Connie the Constellation at the TWA Hotel

The beautifully restored Connie L-1649A is a 1958 Lockhead Constellation that serves as a cocktail bar at the TWA Hotel at JFK in New York City. In addition to the incredible architecture of the hotel inside the historic TWA Flight Center, the plane, surrounded by old baggage and stair cars, adds another level of vintage detail to this stunning mid-century property.

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

When you get a message asking if you'd like to witness one of the last airworthy B-17 Flying Fortresses in the world come in to land and then have the opportunity to privately explore it, the correct response is, "I'm on my way". Here are a few behind the scenes snaps (including a few interiors) following yesterday's landing of "Sentimental Journey" at the Medicine Hat Airport.

A Snowy Flight Over Utah

On route to my connection in Salt Lake City, Utah this morning, two failed landing attempts in white-out conditions lead to a 40 minute diversion to a small airport in Idaho for refueling.

While ordinarily this would be frustrating, I had a long layover in SLC anyway that was going to kill an afternoon. The diversion actually became an incredible aerial tour over Great Salt Lake with the opportunity to photograph some of the most unbelievable winter scenery below.

We were on the ground about an hour in Idaho before the weather passed and we were back on track. Now here I am in SLC waiting for my next flight and already excited about images I was never meant to capture. My good / bad luck strikes again!

Kansas Aviation Museum in Wichita, Kansas

Located inside what was once the Wichita Municipal Airport, the Kansas Aviation Museum in Wichita, Kansas is a really fascinating museum to explore. In addition to the various aircraft and artifacts on display, the building itself is a beautiful example of art deco architecture.

The Administration Building / Wichita Municipal Airport which now houses the Kansas Aviation Museum, was built during the 1930s when Wichita was both a strategic stopping point for flights crossing the United States and a significant hub for aircraft manufacturing. All of this activity earned Wichita, Kansas the nickname 'Air Capital of the World' in 1928 when 1 out of every 4 aircraft being built in the United States was coming out of Wichita.