Flying Tour - A Different Way to See Sights!
Ranked #5,646 in Travel & Places, #160,361 overall
Seeing things from 3500 feet gives a new perspective...
Especially from the window-side, front-seat view of a Cessna 172!
National Aviation Day in the United States was established on August 19th in 1939 by a Franklin Delano Roosevelt presidential proclamation to designate the anniversary of Orville Wright's birthday and to commemorate the development of human flight.
After riding in the back of my parents' station wagon all over the country (from New Mexico to Pennsylvania and the East Coast, then back to Montana before heading back down to New Mexico) every summer.... then flying overseas to Guam, from which we traveled to Japan, Palau, and other places in Asia and the Pacific. I thought we had figured out every way to see things. But when my daughter treated us to a flying tour over San Francisco in a small plane (a Cessna 172), my wife and I discovered a whole 'nuther way of seeing the area in which we live.
A little added note here... Seeing the sights by air can be done in a bunch of ways... From a Cessna, it's sort of a "slow way". You can do it a lot quicker from the back seat of a fighter jet!
Posing in Front of the Plane Before Heading Out
Planes Lined Up Getting Ready to Go
Up, Up, and Away.... C-E-S-S-N-A!
I've done a lot of traveling -- much of it on airplanes. But this air travel has been on Boeing 707s (first time -- on a United Airlines flight to Hawaii before continuing on to Guam on a Pan American flight), on Boeing 747s (Pan Am, Japan Airlines, TWA, Cathay Pacific, Braniff, and Northwest Airlines), on DC-3 (Continental Air-Micronesia from Guam to Saipan), Brittan-Norman BN-2A (Trans-Micronesian Airways, from Guam to Saipan), as well as assorted 727s, 737s, DC-10s, and other relatively large commercial passenger planes. Up until a few years ago, the smallest plane I had ever flown on was the 9-passenger BN2A.
So when my daughter (who works at a flight-training school as their operations manager) provided my wife and me with a Sunday flight-tour of the San Francisco Bay Area, we decided to trust our daughter's judgement and take her up on her offer--a Cessna 172. 4-passengers.
And, unlike those larger aircraft I had experience riding in that normally had a "ceiling" altitude of 15,000 to 35,000 feet, this flight wouldn't get much higher than about 4,000 feet above sea level (and since the San Francisco Bay Area that we would be flying over doesn't get much higher than 2,000 feet, we would be seeing a lot more of what would be below us.
Unlike the rumbling roar of the turboprops of a DC-3 or the BN2A or the loud whine of the 707s, 737s, and 747s, the Cessna had funky sputtering racket that intensified as we took off and then mellowed into a noise similar to that of a very loud Volkswagen Beetle. All four of us, including our pilot, wore headsets (earphone and microphone combinations) so we could hear the plane radio and each other during the flight.
Up Like a Bird -- With a Bird's Eye View
Taking off in a small 4-passenger plane gives one an experience different than that on an airliner. Imagine bumping along the tarmac to the staging area, waiting to get the radio transmission from the tower along the lines like "Cessna 3245 Sierra Papa, you are cleared for take-off." Through your headset you hear your pilot respond, "Roger, Tower, this is Cessna 3245 Sierra Papa proceding with take-off."
The pilot rev's up the engine and gets the thing moving faster and faster down the runway.... and before long, the plane isn't rattling and bumping along, but is sort of causing us to sink into our seats as it lifts into the air and gains altitude. The pilot sways the wings a bit and then clears our heading with the tower: "Livermore Tower, this is Cessna 3245 Sierra Papa, heading to Sunnyvale. Will transfer to Sunnyvale/San Jose Tower when over the hill." "Roger, 3245 Sierra Papa. Maintain heading and altitude at 3500 feet. Be aware you have a large coming in on your five at 5500 on approach to Oakland." "Roger, Livermore Tower, thank you."
Although as passengers in the plane we have headsets and microphones as well, we aren't sure whether to talk or not, so we just take in the sights in silence and let the pilot talk with the various towers.
Preparing for Your Flight -- Both You and the Kids will Enjoy These Goodies!
If you are planning to either take a trip with your family or perhaps just study flight as part of a school or homeschool project, these resources can prepare you for the flight or the study. Not only are there photo books with impressive aerial scenes, but there are also kids' activity books, and even airplane models that can be used to demonstrate aerial concepts. There are even reference books to help already flight-certified pilots. The thrill and freedom of flying like a bird using the principles of physics, gravity, lift, drag, and bouyancy can explored here!
Cessna 172 (A Pilot's Guide) by Jeremy M. Pratt
Each guide in this comprehensive series covers the more...0 points
Stick and Rudder: An Explanation of the Art of Flying by Wolfgang Langewiesche
In the early 1940's, Wolfgang Langewiesche wrote a more...0 points
Herpa Miniaturmodelle Cessna N7904G
The C-172 is still today the most popular sports a more...0 points
Hot Wings Die-Cast Cessna C-172 Model
This fabulous line of diecast aircraft is great fo more...0 points
Hot Wings Private Airplane Series 4 Plane Gift Set
This fabulous line of diecast aircraft is great fo more...0 points
Microsoft Flight Simulator X Deluxe DVD
Flight Simulator X will awe flight simulator fans more...0 points
Cessna Model 172 Skyhawk Wood Model Airplane
This model is hand crafted from resin and comes wi more...0 points
Just Plane Smart! Activities for Kids in the Air and on the Ground by Ed Sobey
parents dreading the fidgeting and whining that us more...0 points
The Wright Brothers for Kids: How They Invented the Airplane, 21 Activities Exploring the Science and History of Flight (For Kids series) by Mary Kay Carson
This activity book tells the amazing true story of more...0 points
New York in Aerial Views by William Fried, Edward Watson
68 memorable views - Manhattan, neighborhoods; Bro more...0 points
America from the Air: A Guide to the Landscape Along Your Route by Daniel Mathews, James S. Jackson
An illustrated guide, in both book and CD-ROM, of landscapes more...0 points
Designs on the Land: Exploring America From the Air by Alex S. Maclean, Gilles A. Tiberghien, Jean-Marc Besse, Alex MacLean
The tradition of aerial photography arose from a keen more...0 points
Fremont/Union City Salt Flats/Marshes
Flying Like a Bird among other Flyers but above the Crowded Freeways.
