Reach For The Sky

When US astronauts first made it to the moon they got to gaze back on the world, and it was a deeply moving moment. Alan Shepard famously said he cried when he looked back at Earth. The experience of flying over our world is unique, and you don’t have to be signed up to NASA to enjoy it.

There are regular scenic flights from airports across the US, organized to help you get the most dramatic of views, be it of cities, or of the countryside. From short trips, to longer more extensive flights, planes fly out of Florida, Georgia, Minneapolis, and from runways across the states.

Experienced aviators pilot the planes, so you are always in safe hands. If you haven’t got a camera then borrow one before take-off. The pictures you can take while cruising thousands of feet in the air will be spectacular, and usually only seen on the likes of the Discovery Channel.

If you live in the city you are guaranteed a whole new perspective, as block by block the city grid is revealed. And, as you comfortably pitch and turn out toward the suburbs, a new beauty pans out underneath: A patchwork of fields, forests and river deltas; nature in all her glory.

Flying out from New Orleans there’s the wetlands, the majestic Mississippi and Lake Pontchartrain to marvel at. Above Southern California you’ll follow the fertile farming lands, leading you to the Los Angeles metropolis.

If you prefer to see the rugged natural world, look for scenic flights leaving from Sedona, Arizona. With a route that passes Devil’s Kitchen and Munds Canyon, you’ll soon be speechless, and snapping away.

To really indulge, look for a Zeppelin flight. Peaceful, effortless and nostalgic, these ships of the air take a slower pace, leaving you all the time you need to enjoy the view.

We spend most of our time on ground level, busying ourselves with business and daily life, so leave it behind for a short while, and take to the skies.