Charles Stites
@bluepilot.bsky.social
Longtime pilot, founder of Able Flight, an aviation nonprofit that makes it possible for people with physical disabilities to become licensed pilots in the U.S. Before then, an aviation photographer and writer for aviation magazines. ableflight.org
Wind farm along a Sunday morning flight in the Midwest.
November 20, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Wind farm along a Sunday morning flight in the Midwest.
Came across this small school just outside Casper, Wyoming while exploring the Oregon Trail in May. Perhaps they could be warning strangers who don’t possess necessary local knowledge, or maybe just constantly frightening the kids. The first would be a service; the second would just be cruel.
August 2, 2025 at 1:29 AM
Came across this small school just outside Casper, Wyoming while exploring the Oregon Trail in May. Perhaps they could be warning strangers who don’t possess necessary local knowledge, or maybe just constantly frightening the kids. The first would be a service; the second would just be cruel.
Not often enough that you’ll see a ground speed of 139 knots (159.9 mph) in a Piper Cherokee 180. Moments after this photo the ground speed was 142 knots (163.4 mph) as the result of a nice push from a tailwind much stronger than forecast. Even better, power was set at well under max. #aviation
April 6, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Not often enough that you’ll see a ground speed of 139 knots (159.9 mph) in a Piper Cherokee 180. Moments after this photo the ground speed was 142 knots (163.4 mph) as the result of a nice push from a tailwind much stronger than forecast. Even better, power was set at well under max. #aviation
Below the left wing of the Piper with a layer of clouds hiding the “Fire Swamp” below (AKA the Okefenokee). Camera pans for the same view on the right, but below the clouds are highways and farm fields. Skirting the swamp seems the better choice if an unplanned landing is required. #aviation
April 4, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Below the left wing of the Piper with a layer of clouds hiding the “Fire Swamp” below (AKA the Okefenokee). Camera pans for the same view on the right, but below the clouds are highways and farm fields. Skirting the swamp seems the better choice if an unplanned landing is required. #aviation
My Piper resting between flights at Baxley, GA, a welcoming waypoint when heading South. The next leg over North Central Florida is over the Okefenokee Swamp, AKA the “Fire Swamp” & 30 minutes of asking myself why not fly the East Coast of FL with more airports and open fields than can be counted?
March 29, 2025 at 2:46 PM
My Piper resting between flights at Baxley, GA, a welcoming waypoint when heading South. The next leg over North Central Florida is over the Okefenokee Swamp, AKA the “Fire Swamp” & 30 minutes of asking myself why not fly the East Coast of FL with more airports and open fields than can be counted?
Even a couple of miles away, you can get a nice bump from the warm air rising from the cooling towers of the Savannah River Nuclear Plant on a cold winter day.
January 26, 2025 at 12:08 AM
Even a couple of miles away, you can get a nice bump from the warm air rising from the cooling towers of the Savannah River Nuclear Plant on a cold winter day.
