First off, let me be clear - I am not a plane spotter. Plane spotting isn't something I've ever considered as a hobby. But something unusual happened in late November 2024 that grabbed my attention. A plane buzzed over my head, and its engine pitch and tone shifted dramatically from high to low, over and over again. This kind of sound was unlike anything I have ever heard in the skies above Ipoh.
Naturally, curiosity got the better of me. I stepped outside, looked up, and there it was: a plane performing aerobatics in the sky. It was looping, rolling, and zooming around with what seemed like effortless grace. My first thought?
"Who's flying that, and isn't it incredibly dangerous?"
This wasn't a one-time occurrence either. The plane returned repeatedly over the next few days, so often that I lost count. Sometimes it danced far off in the distance; other times, it roared directly overhead, close enough to make me stop whatever I was doing.
Finally, after several attempts, I managed to capture a few decent photo of the plane with my Canon SX530 HS superzoom camera. The markings on the fuselage read "9M-GTR." A quick Google search revealed the plane to be a GB1 GameBird with that very registration number.
Not only did I snap a photo, but I also recorded a short video of its aerobatics.
Filming a high-speed plane at such a great distance was no easy feat, and I've realised I need to polish my skills in capturing fast-moving objects overhead. But for a first attempt, I'd say it wasn't too shabby! The video was shot handheld through one of my upstairs south facing window.
Reflecting on the experience, I can't help but feel a newfound appreciation for the skill and precision it must take to fly like that. While plane spotting may not be my thing, this unexpected encounter definitely added some excitement to my week and gave me a story to share.
Buy Canon Powershot SX530 HS from Amazon.com
(Note: An Amazon.com affiliate link)
