What have you seen from "up there"
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sdfcvoh
This is my Custom Title
Xcaliber
El Chupacabra
That's your submission for ugly, right?
(Go Cats!)I think one of the coolest things I've seen before from the air was on my first night cross country. I was flying MHK-SLN-MHK. The route back takes you south of Fort Riley, where there's some restricted airspace due to artillery and tanks. Anyways, coming back on this cross country, first there were lots of fires burning in the area due to all the agricultural controlled-burning going on, so that was pretty cool. But then coming in south of Ft. Riley, we looked north and could see all the tracers from the tanks and artillery going off. That was pretty sweet.
flynby23
Well-Known Member
One of the most memorable sights for me was when I was still pre-solo flying laps in the pattern and on downwind the tower said there goes the shuttle. So the first shuttle launch I'd ever seen was while I was in mid air myself.
My first reaction of course was to look to my right and watch the big flame race into the sky, when the next moment I got one of the best lessons I've ever got. Of course that was to fly the plane first no matter what you want to look at a certain moment. I couldn't tell you any other detail about flying that day.
My first reaction of course was to look to my right and watch the big flame race into the sky, when the next moment I got one of the best lessons I've ever got. Of course that was to fly the plane first no matter what you want to look at a certain moment. I couldn't tell you any other detail about flying that day.
ASpilot2be
Qbicle seat warmer
Hmmmm....
- Going on a flight up the Knik with my instructor flying and hugging the mountain side watching goats. Then getting high enough to just look over the mountains to get a peek of Prince William Sound.
- Flying Kenai to Wasilla and flying over Cook Inlet, hugging the mountain side along Anchorage and watching the heavies land and take off from ANC.
- Flying the pattern in Palmer and watching a wind storm of 30+MPH kick up a huge dust storm.
- Flying into Talkeetna and seeing Mt. Denali from a distance.
- On a flight with a family friend going through mountain passes over to Glacier Bay, then flying over a glacier that just drops off a thousand feet or so.
jrh
Well-Known Member
My goodness...I've got too many things to count.
I've seen...
Personal fireworks exploding all over the city of Seattle (literally dozens going off at any given moment), right at sunset on July 3rd, while on a XC with a student in a 152, staying down low to stay out of SEA's Class B airspace.
Sunset over Mount Ranier while flying an Arrow.
Sunset over the snow-capped peaks of western Montana while instructing a friend in his 182.
Heck, pretty much any sunset from the air is amazing.
Both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. After spending most of my life in the midwest, oceans still impress me!
A string of planes ahead of me, all evenly spaced and cruising at exactly 90 knots, while I was #6 in line to land my Cessna 140 at the EAA Arlington Airshow, just north of Seattle.
The world upside down (while learning loops in a Citabria).
Waterbombers dropping their loads on a wildfire underneath me (yes, I was above the TFR).
Crossing the barren nothingness of western Nebraska (about a 150 mile stretch) at 500 ft. AGL in my 140. There is NOTHING out there except some cattle and a little farmhouse every few miles.
Multi-million dollar estates in the suburbs of Philadelphia. And I mean multi-million dollar...fountains, landscaping, pools, guest houses, the works.
Flying down the Columbia River gorge, just east of Portland, Oregon, with both canyon walls rising in to the overcast layer above me. Actually, I could say this about several mountain passes, and they've all been beautiful.
Some HUGE race track of some sort in Indiana. It was simply labeled "test track" on the sectional. I've attached a picture of it, as I crossed over at about 4500 ft. AGL. Does anyone know what this is?
The faces of both my parents in the plane with me, while taking them out for a $200 burger in an Aztec. The only time I've flown with both of them in the plane at the same time. Is that too cheesy and sentimental?
Downtown Seattle, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Kansas City, Portland, etc. Flying low over any major metro area is pretty cool.
And many, many more.
Wow...wow...I'm a really lucky guy.
I've seen...
Personal fireworks exploding all over the city of Seattle (literally dozens going off at any given moment), right at sunset on July 3rd, while on a XC with a student in a 152, staying down low to stay out of SEA's Class B airspace.
Sunset over Mount Ranier while flying an Arrow.
Sunset over the snow-capped peaks of western Montana while instructing a friend in his 182.
Heck, pretty much any sunset from the air is amazing.
Both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. After spending most of my life in the midwest, oceans still impress me!
