3 July 2014

AIRCRAFT STORIES - Best views from the cockpit! Pilots reveal their top 10 airport approaches






Best views from the cockpit! Pilots reveal their top 10 airport approaches


  • British Airways asked pilots that have flown 180 routes for their best views
  • Northern Lights was named the best sight to see from a plane window
  • London skyline seen as approaching Heathrow scooped second spot

The Northern Lights, the London skyline and Mont Blanc have been named the top three sights in the world to see from a plane.

Sydney Harbour and the Golden Gate Bridge make up the top five best views to experience from the cockpit, according to a survey of pilots.

British Airways asked captains with experience of flying 180 different routes for their favourite approaches.

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Top sight: The Northern Lights was named the best view in the world by pilots
Top sight: The Northern Lights was named the best view in the world by pilots


On a high: London's approached into Heathrow, pictured in 2011, scooped second place
On a high: London's approached into Heathrow, pictured in 2011, scooped second place


TOP 10 VIEWS FROM COCKPITS

1 Northern Lights - on North American flights
2 Central London - Approach into Heathrow
Mont Blanc - Approach to Pisa
Sydney Harbour - Departure from Sydney
5 Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz and bay - Approach into San Francisco
Greenland - North Atlantic flights
7 Venetian canals - Approach into Venice 
8 Table Mountain - Approach into Cape Town
9 Dubrovnik - Approach into Dubrovnik
10 Mount Fuji - Approach or Departure from Tokyo (Narita)
The Northern Lights, the night-time phenomenon of spectacular coloured lights in the sky during the winter months in the northern hemisphere, scooped the top slot.

While thousands of holidaymakers regularly travel to places like Norway and Iceland to experience them, pilots regularly encounter them on late night North American routes. 

BA captain Dave Willsher said: 'If you're not already asleep this is an amazing sight three to four hours into most long North American flights.

'Well worth staying up for.'

Second in the list is the view of London as planes approach Heathrow - named above a host of more exotic locations. 




Seat with a view! Mont Blanc was named the third best sight to see from a plane window
Seat with a view! Mont Blanc was named the third best sight to see from a plane window


Views Down Under: Pilots voted the view of Sydney Harbour in Australia as the fourth best sight
Views Down Under: Pilots voted the view of Sydney Harbour in Australia as the fourth best sight


Mont Blanc, seen on the approach to Pisa airport in Italy was third, followed by the view of Sydney Harbour when leaving the Australian city by air.

Others to be singled out in the top ten include Golden Gate Bridge when approaching San Francisco, and Greenland as seen on most North Atlantic crossings.

    The canals of Venice, Table Mountain in Cape Town, Dubrovnik in Croatia and Japan's Mount Fuji, all seen best when approaching the destinations, make up the rest of the top 10.


    Top five: The Golden Gate Bridge on approach to San Francisco was voted in fifth place
    Top five: The Golden Gate Bridge on approach to San Francisco was voted in fifth place


    British Airways' chief Boeing pilot, Captain Al Bridger, said: 'We get some spectacular views from the cockpit and many of these can be seen by everyone on board.'

    But his favourite sight of all was the most unusual. Capt Bridger added: 'Flying to Singapore I had the rare privilege of seeing the Soyuz 35S space craft returning to Earth.'


    Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-2677684/Best-views-cockpit-Pilots-reveal-10-airport-approaches-London-skyline-scoops-second-place.html#ixzz36KvQWc8d 



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