30+ Absolutely Mind Blowing Cockpit Photos Taken By A Pilot Captain

Captain Karim Nafatni has been living in Dubai for over a decade, but on a regular basis, he travels the world as a Pilot Captain. With a genuinely positive attitude and disposition, as well as an obviously well-tuned artistic eye, Karim soars the skies with a camera in hand.

Karim documents his journeys as a talented photographer, often from what he refers to as "the office." However, Karim's office is a far cry from your office or my office... his office is a cockpit. The cockpit, the front of the airplane where the pilots spend essentially their entire flight time (and sometimes other crew members as well), offers visibility to the front and sides of the plane.

The term cockpit originated as a nautical term in the 17th century to mean a control center (although prior to that, it referred to cockfighting). Cock was actually an old English term for a small boat!

Karim's cockpit office appears to be a magical place through his keen eye, and because of the incredible way he sees the world and shares it, he has accumulated over 100k followers on Instagram and is an official ambassador for Bose. His photography and cheerful, positive disposition are engaging and easy to appreciate and respect.

1. Light in the dark

karimthecaptain

2. Incredible skies

karimthecaptain

3. Rays of sunshine

karimthecaptain

4. Do you suppose this is a sunrise or a sunset?

karimthecaptain

5. What a seriously incredible photo.

karimthecaptain

More often than not, Karim adorns his Instagram posts with motivational quotes intended to inspire his followers to maintain a positive mindset no matter what they do. "Make your life a masterpiece; imagine no limitations on what you can be, have, or do," Karim urges his fans.

Often accompanied by a smiling selfie, he shares thoughts like this all the time:

"Nothing holds you back more than your own insecurities. Doubt your power, and you will give power to your own doubts. Whatever you believe about yourself on the inside is what you will manifest on the outside. Be proud of who you are. What you think of yourself is much more important than what others think of you. Oh! And yes, always keep a smile on your face. Have an amazing Saturday, my dear friends."

6. We mean it when we say mind-blowing and breathtaking

karimthecaptain

7. Sometimes Karim's photos feature other airline employees, too.

karimthecaptain

8. The natural lighting from the sun and the lights from the cockpit create a fascinating juxtaposition all the time.

karimthecaptain

9. You don't see clouds like this on land.

karimthecaptain

10. In the sky!

karimthecaptainkarimthecaptain

The first airplane was invented and flown in 1903 by the Wright Brothers, which is something you probably learned in grade school. Their aircraft, the Wright Flyer, flew about 120 feet, and it was considered the world's first "sustained and controlled heavier-than-air powered flight."

By contrast, today a Boeing 787 can fly 10,000 miles on a single tank of gas! It's incredible to think about how far science has come when it comes to humans in the skies.

11. Silver and Gray

karimthecaptain

12. Splashes of color

karimthecaptain

13. Serene

karimthecaptain

14. Is there anything more incredible than sunshine?

karimthecaptain

15. The definition of peace.

karimthecaptainkarimthecaptain

Being from Dubai, you may be surprised to notice that Karim's English is quite fantastic. However, you would only be surprised if you didn't know this fun fact about international flight rules:

"English is the international language of flight. All flight controllers and all commercial pilots who fly on international flights are required to speak English."

16. It's like looking at a mural

karimthecaptain

17. The universe is incredible

karimthecaptainkarimthecaptain

18. How can a still photograph invoke a sense of movement?

karimthecaptain

19. Honestly breathtaking.

karimthecaptain

20. Sneaking in

karimthecaptain

A single windshield or window of a Boeing 747-400’s cockpit costs as much as a BMW (an average of almost $33k), and the average Boeing 747 has around 150–175 miles of wiring inside it. Airplanes like Boeing are crafted in the United States by aeronautical engineers.

In order to prevent the risk of an entire flight crew falling victim to food poisoning, pilots do not eat the same food on the plane as anyone else. On major airlines, they are actually not even allowed to eat the same food as the rest of the crew, and in many cases, pilots bring their own food with them.

21. Blue

karimthecaptain

22. A view

karimthecaptain

23. The clouds almost look like the ocean in this shot

karimthecaptain

24. Coming into view

karimthecaptain

25. Another day, another flight, another incredible shot

karimthecaptain

In 1911, the first woman to become licensed to fly a plane was Harriet Quimby. She was also the first woman to fly across the English Channel, the busiest shipping area in the world, considered an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Southern England from Northern France and links to the southern part of the North Sea by the Strait of Dover at its northeastern end.

Quimby is considered an "early aviation pioneer," who sadly passed away at the age of 37 on July 1, 1912, during an unsanctioned contest in Boston when her aircraft unexpectedly pitched forward for reasons still unknown, ejecting her and her passenger, William Willard (who organized the event). The plane glided down into mud, but Quimby and Willard fell to their deaths.

26. Stunning and vibrantly colorful

karimthecaptain

27. Incredible views

karimthecaptain

28. City Lights almost look like galaxies from the cockpit

karimthecaptain

29. Intentionally blurry

karimthecaptain

30. Surprisingly Stunning

karimthecaptain

31. Fog in Dubai

karimthecaptain

32. Undeniably artistic

karimthecaptain

Karim continues to share captivating content, much to the delight of over 111k followers. Whether he's posting a selfie, a view from a hotel, or an artistic photograph from the cockpit, he has certainly earned his way into the hearts of many by authentically showcasing experiences that are often unseen. As noted by motivational speaker Mel Robbins, "The more you share your unique perspective, the more you connect with others." You can keep up with Karim's journey through his engaging posts and insights.