Have you seen your home while in flight?
 

I have seen the house I grew up in on approach into PHL as well as my old high school (Haddonfield, NJ - about 6-7 mins before landing). Now that I live 30 miles west of IAD, it's a little more difficult but I managed to see my house once on approach into IAD. As my son goes to school within a mile from IAD, I see his school just about everytime I take off from IAD.

I have seen my house many times as it is right on the flight path leaving Fort Lauderdale, when the path takes the path out over the water and then they come back overland at about Oakland Park Blvd. Most of the roofs in my area are white and mine is red so it stands out.

I have seen my neighborhood park, high school, and could make out the general area in which my house was (but couldn't pick out the exact one) on descent into MCO. I usually can tell which major highways we're above also. From Northeast to MCO, first the coast, I-95, Daytona Speedway if we're lucky, then Lake Monroe/Lake Jesup with SR417 over it, SR434/Tuskawilla Rd, then sometimes I'll see Goldenrod or Colonial, then if we're approaching the right runway we'll follow SR 436 into the airport, passing over SR408. Among many other things, I 've spotted out the BP Connect gas station/Kmart/Albertsons on SR436 while closing in.

My home in Santa Cruz is directly below the track of the Big Sur arrival into SFO. This is the route used when coming from all of the southern Calif destinations. Although I usually fly in and out of SJC, occasionally I have had to use SFO and my house is quite visible, even from 10,000 feet.

Also, on the rare occasions when SJC is landing to the southeast, the downwind leg is flown west of the airport and I can sometimes see the house.

Many times, we're under the SEA approach. It helped, though, when our neighbors painted their house Hughes Air West yellow. Visible from orbit.

Plenty of times, as long as I'm on the correct side of the airplane. My house is a few miles north of the approach path into 30R/L in MSP, so when I'm in a D (First) or F (Coach) seat and we come in from the southeast, I can pick it out.

I can also find my place in MKE if we come in from the north, over the city. Trust me - it looks far better from the air than it does from the ground.


-3

I've flown over it while flying a Cessna...not really visible from most PHL approach routes but I can pick out nearby features...

N674UW

Yes taking off towards the ocean from SNA - right on the left, then I see my mom's house right as we're getting over the water. I'll never forget - we had just closed escrow on our new house - my 'dream' house 10 years ago, but already had a trip planned to Milwaukee to visit the in-laws. I wanted to move in soooo bad!!! Was really a bummer flying over it & being reminded I had to wait another week! :(

yes, both when i lived in boston and now in sf. always on the climb out and it was quite a trip (pun intended) as i saw my car parked in front as well.

I get to see mine flying into YYC most of the time. Then it reminds me of the long crappy drive home I have coming up!

yup! Nearly all the time when flying into FRA and I´m seated on the right side of the plane. Happens about 5 min before landing and it always takes me about 45min to get back there by car... Often thought to parachute down... :D

Sure do. My building is very easy to see when landing at LGA.

current and childhood home
 

Almost everytime I fly into CAE, I can see my house. It is pretty easy compared to previous houses as I am 3.5 blocks off an interstate exit.

I can't remember if it was approach to JFK or LGA, but I could see the house I grew up in, the local pool, my high school, and other famiiar haunts.

Once you know what a landmark looks like from the air and how things looks near it, its easy.

Spacial relations are difficult with some people. I was able to help some seatmates "see" some things for the first time.

My US Airways Express flight from CLT to CHO on Tuesday morning flew directly over my apartment complex on final approach. I couldn't see my building as it was right under the belly of the plane, but could easily make out neighborhood streets and the rooftops of shopping centers.

A couple of times on approaches into ORD I've seen my old apartment in Chicago - on the corner of Southport/Clybourn which makes it easy to spot if the approach takes you over the loop or the north side.