Pilots’ Secrets: The Views You’ll Never See

Source:escape.com

They get the best views of everyone on a plane - and now, two pilots have joined forces to give us a glimpse into their world. Virgin Australia pilot AaronPhilips and Qantas counterpart Tom Faunt share both a passion for flying and a passion for capturing the awesome sights below.

After meeting through friends and discovering their common interests, the pair began an aerial photography project to document the spectacular sights they get to see every day. “It’s the best seat on a plane -there’s a 180-degree view at the front,” says Philips. “I would look out the window and look at the most amazing scenery. “I’d think, I want to go to that beach…”

In fact, he and Faunt have been known to drive for hours in search of a beach spotted from the air. “I’m always looking at spots I want to get to and trying to work out how many hours it will take to get there,”Philips says. The pair began returning to places that caught their eye with a drone, to recreate the views from the cockpit.

They gained a following on Instagram, which led to a website and thriving online business selling prints to customers around the world. “People started liking and reposting ... it was a hobby but it’s become an obsession as well,” Philips admits. The WA-based pair tend to focus their photography on coastlines, with Sydney and the south of Western Australia featuring prominently in their collection.

Despite having travelled the world, Philips says his all-time favourite spots - both from the air and from the water- are in Australia. Having grown up at Bondi Beach, he has a soft spot for Sydney’s beaches, but he names the Margaret River region, particularly around Yelling up, as a must-see destination.

“You owe it to yourself to get there,” he says.

Overseas, he says there’s been many opportunities to visit so-called “amazing” beaches - but few can compare with Australia’s stunning coastline.  “There’s only one place I’ve found where it was really good - the Bahamas.”

Now as skilled flying drones as they are flying commercial aircraft, Philips says the pair’s knowledge of the aviation industry has helped give them an edge in mastering the art of aerial photography.“One thing that sets us apart is we’ve done everything through the right laws - we couldn’t cut corners,” he says.