What's the most amazing thing you've seen from a plane
Apr 6, 2015, 10:57 am
#46
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 355
don't know if this counts, but I thought it was pretty amazing(still think so even today)
this is a shortened/edited/redacted version from my old diary:
on a flight from the U.S. to Seoul on Korean Air Lines in the early 1980s.
(a couple of years before KAL007 was shot down) looked out the window
from a coach seat over the wing. what was that? turned out to be a Soviet
air force fighter jet on the starboard side. the red star gave it away.
it was so close, the Soviet pilot was waving his right hand at us.(I think)
He took out a small camera and aimed it at us.
it was somewhere between Alaska and Japan. the weather was sunny and
no clouds at all. looking down, there were several sparse small and medium-size
islands. Not sure what the pilot wanted, but other people started taking
pictures. I didn't have a camera with me at the time, so I just stared out
the window. the KAL crew made no announcement about, but the Soviet
pilot kept pace just aft the starboard wing of the 747 and the KAL pilots
upstairs probably didn't even see it. Someone asked the FA. the FA leaned
against the window. Seeing the Soviet fighter jet, she ran towards the front
of the cabin in a very un-Korean-lady kind of way.(presumably to alert the
pilots)
The whole thing lasted no more than 5 minutes. the Soviet pilot veered
off to his right and then descended rapidly. he was out of view within 20
seconds.
Two years after that, KAL007 was shot out of the sky. When I saw the
breaking news on TV from a hotel room in Vancouver, I couldn't feel my
legs and my whole body was trembling. Talk about a close encounter...
this is a shortened/edited/redacted version from my old diary:
on a flight from the U.S. to Seoul on Korean Air Lines in the early 1980s.
(a couple of years before KAL007 was shot down) looked out the window
from a coach seat over the wing. what was that? turned out to be a Soviet
air force fighter jet on the starboard side. the red star gave it away.
it was so close, the Soviet pilot was waving his right hand at us.(I think)
He took out a small camera and aimed it at us.
it was somewhere between Alaska and Japan. the weather was sunny and
no clouds at all. looking down, there were several sparse small and medium-size
islands. Not sure what the pilot wanted, but other people started taking
pictures. I didn't have a camera with me at the time, so I just stared out
the window. the KAL crew made no announcement about, but the Soviet
pilot kept pace just aft the starboard wing of the 747 and the KAL pilots
upstairs probably didn't even see it. Someone asked the FA. the FA leaned
against the window. Seeing the Soviet fighter jet, she ran towards the front
of the cabin in a very un-Korean-lady kind of way.(presumably to alert the
pilots)
The whole thing lasted no more than 5 minutes. the Soviet pilot veered
off to his right and then descended rapidly. he was out of view within 20
seconds.
Two years after that, KAL007 was shot out of the sky. When I saw the
breaking news on TV from a hotel room in Vancouver, I couldn't feel my
legs and my whole body was trembling. Talk about a close encounter...
Last edited by AppleApe; Apr 6, 2015 at 11:03 am
Apr 6, 2015, 11:01 am
#47
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 3,790
My top three:
1. Took off from ORD July 4th weekend, got to see a ton of fireworks in the Chicago area going off, a terrific scene.
2. Approach into Honolulu, landed right during the sunset.
3. Taking off from Honolulu, got to see an awesome crater.
1. Took off from ORD July 4th weekend, got to see a ton of fireworks in the Chicago area going off, a terrific scene.
2. Approach into Honolulu, landed right during the sunset.
3. Taking off from Honolulu, got to see an awesome crater.
Apr 6, 2015, 12:19 pm
#48
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Happily living in Frenaros Cyprus having escaped the near-death experience called Sofia Bulgaria
Programs: Etihad Guest Gold, DL FO and 1MM, and a bunch of others at a low level
Posts: 2,052
The Kennecott Copper Mine in Utah is a pretty interesting site from the air - a really big round hole in the ground.
Apr 6, 2015, 12:47 pm
#49
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Finally back in Boston after escaping from New York
Posts: 13,644
1. The space shuttle as it was gaining altitude. Unbelievably gorgeous orange ball.
2. A few months ago, I saw an empty seat on a plane.
Not sure which is more rare.
Mike
2. A few months ago, I saw an empty seat on a plane.
Not sure which is more rare.
