Spectacular #AvGeek photos which should not exist


How do you balance the awesomeness of having spectacular views out the front of an airplane with the responsibility of making sure that plane operates safely? The law says you ignore the awesome and focus on the responsibility. For a number of pilots, however, that’s not the decision being made. The photos they produce are spectacular. Gorgeous shots of landing approach lights, sunrises & sunsets and other situations which only a pilot will see. And they want to share these AvGeek photos. That could be a problem.

Turns out that many of the images are potentially taken during the “sterile cockpit” time when pilots are to be doing nothing other than focusing on flying the planes. Or they’re taken in violation of company policies regarding which devices should be used in flight. But they are spectacular.

http://instagram.com/p/wgTH4PrWYE/

Some pilots are staging a bit of a protest over the story, posting more and different photos.

http://instagram.com/p/wgV8rJv_QP

His article shows the highest level of jealousy towards aviation enthusiasts and pilots. Focusing on a non-issue where people are enjoying and pursuing their life dreams; shattering that with a single article.

And, yes, I’m completely jealous of those views (though not the responsibility). All I can get are generally photos out the side windows, not the front.

I just hope the people taking the photos are on the jumpseat than actually flying the plane.

Of course, the net result of this sort of story is probably that the photos go private more than that they stop being taken; many Instagram accounts have already seen such a change. Such is life, I suppose.

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Seth Miller

I'm Seth, also known as the Wandering Aramean. I was bit by the travel bug 30 years ago and there's no sign of a cure. I fly ~200,000 miles annually; these are my stories. You can connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.