LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 09/08/2026✈️ Aerial Survey 101: satellites have fixed schedules, drones have limited range. LightHawk flights cover hundreds of miles and can change course in real time. Sometimes the best vantage point is still a window seat. 010
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 08/08/2026✈️ Why small planes, not commercial jets? General aviation aircraft land on short runways near remote sites and fly low and slow enough to actually see what's below. That access is what makes conservation flying possible. #ConservationAviation 010
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 07/08/2026#PilotViewFriday Say hello to volunteer pilot Jason Guinnee. Jason joined our ranks in 2024 and has flown multiple missions since then. He also flies as an Iditarod volunteer pilot in support of the dog sled race. Jason’s a great example of the amazing pilots who fly with LightHawk! 010
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 06/08/2026#TBT to 2016: LightHawk flew with the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection to support two wildlife crossings north of Tucson, connecting the Santa Catalina and Tortolita mountains and keeping Sonoran Desert habitat linked. #ConservationAviation 010
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 06/08/2026Join us in welcoming Elliott Wright as LightHawk's next CEO. Elliott has 20+ years in conservation and philanthropy, and knows how to turn big ideas into lasting impact. We're delighted to have him lead LightHawk into its next chapter. loom.ly/tqaqBOE #Conservation #Aviation #Leadershiploom.lyPress Release – August 5, 2026 - LightHawk 000
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 04/08/2026✈️ It was a pleasure to join Oshkosh, Wisconsin Rotary members for their Flying Rotarians luncheon at EAA's AirVenture recently! Thanks for the invitation to share LightHawk's story with a new audience and for the warm welcome. (Photos: Rotarian Michael J. Cooney) 011
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 02/08/2026✈️ Ever heard a pilot called "PIC"? Pilot in Command — the person legally responsible for a flight, start to finish. Every LightHawk volunteer pilot flies as PIC on our missions, making the calls that keep passengers and aircraft safe. #ConservationAviation 010
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 31/07/2026🛩️ #PilotViewFriday: It's been a while since he's flown a mission, but Greg Bedinger remains an active LightHawk volunteer pilot and a go-to source on flying the southern border. Thanks for sticking with us, Greg! 010
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 27/07/2026A rare earth mine is proposed at Sheep Creek, headwaters of the West Fork Bitterroot River in Montana. Two LightHawk pilots flew community leaders, media, and elected officials over the site to see firsthand how close it sits to the river. #ConservationAviation 011
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 26/07/2026How does a wing generate lift? Faster airflow over the top creates pressure that pushes the plane up. LightHawk uses that same lift to elevate conservation — your support is what allows us to fly. Donate: loom.ly/e0hj5S8 #GiveFlightToConservation 010
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 25/07/2026Conservation takes time to understand. LightHawk is in year two of survey flights over the San Juan Islands with WA State DNR, tracking anchored boats and their impact on sea grass beds. The power of flight, protecting vital marine vegetation. 010
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 24/07/2026#PilotViewFriday: Recognizing volunteer pilot Jonathan Hinson, flying with LightHawk since 2020, 20+ donated flights in six years, based in Maine. A passenger called him "extremely friendly and helpful" throughout the flight. Thank you, Jonathan! 000
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 23/07/2026New Conservation FLYer is out! Pilot Scott Cianchette and LightHawk's Jonathan Milne flew central Maine's Sebasticook River Watershed, documenting the Serpentine waterway between East and North Ponds. loom.ly/UzLUMlc #ConservationAviationlighthawk.orgConservation FLYer – June 2026 - LightHawkClick to read the June Issue of LightHawk's Conservation FLYer email newsletter. 000
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 23/07/2026🐺 In June 2026, LightHawk flew five Mexican wolf pups to Arizona to be fostered into wild dens. 23 fosters have now survived 2+ years in the wild, beating the 2030 recovery goal early. Full story: loom.ly/63bzBM8theoutdoorwire.comMexican Wolf Recovery Achieves Another Milestone - The Outdoor Wire | The Outdoor WireThe Arizona Game and Fish Department released five Mexican wolf pups from the Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) project into the wild in June 2026, continuing a fostering program that has placed 148 captive pups since 2016. LightHawk volunteer aviators assisted with transport, and the effort supports genetic diversity management for this endangered subspecies. 000
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 22/07/2026Attention LightHawk Volunteer Pilots at AirVenture! Our friends with ACA (and Pilatus and TROPIQ) will be hosting a "high-flying" hospitality event on Wednesday, July 22 from 6 to 8 p.m. in Booth #124. Stop by and bring a friend who might be interested in public benefit flying! 020
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 22/07/2026What's a wildlife corridor? A connected path — natural or built — that lets animals move safely between fragmented habitat, preventing isolated populations and keeping migration routes open. Easier to spot and protect from the air. #WildlifeCorridors 000
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 21/07/2026Most who pass the Delaware River have no idea it has 123 islands, sandbars, forested wetlands, even pirate lore & a hideout, almost none visible from the ground. We flew The Philadelphia Inquirer over it to tell its story. Thanks to our pilot Dr. Gilberto Velez-Domenech! loom.ly/LxJ-Y04inquirer.comFly up the Delaware on a tour of the river’s most intriguing islandsFrom pirate lore to George Washington’s hideout, these 13 Delaware River islands have stories to tell. 010
