Aerial Photography

Aerial Photographs of Brown Field and Tijuana International Airport

historical aerial photograph of Brown Field Airport (SDM), Otay Mesa, California and Tijuana Airport (TIJ), Tijuana, Mexico, 1955
historical aerial photograph of Brown Field Airport (SDM), Otay Mesa, San Diego County, California and Tijuana Airport (TIJ), Tijuana, Baja, Mexico, 1955.
Image ID: AHLV4726

This 1955 historical aerial photograph of Brown Field and Tijuana International Airport shows both airports during important periods of their development. It is part of a collection of aerial photographs of Brown Field and Tijuana International Airport available from Aerial Archives.

Brown Field is one of the oldest airports in the United States, originally named East Field and opened in 1918 when the U.S. Army established an aerial gunnery and aerobatics school to relieve congestion at North Island. From 1918 and 1919 pilots trained in the Curtis JN-4D at East Field.

In 1943 the Navy changed the name of the airport to NAAS Otay Mesa. From 1943 through 1946 NAAS Otay Mesa was used to train pilots in the Lockheed P-38 Lightening, the Grumman F4 F Wildcat, the Grumman TBF/TBM Avenger and the Grumman F6F Hellcat.

The Navy turned the airport over to the City of San Diego in 1946. Chula Vista High School was established on the airfield with a temporary campus and an enrollment of 650 students in 1947.

The Navy reopened the airport as NALF Brown Field in 1951, and by the time this photograph was taken in 1955, Brown Field had been commissioned as a Naval Auxiliary Air Station to support fleet aircraft and field carrier landing practice. The F6F Hellcat, the F9F Cougar, the JD-1 Invader, the P2V Neptune and the FJ Fury were among the aircraft using the airport at this time.

In 1962 the airport was again transferred to the City of San Diego. Lufthansa moved its pilot training program from Phoenix to Brown Field in 1970 and still uses the airport for its training today.

Because Brown Field has a relatively long runway (Runway 08L/26R is 7972′ long), it is still used today by Navy C-130s and F/A-18s.

The Tijuana International Airport, seen at the bottom center of this photograph, is at the edge of the Mexican American border, just over one nautical mile south of Brown Field.

Tijuana Airport opened in 1951 and Mexicana de Aviacion began direct flights to and from Mexico City in 1954, one year before this aerial photograph was taken.

Mexico agreed to reorient the airport’s main runway from 10/28 to 09/27 to avoid airspace incursions into US airspace as part of its expansion. This reorientation increased the glide slope of the east approach, favored because the prevailing wind, above 3 degrees, preventing a full ILS approach because of a 2600′ obstacle, Cerro San Isidro. The expansion in 1970 included construction of a new terminal building. The old terminal became an air base for the Mexican Armed Forces.

Tijuana International Airport became a private concession in 1995, part of a total of 12 airports operated by Guadalajara based Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (Pacific Airport Group), a consortium of Spanish investors.

The airport has continued to expand over time and now has a 23 gate main terminal with two concourses and one of the tallest control towers in Mexico. The Old Airport Terminal is still dedicated to military aviation.

In 2015, Tijuana International Airport opened the Cross Border Xpress (“CBX”), the world’s third cross-border passenger terminal. That terminal is located in the United States. A bridge connects it to the Tijuana International Airport.

For additional aerial photographs of Brown Field and Tijuana International Airport, please visit the links below, or, if you need additional imagery not shown on the site, please contact Aerial Archives directly.

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More aerial photographs of airports

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Aerial Photo Maps of San Francisco

aerial photo map of San Francisco, California, 2020
aerial photo map of San Francisco, California, 2020
Image ID: AHLV4666

Aerial Archives provides current and historical aerial photo maps of San Francisco, California.

The aerial photograph shown above is a composite of many aerial photos and is suitable for enlargement to 14′ wide.

Higher resolution imagery which will enlarge to 30′ wide of the same view is also available on a custom basis.

In addition to aerial photography, Aerial Archives provides very recent satellite imagery of San Francisco.

