Aviation Week 2019 Photo Contest Selected Finalists

Smoke and fire from a launch abort engine rocket hot-fire test at sunset lights up the Mojave desert in Southern California. Four of these Aerojet Rocketdyne engines provide the thrust for the crew escape system that is designed to carry astronauts on the Boeing CST-100 Starliner to safety in the event of a launch anomaly. 

Northrop Grumman Antares launcher is lifted into position for launch on Cygnus CRS Mission 10 on Nov. 17, 2018.

TxJet's fleet of Citations are used to transport life-saving organs to recipients in need.

An Ex-Swiss Air Force Hawker Hunter in Sqdn. 15 paper airplane colors flown by Ueli Leutert soars over the central Alps. This civilian Hunter is operated by the Hunter Association of St. Stephan, Switzerland.

The Early Birds Foundation’s Nieuport 28C1 replica PH-NIE is based at Lelystad, in the Flevopolder—a piece of low-lying land reclaimed from a body of water. That area holds a few flower fields, one of which provided a background for the World War I fighter.

A Boeing EA-18G Growler sits on static display at the 2019 U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (California) Air Show. Aircraft No. 555 is part of the U.S. Navy's VX-9 Air Test and Evaluation Sqdn., colloquially known as the "Vampires."

As this British Airways Boeing 747-400 was approaching Runway 27L at London Heathrow International Airport, the so-called “Queen of the Sky” created what could have been the world’s largest heart. To me, it was the warm heart from Joe Sutter, the head of the Boeing 747 project who designed and built one of the greatest aircraft ever built.

Three Colombian Air Force Kfir aircraft, taking fuel from an FAC Boeing KC-767 nicknamed "Jupiter" during a dusk patrol over the Colombian jungle. The Israel Aerospace Industries fighters celebrated 30 years of service this year and despite their age carry the most advanced weapons systems courtesy of various upgrades. They are seen here carrying Rafael Derby and Python 5 AAMs.

A dramatic view during liftoff of a VA245 Ariane 5 as it launches from Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts Starlink satellites to space in a night launch at Cape Canaveral. Here, the streak shot of the launch mirrors the arc of Port Canaveral's Exploration Tower.

A Delta IV Medium launch system lifts the 10th Wideband Global Satcom (WGS-10) satellite from Cape Canaveral AFS Launch Complex 37. Shot from a remote camera northwest of the pad, the exhaust is reflected in the retention pond near the pad.

Drops of dew frame a SpaceX Falcon 9 as it launches a GPS satellite on a cold December morning.

A Mathys Aviation Douglas C-47 Skytrain captured en route to St. Stephan AB, Switzerland, to take part in the Hunterfest Air Show.

With Mount Meeker as a backdrop, this pair of brightly colored and unique home-built aircraft known as Sorrell HiperBipes, fly near Longmont, Colorado. The red aircraft was built by Doug Eastman, who also owns and flies the aircraft. The yellow bird is flown by Guy Barrow and was built by his father.

An Extra 330 SC (foreground), flown by Bob Freeman of the 2017 U.S. International Aerobatic Club Unlimited Aerobatic Team, forms up on a Harmon Rocket (background), flown by Brian Pickerell of Longmont, Colorado, as the Sun rises on the eastern edge of the Colorado Rockies.

I was preparing the aircraft for the morning’s flight. It was dark when I went into the hangar, but when I emerged with the coffee pot I was stopped in my tracks by this sight!

A Lockheed Martin C-5 takes off during the Travis Air Show at Travis AFB, California.

A crew chief for the U.S. Navy Blue Angels helps his pilot get ready for a flight performance at the California Capital Airshow.

The F-16 solo display from the Belgian Air Component was a welcome addition to the public days at the Paris Air Show.

Chasing the sunset to California, we flew between two layers of clouds, giving the Sun an easel on which to create spectacular artwork.

Our aircraft made a scenic flyby of Mount St. Helens while on arrival from the north into Portland International Airport.

An All Nippon Airways Boeing 787 took off from Runway 14R at Osaka-Itami Airport, as a Japan Airlines Boeing 777 was on final approach.

Sporting the retro livery of British Overseas Airways Corp., a British Airways 747-400 flies among the world famous Red Arrows during the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford.

The photographer was walking outdoors between the Tampa Landside Terminal and Terminal E when she saw these two Amazon PrimeAir cargo jets at just the right angle to think for a moment that she was seeing a very unlikely design.

An Aerolineas Argentinas pilot rests in the shade of a Boeing 737 that just landed at Comodoro Rivadavia, Argentina.

Alaska Airlines and Mount Rainier are two classics of the Pacific Northwest.

An A-10 Thunderbolt and a P-51 Mustang fly in formation.

The Breitling Wingwalkers bring together two different types of aerobatics: one with airplanes flying in formation and another with two acrobats perched on the center of the upper wing and performing a synchronized choreography.

Crowds turned out for the final flight of the Delta IV Medium rocket, seen here from Cocoa Beach, Florida. This beautiful launch sent the GPS III SV02 “Magellan” satellite to orbit.