At cruising height of 35000ft towns were just like islands of light. Enough detail to make out areas but not individual roads, other than major ones.
By the time we were down to 24000ft towns became luminous cobwebs. Filigree roads of light surrounding a central hub of more condensced glow.
Below 12000ft and you are looking at a luminous AtoZ of roads.
I saw a number of football and other sports stadia but couldn't tell you what they were for love nor money. It would actually have been useful to have a map of Britain to see if I could work our what towns/cities I was looking down at.
As always, I managed to sit on the "wrong" side of the plane. As we passed over Manchester I was looking to the East but wondered if those across the aisle could see Blackpool and if that would look obvious.
On the way up I did the "Boys with Toys" thing asnd took 5 minute reading from my GPS with location, height, speed and bearing. If you're lucky I will plot it out and share it with you later for your general
I will be flying back up there again in the next few weeks so I'll try to take my camera and hope for a clear night.
3 comments:
I love flying on clear nights - Chicago's O'hare airport is particularly good, the lights are very twinkly, plus the luminous sky scrapers etc, and then all of a sudden, total darkness, as the plane heads out over Lake Michigan before spinning round and giving another cracking view on the descent to landing.
I've lived in Luton for most of my life and know it and the surrounding area pretty well. I have flown in and out of Luton Airport dozens of times, and not once have I recognised any landmarks out of the window.
Oh, and I tried the GPS thing once, but couldn't get a signal lock, due to the fuselage. What were you flying in... a Sopwith Camel?
Yes, I was surprised I got a lock, it was the first time ever I got a signal. The again, I flew economy on the way up so I was in a microlite. It was havoc when the drinks trolley came round!
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