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More information about aerial photo maps of San Francisco

Aerial maps of San Francisco available for immediate license or prints

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Aerial Photographs of Albuquerque, New Mexico

aerial photograph of Al Hurricane Pavilion stage at the Civic Plaza, Albuquerque, New Mexico
This aerial photograph shows the Al Hurricane Pavilion stage at the Civic Plaza, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Image ID: AHLE0980
© Herb Lingl/aerialarchives.com

An extensive selection of aerial photographs of Albuquerque, New Mexico is available from Aerial Archives.

Included in the collection are detailed aerial views of Albuquerque including its buildings, plazas, stadiums and airport, and overviews of the city.

Among the featured locations are Sandia National Labs, the Kirtland Airforce Base, the Albuquerque International Sunport, the Albuquerque Biological Park, the University of New Mexico stadium, Isotopes baseball park, the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Courthouse, the Downs Racetrack and Casino, the Presbyterian Hospital, the Roy E. Disney Center for Performing Arts and the Canyon Club at Four Hills golf course.

The collection of aerial photographs of Albuquerque, New Mexico also includes views of the Rio Grande river as it passes through Albuquerque.

Also available are current and historical aerial maps of Albuquerque.

The Al Hurricane Pavilion stage is one of the highlights of the Albuquerque Civic Plaza. The Plaza is in the center of the city directly adjacent to the Albuquerque Convention Center.

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Aerial photographs of Santa Fe, New Mexico

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Aerial Photographs of Big Sur Landslides

aerial photograph of repair of Highway 1, Big Sur, Monterey County, California after a landslide
This aerial photograph of shows the repair of Highway 1, Big Sur, Monterey County, California after a landslide in 2021.
Image ID: AHLE0980
© Herb Lingl/aerialarchives.com

Aerial photographs of Big Sur landslides are invaluable in monitoring erosion along Highway One and in planning repairs.

Landslides have caused the collapse of portions of Highway One along Big Sur numerous times.

Highway One, officially known as California State Route 1, is a major north south highway most of which runs along the Pacific coastline. It’s the longest state highway in California and is over 650 long from its southern terminus near Dana Point in Orange County to its northern terminus near Leggett in Mendocino County.

Highway One was built in various pieces. The first section opened in the Big Sur area in the 1930s. Highway One in the Big Sur region covers a little over 70 miles from San Carpóforo Creek to Malpaso Creek.

Much of the highway winds along the cliffs of the Santa Lucia Mountains and passes over bridges. Notable Highway One bridges in the Big Sur region include the Bixby Creek Bridge, the Big Creek Bridge and the Rocky Creek Bridge.

Big Sur is a scenic, rugged and mountainous part of the California Central Coast where the Santa Lucia Mountains meet the Pacific Ocean. It is protected by the Big Sur Local Coastal Plan which was approved in the 1980s. The plan places extensive restrictions on development and population density. In addition, about 60% of the coastal region is owned by either private parties or government entities which prohibit development.

Before the construction of Highway One, Big Sur was one of the most remote parts of California.

Erosion and landslides affect various portions of Highway One along the California coast, but they are more frequent in the Big Sur area.

Highway One in the Big Sur area has been closed over 50 times because of land and mud slides.

Aerial photographs of these Big Sur landslides have been critical to highway repairs and erosion analysis.

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Aerial photographs of erosion

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Aerial Photographs of San Francisco Bay Salt Ponds

aerial photograph of a red salt evaporating pond in San Francisco bay
This aerial photograph of a red salt evaporating pond in Newark, California shows a pond in the San Francisco Bay salt pond network with intense colors resulting from Halobacteria, Duniella and tiny brine shrimp.
Image ID: AHLB2957
© Herb Lingl/aerialarchives.com

Aerial photographs show the vibrant colors of San Francisco Bay salt ponds better than any view from the ground.

The colors of the ponds range from bright reds, to green, yellow and brown. The colors depend primarily on the salinity of the pond.

The Ohlone were already producing salt in San Francisco Bay when Spanish explorers arrived.

