Photos of the Week: Feb. 23-27, 2026

There’s something about a photo flight that I just love. From the act of pure formation flying to the raw adrenaline of never exactly knowing what shot is going to be the “money shot,” there’s a rush and thrill that’s hard to describe.

At the heart of the photo shoot, of course, are the airplanes. In this case, it’s the Cirrus SR20 flying off a straight-tail C182 photo ship over the skies of Austin, Texas. But also at the heart of the shoot is the photographer. This time, it’s Jack Fleetwood. I’ve been fortunate to work with first-class general aviation photographers like Fleetwood, and I’m routinely amazed at their ability to put the stress aside to craft the most stunning shots.

By acting as both photographer and director, professionals like Fleetwood serve as a second set of eyes, communicating through brief hand gestures that turn a high-speed formation into a static masterpiece. 

Fleetwood’s work will be featured in the upcoming March/April issue of Plane + Pilot, so make sure to keep an eye out.