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 17/07/2026For 25 years, Jane Rosevelt has helped power conservation from the air with LightHawk. With 55 flights completed and dozens more supported, her work across Northern California and the Pacific Northwest has made a lasting impact. Here’s to 25 years of service. 💚 #ConservationAviation #VolunteerPilot 010
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 15/07/2026Halfway through 2026: LightHawk has flown 140+ conservation flights, 425+ hours in the air, across 23 states. From coast to coast, our pilots and partners are protecting our planet one flight at a time. #ConservationAviation 010
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 13/07/2026Seeing is believing: LightHawk flew local leaders over the proposed Sheep Creek mine site near the West Fork Bitterroot River. The aerial vantage point made the scale and proximity of risk immediately clear, giving stakeholders the perspective needed to advocate for protecting the critical waterway.kpax.comConservation groups and community leaders check out Sheep Creek Project site from the skyFlights organized by conservation groups flew over the Sheep Creek Project proposed exploration mining site. 010
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 12/07/2026What turns a donor into a champion? Sometimes a single flight over a landscape unreachable any other way. LightHawk recently flew donors over the remote Cuenca Reserve with partner Cuenca los Ojos — crossing from Arizona into Mexico. Seeing from above doesn't just inform. It transforms. 🛩️🌄 000
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 11/07/2026Conservation doesn't end with us — it starts with what we leave behind. 🛩️🌿 A legacy gift ensures the conservation flights that matter keep happening long into the future — over threatened rivers, endangered habitats, and disappearing wilderness. 👉 lighthawk.org/get-involved/planned-giving 010
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 10/07/202611 National Parks. 5.5 million acres of farmland. 40 million people. All depend on one river. That river is shrinking. LightHawk pilots provide the aerial view needed to monitor the Colorado River basin — tracking water levels, habitat loss, & change before it becomes irreversible. 📸 RJ Sangosti 010
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 09/07/2026In 2022, LightHawk flights helped Jon Waterman document wilderness from above for Atlas of American Wilds. From Mojave National Preserve to other wild landscapes across the West, these aerial images help tell the story of what’s worth protecting. 🌄 #WildernessProtection #PublicLands #Conservation 010
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 08/07/2026The Everglades — America's largest wetland — faces overdevelopment, runoff, rising seas, & water mismanagement. We fly it with partners like the Everglades Foundation to capture aerial imagery that documents threats and supports restoration efforts. The River of Grass deserves a fighting chance. 🌿 010
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 07/07/2026What if we could fly over anywhere for you — where would it be? A river, a species, a wild place that deserves more attention. Tell us. 👇 Follow us at @lighthawk.org for more conservation from above. #Conservation #WhatWouldYouProtect 010
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 06/07/2026LightHawk has partnered with photographer Alex Heilner to fly over Lake Powell for his project "Draining the Colorado" — to document through aerial imagea a water crisis two decades in the making. These images have appeared in NatGeo, The Guardian & Politico. 📷 heilner.net/projects/colorado-river 020
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 05/07/2026The 50 in 50 Challenge exceeded its goal: 53 flights in 50 days. ✈️ With 170+ flight hours donated and 95 people flown, LightHawk helped more people see conservation challenges from above. Thanks to everyone who supported the journey. 🌎💚 #ConservationAviation #50in50 #LightHawk 000
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 04/07/2026This #4thofJuly, we're celebrating the Americans who show up for the land itself. From surveying legacy forests in the Pacific Northwest to Everglades restoration in Florida, our 300+ volunteer pilots protect the wild places that make this country worth celebrating.🛩️ 1,000 hours PIC? Join us! 000
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 03/07/2026Since 2020, retired airline pilot Susan Schwaab has flown multiple conservation missions with LightHawk across Wisconsin and along the Mississippi River. Passenger review? “A true gem—a rock star.” We couldn’t agree more. ✈️💚 #ConservationAviation #VolunteerPilot #LightHawk 000
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 02/07/2026In 2021, six Mexican wolf pups were flown for cross-fostering into wild packs through the Mexican Wolf Species Survival Program. By reducing travel time, we help lower stress and improve survival outcomes—supporting the recovery of the species. #WildlifeConservation #MexicanWolf #ThrowbackThursday 010
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 29/06/2026The days have started getting shorter, but summer flying is far from over. Every flight helps protect landscapes, waterways, wildlife, and coastlines. Come fly with LightHawk as we keep giving conservation wings. #SummerSolstice #ConservationInFlight 010
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 24/06/2026Flight 51 of the #50in50Challenge documented King Tide events over Maryland's coastline with pilot Robert Panebianco, capturing what sea level rise will look like for coastal communities in the years ahead. Fifty was the goal — the mission didn't stop there, 53 is what passion looks like. 010
