From Generation to Generation: Recreating a Memorable Pose with an Airplane, 40 Years Apart
Decades apart, a heartwarming tale unfolds as Brian Aerni, once photographed by his father next to an airplane, embarks on a journey to Canada with his own son to recreate the cherished moment A testament to enduring family bonds that transcend time
In 1976, Brian Aerni's favorite photo of himself was captured when he was only three years old. At the time, he lived in Denver, Colorado, where his father was a station agent at Stapleton International Airport, which was the city's main aviation hub. Aerni was fascinated by airplanes and deeply admired his father's job at the airport. As a young child, he eagerly accompanied his dad to work, enjoying the sights of planes taking off and landing.
During a family trip to the airport, Aerni's dad captured a moment of his son standing front and center, beaming in a white t-shirt and plaid pants. In the background, a Convair 580 propeller aircraft adorned in Frontier Airlines' white and blue colors. Aerni's fascination with aviation only intensified as he grew older, ultimately achieving his pilot's license at the age of 50 and owning his own small private plane. A framed copy of the 1976 airport photo now holds a place of honor in his home.
Back in 2015, Aerni became curious about the fate of the aircraft featured in a photo and after researching, he discovered that it had ended up in Canada, owned by Conair, a company that repurposed it into a firefighting aircraft. This sparked an idea in Aerni's mind, as he now had a son and daughter and wondered if they could recreate the photo, especially since his son resembled him at the same age.
40 years later
Aerni tracked down the aircraft and recreated the 1976 photograph with his young son.
Courtesy Brian Aerni
Aerni impulsively called Conair and was pleasantly surprised by the company's enthusiasm for his photography project. They were eager to have him visit. Shortly after, Aerni and his wife were on a flight to Canada, making sure to pick up a pair of plaid trousers for their son to wear in the recreated photo.
Aerni, an aviation enthusiast, had a fantastic time visiting the Conair facility in Abbottsford, Canada. "The staff were incredibly friendly and gave us a tour of their facility, and we even had the opportunity to go up in one of their airplanes," he reminisces. "We also tried our best to recreate a memorable photo."
In 2015, Aernis 3-year-old son flawlessly replicated his father's 1976 pose, complete with arms behind his back and a big smile. His parents even managed to find plaid trousers that resembled his father's 1970s pair. In the recreated photo, the aircraft is now painted red and white, but still instantly recognizable. Aerni couldn't resist posing with his children in front of the plane, with his arms around his son and daughter.
Aerni expressed, "Seeing the aircraft again brought a smile to my face. I'm grateful to have captured the pictures." The only sadness was that Aerni's father had passed away the year before and was unable to join the excursion or view the photos from the trip.
"I was hoping that he could have come along," Aerni tells CNN Travel. "I think he would have enjoyed the photo recreation."
Aerni posed for a photo with his daughter and son too.
Courtesy Brian Aerni
Throughout the day, as he toured the Conair facility and recreated the 1976 photo, Aerni felt a strong connection to his father. When he later shared the recreated photo with his mother, she was delighted. Aerni also posted the images online for fellow aviation enthusiasts to see, and they were met with great interest and enthusiasm. Additionally, his local newspaper ran a front-page story on the photos and the accompanying story.
A kid posed with his pilot dad in an airplane. Almost 30 years later they recreated the photo
Family ties
Here's Aerni pictured at the airport in the 1970s with his father.
Brian Aerni's 12-year-old son does not share his father's passion for aviation at the moment, but both of Aerni's children enjoy occasional trips in his private airplane. Aerni is starting to wonder if his 10-year-old daughter, who has a daredevil streak, may be the one to follow in his footsteps and become a pilot one day.
"He says she adores the thrilling fair rides and enjoys the excitement of turbulence and bumps. For Aerni, the photos serve as a reminder of the lasting influence family can have across generations. If it weren't for his father's job at the airport, he may never have discovered his passion for aviation, which has shaped his life. Aerni eagerly anticipates supporting and sharing his children's future interests as well."
Here's Brian and his daughter photographed in his plane.
Brian Aerni was informed earlier this year that the aircraft featured in the 1976 and 2014 photos had been taken apart and sold for scrap. Despite feeling a twinge of sadness upon hearing the news, he was also very thankful for the chance to see the plane again and capture those moments in photographs.
Looking back at the pilgrimage today, Aerni admits it was "kind of crazy."
"It was a lot of money to go just to create a photo," he says.
Six years later, Aerni has no regrets. He now has a couple of favorite photos that rival the original 1976 picture. The photo of his son beside the plane now hangs beneath the original, and he enjoys looking at them together. "They always make me smile," he says.
