Need Feedback on Favorite Scenic Flights in the U.S.

JetHikingGypsy

JetHikingGypsy

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JetHikingGypsy
Hi Everyone-
I might be doing a short clip/slideshow for 10Best.com/USA Today Travel on scenic flights in the U.S. The audience is the general public with an interest in travel, so I'm trying to think of awesome places they can fly to that will inspire them to get over that fear of "those little planes." Beautiful photos always help.

I have quite a few places in mind already and a bunch of pics I've taken, but if you have any suggestions please toss them my way. The name of the company that offers the specific scenic flight would help too.

If you have photos that you want published, I can give you a photo credit and probably a link back to a website if you want.

I'm still waiting for final approval, but thought I'd get the ball rolling..

I appreciate any feedback!
Amber
 
Well, obviously anywhere in Kansas....
 
Grand Canyon.
Black Hills
Statue of Liberty
Niagara Falls
Shuttle launch off Florida
 
JetHikingGypsy said:
Hi Everyone-
I might be doing a short clip/slideshow for 10Best.com/USA Today Travel on scenic flights in the U.S. The audience is the general public with an interest in travel, so I'm trying to think of awesome places they can fly to that will inspire them to get over that fear of "those little planes." Beautiful photos always help.

I have quite a few places in mind already and a bunch of pics I've taken, but if you have any suggestions please toss them my way. The name of the company that offers the specific scenic flight would help too.

If you have photos that you want published, I can give you a photo credit and probably a link back to a website if you want.

I'm still waiting for final approval, but thought I'd get the ball rolling..

I appreciate any feedback!
Amber
Click to expand...

Monument Valley, Flying into Sedona Az in the late afternoon light, flying the Smokey Mountains in the early morning light, flying the Rockies in the early twilight with a full moon low in a deep violet sky. Crossing the ridge north of Big Bear on a Santana winds night from the darkness of the late night desert into the expansive sea of lights that is the SoCal Basin on a night when you can see from Santa Barbara to Tijuana, oh also same flight with a full deck marine layer and the same scene is a ghostly glow beneath you.

Those are some of my favorite views then there is always skimming the ocean and watching the shore pass by.
 
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Arizona_Trip_012__Medium_.jpg

I second Sedona red rock area.

Alaska.JPG

Alaska glaciers and bays.

Arizona_Trip_023__Medium_.jpg

Grand canyon fly over.
 
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Any of the places that are spectacular from the ground are even more impressive from the air. Niagara Falls, Yellowstone, Yosemite, the Valle Grande Caldera in New Mexico, Canyon de Chelly in Arizona, Bryce Canyon, the large rock formations off of the Oregon and Washington coasts, the rolling wheat fields of the Okanogan valley in late afternoon light. The list is endless!
 
Islands of Maine,the alcan highway,most of Alaska. The corridor up the Hudson. There are just too nmy to name.
 
My own faves are Crater Lake and several Sierra crossings.

Lots of people like the (San Francisco) Bay Tour, but I'm a bit jaded on that. The Golden Gate Bridge is nice the first 100 times.
 
Amber; An additional story idea would be the "10 Best places to grab a burger/pancake/omelette and watch airplanes".

Feature places that are very welcoming to local community and non-flyers like
  • 1K1, Stearman Field near Wichita, KS
  • Southern Flyer Diner @ 11R, Brenham, TX
  • Two-Niner Diner, Petaluma, CA
  • Enrique's, Ponca City, OK
  • and more
 
Block Island, RI
Marthas Vineyard, MA

Both easily accessible by small private planes as well as commercial flights on small planes.
 
A couple of unusuals are:
PHP:
The Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania and the finger lakes region of NY. especially in the Fall.
 
San Juan Islands in Washington, San Francisco Bay Area, Jackson Hole...
 
The cascade loop in the PNW, low level of course.

Not me
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=My0TCTaletg

Go through the pass east of Harvey (S43), hook it a little south and chase the Columbia River, then the coast back up to WA, fly over the sound back up to Harvey.
 
Destin Florida

Great view of beaches, harbor, jetties, sand bar (crab island specifically)

Several helicopter companies doing runs now.
 
Coast of Maine
Hudson River Corridor
Painted Desert
Glen/Grand Canyon
 
Maui, pretty much any part. The waterfalls in the south, in a rain shower with a rainbow.

Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea. Diamond head from 3000'.

Meteor Crater AZ.

Monument valley UT.

NY skyline.

Cascade WA mtns in the early morning shot from the east looking west at daybreak.

San Juan straights WA(high shot).

Kings canyon CA(dangerous, use a chopper).

Mt Rushmore up close.
 
frfly172 said:
Islands of Maine,the alcan highway,most of Alaska. The corridor up the Hudson. There are just too nmy to name.
Click to expand...

The Al-Can highway from Watson Lake through Whitehorse and into Alaska in most excellent. In Alaska almost anywhere. Tok to Anchorage. Anchorage to Homer, Anchorage to Fairbanks via Talketna are a few.

I learned along the New England coast. Lots of light houses to find.

Anything around Lake Tahoe or Mt Shasta. Or soaring a sailplane between Inyokern and Minden along the Sierra Nevada range.
 
I agree with the Florida Keys. Here is one of extreme South Florida on the way back from the Keys at sunset.



 
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AggieMike88 said:
Amber; An additional story idea would be the "10 Best places to grab a burger/pancake/omelette and watch airplanes".

Feature places that are very welcoming to local community and non-flyers like
  • 1K1, Stearman Field near Wichita, KS
  • Southern Flyer Diner @ 11R, Brenham, TX
  • Two-Niner Diner, Petaluma, CA
  • Enrique's, Ponca City, OK
  • and more
Click to expand...

Yes, I've thought of this as well, but it's a more difficult sell to my editor so I figured I'd start with the scenic flights. I've been to Two Niner Diner in Petaluma :) The Airfield Cafe in Hampton NH is another one.
 
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