This Instagram-famous pilot's photos of thunderstorms, blinding sunrises and the Northern Lights show what it's like to work from the cockpit at 37,000 feet

34-year-old Christiaan van Heijst, Dutch senior first officer and cargo pilot, flies the Boeing 747-8 and -400 Freighter — and he's racked up 8,000 hours of flying time.

Van Heijst is also a travel blogger and photographer. He takes photos of the incredible views he enjoys from the cockpit via his Instagram account, then writes about them on his blog.

From blinding sunrises to the Northern Lights — or navigating his way through a violent front of thunderstorms — scroll down to see some of the insane things he has experienced from 37,000 feet in the air.

From 37,000 feet, Van Heijst gets a unique perspective on the world — and he shares his insane photos on his blog and with his 58,000 Instagram fans.

He enjoys some pretty spectacular views in this line of work.

From the fluffy clouds over Turkmenistan on a spring day...

...to a cloud-covered Britain on a night flight...

...And a pretty insane sunset in Greenland. Van Heijst has said that sunrise can be painfully blinding, "with a fierce and penetrating intensity that is unparalleled from a spectator on the surface of the earth."

During a "long and turbulent night flight," below you can see Van Heijst navigate his way "through a maze of heavy weather and thunderstorms."

He's also flown through "a huge front of active thunderstorms" between South America and Africa.

The cockpit has more than a few knobs and buttons to get your head around. Here's a fisheye view of the 747-8 cockpit.

Below, Van Heijst captures the moment an Airbus A340 passes overhead.

He has captured a stunning display of the Northern Lights over northern Canada...

...Germany blanketed in thick "stratus" cloud...

...A glimpse of a full moon over the Pacific Ocean...

While cruising at 37,000 feet over Texas, Van Heijst captured the city of Houston.

If all of that isn't enough, he's even caught the so-called "Zodiacal light" on camera.

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