Skywriting is typically done with just one aircraft.

Skywriting takes place at around 11,000 feet.

A single letter can be as tall as one mile and takes 60-90 seconds to create.

A message can be several miles in length.

The best weather conditions of course are little to no clouds, zero wind and cooler temperatures.

Skywriting can be seen from the ground for 10-20 miles in any direction. Typically, Skywriting is performed just a few miles away from the target site for ideal viewing.

Writing in the sky is magical and it can last anywhere from a few moments to 20 minutes or sometimes longer depending on weather conditions. The average time a message can last is about 10 minutes and this time starts at the beginning of the message.

The maximum winds aloft for Skywriting is about 25mph. Higher winds are possible but only in the best conditions.

Most messages are about 5 characters in length. Longer messages can be accomplished but are subject to Mother Nature’s weather conditions with regard to how long they last.

The paraffin oil is injected in to the heat of the plane’s exhaust, which produces a stream of white smoke. The smoke is non-toxic and environmentally safe.

There are only 4 professional Skywriters in the U.S. and just 7 worldwide. More people have traveled to space than there are Skywriters in the world.

Skywriting was created soon after the earliest days of flight by the Wright Brothers. The first documented Skywriting was in 1915 by Art Smith and the first public advertising was in 1922 by Captain Cyril Turner over New York City when he wrote “Call Vanderbilt 7200” which was the phone number to the hotel the pilot was staying at.

Marriage proposals are the most popular. Hearts, happy faces & initials are also very popular as well.

Skywriting smoke is a Paraffin based smoke oil that is non-toxic, biodegradable and safe for the environment. 

There are no computers used with single airplane Skywriting.  This art form relies mainly on muscle memory, situational awareness and technique. 

Aerial advertising has had it’s brush with local laws. Hawaii, Alaska, Maine and Vermont prohibit sky advertising. Many other cities such as Nashville, Huntington Beach, San Francisco and Austin have also tried banning sky advertising but were unsuccessful. The main reason citied was noisy airplane banners and flying billboards, but the details of the ban go far beyond just one form of aerial advertising.