Photo Essay: Newcastle from Above

When I was nine months old, I went on my first ever flight: a long international journey from Ohio to Shanghai. And that’s all it took — I was hooked.

I’ve loved planes ever since. I can’t ever remember not loving the prospect of a 12-hour flight, or sleeping upright in a chair the width of my arm while listening to a crappy in-flight movie through the headset.

So understandably, one item on my bucket list was to take a flight in a private plane. (Not so understandably, I really wanted to fly in a Cessna.)

My wish was granted a few months ago, when I was visiting a mentor in Newcastle. My mentor’s daughter had recently graduated with her aviation degree, after wanting to be a pilot for as long as she could remember. Between my love of flying and her love of piloting, it only made sense that we go for a ride.

So we popped into the Royal Newcastle Aero Club (how posh sounding, no?) where Ms. Pilot rented out a Cessna 152 II for the two of us, and off we went into the skies.

I really enjoyed being able to see what goes on behind-the-scenes in aviation — for instance, I had no idea my friend had to yell “CLEAR PROP!” just before taking off (and therefore it made me jump up as high as my seatbelt would let me go); nor did I realize that listening in on air traffic control conversations could be so unintentionally funny.

And of course, then there were the views; the stunning, varied landscapes surrounding Newcastle: the suburban countryside, the urban sprawl, the coastline and unending ocean.

This was by far one of the coolest things I’ve done yet on my travels.

Ever wonder what a pilot’s map looks like? This is it: a map of the skies.

After taking off from this good-looking runway, we were up, up, and awaaaay:

Spot the rainbow!

Here we reached a beautiful but oddly-colored green patch of ocean — I was told this is something that occurs naturally and not something to worry about.

Wouldn’t be the worst thing to live along that road.

The Newcastle coastline

The trunk of a Cessna 152 II looked surprisingly similar to the trunk of my first car, a Saturn stationwagon (yes, I was unbelievably cool in college).

The long stretches of the beaches of Newcastle, and the peculiar curlicued coastline in the north

Heading back to the Aero Club, we flew over more diverse landscapes, from verdant farmland to hills and valleys, with little rivers running all throughout.

I felt slightly more reassured by this runway than the one we had for takeoff.

The little Cessna that could.

Thanks again to my wonderful friend, Ms. Pilot — that’s one more item off the bucket list!

Practical info: You can learn more about the Royal Newcastle Aero Club on their website and on Facebook.

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12 Comments

  • Reply
    [email protected]
    June 22, 2012 at 07:45

    What an awesome view! I have always wanted to do a hot air balloon around the Barossa Valley but I reckon Newcastle would be just as good too!

    • Reply
      Edna
      July 5, 2012 at 23:03

      Oh, I’d also love to go on a hot air balloon ride one day!

  • Reply
    Susan
    June 22, 2012 at 09:22

    Oh my god that is terrifying. I can’t even really look at your photos without feeling like I’m going to die.

    But, I’m super pumped anytime I get to witness a bucket list item get checked off. And the pictures I could focus on look really beautiful!

    • Reply
      Edna
      July 2, 2012 at 11:01

      Haha sorry Susan. Didn’t realize you were afraid of heights!

  • Reply
    Nicolle
    June 22, 2012 at 19:08

    Those are some amazing photos.

    I’m slightly jealous. I’ve always wanted to go flying in a plane like that, preferably flying the plane myself. Congratulations on checking off a bucket list item.

    • Reply
      Edna
      July 2, 2012 at 11:00

      Thanks! I don’t think I have the technical mind capable of flying an airplane, so I’m happy to sit in the passenger seat. Plus, it means I can take more photos :)

  • Reply
    Erica
    June 23, 2012 at 17:45

    Ahhh!! How cool!!
    It’s always fun to see something at a new angle ;)

    • Reply
      Edna
      July 2, 2012 at 10:59

      An awesome angle, you mean.

      • Reply
        Erica
        July 2, 2012 at 14:36

        haha obviously

  • Reply
    Lauren
    March 27, 2013 at 05:51

    And FYI my college car was also a Saturn. Of course it was. (Though not a station wagon.)

    • Reply
      edna
      March 27, 2013 at 17:46

      Of course it was.

  • Reply
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