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.

Friday Photo: Spitfire Over St. Louis

The airshow was a myriad of wonderful performers and warbirds painting the blue skies with their passes. The sounds of the engines provided the soundtrack for what was just a wonderful and very memorable day. Seeing a Supermarine Spitfire passing by was truly a treat. It’s just amazing to think what these machines accomplished 80+ years ago. It’s a privilege to see them flying still today.
thunderstorm

Friday Photo: Deviating for Thunderstorms

Flying at 12,000 feet over St. Louis deviating around thunderstorms was like flying in the Canyons. Kudos to the Kansas Center facility for their help. It was a mostly smooth flight and a periodic aircraft wash.
backcountry

Friday Photo: Backcountry Airstrip

Precision flying in the backcountry can be important.  Thankfully, Byrds provides plenty of room for practicing precision.  The runway is long, the go around is forgiving, and the scenery is spectacular.  Just check the DA before you go in heavy.  There was plenty of runway, but I was spending the day trying not to waste any under my tires as I was working on spot landings.
salt lake

Friday Photo: The Color of Salt

Cruising toward Ogden on a smooth afternoon, I noticed the Great Salt Lake take on an unexpected shade of purple beneath me. The sun, the salt, and the sky seemed to blend together in a way I’d never seen before.

Friday Photo: Aeroshell at AirVenture

It was my first trip back to AirVenture in a long time.  Watching the airshow with my wife and tens of thousands of others who love all that Oshkosh provides.  The Aeroshell Team was and is one of my favorites.  The sounds of the radial engines, the massive amount of smoke, and the precision flying form an aerial ballet that touches my soul.
barnegat light

Friday Photo: Barnegat Light and Lighthouse

An evening slow flight over Ocean County barrier island in New Jersey at 1,200 feet. Excellent weather, no winds, and CAVU environment with the Barnegat Inlet and summer boaters below in the Barnegat Bay.
classics

Friday Photo: Classics, Old and New

Twelve days without flying is hard on the psyche. Finally, a break in the rains allowed me to hop up in the cub. My buddy, Brady, reached out, and we connected on the air to air frequency. He had to drag everything to slow to cub speeds for a brief interlude in the sky. An original classic with a new model based on a classic, made for a memorable encounter.