OABT Bost Airport, Lashkar Gah, Helmand, Afghanistan

[clearfinalsno1]

Does anyone know about the background to this photo which I stumbled across. It shows a take-off from Bost Airport that looks so unbelievable that is must almost certainly be a fake.

That said, not only the photo suggests that airside security is not exactly the norm that you would expect. There was a recent (2006)
fatal crash at bost due to a runway incursion

Afghan Ministry of Transport and Aviation - Bost Airport information and plate.

[Molesworth 1]

If it's not fake, the cameraman was lucky to escape with his life!

In Wikipedia under Source:

" created this work entirely by myself."

Camera manufacturer SONY
Camera model DSC-W35
Exposure time 1/250 sec (0.004)
F-number f/13
Date and time of data generation 09:50, 1 February 2009
Lens focal length 18.9 mm
Orientation Normal
Horizontal resolution 72 dpi
Vertical resolution 72 dpi
Software used Adobe Photoshop 7.0
File change date and time 21:57, 11 March 2009

Does that answer your question?

[Utrinque Apparatus]

Let's see now, shadow from 4x4 pickup - none from light twin ??

Some people have too much time on their hands

[englishal]

I see a shadow....

Why was he flying like that ?

[Deeday]

Let's see now, shadow from 4x4 pickup - none from light twin ??

Come on, it's like saying that the pictures of Aldrin on the moon are fake because the shadow of the flag post is not visible. The cones on the runway threshold have no shadow, are they fake too?
To me it looks like the altitude of the sun above the horizon is roughly the same as the aircraft's bank angle, which means that only the shadow of the fuselage is projected onto the ground, and you can see it below the port wing.
Both the aircraft and the car appear illuminated by the same light source. Also, the dust cloud behind the port engine is bigger than the one on the opposite side, consistent with the left propeller being closer to the ground.

Of course, it could all be a conspiracy against Wikipedia...

[Molesworth 1]

It's definitely been edited in Photoshop, though, according to the metadata.

On the other hand, if it's genuine then with pilots like that who's worried about the Taliban?

[BRL]

It's definitely been edited in Photoshop, though, according to the metadata.

I use Photoshop every day to resize or make simple adjustments to hundreds of photos that I take. He could have simply cropped the picture using Photoshop.

Looks like it is quite windy there, see how far the dust has gone to the right behind the plane, that indicates lots of wind so he could have caught some wind on take off. Saying that though there is no rudder kicked in to combat the cross wind (or flaps either) so anything could be the cause for the plane to be like this! Showmanship perhaps?

[LH2]

Doesn't the plane look a bit small in relation to the pick-up truck and everything else?

[myndebomb]

Bost Airfield

The photo is genuine and was taken from inside a vehicle.
The pilots of the company that fly into Bost airfield often push the envelope which has become an issue with the construction company who is currently upgrading the runway to an asphalt surface. The asphalt plant is about 50 feet high and close to the runway. The construction contractor claims that King Air B 200's and B 1900's have flown too close to the plant for comfort.
I've never witnessed this but certainly have seen some spectacular albeit scary low passes and take offs over the runway. I have a few other photos that you may like.
It is a security sensitive area and the pilots do take counter measures to avoid possible stuff being thrown at them.

[BRL]

I have a few other photos that you may like.

More pics please mate!!

[myndebomb]

Photos

Pardon my ignorance but I have just joined and cannot find a way to attach photos on this forum . Perhaps you could advise on how to do it or I could send them to an email address.

[Deeday]

You have to upload them elsewhere first (e.g. on photobucket.com) and then you can embed them into your post with "Insert Image" (if they are not too large, not to mess up the forum layout, please), or you can link them from your post ("Insert Link").

Cheers.

[myndebomb]

Uncropped copy of photo in question

I hope this works

<a href="Bost airfield, Lashkar gah picture by myndebomb - Photobucket" target="_blank"><img src="http://i722.photobucket.com/albums/w...inquestion.jpg" border="0" alt="Bost airfield, Lashkar gah"></a>

[Yeah]

Are u an author of these photos?

priv

[FRN]

Lash take off

I read with interest the speculation if the picture isreal. I can assure you it is real and not tampered with in anyway. I wasthere on the day. I was further up the runway and have my own photos of the flypast.
FB