Industrial production began in the 1850s. At that time, numerous small family operations created salt ponds from wetlands in Redwood City, Newark, Hayward and other portions of San Francisco Bay. Over the years, those small businesses were replaced by several companies. Eventually Cargill purchased these companies and built a network of salt ponds that covered over 16,000 acres.

In order to restore salt ponds back into wetlands, Cargill sold most of its San Francisco Bay salt pond holdings to the California Coastal Conservancy, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and private foundations in 2003. The project, known as the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project, is the largest wetland restoration project on the West Coast of the United States.

Aerial Archives’ collection of aerial photographs of San Francisco Bay salt ponds includes aerial overviews of the entire network of salt ponds and numerous detailed aerial views.

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Details about salt pond aerial photography

Aerial photographs of wetlands

Aerial photographs of San Francisco Bay

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Aerial Photographs of Natural Gas Flares in Wyoming

aerial photograph of natural gas flare Wyoming
This aerial photograph shows a flare stack burning natural gas in southern Wyoming. It illustrates the large amount of black carbon that can be released into the atmosphere by some flares.Flaring has increased significantly in the United States in recent years. According to the World Bank, flaring in the US increased 48% between 2017 and 2018. Fracking has resulted in the production of large amounts of natural gas along with oil production. With the oversupply of natural gas, some operators are flaring gas. A study published in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics indicates that gas flares have contributed to over 40% of the black carbon deposited in the Arctic. Black carbon deposits contribute to the rates of snow and ice melt. Flaring also contributes substantially to the amount of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere and is an important contributor to global warming. Properly operated flares convert methane to CO2. Methane’s global warming impact is 34 times greater than that of CO2. Improperly operated flares may emit methane, sulfur dioxide and a variety of carcinogenic hydrocarbons. There are more natural gas flares in the United States at this time than any other portion of the globe. Both satellite imagery and aerial photography are useful tools to identify the location and density of natural gas flares.
Image ID: AHLB9621
© Herb Lingl/aerialarchives.com

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More aerial photographs of gas flares.

More aerial photography of the oil and gas industry.

Information about aerial photography of the oil and gas industry.

More aerial photographs of the Wyoming.

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Aerial Photography of Napa Valley in the Spring

aerial photograph of Napa Valley in spring
This aerial photograph of Napa Valley in the spring shows a view of California Highway 29 toward Mount Saint Helena.
Image ID: AHLB4117
© Herb Lingl/aerialarchives.com

The yellow areas visible in this aerial photograph of Napa Valley are blooming mustard fields. Numerous vineyards in Napa Valley plant mustard. Mustard serves as a bio-fumigator that suppresses pests and diseases. It is also rich in nitrogen and has long been used as a cover crop.

The Oakville AVA is in the foreground of this aerial photograph. The AVA is known for its success with Bordeaux varietals. It extends from the Mayacamas mountains on the west to the Vaca mountains on the east. Over 50 wineries source their grapes from vineyards in the Oakville AVA. The AVA covers approximately 5000 acres of planted vineyards.

The tracks of the Napa Valley Wine train which run along highway 29 are visible in the photograph.

The Opus and Mondavi wineries are located slightly above the middle ground of the photograph. Trees growing along the Napa River show the course of the river beginning in the middle ground right of the photograph.

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More aerial photographs of the Napa Valley.

More aerial photography of vineyards.

More information about aerial photography of the Napa Valley.

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Aerial Photographs of Olympic Park in Montreal

=" Olympic Park, Montreal, Quebec, Canada viewed from across the Saint Lawrence river
Aerial photograph of Olympic Park (Parc Olympique), Montreal, Quebec, Canada, home to the 1976 Summer Olympics as viewed from Longueuil across the Saint Lawrence river.
Image ID: AHLB4150
© Herb Lingl/aerialarchives.com

Numerous aerial photographs of Olympic Park and the Olympic Stadium (Stade Olympique) in Montreal are available from Aerial Archives. The Olympic Stadium is a multi purpose stadium with the largest seating capacity of any stadium in Canada. It was designed by French architect Roger Taillibert.