Congratulations to Chris Sullivan who just passed his checkride to become an Instrument Rated pilot! An Able Flight pilot (quadriplegic) steadily advancing through ratings and certificates, Chris owns the specially-adapted Piper Arrow seen here. ableflight.org #peoplewithdisabilities #aviation
January 14, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Congratulations to Chris Sullivan who just passed his checkride to become an Instrument Rated pilot! An Able Flight pilot (quadriplegic) steadily advancing through ratings and certificates, Chris owns the specially-adapted Piper Arrow seen here. ableflight.org #peoplewithdisabilities #aviation
Able Flight is busy reviewing scholarship applications for the “Class of 2025”, and like this group from 2024, they will become licensed pilots. They face the challenges of physical disability, but with adapted planes and excellent instruction, they will succeed. #ableflight #aviation ableflight.org
January 11, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Able Flight is busy reviewing scholarship applications for the “Class of 2025”, and like this group from 2024, they will become licensed pilots. They face the challenges of physical disability, but with adapted planes and excellent instruction, they will succeed. #ableflight #aviation ableflight.org
Yesterday, a singular moment in over four decades of flying. Not this ordinary view of passing southwest of Jacksonville and the St. John’s River to the left. It was when the JAX controller told me he couldn’t handle my request info so fast; that it was too much for him at one time. Sweet. #aviation
January 6, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Yesterday, a singular moment in over four decades of flying. Not this ordinary view of passing southwest of Jacksonville and the St. John’s River to the left. It was when the JAX controller told me he couldn’t handle my request info so fast; that it was too much for him at one time. Sweet. #aviation
The mental math it takes to nail a 15 degree correction angle…oh wait, the GPS and autopilot did that for me, and did it perfectly. But I’m sure I still could if needed. Just don’t need to…#aviation
January 5, 2025 at 12:50 AM
The mental math it takes to nail a 15 degree correction angle…oh wait, the GPS and autopilot did that for me, and did it perfectly. But I’m sure I still could if needed. Just don’t need to…#aviation
Fly long enough and you’ll have a favorite passenger or two. In this role reversal, I’d like to think that I was her’s. For years she was a natural flyer, most often napping in the back and waking just before landing. #pilots #aviation #aussie #dogsinplanes
January 2, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Fly long enough and you’ll have a favorite passenger or two. In this role reversal, I’d like to think that I was her’s. For years she was a natural flyer, most often napping in the back and waking just before landing. #pilots #aviation #aussie #dogsinplanes
For Wing Wednesday, a decade old memory of a Navion wing above a solid cloud layer with thin clouds above. Most likely over the Appalachians. #WingWednesday #aviation #avgeeks
December 18, 2024 at 1:37 PM
For Wing Wednesday, a decade old memory of a Navion wing above a solid cloud layer with thin clouds above. Most likely over the Appalachians. #WingWednesday #aviation #avgeeks
After having flown a “larger” plane for many years and never having named it, I’ll call this one “Little Wing” (credit goes to my wife), and retroactively name my earlier plane (with little creativity), “Big Bird”. Little Wing awaits an early Friday the 13th flight. #Fridayflight #aviation
December 13, 2024 at 2:58 PM
After having flown a “larger” plane for many years and never having named it, I’ll call this one “Little Wing” (credit goes to my wife), and retroactively name my earlier plane (with little creativity), “Big Bird”. Little Wing awaits an early Friday the 13th flight. #Fridayflight #aviation
Westbound over KY in a Cherokee 180. A smooth ride at 6500’ to clear a scattered to broken layer of clouds. #WingFriday #aviation
December 6, 2024 at 8:12 PM
Westbound over KY in a Cherokee 180. A smooth ride at 6500’ to clear a scattered to broken layer of clouds. #WingFriday #aviation
The beautifully built and custom
painted RV of my friend Dwight, taken from a Bonanza with the right rear door removed. Dwight spent years building his RV. With him is his wife Teresa enjoying a near perfect day for flying. #aviation #aviationphotography #aircraft
painted RV of my friend Dwight, taken from a Bonanza with the right rear door removed. Dwight spent years building his RV. With him is his wife Teresa enjoying a near perfect day for flying. #aviation #aviationphotography #aircraft
December 4, 2024 at 1:45 PM
