Proudly Announcing our 2023 Your Flying World Photo Contest Finalists!

The idea behind the theme Your Flying World was to open up entries to any part of this amazing activity that we all love---aviation! And this year's finalists show the breadth of scope of this flying world we share and on which we spend so much time!

Congratulations to all of the finalists! And be sure to keep your eyes open for our coming announcement of the prize winners of the Plane & Pilot 2023 Your Flying World Photo Contest!

I was attending a Fly Day sponsored by the Flying Heritage Collection (FHC).  The main attraction were the warbirds but this DC-3 in Pan American Airways System livery caught my attention.  Both engines roared into life and it taxied to the active runway at Paine Field.  As the pilots did their engine run up that is where I grabbed this photo.  The black and white image was fitting for this truly legendary aircraft in the aviation world.  I was happy to get the photo and it has become one of my personal favorites.      

Canon EOS 60D, Canon EFS 18-135MM Lens       

1/500, 5.6, 100

I was returning to Fargo, ND (KFAR) from Denver, Co (KAPA) last September in hard IMC. As I flew into north-central Nebraska, the clouds began to dissipate and I found myself perfectly sandwiched between two cloud decks, with the promise of better conditions to come.  

Apple iPhone 11 ProMax      

1/8; f/1.8; ISO850      

Focal Length 4.25mm; Metering set to Pattern         

I came in from flight training and noticed the beautiful silhouettes of the aircraft. I didn't even realize that I caught the moon, too, until much later.           

iPhone 10s, Automatic

My husband and I flew out of our north coast California airport (KFOT) very early one summer morning to surprise my dad in Coeur d' Alene for his birthday. The sunrise was absolutely spectacular!         

Phone camera - Samsung SM-G960U, focal length 4.30 mm         

Shutter speed 1/1167 s, aperture F2.4, ISO 50        

No flash, auto WB, no filter, photo not edited.

Towhead twins excitedly point to the Pawnee towing the glider as they depart 1N7 Blairstown NJ on an idyllic summer afternoon.  The 13-year-olds' late grandfather was a pilot; I suggested to their grandmother that she gift to them some aviation magazine subscriptions, and then sat each of them in the pilot seat of my plane. They were enthralled!   11 July 2022

iPhone 11 pro max, auto, mild image correction in Photoshop        

I attended a Fly Day sponsored by the Heritage Flight Museum at the Skagit Regional Airport.  I wasn't sure exactly what would be there. I was thrilled to see, and hear, this big warbird. The smoke at engine start really captured my attention.  It was the first time I had ever seen one fly.  It was the highlight of my day!  

Canon EOS 60D        

1/160, 4.5, 500           

I was attending an event at the Pacific Aviation Museum in Honolulu, Hawaii. Knowing it was approaching the afternoon golden hour, I went outside and began looking around. Parked nearby was this vintage World War II aircraft that caught my eye. As I slowly walked around it, the golden light got better and better.  When I rounded the tail, I saw this shot...the long wheel strut and propellor's shadow, the puffy tropical clouds, and golden sunlight drew me right into the moment.            

iPhone 13 Pro Max    

1/1900   f/1.8.  32

The Flying Heritage Collection (FHC) at Paine Field had always put on great events and I expected this photo shoot of Pacific Theater warbirds to be just as good. During a pause in the aerial performances of their Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat and Mitsubishi A6M3-22 Zero, this An-124 commercial freighter operated by Volga-Dnepr was a complete surprise, coming out of nowhere.  It was not part of the event.  What an amazing sight to suddenly see this huge airplane taking off as the wheels were just coming up. It was a sight I will never forget.  Sometimes, it's better to be lucky than good.   

Canon EOS 60D, Canon EFS 18-135mm Lens       

1/400, F10, ISO100

In 2021 I attended the CIAS Toronto airshow for the first time. The F-35 Demo Team put on one heck of a show! The conditions were perfect for producing vape all of us photographers wish for. This photo has been a staple shot for my aviation photography journey, and I can't wait to capture more this year!          

Canon EOS R, 150-600mm lens      

1/1,000 | f/6.3 | ISO 100 (focal length 435mm)         

Edited by Jenna Kitchings

1941 WACO UPF-7 Serial #5593, First Flight after Frame Up Restoration

My husband and I bought this airplane in 2014 as a rusted fuselage frame along with boxes of parts. After working for 7,000 hours over eight years, we flew it for the first time May 6, 2021, the day I took this photo of the airplane and test pilot Joe Brinker. We named the airplane "KayLee," a combination of family names.

We made numerous upgrade modifications as we were building, including right-side console with electric panel and radios, Cleveland wheels and brakes, and a metal fuel tank cover with engineering approval. The engine was also modified to the roller bearing STC.

Canon Powershot G3 1/160 sec exposure, max aperture 4.96875, f/5.6, ISO 125, focal length 80mm.

Flying over Canton, Texas, near First Monday Trade Days at Sunset.       

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Main Camera   Auto - 24 mm ƒ1.78   

Taken from an Aviat Husky A-1C.     

This was an air-to-air mission with the F-86 Sabre from the Planes of Fame Museum with Steve Hinton as the pilot. We were flying along the Pacific coastline near the Santa Maria Airport.

Sony a1 with 24-70 f/2.8 GM lens     

1/3200sec at f/8 with an ISO 800

While at a private airfield outside Sawyer, ND I was able to capture Warren Pietsch lifting off. Sony a9, Sony FE 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 +1.4 teleconverter zoomed out to 284 mm.          

1/125sec at f/10 ISO 400