When I got the call a few months back from Alton K. Marsh, a Senior Editor for AOPA Pilot Magazine (the official publication for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association), I was surprised to say the least!  Mr. Marsh has been a favorite writer of mine at AOPA for years and to get a call from him was a thrill to say the least.  When I learned what the call was about, I was even more thrilled… he was researching an upcoming article for AOPA Pilot on Aviation Tattoos!  He had been doing a little bit of research and inquiry on the AOPA Member Forums when he learned of my little website here, Tattoos In Flight, so he gave me a call to see if we could lend him a hand in finding the aviators around the U.S. who were passionate enough about aviation and flying to get a permanent tribute in the form of a tattoo.  Needless to say, I was glad to help!

Well, I am proud to say that the finished article has been published in the October 2011 issue of AOPA Pilot Magazine under the title “Tattoos in the Air: Visual Evidence of a Passion for Flight” by Alton Marsh.  The article is complete with some amazing photography of some of our featured subjects on Tattoos In Flight including the famous portrait tattoo by Shotsie Gorman of Charles Lindbergh, the amazingly detailed cutaway tattoo of the General Electric turbine engine by Brett J. Barr, and the Piper PA-28R Arrow tattoo by Jim Judeikis.  As for the identity of the proud wearers, well, you’ll just have to read the article!

So, if you’re a member of AOPA, make sure to keep an eye out for it in your mailbox.  If you aren’t a member of AOPA yet, why not become a member and support the future of General Aviation… it’s well worth the $39.00 per year!  And if you just can’t wait, you can always read the article online at this link to “Tattoos in the Air” at AOPA Online and see some of the photos as well.

Once you’ve read it, come back here and let us know what you think!  Post a comment!

No doubt you have seen the amazing footage of US Airways Flight 1549 floating down the Hudson River after an amazing emergency ditching by Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger III after the Airbus lost power in both engines nearly immediately after takeoff from LaGuardia Airport after apparently colliding with a flock of Canadian Geese. 

The fact that Sully was able to not only bring the airplane back to Earth with no power and land smoothly in the waters of the Hudson River immediately after taking off and while navigating the busy airspace around the metropolis of New York… but also the fact that all 155 survived and were evacuated off the plane within seconds with very few injuries is nothing but miraculous.  It’s a testament to the experience, professionalism, and courage of the entire crew of the airliner that afternoon.

Marisa at Needled.com, a native New Yorker herself, was so in awe of Sully and the crew that it motivated her to add a tribute to them in her blog yesterday.  She and I both noticed the Facebook fan site for Sully and immediately joined… and over 17,000 others have too!

Kudos to the crew of US Airways Flight 1549 — you are heroes to us in the aviation world!

As an aside, if anyone hears or sees anyone who has marked this event with a tattoo tribute to Sully or the crew, please let us know right away!  Email us at tattoosinflight@gmail.com.

We’re striking back up our “Space Saturday” feature with this inner arm tattoo of a Russian (former Soviet) cosmonaut. The tattoo is of Yuri Gagarin, the first human to be launched into space on April 12, 1961 and the first to orbit the Earth.  Gagarin was a pioneer in the early space race as the USA and USSR fought to match or beat each others triumphs in spaceflight.  Tragically, Gagarin lost his life on March 27, 1968 at the young age of 34 during a routine training flight when the MiG-15 UTI he was flying with an instructor, crashed near the town of Kirzhach.

Artist Jason Butcher of Immortal Ink in South Woodham Ferrers, Essex, United Kingdom fittingly immortalized Gagarin in this tattoo.

Please click on the image above or the link below for a larger image.

Click here or the image above to read more & view a larger image »

This week we are beginning our regular series, “Winged Wednesday” which highlights full-back tattoos of wings.

This week we feature the work of “Tony the Tattoo Guy” at skINStAIN? Tattoo Co. in St. Petersburg, FL. The wings above were a cover-up of an earlier tattoo of smaller wings and the detail can be seen in the photo at the right… click on the photo for a larger view.

Have a flight related tattoo you want to share? Email us at tattoosinflight@gmail.com!