When it comes to spectacular scenery, few people get a better view than airline pilots. But instead of keeping those beautiful panoramas to himself, 747 pilot Christiaan van Heijst take stunning photographs that he kindly shares with the rest of us stuck in economy.

"From an early age on I have found great joy in capturing the beauty of natural light in all its forms," writes Heijst on his website. "Later on, I combined that with flying and a new passion emerged. Seeing the entire world in my job, I feel privileged to be in a position to capture many different parts of the planet through my camera and immortalize the beauty of the places I visit." Shooting with a Nikon D800, the flying Dutchman captures beautiful pictures of thunderstorms, sunsets, full moons, and even the northern lights.

More info: Christiaan van Heijst (h/t: petapixel)