Friday photo: The Silver Hawk – 1981 Cessna 172P

The Silver Hawk, a 1981 Cessna 172P, was the ONLY Skyhawk painted silver to mark the Silver (25th) Anniversary of the venerable Skyhawk. Taken over Lake Fork, Texas, the 40+ year-old ORIGINAL paint still reflects the December afternoon light well.

Friday photo (video): Corsair startup and wing unfold

While waiting for the meeting to start, the CAF towed a Corsair out of their hangar and started it.  Of course, all the Daedalians came outside to watch (and to listen to) this beautiful aircraft start up. 

Friday photo: Dollywood Theme Park, Pigeon Forge, TN

Dollywood Theme Park, Pigeon Forge, TN while heading home after a $100 (well $200, actually) hamburger over Thanksgiving weekend and a beautiful fall day.

Favorite Friday photos of 2023

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. Have a photo to share? Send your photo and description to: [email protected]. 

Friday photo: Departure from Gastons Airport (3M0), Lakeview, Arkansas

The Ozarks, with the hills, rivers, and lakes, have some of the most beautiful grass strips around.  The long evenings of summer make it a great location for a relaxing flight.

Friday photo: Breaking out from a low IFR departure

The view: Low IFR departure just prior to dawn The pilot: Douglas Cole The airplane: King Air E-90 The mission: Transporting company personnel to a job site in Lewiston, ID with several stops on the way. The memory:…

Friday photo: Arrowhead Lake in northern Laos

As a FAC in southeast Asia, it was important to always know where you were and how to expeditiously get the fighter aircraft carrying their bombs to join up with you. We used a lot of terrain features that were easily spotted and widely known by those who flew over that terrain for navigation. Pictured is Arrowhead Lake.

Friday photo: Approach into York, PA (KTHV) Runway 35

Approach to York Airport (KTHV) Runway 35, York, Pennsylvania. The summer brings opportunities for late flying, sunsets, and just beautiful green landscape.

Friday photo: B17 over the Boeing plant

I thought what better than to fly the iconic Boeing B-17G over the Boeing plant to mark the day. Shiny new jets were parked below as the old gal still gracefully flies overhead 87 years since the first B-17 rolled off the assembly floor. 

Friday photo: flying over the southern Nevada and California border

Looking south/southeast over the Nevada and California border on a training/repositioning flight in a CE425 at FL230 flying from Carson City, Nevada (KCXP) to Santa Barbara, California (KSBA).

Friday photo: fishing from the wing of a Maule

No better way to pass the time fishing from the wing of a Maule somewhere in the Exuma Cays, Bahamas while on a charter flight.

Friday photo: Middle Lake and Mount Susitna

During one of my first flight lessons, my instructor flew over a heart shaped lake and I thought it was pretty amazing.  I made it a point to mentally mark its location, just west of Goose Bay which is across the Knik River from Anchorage, AK.

Friday photo: Red Rocks of Sedona

As we ate lunch, a rain shower came through. Not only did we see a rainbow, we watched as my newly painted aircraft was getting soaked. After lunch, the weather had cleared and it was time to fly back.

Friday photo: pyrocumulus cloud in Australia

Capturing a farmer's field burn-off producing a cumulus cloud of its own on reaching the cloud base a thousand feet below me.

Friday photo: deviating around a thunderstorm

As I neared my destination, ATC called and suggested I divert around a thunderstorm along my route. After putting the airplane away, I sent my sister this picture. I forgot about it until she gave me a framed reprint for Christmas.

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.