Marking a first for Tattoos In Flight, we present to you today our first skydiving tattoo!  While some in aviation may ask “Why jump out of a perfectly good aircraft?” we certainly know many aviators choose the adrenaline rush of freefall by choice.

Are pilots naturally drawn to these psychokinetic thrills? AOPA Pilot Editor-at-Large Thomas A. Horne even poses this question in his recent blog post…

And what of the adrenaline rush you get when getting at tattoo?  Is that a natural draw of the thrill seeking pilot, biker, or skydiver?

Either way, here’s a tribute to the skydive as executed in black and gray by artist Shawn Willmorth at The Hive Tattoo & Piercing in Moses Lake, WA.

See a larger shot of the tattoo by clicking on the link below or the image above.

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Well, I’m finally back from the big tradeshow in Orlando, FL and am ready to get back into the swing of things — and sending you the best aviation tattoos from the finest artists around the world!

Kicking off the weekend is this fantastic early World War II dogfight sleeve project!  The smooth, vibrant color used here beautifully illustrates the vintage imagery of the era. Central to the tattoo is a Moraine-Saulnier MS.315 as well as an early Luftwaffe aircraft resembling a Heinkel HE-100 perhaps.

The artist, Nikko Hurtado of Ignition Tattoo in Apple Valley, CA did an amazing job with this piece.  Take a look at Nikko’s portfolio and you’ll see more stunning work!

Nikko is one of a host of artists using the Neuma tattoo machine — the first and only pneumatic tattoo machine that’s light, fully autoclavable, and maintenance-free. The kind of work these artists are putting out is really pushing the boundaries of the artform!

Please click on the link below or the image above to see a larger image and a second image of the sleeve!

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