Mike
Apr 6, 2015, 1:41 pm
#51
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: DL Diamond 1.7MM, Starlux Insighter, Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 3,947
For me, my most memorable sight is definitely two JAL 747s flying in formation over the Pacific, circa 2009. I was on a flight from YVR-NRT, and we caught up with the aircraft operating ORD-NRT. We followed it for almost the entire second half of the flight.
The flight attendants were kind enough to point out it was happening, and I was able to snap a few great pictures out the window. I'll see if I can find them and get them uploaded to share!
The flight attendants were kind enough to point out it was happening, and I was able to snap a few great pictures out the window. I'll see if I can find them and get them uploaded to share!
Apr 6, 2015, 6:00 pm
#53
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: DFW
Posts: 14
IAH to FLL in 2010 we flew over the oil spill in the gulf. Not a particularly spectacular site, but from 35,000' you could quite clearly make the brown streaks of oil that were making it to the surface.
While at cruising altitude once I happened to look down at the right moment to see another plane streak below ours, headed the other way. It looked pretty cool.
While at cruising altitude once I happened to look down at the right moment to see another plane streak below ours, headed the other way. It looked pretty cool.
Apr 6, 2015, 7:34 pm
#54
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: KSEA
Posts: 10
SEA - KEF, flying in I got to see the Blue Lagoon as well as the general landscape of Iceland. Absolutely gorgeous.
Seeing Greenland from the air for the first time back in '02 on BA was naturally a sight to see as well (even if a little cliche at this point.)
Seeing Greenland from the air for the first time back in '02 on BA was naturally a sight to see as well (even if a little cliche at this point.)
Apr 6, 2015, 8:15 pm
#55
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: jfk area
Programs: AA platinum; 2MM AA, Delta Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,291
Flying into LAS VEGAS (from the East), which I do often, depending where I originated and which side of the plane I am sitting on:
(1)Grand Canyon
(2)Hoover Dam (at night it is lit-up)--very impressive any time. For most of my flights I only see the Lake Meade side. Once I was flying via Miami (the plane took a southern route), I got to see the full 70 story side.^
(3)Las Vegas strip at night.
(1)Grand Canyon
(2)Hoover Dam (at night it is lit-up)--very impressive any time. For most of my flights I only see the Lake Meade side. Once I was flying via Miami (the plane took a southern route), I got to see the full 70 story side.^
(3)Las Vegas strip at night.
Apr 7, 2015, 3:58 am
#56
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: BA Bronze
Posts: 1,026
A burning oil refinery which had just been attacked by IS in Northern Iraq. It was breaking news on the IFE, and I could see it from my window seat on the left side of the aircraft. A huge plume of black smoke from the middle of the desert.
Apr 7, 2015, 4:20 am
#57
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,638
my list:
- passing a smoking volcano on a flight from yogya to bali
- flying over fireworks, on approach to LAX. dozens of cities each with their own display
- on an LAX-ATL redeye, seeing the woman behind me giving her seatmate a handjob, in the window reflection
- meteor crater and the grand canyon, they are always spectacular
- passing a smoking volcano on a flight from yogya to bali
- flying over fireworks, on approach to LAX. dozens of cities each with their own display
- on an LAX-ATL redeye, seeing the woman behind me giving her seatmate a handjob, in the window reflection
- meteor crater and the grand canyon, they are always spectacular
Apr 7, 2015, 8:34 am
#58
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: NAP
Programs: LH, BA, TK
Posts: 2,409
-Italian Alps on every NAP-MUC/FRA.
-Gulf of Naples with Capri on sight.
-Iguazù falls arriving at IGU.
-Manhattan sitting on the left-hand side approaching EWR.
-Uluru on take off from AYQ.
-Caribbean sea colors on a BOG-EWR (necessary to forget the UA Y experience for few minutes)
-The desert and its tracks on take-off from WDH, Namibia.
-Gulf of Naples with Capri on sight.
-Iguazù falls arriving at IGU.
-Manhattan sitting on the left-hand side approaching EWR.
-Uluru on take off from AYQ.
-Caribbean sea colors on a BOG-EWR (necessary to forget the UA Y experience for few minutes)
-The desert and its tracks on take-off from WDH, Namibia.
Apr 7, 2015, 8:43 pm
#60
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Sydney, Australia
Posts: 9
I saw the northern lights once on a flight from Seattle to Alaska. The rest of the passengers were sleeping. I pointed it out to the one awake flight attendant and she sat next to me for several minutes as we just stared in silent awe. It was magical.