Video: flying the Mach Loop at 250 feet
The Mach Loop is a stretch of valleys in Wales that is famous for its low-level training flights. Photographers can stand on a ridge and watch airplanes flying below them. That's a great view, but even better is this video: you'll ride in the back seat of a Typhoon flying at 500 knots and pulling over 5 Gs, all while staying below the tops of the hills.
Video: 16 bush planes, 1 hill
Sure, the location is beautiful and the airplanes are not your everyday trainers, but the best part of Trent Palmer's latest adventure is the camaraderie. Sixteen airplanes found their way to the same grassy hill on the last day of 2019, and the result was a lot of fun.
Video: glider winch launch at Innsbruck
Innsbruck, Austria, is a justifiably famous airport. Tucked in between tall mountains, the airport features stunning views of the Alps and has been a favorite of flight sim enthusiasts for decades. It's also a great place for some soaring, as this video shows. Ride along for a winch launch (always a thrilling start to a flight), some ridge soaring, and a landing back on the grass.
Video: flying LSAs in New Zealand
Light Sport Aircraft (LSAs) provide an excellent platform for new student pilots and are often less expensive to operate. Join JP on a scenic flight around New Zealand to learn what these airplanes have to offer and what's different about flying an LSA.
Video: Patty Wagstaff rolls and rolls and rolls
Patty Wagstaff is famous for being one of the greatest aerobatic pilots in the world, and this video will show you why. She takes her Extra 300L up for a flight over St. Augustine, Florida, and practices a few rolls - actually, a lot of rolls. The GoPro Fusion 360 camera offers a unique view of these maneuvers, and just might make your stomach turn.
Video: flying 13,000 miles to Alaska
Every pilot should make an "epic cross country flight" at least once in their life. In this video, ride along with Matt Guthmiller on one of those flights, as he takes his Bonanza to Alaska (and eventually Russia). There are mountains to avoid, thunderstorms to miss, and unforgettable airports to visit. It's not easy, but sometimes that's what flying is all about.
Video: bush fly’n and BS’n
Having fun as a pilot isn't just about flying, although when you're in a taildragger landing on dirt strips next to a river, it is pretty fun. But as Trent Palmer shows in this video, general aviation is about the people as much as the airplanes. Ride along as he and some friends explore some remote areas in their bush planes.
Video: pulling Gs with the Thunderbirds
Flying a jet is fun; flying with the US Air Force Thunderbirds is a once-in-a-lifetime thrill. In this new video, you can ride along with AOPA editor and longtime flight instructor Dave Hirschman as he tears through the sky at over 9 Gs. He admits he only has two goals: "Stay conscious, and don't hurl."
Video: flying low over the sand dunes of Africa
During training, it's easy to get bogged down in the mechanics of flying: weight and balance calculations, flight plan forms, emergency checklists. This stunning video shows the restorative power of flying just for the sake of flying. It's all about freedom, stunning African vistas, sharing an experience with friends, and the unique places only an airplane can take you. As JP says, "I hate being a pilot, but I love flying."
Video: what it takes to fly in a Red Bull Air Race
If you ever dreamed of flying in a Red Bull Air Race, unfortunately it's too late. After 12 seasons, the combination air race/aerobatics competition has flown its last event. But you can still fly along with some of the world's greatest pilots in this video. Hear what it takes to fly the demanding course, from the Gs the pull to the roll rate of the airplane.