Written By Lisa Breslin
Things that lure us out of the house to look up at the sky: double rainbows, flocks of low-flying geese against the glow of a sunset, a solar eclipse, presidential or military helicopters and, occasionally, the MetLife Snoopy blimp.
Not long after the MetLife blimp left Westminster Airport this summer, pilot Jeff Capek took time away from his tight schedule to reveal what it is like to maneuver an airship known as “Snoopy One.”
“The main function of the blimp is to get great aerial shots of sporting and special events for the television networks,” Capek said. “This is an amazing job. It lets me live two passions: golf and flying.”
A resident of Jacksonville, Florida, Capek graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and always figured he would fly planes. But when a friend casually suggested that he should pilot a blimp, Capek thought, “Why not?”
For nine years he has piloted blimps and enjoyed what he is sure is “the best seat in the house” for events ranging from the US Open and PGA Championship, to NFL football games across the country.
“May through October is my busiest flight time,” Capek said. “I usually cover around 50 events a year.”
Traveling with the MetLife blimp takes up to 14 crew members, including two pilots and 12 crewmen. The ground crew includes electronic engineers, mechanics, licensed radio technicians, and riggers. In addition to these specialized personnel, each MetLife blimp operation requires five ground support vehicles to move the blimp and crew from one location to the next.
“The logistics linked to this job are crazy,” Capek said. “I spend a lot of time calling around for hotels for 13 people, coordinating with airports and staying within budget. And I’m talking to tons of people without sitting in an office with a copier or other office accouterments. I’m just a blimp pilot in a mobile office.”
Actually flying the blimp, Capek said, “is like being on a board on high seas with 50-foot waves. But you can’t see the waves. Air currents gust and then die; there is a constant up and down motion. This job strengthens your stomach; if you have motion sickness – you get over it early in your career.”
There have been no oh-my-gosh moments while flying Snoopy One, Capek said. “You have to try hard for things to go wrong. The weather is our worst enemy, but we all do our homework and we avoid extreme up drafts and down drafts. We call it an early day if we have to.”
The real challenge, he added, is actually positioning the blimp just right so the camera crew can get the perfect shot.
“Most people have no idea how hard it is to get great golf shots,” Capek said. “It’s really challenging. I’m piloting the blimp while listening to a director, a producer, on-air feed and the crew. And it’s important that I try to anticipate what the director wants.”
Capek’s talent for getting great golf shots is featured in an hour-long documentary produced by PGA TOUR Productions. Titled “The Best Shot in Golf,” the film aired on CBS in May, but will be shown again on Aug. 16, at 2 p.m.
Capek is proud of the documentary, though he confessed that there would be a few things that he would love to do over again.
“My girlfriend and I were running around like crazy to clean up the house before the film crew came in at 7 a.m. I was tired, jacked up on coffee and sitting in an uncomfortable chair during that home interview,” Capek said. “And they filmed me on my motorcycle and then playing golf. I don’t want to talk about that score. They only followed me for six holes.”
“Overall, it was an amazing experience to be part of that documentary,” Capek added. “The film really captures exactly what it takes to get the golf shots we provide for network television stations.”
While Capek is flying Snoopy One from one event to another and positioning it for the perfect shot, friends and family bolster his spirits from home.
“We talk on the phone a lot and I send him video pictures of our dog, Coco,” said Capek’s girlfriend, Kim Steed.“I’ll never forget the first time he flew over the house and called.”
Capek’s mother, Donna Bazzano, has another perspective. When he flew over her home in Springdale, Florida, she said, “I ran out into the yard with the telephone, a camera and binoculars. I couldn’t wait to see him. I’m really happy for him because he likes his job, and that’s what everyone could wish for their children.”
For more information about Snoopy One and/or the documentary: www.metlife.com.