The beautifully built and custom
painted RV of my friend Dwight, taken from a Bonanza with the right rear door removed. Dwight spent years building his RV. With him is his wife Teresa enjoying a near perfect day for flying. #aviation #aviationphotography #aircraft
painted RV of my friend Dwight, taken from a Bonanza with the right rear door removed. Dwight spent years building his RV. With him is his wife Teresa enjoying a near perfect day for flying. #aviation #aviationphotography #aircraft
Tim Riney, Jr. was serving in the Army when he was paralyzed during a training accident. Now, with an Able Flight Scholarship, his many hours of hard work, and the outstanding instruction of Purdue University flight instructor Billy O’Connor, Tim
Is a licensed pilot. ableflight.org
Is a licensed pilot. ableflight.org
December 2, 2024 at 1:37 PM
Tim Riney, Jr. was serving in the Army when he was paralyzed during a training accident. Now, with an Able Flight Scholarship, his many hours of hard work, and the outstanding instruction of Purdue University flight instructor Billy O’Connor, Tim
Is a licensed pilot. ableflight.org
Is a licensed pilot. ableflight.org
Pilot Natallia Mirashnichenka and the adapted plane in which she soon flew solo, and then earned her pilots license at Able Flight’s program at SIU. To realize a dream, people only need opportunity and encouragement, as they will do the hard work themselves. #aviation #womeninaviation ableflight.org
November 30, 2024 at 12:58 PM
Pilot Natallia Mirashnichenka and the adapted plane in which she soon flew solo, and then earned her pilots license at Able Flight’s program at SIU. To realize a dream, people only need opportunity and encouragement, as they will do the hard work themselves. #aviation #womeninaviation ableflight.org
Remnants of mid-October morning fog over the Ohio River forming the border of Illinois and Kentucky. Heading home to the east. #WingFriday
November 30, 2024 at 12:00 AM
Remnants of mid-October morning fog over the Ohio River forming the border of Illinois and Kentucky. Heading home to the east. #WingFriday
An early morning air-to-air shoot of a “Legend Cub”, a modern reimagining of the classic Piper J-3. I took the photo on assignment for an article, and this image was later featured on a magazine cover. Photo rights reserved. #aviation #aviationphotography #photography
November 27, 2024 at 5:58 AM
An early morning air-to-air shoot of a “Legend Cub”, a modern reimagining of the classic Piper J-3. I took the photo on assignment for an article, and this image was later featured on a magazine cover. Photo rights reserved. #aviation #aviationphotography #photography
An accident cost Andrew Daigneau a leg. Months later, on the day he graduated from Notre Dame, he left to attend Able Flight’s nonprofit program at Southern Illinois University. Only seven weeks later, in July 2024, and after a lot of hard work, he became a licensed pilot. ableflight.org #aviation
November 23, 2024 at 11:01 PM
An accident cost Andrew Daigneau a leg. Months later, on the day he graduated from Notre Dame, he left to attend Able Flight’s nonprofit program at Southern Illinois University. Only seven weeks later, in July 2024, and after a lot of hard work, he became a licensed pilot. ableflight.org #aviation
Pilot Steve Wolf in an experimental Pitts Model 12 biplane tucked in tight under the camera plane, a Cessna 206 with side door removed. We did this photo shoot in Florida in April 1999, and this image made the cover of two magazines.
#aviationphotography #photography #aviation #planes
#aviationphotography #photography #aviation #planes
November 23, 2024 at 4:08 PM
Pilot Steve Wolf in an experimental Pitts Model 12 biplane tucked in tight under the camera plane, a Cessna 206 with side door removed. We did this photo shoot in Florida in April 1999, and this image made the cover of two magazines.
#aviationphotography #photography #aviation #planes
#aviationphotography #photography #aviation #planes
A not-often used angle during air-to-air photo shoots. This is a Turbine Legend kit plane; sleek with almost too much power. Photo rights reserved. #photography
November 22, 2024 at 2:31 PM
A not-often used angle during air-to-air photo shoots. This is a Turbine Legend kit plane; sleek with almost too much power. Photo rights reserved. #photography
A favorite image from one of the best photo missions from my career as an aviation photographer. Taken near Le Ferte-Alais France. Perfect day with excellent pilots. Photo rights are reserved.
November 21, 2024 at 11:45 PM
A favorite image from one of the best photo missions from my career as an aviation photographer. Taken near Le Ferte-Alais France. Perfect day with excellent pilots. Photo rights are reserved.