The view from VERY far above: Incredible pictures taken from the cockpit of a jumbo jet show the Earth as you've never seen it before, from Manhattan to Dubai
- They were taken by Dutch 747-400 captain Christiaan Van Heijst, who has 147,000 Instagram followers
- Christiaan reveals that he has completed over 10,000 flying hours on various airplane types
- READ MORE: Pilots reveal what happens to a plane when it's hit by LIGHTNING - and should we be scared?
Forget bird's-eye views – try these plane-ly incredible jumbo-jet flight deck views instead.
They were taken by Dutch 747-400 captain Christiaan Van Heijst, who has rightly earned a reputation for breathtaking cockpit images.
His aerial pictures have landed him multiple awards and 147,000 Instagram followers.
Christiaan said: 'With my first job as a pilot in 2004, I was flying turboprops around Africa and Afghanistan, and I was acutely aware that I was seeing things and sights that were unique, so I had a strong motivation to document them all.
'I started taking pictures with a simple camera and as my flying career progressed, so did my photography.'
Scroll down for Christiaan's latest scintillating shots, taken above locations that include Manhattan, Dubai, China and the remote Sable Island.
![Contrails above the clouds: A stunning image of an aircraft hurtling past below Christiaan's 747](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/09/11/87101915-13615187-image-a-47_1720520810103.jpg)
Contrails above the clouds: A stunning image of an aircraft hurtling past below Christiaan's 747
![A mesmerising image of Cape Verde - an African island country in the Atlantic Ocean](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/09/11/87101923-13615187-image-a-48_1720520825588.jpg)
A mesmerising image of Cape Verde - an African island country in the Atlantic Ocean
![Hue goes there: A jaw-dropping picture of an aurora. Christiaan said that capturing auroras through the cockpit took a lot of 'trial and error'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/09/11/87101901-13615187-image-a-49_1720520833336.jpg)
Hue goes there: A jaw-dropping picture of an aurora. Christiaan said that capturing auroras through the cockpit took a lot of 'trial and error'
![Christiaan has completed over 10,000 flying hours on various airplane types. Above - the mountains of Armenia](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/09/11/87101895-13615187-image-a-50_1720520840479.jpg)
Christiaan has completed over 10,000 flying hours on various airplane types. Above - the mountains of Armenia
![Manhattan looks like a toy town in this incredible shot taken from the skies above it](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/09/11/87101891-13615187-image-a-51_1720520849410.jpg)
Manhattan looks like a toy town in this incredible shot taken from the skies above it
![Christiaan reveals that he's flown roughly 8.6million kilometres, or 5.4 million miles - 'give or take a few'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/09/11/87101881-13615187-image-a-52_1720520853066.jpg)
Christiaan reveals that he's flown roughly 8.6million kilometres, or 5.4 million miles - 'give or take a few'
![Way to glow: The heavenly image above shows moonlight over the Pacific Ocean](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/09/11/87101877-13615187-image-a-53_1720520856632.jpg)
Way to glow: The heavenly image above shows moonlight over the Pacific Ocean
![Peaky blinder: The Himalayas look like a painting in this hypnotic picture](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/09/11/87101865-13615187-image-a-54_1720520866135.jpg)
Peaky blinder: The Himalayas look like a painting in this hypnotic picture
![Here, the vast Gobi Desert stretches out beneath Christiaan's jumbo jet](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/09/11/87101939-13615187-image-a-55_1720520883628.jpg)
Here, the vast Gobi Desert stretches out beneath Christiaan's jumbo jet
![A striking mountain range in China. Christiaan estimates that he has flown 17 times the distance from the Earth to the Moon](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/09/11/87101935-13615187-image-a-56_1720520896384.jpg)
A striking mountain range in China. Christiaan estimates that he has flown 17 times the distance from the Earth to the Moon
![Christiaan said: 'With my first job as a pilot in 2004, I was flying turboprops around Africa and Afghanistan and I was acutely aware that I was seeing things and sights that are unique, so I had strong motivation to document it all'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/09/11/87101919-13615187-image-m-61_1720520935802.jpg)
![Dubai's two Palm islands](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/09/11/87101955-13615187-image-a-62_1720520943434.jpg)
Christiaan said: 'With my first job as a pilot in 2004, I was flying turboprops around Africa and Afghanistan and I was acutely aware that I was seeing things and sights that are unique, so I had strong motivation to document it all.' Pictured right - Dubai's two Palm islands
![Pictures like this have helped to earn Christiaan 147,000 Instagram followers](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/09/11/87101957-13615187-image-a-63_1720520950931.jpg)
Pictures like this have helped to earn Christiaan 147,000 Instagram followers
![Christiaan here captures his 'office' - the cockpit of a Boeing 747-400](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/09/11/87101949-13615187-image-a-64_1720520955117.jpg)
Christiaan here captures his 'office' - the cockpit of a Boeing 747-400
![This arresting picture captures Canada's Sable Island, where around 350 shipwrecks lie](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/09/11/87101941-13615187-image-a-65_1720520958651.jpg)
This arresting picture captures Canada's Sable Island, where around 350 shipwrecks lie
![Colour us impressed: An astonishing aurora captured by Christiaan over Germany](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/09/11/87101861-13615187-image-a-66_1720520971166.jpg)
Colour us impressed: An astonishing aurora captured by Christiaan over Germany
For more incredible photography and videos, see Christaan's Instagram: @jpcvanheijst.