Ask the Captain: Do pilots get to enjoy the view?

Question: A few years ago I was flying into Midway on our company plane and was amazed at the fabulous view out of the front of the aircraft. I am sure pilots are too busy to enjoy it, but during the last few hundred feet of your approach, where are your eyes focused?

— Submitted by reader Vic Fernandez, Odenville, Ala.

Answer: The view is something pilots never take for granted. It is one of the great perks of the profession.

During the last moments of the approach, our eyes are on the runway judging height, runway alignment and making sure the runway is clear of obstructions (other airplanes, wildlife or vehicles).

Q: Can pilots see the same rainbow a person could view from the ground?

— Janeane, Richmond, Va.

A: Yes, the view might be a little different, but the rainbow would usually be visible if the angle were similar. One interesting fact about rainbows viewed from the air is that occasionally, you can see a rainbow in a complete circle, which I have never seen from the ground.

Q: Hi, Captain, you've named your favorite airplanes, now how about your favorite airports, the ones you most like to land/depart for either technical reasons or beauty?

— Robert Kalin, Palm Springs, Calif.

A: For beautiful airport grounds, I would name Gander, Newfoundland.

For beauty on the approach into the airport, it's a four-way tie:

1. Washington Reagan National, landing to the south on the river approach. Seeing the beauty of the city of Washington from over the Potomac River is very memorable. It is an approach I did many, many times, and it never lost its appeal.

2. New York LaGuardia, landing on Runway 13 from the south. Flying up the Hudson River provides a view of Manhattan unlike any other. I was always very pleased to be assigned 13 for landing, as I knew our passengers would get a world-class view along with us.

3. Queenstown, New Zealand. This airport is surrounded by pristine mountains, a beautiful experience.

4. Kangerlussuaq, Greenland (the old Sondrestrom Air Force base). Flying up the fjords and seeing the combination of ice and rock was unforgettable in its stark beauty.

John Cox is a retired airline captain with US Airways and runs his own aviation safety consulting company, Safety Operating Systems.