A string of planes ahead of me, all evenly spaced and cruising at exactly 90 knots, while I was #6 in line to land my Cessna 140 at the EAA Arlington Airshow, just north of Seattle.
The world upside down (while learning loops in a Citabria).
Waterbombers dropping their loads on a wildfire underneath me (yes, I was above the TFR).
Crossing the barren nothingness of western Nebraska (about a 150 mile stretch) at 500 ft. AGL in my 140. There is NOTHING out there except some cattle and a little farmhouse every few miles.
Multi-million dollar estates in the suburbs of Philadelphia. And I mean multi-million dollar...fountains, landscaping, pools, guest houses, the works.
Flying down the Columbia River gorge, just east of Portland, Oregon, with both canyon walls rising in to the overcast layer above me. Actually, I could say this about several mountain passes, and they've all been beautiful.
Some HUGE race track of some sort in Indiana. It was simply labeled "test track" on the sectional. I've attached a picture of it, as I crossed over at about 4500 ft. AGL. Does anyone know what this is?
The faces of both my parents in the plane with me, while taking them out for a $200 burger in an Aztec. The only time I've flown with both of them in the plane at the same time. Is that too cheesy and sentimental?
Downtown Seattle, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Kansas City, Portland, etc. Flying low over any major metro area is pretty cool.
And many, many more.
Wow...wow...I'm a really lucky guy.
JaceTheAce
Well-Known Member
1) Watching Aurora Borealis on a solo cross country in a Piper Warrior over northern Minnesota.
2) Flying a 172 over the Golden Gate Bridge and around San Francisco.
3) Flying a Beech Duchess from San Diego to Paso Robles for a 5 day wine-tasting excursion... then the fun flight with my Dad and brother over Hearst Castle with an unrestricted view of William Hearst's property all the way to the Pacific Ocean and beyond.
Pics from Hearst Castle flight from last July:
You can see Hearst's private airport in the distance...then the Pacific Ocean.
2) Flying a 172 over the Golden Gate Bridge and around San Francisco.
3) Flying a Beech Duchess from San Diego to Paso Robles for a 5 day wine-tasting excursion... then the fun flight with my Dad and brother over Hearst Castle with an unrestricted view of William Hearst's property all the way to the Pacific Ocean and beyond.
Pics from Hearst Castle flight from last July:
You can see Hearst's private airport in the distance...then the Pacific Ocean.
charlie1017
Well-Known Member
The beautiful white sand beaches and the awesome coral reefs of Culebra island in Puerto Rico and St Thomas in the USVI... I wish I had the pics to show them.
cmsuav8r
Well-Known Member
That's your submission for ugly, right?
I think one of the coolest things I've seen before from the air was on my first night cross country. I was flying MHK-SLN-MHK. The route back takes you south of Fort Riley, where there's some restricted airspace due to artillery and tanks. Anyways, coming back on this cross country, first there were lots of fires burning in the area due to all the agricultural controlled-burning going on, so that was pretty cool. But then coming in south of Ft. Riley, we looked north and could see all the tracers from the tanks and artillery going off. That was pretty sweet.
Nope, it was definitely the most beautiful thing I've seen from the air! ROCK CHALK!!!!!
Velocipede
New Member
Lots of Auroras. The space shuttle launching (impressive, even from 20 miles away!). A lunar eclipse from start to finish.
TheOneMarine
Well-Known Member
-Disney shooting off fireworks while comming back into KISM.
-Manatees while low flying Venice beach.
-Breaking through a thick overcast in PA and climbing into the bluest, clearest sky on top and thinking its rainy and dreary below. Makes you love what you do.
-Manatees while low flying Venice beach.
-Breaking through a thick overcast in PA and climbing into the bluest, clearest sky on top and thinking its rainy and dreary below. Makes you love what you do.
TurdBird
Well-Known Member
Flying down to Marathon during the summer and circling over the tiki bar/sand bar; having people wave at us from the water. They had no clue how big the shark was that was circling about 10-15 feet from them. I'm talking this thing was 10ft plus.
Another one is flying with the air unit and tracking people at night. The FLIR is one cool tool.
Another one is flying with the air unit and tracking people at night. The FLIR is one cool tool.
MusketeerMan
Well-Known Member
My college roommates mooning me on the 9th hole in Santa Barbara...from about 500 AGL....amongst other things.