Archive for category: Friday Photo

x-cub

Friday Photo: Fly Over Territory

Winter was coming to an end. The trees had not yet started to bud, but the temperatures were warming, and the skies were inviting. I decided to take the Cub out for a scenic flight and shake the dust off both the airplane and myself after the long winter.

sunset

Friday Photo: Red Skies at Night

A beautiful sunset over Florida’s west coast. This red sky at night proved to be a warning, not a delight.

waco

Friday Photo: Best Spot at AirVenture

The wood and bronze trim inside these airplanes highlights the craftsmanship that defined aviation’s early years. The shaded trees and green grass of KOSH are also a welcome break from the asphalt taxiways and runways.

Friday Photo: Side Step Departure

I set off on a round robin flight, including several strips with multiple planned landings to shake off the dust. Crystal Lake sits down in a small valley, and winds can be tricky. But, on this day, light winds made it a perfect stop for some trips in the pattern.

formation

Friday Photo: Evening Formation

From my seat, I could see it all come together—discipline, precision, and trust—set against the kind of sky you wish you could pause. One of the best things about flying is finding new things to learn.

airventure

Friday Photo: Enjoying AirVenture

The skies were blue, the clouds peaceful and white. The aircraft were awesome as always. One positive about the digital world is the ability to change “film” on demand. So, a switch to black and white and some push processing in the lab, and all of a sudden, this could be the skies over a war torn land somewhere far off.

circles

Friday Photo: Circles in the Sky

Despite this being January, beautiful weather still was covering our area. As the skies provided some action with cloud cover, I decided to capture some stills as opposed to video for later analysis of all of my mistakes. I was fortunate that Mother Nature and the flight path lined up to provide an opportunity to capture some amazing colors and action from the day.

aspens

Friday Photo: Aspens in the Rockies

I finally got the mountain flying course on the schedule. I booked for the first week of October, and I hit the landscape lottery. By sheer chance, three days of flying in the heart of the Rockies coincided with the peak of colors in the Aspens. It was my first experience flying small GA in the Rockies, and I was just stunned.

martha's vineyard

Friday Photo: Martha’s Vineyard

Approaching Martha’s Vineyard, nearly 17 miles of the island's southern shoreline perfectly traced the wing's leading edge. The famous all-grass Katama Airfield 1B2 in frame, along with Edgartown to its north, home of many famous scenes for the movie Jaws. A quiet, peaceful moment that reinvigorates your senses, reminding one of the beauty and privilege of flight.

ultralight

Friday Photo: Sunset Flight

Enjoying the annual Holbrook (NSW, Australia) Ultralight Club Easter Fly-In. Camping under-wing with great food cooked in the kitchen next to the hangar which houses Australia's Ultralight Museum. There was good wine, good company, and an excellent after-dinner speaker.

Friday Photo: Antique Aircraft

Air to air photo taken over La Jolla, California from a 1947 Luscombe 8A, flown by Stewart Macpherson of a 1946 Aeronca Champ (Wes Ramos) and a J-3 Piper Cub (Vicki Schwebach) participating in the San Diego Chapter of the Antique Airplane Association's La Jolla Christmas Parade.

aeroshell

Friday Photo: Night Moves Over Oshkosh

It was my first time back to AirVenture since the late 90s. My wife and I were thoroughly enjoying being in Oshkosh and seeing all of the aircraft, displays, and people. We had seen 3 of the daily air shows, and we were enjoying our first ever night airshow.

pilots

Friday Photo: Flying Never Gets Old

Two 80-year-old pilots and an 80-year-old airplane—Major General Rosenfeld was a geosciences professor at Oregon State and flew numerous photo and sensor missions over Mount St. Helens, briefing President Carter and governors across the Pacific Northwest. Colonel Polansky was a pilot in their OV-1 Mohawk unit and later trained pilots at United, Cathay Pacific, and Asiana. They are now enjoying retirement and flying in Arizona.

Friday Photo: Watercolor Painting

Flying off the western coast of Florida near Ocala at 3,000 feet on an instructional flight in a Mooney Ovation. The lighting at 6pm made this look like a watercolor painting.

Friday Photo: Gateway to the Ozarks

The Fly Oz Club hosts a gathering on the upper patio at Bentonville Municipal Airport (KVBT) on the first Thursday of every month. I can drive over an hour in traffic, or take a 15 minute Cub flight. On this evening, winds were calm, clouds were friendly, and the sun was setting. Landing on 17 Grass was never in question. I’m thankful every day for these flying opportunities and the beauty that is so very accessible in Northwest Arkansas.

YOSEMITE

Friday Photo: Yosemite National Park

We planned a trip that would combine training with some unforgettable scenery. The route took us over Yosemite and Monterey on the way west, with a return leg featuring views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Napa Valley, and Lake Tahoe. It was a productive flight—and a spectacular one.

clouds above

Friday Photo: Clouds Above

A flight to explore some of the backcountry strips around Northwest Arkansas did not go exactly as planned. Winds were stronger than expected, and they were swirling in the hills. Most of the strips I planned to visit were blown out. I do this for fun, and these landings would not have been fun. So, I just spent a couple of Hobbs Hours flying around and seeing the sights. Sometimes, the best sight is in the sky above.

sunrise

Friday Photo: Sunrise Over the Atlantic

Several times per week I fly back and forth from my home in Ocean Reef (Key Largo) to my office in Fort Lauderdale in my 182. This particular morning at Sunrise was simply awe inspiring. Detached from the earth, the majesty of flight is a profound gift.

sr22

Friday Photo: Cruising Above LIFR

North Carolina back to Iowa, with LIFR blanketing much of the Midwest and the Blue Ridge. On the trip east, conditions lined up perfectly: the entire Cedar Rapids, Iowa (KCID)–Wilson, North Carolina (W03) leg flown at 11,000 feet with a 45-mph tailwind, 65% power LOP, and a comfortable landing with 19 gallons remaining (alternate plus a 45-minute reserve).

Five Favorite Friday Photos of 2025

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 top 5 stunning photos from 2025.