Most spectacular thing you've seen frm the air
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Most spectacular thing you've seen frm the air
As the heading suggests,i'm wondering what the most spectacular thing (scenery,weather phenomenon etc) youve seen from the air is?
would be interesting to hear!
would be interesting to hear!
An inflatable pink flamingo.
Seriously!
About 3000 feet noticed something in my peripheral vision. Glanced across and there it was.
Wondered why radar had not informed me...
Seriously!
About 3000 feet noticed something in my peripheral vision. Glanced across and there it was.
Wondered why radar had not informed me...
Join Date: Aug 2005
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Spitfire
Maybe not that unusual, but whilst doing some skills practice in a C-150 yesterday (I'm still in training), I saw an aircraft coming low and fast from 3 o'clock - the Grace Spitfire on its' way to EGBE.
Not something you see every day!
Cheers,
David
Not something you see every day!
Cheers,
David
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A funnel cloud/mini twister over the Lake District last week. I was flying from Kendal to Carlisle over the fell tops at 2800' and saw what I thought might have been a small funnel cloud about 2 miles off in our 11 o'clock. Cloud base was around 3- 3500' and CBs had been forecast.
Curiosity got the better of me and my colleague and we flew to within about 6-700m to have a beter look. It was definitely a small funnel cloud, maybe 300' long, but with little obvious rotation and it began to disipate as we approached, before forming again as we flew away. Perhaps not my smartest decision, but fortunately no harm done.
One of those occassions I wish I'd had my camera.
Curiosity got the better of me and my colleague and we flew to within about 6-700m to have a beter look. It was definitely a small funnel cloud, maybe 300' long, but with little obvious rotation and it began to disipate as we approached, before forming again as we flew away. Perhaps not my smartest decision, but fortunately no harm done.
One of those occassions I wish I'd had my camera.
Funnel cloud at Bristol two weeks ago. Spectacular and unpleasant at the same time. Pictues appeared in the national press showing us on finals. With their usual accuracy, press reported us as being a jet coming in to land!
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Aiming for Van Nuys CA., in a Clay Lacy LearJet [1983] overhead Pueblo at night and looking down[and up] on streets of Cu with plenty of sparking to earth [and between clouds] when all of a sudden, out of the rounded top of one Cu, just below our level [around FL420] and climbing, a mult-threaded bolt spread over the top of the head [in about five threads] of the Cu and then shot back inside a little lower and a fraction of a second later [like a coronet] and lit up the base for a good few seconds. Electric blue at height and warm and mistily orange below. Badly described but sensationally beautiful to look at. Etched on my brain until I keel over. Even Clay was surprised. Never seen anything like it since.
Aviate1138
Aviate1138
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Big WW2 Yank job, I thought a Mitchel 1,100 below us at about 900, I spotted it over Lewes and watched it track over the Dyke to Shoreham where it did its display. A very impressive sight which gave me an insight into what my Dad used to do.
I was a passenger heading to Toronto when the pilot announced there would be a twenty minute delay before landing. He spent the time circling over Niagra Falls while all the passengers crowded to that side of the plane.
I had a window seat.
I had a window seat.
Combine Operations
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Returning from offshore North Sea at night: no moon, totally dark. Altitude 2,500 ft; undercast, with cloud tops approx. 1,000 ft. We flew over a drilling rig which was flaring. For the uninitiated, these flares are far from steady, but flicker and sputter on an enormous scale, while all the while burning enough gas to supply a reasonable-sized town. It lit up the clouds in a wild, bubbling, shimmering display, and covered an area of several square miles.
What was needed was another aircraft up above to film our transit. Alas, no.
On another occasion: a weather phenomenon. Not dramatic - quite the reverse, in fact. I went out to the helicopter one morning; weather flat calm, with a heavy drizzle. On the ground was the dry silhouette of the aircraft - rotor blades and all. Only time I've ever seen it. Anybody else?
What was needed was another aircraft up above to film our transit. Alas, no.
On another occasion: a weather phenomenon. Not dramatic - quite the reverse, in fact. I went out to the helicopter one morning; weather flat calm, with a heavy drizzle. On the ground was the dry silhouette of the aircraft - rotor blades and all. Only time I've ever seen it. Anybody else?
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A thunderstorm at night that covered Cyprus back in the 80's seen while enrte to Tel Aviv.
The way the clouds got lit up by the lightning was different than anything I had seen before and nicely framed by some St Elmo's fire round the cockpit as well.
The way the clouds got lit up by the lightning was different than anything I had seen before and nicely framed by some St Elmo's fire round the cockpit as well.
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1971, as pax LHR to Detroit on PanAm 707. As always, westbound by day, eastbound overnight.
This time, the a/c 'went tech', and departure delayed a few hours.
As we came late towards Greenland, the hardened '000 hrs captain came on the pa, over excited, non stop, and almost incoherent with emotion.
This was on seeing in the particular weather conditions at sunset, the near crimson lighting of the snow covered peaks and glaciers.
I don't think I have ever seen a more spectacular sight, airborne or not. The flight crew got the best view of course.
Mike.
This time, the a/c 'went tech', and departure delayed a few hours.
As we came late towards Greenland, the hardened '000 hrs captain came on the pa, over excited, non stop, and almost incoherent with emotion.
This was on seeing in the particular weather conditions at sunset, the near crimson lighting of the snow covered peaks and glaciers.
I don't think I have ever seen a more spectacular sight, airborne or not. The flight crew got the best view of course.
Mike.
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18 May 1980... Mt. St. Helens. Actually got there (well, FL330 enroute to somewhere else) a little while after the bang, but still quite impressive. OK. You got me. From altitude it was the plume that was impressive. The mountain itself seemed quite tiny...
I thought I had scanned the prints from the 35mm I shot that day, but can't seem to find them now...
I thought I had scanned the prints from the 35mm I shot that day, but can't seem to find them now...
Doing my PPL in the States in 93. Night flying downtown Fort Worth at 1500 ft looking straight down the sides of the skyscrapers as we circled around them. With everything lit up it was quite a sight. I don't suppose they allow it anymore 