The Aerial Horizon
Forget where your feet are and simply enjoy the view.
As evening approaches and the energy of the afternoon dissipates, the clouds cast long shadows on the sunset’s reflection. Rays of light show their definition as they penetrate a thin veil of mist.
Echoes of a world that preceded our own history still show their impressions on the landscape. From this perspective, it is awe inspiring to reflect on how similar the remains of a mighty river or sea may appear to those of a tiny fossilized leaf.
A welcome relief from the cloud covered landscape; the sun burns through the clouds and reveals the eastern side of Monument Valley. Canyon walls and ridge lines appear as the contours of the valley are gradually illuminated by the sun.
San Bernardino Mountain looms large over the San Bernardino National Forest. Flying south of Big Bear, we get our first view of the valley and the lushness of the California landscape beyond.
All pilot’s share a secret… When our earthbound friends think it’s a gloomy day, we smile to ourselves knowing that with a little altitude and peek through the clouds there is no such thing as a gloomy day. Sunsetting between overcast layers over the Florida Everglades…not visible from the ground.
Like so many lumbering giants, a field of newly birthed cumulonimbus clouds creeps northeastward over Kentucky and Ohio…growing taller with each step and leaving havoc in their wake.
Amid all of the lights on the Gulf Coast, the flame of a Louisiana refinery cast a solitary reflection on the water. Shortly after leaving behind the coast of Florida, this flame became visible on the horizon with the brilliance of a rising planet, its intensity rippling through the atmosphere.
Lest we forget the potential energy in cumulonimbus clouds, avoidance is our best tool to ensure a safe flight. An isolated storm over New Orleans throws of lightning and illuminates the night sky over the Mississippi Delta.
As the rain eases away from the coast of Georgia, bright green marshlands are revealed. The rivers and streams that create and surround these coastal islands appear whimsical as they flow toward the sea.
Oblique views change the flavor of familiar landscapes as we vary our routes from day to day. Approaching Lake Powell from the Northwest, it takes a moment to recognize the striped walls and jagged inlets. Our changing perspectives add variety to every trip.
Sometimes, the underside of our aerial horizon can appear intimidating. This is what we train for; time to get to where the sun is shining.
MIA airport. Beating the Weather.
Cedar Breaks National Monument. Outcroppings of earth in some very special places reveal mysteries of time. We take in the entire scene from altitude, reflecting on the flow of the landscape and the utter majesty of these spots. Mother earth has mysteries that are worth preserving as they are the inspiration of dreams and faith.
Yosemite National Park is an intensely textured imprint on the California landscape. Mountain peaks, passes, valleys, plateaus, lakes and rivers all collide to overwhelm our senses as we look down upon this treasure. Traveling east, we follow the Tioga Pass through the mountains and around Mono Dome before we cross over Mono Lake and leave the park behind.
Once we imagined objects in the amorphous shapes of passing clouds as we looked up at the sky. In flight we look down on the earth and let patterns in the landscape fuel that same youthful sense of imagination… What images do you see echoed in the landscape?
Monument Valley emerges from the mist and clouds as if a dream of a long forgotten past. After a few moments of wonder, the scene vanishes under the cloud deck as quickly as it appeared. Even the briefest glimpse of this treasure can set our imaginations free.
Sun beams break through the clouds above and illuminate our path across the Diablo Range toward Antioch and Stockton, California. The subtle summer browns of the mountains and the radiant green of the San Joaquin Valley give the earth the texture of velvet. This is what the morning commute should look like.
It’s July and this is the job…The job is all about how we get there and the choices we must make everyday in order to do it safely. Not facing the challenge is not an an option…the path we choose defines our journey.
Cruising off the coast of the Carolinas after sunset. The sun having disappeared from sight, casts its light in distinct and varied rays on the aerial horizon like a corona. Meanwhile, planets align above the horizon growing more distinct in the fading light. The day’s final moments appear as a dance of sunlight on the edge of twilight.
Traveling up river and sliding under the weather as the cumulonimbus swirl and climb just north of our intended point of landing. Anticipating the challenges ahead, controllers stratify aircraft altitudes as they diligently sequence arrivals with precise heading and airspeed assignments. The Potomac River twists inland and fades into the weather ahead.
Reaching cruising altitude over the Gulf of Mexico, the rising sun streaks through the mist and casts shadows over the Sabine Pass. The color is fleeting as we cross into daylight and the red-orange glow fades into bright white light.
The Aerial Horizon – Photography
The Aerial Horizon 