii with the Blue Angels and practically everywhere in between
FLY NAVY vividly captures the excitement, power, motion and beauty of naval aviation through remarkable photographs that tell the stories of each aircrew and aircraft as readers ride along on incredible real-life missions. The book showcases every aircraft currently flying for the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard as well as essays and artwork from such iconic figures as Barrett Tillman, Sergei Sikorsky, Robert "Hoot" Gibson and Hank Caruso. FLY NAVY will be released in March 2011.
In addition to FLY NAVY, Hildebrandt has authored seven, world-class coffee table books on a variety of aviation subjects including the Front Row Center series that follows the American air show circuit and Anytime, Baby!, a historic volume chronicling the last six units ever to fly the U.S. Navy F-14 Tomcat.
Compelling Media Resource
Hildebrandt is an engaging and articulate resource for reporters, show hosts and bloggers. He transports audiences to the cockpit of some of the most elite naval aircraft with intense anecdotes from his experiences flying along with the naval aviation community world wide.
Hildebrandt was born and raised on Long Island, not far from where Grumman built the F-14 Tomcat. He describes his photography as an extension and expression of his life, from documenting his childhood exploits to creating fashion portfolios for models before ultimately realizing his dreams of aviation photography.
For more than 15 years, Hildebrandt has lived in a self-described state of total immersion in the world of aviation and aviation photography. He is a multi-engine rated private pilot and flies a 1968 Cessna
O-2A Skymaster that was formerly in service with the U.S. Air Force as a forward air control aircraft.
Hildebrandt graduated from the State University of New York at Binghamton with a Bachelor of Arts in American History in 1989. He lives with his wife, Christine, and their two young boys in the rural countryside east of Minneapolis, Minn.
To schedule an interview with Erik Hildebrandt, please contact Suzanne Fedoruk Herrick, Fedoruk & Associates, Inc., 612-861-7807 or suzanne@fedorukinc.com.