After the initial amazement and awe with flying in such a small craft over areas and roads that we had been living and driving in for the past 20 years set in, we finally got enough nerve to point sights out to each other. Whenever the pilot and towers and other control centers communicated, however, we'd hush-up and let them do what they needed to do. Most of the time, the communication from the tower was just to make us aware of other traffic in our near airspace. The radio on the Cessna was on all the time, so when we weren't directly communicating with the tower and air-traffic control, we were hearing all the other aircraft communicating with the tower. Very interesting. We were able to peer out and see aircraft of all shapes and sizes all around us--some of them were the large airlines on approach to San Jose International Airport, Oakland International Airport, or San Francisco International Airport... others were small aircraft like the one we were in. We hadn't realized how crowded the skys were. The flight gave us a lot of appreciation of the job of air traffic controllers and the tower and runway staff.
Wear the Flight or the Sky on Your Shirt or Decorate with it!
I'd Rather Be Flying Dark T-Shirt
MyShirtSucks.com - Apparel & Gifts With A Bold Attitude! Funny, Humorous, Offensive, Rude Shirts, Hats, Buttons, Mugs, Magnets, Stickers, and Much More!
Freeway Spaghetti - Interchange ... without having to be bumper-to-bumper to see it!
From Cessna 172, View of 747 Landing at San Francisco International Airport
Flying by the Bay.... eBay, That Is!
San Francisco International Airport -- Pilot's View
Coit Tower and TransAmerica Pyramid, San Francisco
San Francisco's Coit Tower from 3500 feet
Golden Gate Bridge from the South Side
Coastline near Pacifica on the San Francisco Penninsula
NASA Ames Research Center - Moffett Field - Where I Used to Work
Ya Wanna Take a Flight of Your Own? Learn to Fly? Improve Your Flying Ability?
Attitude Aviation is one of the largest specialized flight-training institutions on the U.S. West Coast--they specialize in tail-draggers, emergency and evasive manuevers,and aerobatic flying. Some of their planes include T-6, Pitts, Cessna 172, Citabria, and the L-39 jet.
Australian Air-Tours--This flying tour group gives aerial tours of Australia in light aircraft--including seaplanes.
Island Sea Plane Tours--This air tour group works out of Hawaii... for a unique view of the islands, this is a great way to see them from a unique vantage point.
Alaska Seaplane Tours--If you want a view of glaciers, killer whales, and beautiful mountains and forests of Alaska, this tour group can provide the seaplanes to do it!
Seattle Seaplanes--this group operates out of Seattle, WA... a great way to see Puget Sound and the surrounding areas!
For More Excitement, You Could Always Go Up in a Great Lakes Biplane
Create your own collection of Squidoo lenses by starting here!
Just click on the icon below -- it's easy, it's fast, and best of all, it's FUN!
Squid graphic courtesy of Squidoo Squid Graphics For Your Lenses! by GreekGeek.
Don't just fly by! Land for a bit and leave a note!
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sukkran Feb 13, 2011 @ 1:00 am | delete
- thanks for a wonderful view. awesome lens.
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NAIZA
Apr 28, 2009 @ 1:24 am | delete
- Awesomeness! I love the overview look. What a great trip you had there. It's been a long time since I ride on a plane. Great travel lens! :)
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Liam_Tohms
Feb 26, 2009 @ 1:27 pm | delete
- This is a great lens, the views from a private aircraft are just incredible - it is one of the main reasons why I fly.
I'd like to invite you to join the flying group on Squidoo over at http://www.squidoo.com/groups/flying
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Jul 4, 2008 @ 12:52 pm | delete
- Great Lens 5* from me and welcome to Travelmania group.
Tapir Travel
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Experience a Flying Tour Yourself!
Feels Like Flying: The Low-level Tour (of Scenic America)
Amazon Price: (as of 05/31/2012)
This DVD will give you the experience of a flying tour without you having to step inside an airplane. (Of course, it's more fun doing it in person, but this video is the next best thing!)
Traveling Across America in a Small Plane
Lyrical Aviators: Traveling America's Airways in a Small Plane
Amazon Price: $57.49 (as of 05/31/2012)
The small plane way to get across the U.S.A. ... an interesting story by the pilots who flew their small plane around the country. Interesting reading for those who love the flying life.
A View of Flight from Inside a Cessna 172
CESSNA 172 SKYHAWK : Introduction to Flight
Amazon Price: $19.99 (as of 05/31/2012)
This DVD will give you the pilot's-eye view of flying a Cessna 172. Great video for kids and adults alike!
