Mike Killian Photography

On June 2, 2016, I had the honor of working with Team Oracle / Sean Tucker on some photo shoots for that weekend's Great Tennessee Air Show in Smyrna, TN. One of those shoots was with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels #5 Lead Solo Lt. Ryan Chamberlain & #6 Opposing Solo Capt. Jeff Kuss.

Sadly, not long after our shoot finished, Capt. Kuss was lost in a tragic accident. 

I hope these last images of Capt Kuss will put a smile on the faces of his team, family, friends & fans around the country and world.

Blue skies sir, it was truly an honor to share the sky with you, thank you.

All images are copyright 2016 Mike Killian Photography, all rights reserved. Please contact for use.

ABOVE VIDEO: Glenn Watson from Mach Point One Aviation Photography worked with Capt Kuss  & Lt Chamberlain earlier this year as well, along with World Champion Aerobatics Pilot Rob Holland.

To honor Capt Jeff Kuss, we compiled some footage from both of our flights into this tribute video.

Thanks to Eric Tegler at Popular Mechanics for interviewing us and doing a story on our video and work as aviation photographers, re-published on Yahoo too:

www.popularmechanics.com/flight/a21504/video-tribute-to-a-fallen-blue-angel

www.yahoo.com/news/air-show-photographers-made-video-161712933.html

ABOVE VIDEO: To honor Capt Jeff "Kooch" Kuss, the U.S. NAVY F/18 Tac Demo team and Hornet pilot Lt. John "Toby" Keith, World Champion aerobatics pilot Rob Holland and myself teamed up to do a tribute shoot at the Vero Beach Air Show June 24, 2016.

Tac Demo from VFA-106, the GLADIATORS, and Rob Holland honored Capt Kuss with #6 painted on their planes. The Hornet demo team stepped up in place of the Blues at the airshow while the team continued practicing in Pensacola for their return. 

View the gallery of images from that flight HERE.

In this image Lt Chamberlain (5) and Capt Kuss (6) are just joining formation with us, positioning for the planned shots. While shooting their approach I captured this image of the sun reflecting a starburst off Jeff's canopy; and nobody else's. I didn't realize at the time that it even happened (see it happen in the video at 1:35), so upon image review later that day it raised many eyebrows, including mine.