The AirlineReporter website has recently posted this really cool high definition vide of FAA flight traffic data for a 24 hour period over the United States. And if you think this video is cool, check out the website of its creator (Aaron Koblin) who has also posted additional pictures where manufacturer, altitude and model data are visualized in both form and in different colors.
Beautiful aviation pictures
The Boston Globe has 40 pictures that really capture the spirit of flying. Highly recommended. Here are a few thumbnails to whet your appetite.
1930s Jumbo (Fake)
A pilot friend of mine sent me these pictures. I don’t know where they come from. They’re based on a historical plane but they have been bigged-up beyond the craziest dreams of Howard Hughes. I particularly like the version with the giant cannons.
Aircraft: The Jet as Art
Jeffrey Milstein has a fantastic collection of pictures of aircraft where the plane itself is the star. He is a photographer and a private pilot.
He has also recently published a book Aircraft: The Jet as Art
(Hat tip and gallery: Wired)
Beautiful timelapse in-flight pics
Glowing Cities Under a Nighttime Sky
Originally uploaded by Ettubrute
Flikr user Ettubrutte has posted a video containing a time lapsed series of pictures taken from the window of his flight from Amsterdam to San Francisco – starting from the Midwest and ending with the plane landing in San Francisco (roughly 3 hours of pictures). He began by taking one (30 second) exposure every 45 seconds and ended with one (4 second) exposure every 10 seconds. The results: a very original creation that adds a whole new dimension to aerial photography.
Aerial pictures of London
Here is one of a series of pictures of London at night by Jason Hawkes, who specialises in aerial photography. They are spectacular and beautiful.
As a pilot of single-engine aircraft, I rarely get to see London this close because of land-clear rules. But I remember seeing something very like this when I was flying in the right seat of a TBM-700 returning to Biggin Hill. It’s views and pictures like this remind me what a wonderful privilege a pilots licence is.
(Hat tip: Boing Boing)