I feel the pull of the Cessna 182’s changing lift vector as I turn to orbit just south and east of KPHL at 500 feet. We’re observing the changes along the New Jersey banks of the Delaware River—a very different “Jersey Shore”—and marking them with a string of photos across the water from the Philadelphia International Airport. At the same time, Philly Tower asks us to stay east of the final approach to Runway 35 for traffic, a landing Embraer 145, and we’re all watching for power lines, cell towers and birds. We brief the emergency bird-avoidance maneuver—if the bird appears motionless and grows larger, pitch up hard because birds tend to dive—and we almost use it.
Flying With LightHawk
Key Takeaways:
- LightHawk is a charitable aviation organization that leverages volunteer pilots and aircraft to provide crucial aerial perspectives for conservation and environmental advocacy.
- Founded in 1979, LightHawk partners with numerous environmental groups, conducting missions from the US to Central America to help inform decision-making and raise awareness of issues like deforestation and habitat change.
- The organization maintains a strong safety culture and rigorous pilot qualification process, requiring volunteer pilots to have significant experience for challenging low-level or mountainous flights.
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