Sunday sunrise: Shuttle Landing Strip, Kennedy Space Center, etc.

[Arlen]

I love getting up early and flying in that still morning air.

I departed X50 Massey Airpark about 7 AM, and got this shot as I turned south:




Then I continued south and got permission from Orlando Approach to fly down the Shuttle Landing Strip (15,000 feet long) as the sun was coming up:



Here you can see the Runway in the foreground and the huge Vehicle Assembly Building in the background:




...and the Vehicle Assembly Building as I go by...launch pads in the background



Then, I flew past the cruise ships sitting in Port Canaveral...




...and the beautiful Merritt Island Airport.



Finally, an RNAV / GPS approach into RW36 at TIX Space Coast Regional...before flying back north and home to Massey Airpark:



I love flying!
.
.

[oaklandaviator]

Looks like an awful lot of fun. Makes the troubles on the ground seem rather insignificant.

[tc1234c]

Beautiful!

[Vlad]

I like this shot thanks.

[turbo]

sounds like your favorite milk run. thanks. keep it up.

[rightrudder]

Gorgeous pics! I had a chance a while back to visit the Shuttle Landing Facility, and one of the kind NASA folks pointed out Atlantis' final wheel stop position on the runway surface. It's one of my most cherished photos, and a most moving experience to lay hands on this special piece of concrete that marks the end of an era. If this doesn't put a lump in the throat of any aviation/aerospace enthusiast, I don't know what will.