I used to live about 100 yards off the flight path to the west of SBA, so when I was home I heard every plane rattle my windows, and when I was flying I could pick out my apartment and my work.

The most interesting thing I've spotted from the air was on a turboprop from SBA into LAX after dark, which involved circling around the city of LA to land into the ocean breeze. We went near the Coliseum and could see one end was very well lit up and read the markings in the end zone - it said "Carnivores." Jack In the Box was filming one of their commercials about the fictional football team, which I think they don't show anymore.