douglas a-4 skyhawk

Friday Photo: A-4 from a TA-4

It was an 'exchange' tour where the Navy flew a a two-ship to NKP with one of the aircraft a two-seat TA-4 and the pilot in that back seat would stay in my 'rack' at NKP.  The two A-4s would return to the Hancock with me occupying that back seat and I would stay in his 'rack' aboard the carrier.  It was supposed to be a three-day exchange with each of us getting to experience several missions in the other's airplane.
favorite photos 2024

Favorite Friday Photos of 2024

Air Facts popular "Friday photo" features some spectacular views and amazing memories to share with the aviation community. Thank you for those photos and we're sure the best is yet to come. Enjoy these 10 most popular photos from 2024.
lower manhattan

Friday Photo: Lower Manhattan on Halloween

My instructor Justin and I flew the Hudson VFR corridor on Halloween night 2024. Justin taught me the tricks of night flying, while we treated ourselves to a magnificent view of NYC skyline. The stiff 25 knots headwind on the downriver leg provided us with the perfect pace to fully appreciate the majestic Manhattan skyscrapers.
golden gate bridge

Friday Photo: Afternoon Stratus Enveloping the Golden Gate Bridge

My student had just passed her Private Pilot checkride in the airplane. Not surprisingly, she was wiped! So I got to fly us home to Palo Alto Airport. We got a wonderful view of Karl The Fog eating the Golden Gate Bridge.
ozark sunset

Friday Photo: Sunset Over the Ozarks

Pilots in this area are so fortunate to have private strip owners who will share their beautiful landing locations. I was lucky enough to make landings at three of the available strips. There have been times when the wildlife refused to leave their grazing spots, as I’m forced to enjoy a low pass.  Still, never a bad way to spend the evening.

Friday Photo: Texas Skies on a Fun Fuel Run

The Texas skies enroute to Cherokee County Airport (KJSO), Jacksonville, Texas for fuel in the Sonex. Every flight is a gift! Cherish all of them.
rnav approach

Friday Photo: RNAV Approach at Cumberland Regional Airport

Conditions and visibility kept changing due to haze. Density altitude at CBE was over 3,000’ and, with airport elevation at 775' and the mountain straight ahead, I decided to go missed and fly to the alternate of MRB (Martinsburg, West Virginia). 
cape cod sunset

Friday Photo: Sunset at Cape Cod Gateway Airport

We took a quick flight to one of our favorite ice cream places near Chatham Municipal Airport (KCQX) on a beautiful July evening. Upon landing back at KHYA we were treated to this sunset. Truly the cherry on top!
reno air races

Friday Photo: Reno Air Races 2023

Sport class racers join up on the pace plane for the final Reno Air Races of 2023.
ov-10 bronco

Friday Photo: Wild Broncos Over Laos

Somewhere over Laos in late 1972, I was ‘sandbagging’ with another Nail FAC.  Sandbagging consisted of riding in their backseat logging time, but also providing an extra set of eyes watching out for bad guys shooting at us as well as monitoring/answering the five radios that many times all came active at one time!

Friday photo: upside down smiles over Arkansas

With full parental consent, and a long discussion with my granddaughter, Maddie, of expectations, we got to go for our first aerobatic ride together. I think the photo shows how much she loved it. I will always remember the end of the flight when she said, “paw paw SA, can we do some more?”
seaplane on beach

Friday photo: If pigs could fly

Maule beached at a popular tourist atraction in the Bahamas along side some pigs—one of the many fun moments during an 11,000+hr commercial seaplane career!

Friday Photo: forest fire off the wing

Jim Yares took this photo while flying his Cirrus from Buchanan Field in Concord, CA, to North Las Vegas, NV, via the famous “Trona Corridor”—a VFR path cut through the Edwards Air Force Base complex. This is a great way to get from Northern California to Las Vegas without going high over the hostile mountain terrain of the central Sierra Nevada.
cuban eight

Friday photo: half cuban eight

Half Cuban Eight with a 1 1/2 roll over Springdale, Arkansas.
steep turn

Friday photo: knocking off the rust in the practice area

Beautiful skies in the local practice area in a 45 degree steep turn. I remember initially practicing this maneuver over a decade ago with my instructor (Cory) and learning how valuable pitch trim is during the maneuver. That was a big help practicing the maneuver again all these years later. 
niagara falls

Friday photo: Niagara Falls for the solar eclipse

Flying the family to Niagara Falls to see the total solar eclipse. My fondest memory is my 7-year old son shouting, "That's amazing! Oh my gosh! How are we doing this?"
two boeings

Friday photo: two Boeings

I had been flying local ride flights from the FBO ramp with a Boeing 737 BBJ parked close by.  During a break between rides, I was admiring the two aircraft from the same manufacturer. Their vast differences in design and function, yet commonality of mission and operation at a basic level.
piper arrow

Friday photo: When I grow up, I want to be…

On the ramp at Charlotte Monroe Executive Airport (KEQY)the morning after the 2015 Warbirds over Monroe airshow, seeing my airplane parked next to this beautiful warbird, I could almost hear it saying, “When I grow up, I want to be …”
otto pilot

Friday photo: DC-6 “autopilot”

Inflight demonstration of the DC-6 “autopilot”. It’s actually a Playtex glove which was rubber-banded to a cold-air eyeball outlet near the control wheel. The geometry was perfect and the glove mimicked the yoke movement. The dishwashing glove actually pulsated given the uneven airflow from the vent. 
tyndal glacier

Friday photo: flying up the Tyndall Glacier

On a bucket list flying adventure to Alaska, I cuaght this image flying up the Tyndal Glacier at the head of Icy Bay. There are too many memories to describe. The entire experience was surreal!