10 Incredible Photos that Prove Pilots Have the Best Views
6.8k views | By Senne Vandenputte | Last updated on June 19, 2022
We can all agree, pilots enjoy the best views. It’s one of the privileges you receive when taking the left or right seat in the cockpit of an aircraft.
Every pilot gets this privilege, but those who fly at 35,000 feet get even better views, especially when flying at night.
B747 senior first officer Christiaan van Heijst, from the Netherlands, and his friend Daan Krans, recently proved pilots do have the best seat in the house. Together, the two run the aviation photography company Amazing Aviation, taking pictures of massive thunderstorms or beautiful weather phenomenons like St. Elmo’s fire or the colorful Northern Lights as seen from the flight deck.
These pictures were made by van Heijst over India, China and Canada, when his co-pilots were flying and in non-critical stages of the flight.
Van Heijst told the Mail: “When viewing a big storm of Northern Lights or an active thunderstorm I feel very small and insignificant, compared to the raw energy, beauty and size that plays out in front of me.”
“The Northern Lights, with its massive strings of colored light, starting high above the airplane and extending 500km (310 miles) into space, each dancing, vibrating and so fast and furious, is almost impossible to photograph properly.”
Van Heijst said: “The cloud here seen on our left started to appear on our weather radar only a few minutes before and started to show off an amazing display of lightning that grew ever more intense. When we got closer, we saw that the cloud was going to burst through our flight path and we had to deviate up to 10km to avoid flying into this cell.”
As Van Heijst and his colleague Luca flew over Toronto this July on their way from Chicago to Amsterdam they were treated to the stunning sight of a heavy thunderstorm and a glimpse of the Northern Lights.
The Milky Way as seen from the cockpit during a flight over the Sinai desert in Egypt.
Cover and photos: Christiaan van Heijst/Daan Krans/Caters News
You can find out more about them and their work on their company’s website Amazing Aviation.
Related articles worth reading
The 9 Best Aviation and Aircraft Documentaries You Need to Watch
Watching aviation documentaries on your TV or YouTube is an entertaining way of learning the exciting history behind the study, design, development, and production of the fantastic aircraft we see flying today.
13 Must-Visit Aviation Museums in New York State
New York State has something for everyone. And that includes aviation enthusiasts!
The Top 5 Reasons to Become a Professional Pilot in 2023
Becoming a pilot takes hard work, dedication, and a commitment to safety. But it's also an incredibly rewarding career.
How to Stay Motivated During Your Flight Training
Learning to fly can be a long and difficult process, and being a student pilot is a lot of work. Here are a few tips on how to stay motivated during your flight training.
5 Inspirational Aviation Books for Those Wanting to Learn How to Fly
Here are some must-read books to inspire those wanting to learn how to fly, or those just looking for that little extra motivation or inspiration.
About the author
Senne Vandenputte
As a 27-year-old digital entrepreneur, glider pilot, private pilot and tow plane pilot, Senne is passionate about aviation. He started gliding at age 14 and flew his first solo in a glider at 15. After getting his PPL about 10 years later, he mostly spends his weekends towing gliders into the air. When not flying, he runs his marketing & web design business, fun projects like Hangar.Flights, scuba diving, traveling and enjoying the outdoors.
