Friday photo: Hollywood sign

For destinations east, SoCal Departure will often direct pilots along the ridge of the Hollywood Hills. A glance and quick snap below delivered my new favorite view of this iconic landmark.

Friday photo: Dutch flower fields…spring in the Netherlands

During April/May, each year, the Dutch flower fields are in bloom and many visitors from abroad come over to view the fields.

Friday photo: Lake Tyrrell in northwestern Victoria, Australia

Capturing photos of this ancient salt lake which has evidence of indigenous occupation over the last 45,000 years. The lake is host to kangaroos, emus, white-faced chats and an inland gullery.

Friday photo: early morning over Sedona, AZ

We left in the early morning to avoid high winds and turbulence associated with winter storm Olive.  The shadows that the rock formations made around Sedona created a gorgeous view of the topography and was highlighted by the airport the rests on top of a mesa by Sedona.

Friday photo: The Las Vegas Strip

This trip was my first flight into North Las Vegas, and it was busy even after the tower had closed.  I was very focused on flying the departure procedure so I hadn't given any thought to where the procedure would take us relative to the city.

Friday photo: Boeing 737 shadow

We were beginning a descent into a lower overcast with the late afternoon sun slightly behind and on the right side. I happened to look out the left side window and was amazed to see the airplane’s shadow perfectly silhouetted against the cloud deck.

Friday photo: turning on a tail

My husband and I discovered flying in Costa Rica last year. We had the pleasure of exploring the land of Pura Vida by renting an airplane based at the Pavas (MRPV) airport, along with a local instructor. Through researching options available for GA opportunities, we found an excellent flight school in San Jose that gave us the direction and training to explore this beautiful country from the air.

Friday photo: last of the frontier DC-3s

My Dad wanted us to experience airline travel in a DC-3 before they were replaced with Convair 580 turboprops. I still remember the flight as it was my first in an airliner. We sat on the left side, towards the back.

Friday photo: Oahu at night from FL380

Oahu, HI and Honolulu International Airport (PHNL) shot from FL380 aboard a B787-9 Dreamliner enroute from Vancouver (CYVR) to Brisbane (YBBN).

Friday photo: Generations of air travel

The view: A DC-3 sits outside the Frontiers of Flight museum ramp as a 737NG shadow departs.  The first 737-300 delivered to Southwest airlines is also just visible in the upper left corner. The pilot: Chris Schaich The airplane: Boeing…

Friday photo: Grand Canyon wrapped in a blanket

Maximum depth of the Grand Canyon is 6000', shortest width is 600' with an average of 10 miles in most places.  Even BonBon could do the simple math.  So we puckered up for a "scenic flight" across one of the great seven wonders.

Friday photo: 5,500′ over the mountains north of Asheville

5,500’ over the North Carolina mountains north of Asheville, NC. It was a glassy smooth evening with the leaves changing colors. Gorgeous!

Friday photo: The Guitar Tree

The history behind this amazing creation by the farm owner said it was a gift to her wife. The Cypress and Eucalyptus trees covering around 25 hectares were planted by 1970 having a height of 15 to 25 centimeters at that time.
Bahamas water

Friday Photo: beautiful Bahamas water

As we flew across the southwest corner of Eleuthera, the water got very green and looked very shallow. It was nearly impossible to tell where the surface of the water was. We were just at the right altitude to see the greenish cast in the water, white clouds, and blue sky at the same time. There were just two frames like this before the colors faded.

Friday Photo: shooting the gap

Sometimes the detour is the best part of the flight. That's the view from the left seat of Chris Granelli's Cessna 210: "Spectacular views of filtered evening light between the dark scattered storms, including more than one rainbow and even more deviations. Well worth the added flight-time. Both ways."

Friday Photo: smoke on

There's nothing like an airshow, especially when the white smoke from the performers streaks across a perfectly blue sky. That's the image Santiago Arbelaez captures in this Friday Photo, and the Beech 18 in the foreground isn't bad either. As he says, "Keep the image—sorry, the symphonic sound can’t be reproduced!"
R44 view

Friday Photo: New York helicopter views

The first opportunity I got to take my wife up in the R44 as a pilot. We took a ride west along the south shore of Long Island up to the Hudson River. We passed the Statue of Liberty and the amazing views from the sky of Manhattan. It was a memorable experience and I cannot wait to do it again!
Sunset wing

Friday Photo: sunset over South Carolina

For Duncan Witte, the shorter days of fall aren't all bad, especially when his Piper Arrow is involved. "I really enjoy evening and night flying in the autumn. The weather is getting cooler, the air is smooth, and you sometimes get a spectacular sunset like this one."
Ercoupe takeoff

Friday Photo: Miss Piggy and me

Still can't believe I can fly by myself at the age of 70. What an accomplishment for a farm girl from Kentucky. The thrill of flying friends and family or just getting away from the earth when you just want to be alone... I always say it's as close as I can get to God and not die, He and I talk a lot when I'm up there.
MTN airport

Friday Photo: waterfront runway

I started my Private Pilot journey at this airport at Middle River Aviation. In the spring I did a fly over of the airport, doing a transition over the class delta airspace due to the DC SFRA and Aberdeen Proving Grounds restricted area. And then three months later I became a one tenth owner of a Cessna 172SP hangared at this same airport. I had no idea at the time that it would become my home airport as an airplane owner.