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 23/06/2026Five years changes a lot at Lake Powell. Boat ramps that once reached the water now sit far from shore — a stark sign of drought and growing pressure on the Colorado River Basin. We fliy to document the crisis and help drive action to conserve this vital source. #LakePowell #WaterCrisis #Drought 010
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 23/06/2026Flight 50 of the #50in50Challenge is complete, 6 days ahead of schedule! Flying over Maine with Sebasticook Regional Land Trust and 7 Lakes Alliance, we captured imagery of protected lands to support future educational materials. The thing about great pilots & a great mission — you keep flying! 000
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 22/06/2026More than 400 California condor now fly free—a conservation success. Tracking them remains a challenge. Flight 49 of the #50in50Challenge teamed up pilot Will Worthington & Santa Barbara Zoo to use radio telemetry to locate missing birds. All birds found! 🦅 000
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 20/06/2026Flight 48 of the #50in50Challenge was the third flight this season with Cornell University Biological Field Station over Lake Oneida. The project studies fishing impacts — work that used to happen every 3–5 years. Flight is making seasonal data collection possible. Thanks to pilot Robert Keller. 000
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 19/06/2026Water quality changes over time—sometimes day to day. For Flight 47 of the #50in50Challenge, we partnered with Miami Waterkeeper to survey conditions around Port Everglades. This second flight captured sediment plumes from agricultural runoff and current water conditions, helping support monitoring. 000
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 19/06/2026Flight 46 of the #50in50Challenge continued a multi-year project with WADNR and WADFW over the San Juan Islands. Using wing-mounted cameras, the team documented boat anchorages and their impact on seagrass beds. Better data = better protection for vital marine habitats. Thanks to pilot Roy Lewallen. 000
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 18/06/2026Sea level rise is reshaping coastlines—and communities need a clear view of what’s ahead. LightHawk & Surfrider Foundation flew flight 45 of #50in50Challenge over the WA coast to capture imagery showing how development could impact Westport Light State Park. Thanks to volunteer pilot Lane Gormley. 000
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 18/06/2026🚤 One person. A full lap of Oneida Lake. Four days a week — just to count boats. And it could only happen every 3 to 5 years. Flights 43 & 44 of the #50in50Challenge partnered with Cornell University to take that survey to the air — faster, cheaper, & more frequent. Thank you, pilot Robert Keller. 000
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 17/06/2026Flight 42 of the #50in50Challenge combined efforts with conservation partners Centennial-Jackson Valleys National Wildlife Refuge Complex and Wyoming Wetlands Society to conduct aerial surveys of trumpeter swan populations. LightHawk volunteer pilot & staff member Chris Boyer provided the flight. 000
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 17/06/2026336 miles of canal. 80% of Arizona's water. A system under stress. An AZ Republic reporter flew the Central Arizona Project for Flight 41 of the #50in50Challenge to show how drought is pushing the CAP to its limits. Pilot Will Worthington was the CAP's Chief Engineer in the 70s. Few know it better! 000
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 16/06/2026💧 The Colorado River is in crisis. Data alone doesn't move people, seeing it does. Flight 40 of the #50in50Challenge put KTVX journalists over Lake Powell, bringing ABC's audience face to face with the lake as it creeps toward minimum power pool. Thank you, volunteer pilot Chuck Schroll. 🛩️ 000
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 12/06/2026"While maps and Google Earth are invaluable tools, they don't take the place of seeing a landscape in person." — Jerry Bley, AWWF Flight 39 of the #50in50Challenge took us over the Allagash River to assess conditions and inform future conservation strategies. Thanks to pilot Archer Olmer. 000
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 11/06/2026It's nesting season, making it a good time to revisit a past conservation research project. In 2020, Oregon State University researchers tracked black-backed woodpeckers carrying VHF transmitters to locate nests and better understand how the species uses forest habitat. #TBT 010
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 10/06/2026100 years ago, a community lost their land & freedom in Utah's canyons — the 100 Years of Silence. Flight 38 of the #50in50Challenge provided Photographer Dave Showalter & Indigenous storyteller Angelo Baca an aerial view to document the landscape where it unfolded. Thank you, pilot Chuck Schroll. 000
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 09/06/2026What secrets do the islands of the Delaware River hold? Journalist Gabe Coffey is finding out from the air. Flight 37 of the #50in50Challenge put him over the river to capture photos and video for an upcoming Philadelphia Inquirer piece on the cultural and ecological history of these islands. 🛩️ 000
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 09/06/2026🦊 Flight #36 done! Volunteer pilot Barbara Filkins flew aerial telemetry over the Channel Islands monitoring island foxes in the wake of recent wildfires on Santa Rosa Island. Data goes straight to partners for ground follow-up. 14 flights to go! 🛩️ #50in50Challenge #IslandFox #Conservation 011
LightHawk Conservation Flying @lighthawk-org.bsky.social · 08/06/2026Flight 35: Working with Miami Waterkeeper, we soared above the region with mounted video cameras, capturing imagery of ongoing work in the area. Sediment plumes had been reported. Thanks to volunteer pilot Alan Kinback for providing this flight in Florida. 000