The joy of flying. Post something wonderful
 

As suggested by the op in the fear of flying thread I'm starting this thread. For me I don't care how many times I fly IF I can get a window seat I never get tired of looking out the window & doing a lot of "flight seeing.

Overnight flight from LHR to YYZ, sitting in J (I never normally sit by a window), and looking out and seeing the most beautiful tapestry of stars - I was spell bound! Sat looking out of the window, holding a pillow around my head to block out the cabin light, it was as close as I imagine I will ever get to being in space - black sky covered in fabulous stars and galaxy swirls - beautiful!

I was 11, flying from CT to San Francisco with my mom. She had the window seat, I was in the middle, curled up in some configuration that only small bendy children can manage, when she woke me up, (cranky), to look outside and see - aurora borealis. First time I'd ever seen, and it was amazing. Seeing islands, mountains, the Grand Canyon! from air - amazing!

"Cessna N1234, cleared for takeoff runway two niner. Caution wake turbulence from departing Gulfstream"

The next thing I know I am off the ground and everything is getting smaller. The wee little engine can only make 180hp, cruise speed is only 140mph, I'd only fly at 3000 feet, and the only catering is a bottle of water but I wouldn't trade it for a free ride in SQ F. Looking down I see the highway I drive everyday to get to work but it's a new world. Everything beyond the tree line is now visible. Lakes, rivers, hills, big houses, little houses, office parks, quarries, and much more. In the distance, I can see the next major city 40 miles away. After puttering around a bit, it's time to head back in. All too soon I am back on the ground.

A few weeks ago I flew from TPA to SFO via IAD. In the same day I saw Tampa Bay, the Washington Monument, snow in the midwest, The Great Salt Lake, Lake Tahoe and the Golden Gate Bridge. Big yet small country :)

My dad, FIL & husband are all private pilots and all have owned small planes at some point (only my FIL has one right now) I love to fly with them - started when I was 6 - but I have never wanted to get my own pilot's license. It is completely different flying a small plane, though, isn't it?^

(I grew up in CT - back in the 80s, when my dad was flying there and had a 6 seat Cherokee, you could still fly the VFR corridor, New York City. WOW!!! Somehow I doubt that every pleasure pilot out on a nice day can do that now, but I don't know....)

Greetings from aboard British Airways 747 G-BYGG “Rendezvous”. We’re cruising at 34,000’ over The Great Sandy Desert of northwestern Australia. I’ve just finished a wonderful six course dinner and am now nibbling on a plate of fine Australian cheeses accompanied by a glass of Warre’s Reserve Tawny Port. Through my headphones floats Daryl Anger and Mike Marshall’s acoustic masterpiece, “Chiaroscuro” while out my windows the western sky glows gold and orange against the dark continent below. Above, a turquoise sky melts to indigo and stars. Singapore is five hours away. I recline my seat a bit and have another sip of Port… Now THIS is First Class…


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Flying at its finest


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Ah... the o n l y way to fly...


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Flying into the sunset...
You won't get this view on terra firma

One time I flew from LHR-LAX. This was late autumn. We took off at about 15:30. The most direct route took the plane northwards over Greenland for a couple of hours before we started heading southwards over Canada and the Rockies.

About an hour into the flight, the sun set. I had a window seat and distinctly remember seeing nighttime over Greenland, and only being able to make out lakes and ice (black and white) and nothing else.

An hour or so after sunset, the plane started heading southwards. The horizon became red again, and then the sun came back up. It stayed up above the horizon for another hour or so before setting again.

Never in my life have I before or since seen a reverse sunset - and I don't expect I ever will again. Truly the coolest experience I have ever had whilst flying.

I also get a window seat. In fact I book the window in hopes of no one being assigned the dreaded middle seat. On long haul flights I turn the middle seat PTV unit to the camera view and my seat's PTV to Airshow tracking and assemble a playlist to play while watching the map.

I glance over at the other PTV to get the view from below.

With a glass of wine or beer and a few Cognacs or Gin and Tonic the joy of flying overwhelms me

Flight time is ME time. No kids nattering (well not my own) No telephone calls, I'm totally uncontactable. I can sit and chill and watch tv or listen to music. Bliss!

I remember flying from Stockholm to Shanghai with my lovely 2 year old daughter with SAS bizzy class. First ever long haul with her. I remember rocking her to sleep in my arms and then lying her in the Bizzy class seat next to me. She slept all the way to China and woke up quite happy the other end.

Often flying with kids can be stressful...but sometimes it can be an excellent experience :)

I know exactly how you feel!! The feeling is like no other. I'll never forget it.

Had the same experience on an AMS-LAX flight a few winters ago. Truly spectacular. Fortunately, you have a decent chance at experiencing this again with any westbound transatlantic winter flight.

Related: back in college I took a late-night LAX-ANC flight (possibly a redeye, don't remember). I had a row to myself and dozed off. When I awoke we were somewhere over northwest BC, it was pitch black, I happened to look out the window and saw my first-ever aurora. Think I had my nose against that window for the remainder of the flight :)

Flying PHX-ATL on my birthday last year and seeing the Aurora Borealis. The Captain said it was the farthest south he'd ever seen it. Of course I couldn't get a good picture of it but it was an unforgettable sight.

Jinx :)