The design incorporated a retractable roof opened and closed by cables suspended from the 175-meter (574 ft) Olympic Tower. The Olympic Tower is the tallest inclined structure in the world.

The Olympic Tower includes a multi-story observatory which opened in 1987. It’s accessible via an elevator that can carry up to 76 people per trip. Panoramic views available to elevator passengers include views of the Olympic Village, and the Botanical Gardens.

One of the twin Olympic Village structures is at right. The Olympic Village towers housed all of the 1976 summer Olympics athletes except the sailors and equestrian competitors. The Olympic Village was designed by architects Roger D’Astous and Luc Durand.

Maisonneuve Park, Montreal Botanical Garden and Montreal Insectarium are visible in the background of this aerial photograph.

Additional aerial photographs Olympic Park in Montreal include detailed views of the Olympic Tower and Olympic Stadium.

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More aerial photographs of Montreal.

Description of the collection of aerial photography of Montreal.

Description de la collection de photographies aériennes de Montréal.

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Middletown Art Center: 4th Anniversary Fire Commemoration | September 13-November 17, 2019

This aerial photograph of homes burned to their foundations in the Fountaingrove neighborhood of Santa Rosa, California as a result of the Tubbs Fire, which was one of numerous wildfires burning during the October, 2017 North Bay Firestorm, is part of an exhibit about the wildfire experience that opens September 13, 2019 at the Middletown Art Center and runs through November 17. The exhibit, entitled All That Is Now: The 4th Fire Anniversary Commemoration features work by a diverse group of artists inspired by the Valley Fire that started September 12, 2015 near Cobb and ultimately burned over 76,000 acres, killed five people and destroyed almost 2000 buildings before it was fully contained on October 15, 2015. The Valley Fire and subsequent fires in Lake County have burned over 50% of the County’s land mass and caused almost every county resident to evacuate at least once over the past four years. The aerial photograph shown above is one of six pieces in the exhibit created by Aerial Archives photographer, Herb Lingl. The exhibit opening reception is scheduled for September 13 from 6 to 9pm . The opening reception includes the performance of a concert of songs and recitation of poetry by community members. The Middletown Art Center gallery is located at 21456 State Highway, Middletown, CA.
Image ID: AHLE0299

For additional information about the Middletown Art Center please visit
Middletown Art Center.

Information about Herb Lingl’s wildfire aerial photography on display at the Middletown Art Center is available at Herb Lingl | California Wildfires.

To view a selection of Herb’s California wildfire aerial photography, please visit: aerial photography of California wildfires.

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Malibu Hills Wildflower Bloom after the Woolsey Fire

Malibu Hills, wildflower bloom, spring, Woolsey Fire aftermath, AHLE0391
This aerial photograph of the Malibu Hills in Los Angeles County, California shows the wildflower bloom during the spring of 2019.
Image ID: AHLE0391
© Herb Lingl/aerialarchives.com

This was the first spring after the Woolsey wildfire passed through the area. The fire and subsequent winter rains caused an exceptionally intense bloom. Many of the flowers were the yellow black mustard plant, which quickly established itself after the fire and presents a challenge to some native plants.

The Woolsey Fire burned over 96,000 acres in Los Angeles and Ventura County from November 8-21, 2018. It caused 3 fatalities and destroyed 1,643 structures including houses owned by Neil Young and Kim Bassinger.

The fire started on the Santa Susana Field Laboratory property, which is a complex of industrial research and development facilities that is owned by Boeing. It is located in the Santa Susana Mountains above the Simi Valley.

Hundreds of homes in Malibu were destroyed on both sides of the Pacific Coast Highway. One home in the Malibu Hills which burned to the foundation is visible in the foreground of this aerial photograph adjacent to two homes which survived. In the far distance, downtown Los Angeles is visible through a thin layer of haze.

The Aerial Archives library contains numerous additional aerial photographs of the aftermath of the Woolsey Fire and the Malibu Hills wildflower bloom the following spring.

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More aerial photography of California wildfires and their aftermath.

More aerial photography of Los Angeles County, California.

Additional information about the collection Los Angeles County aerial photography.

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