I started 08 Left over 8 years ago and as a big fan of Simon Sinek,I'm always asking myself why I keep doing it, even if putting it into words is sometimes hard.
I love airplanes. I love traveling. I love seeing the world. I love seeing a new tower. I love buying airplane tickets. I love being immersed in a culture I don't know. I love seeing for my own eyes, what I've only seen in photos. I love 3 letter airport codes because somehow, someway, they are the language that best speaks so many of my loves.
I love building a community with people who speak the same language.
08 Left is not just a runway designation, it is representative of three cities that mean a lot to me and my wife Heidi. 08 Left is a runway in Vancouver, BC where we went on one of our first dates, in Paris, France, where we spent two weeks on the vacation of a lifetime and in Honolulu, Hawaii, where we went on our honeymoon and go back fairly often.
In the same way, it's never just about a runway, it's never just about 3 letter codes or new air traffic control towers or checking every detail of the plane I'm about to get on with Flight Radar.
It's always about so much more. It's about the big and beautiful experiences - the special memories - of life, represented, somehow, in a perfect way, with airport codes and runway layouts. Our little "it means the world" is true - it really does, literally and figuratively to me.
If you get it, you get it. I'm still trying to get create art I hang in my home, and apparel I wear almost every day that represents all of that!
Welcome to 08 Left - I hope you enjoy your visit.
Ryan (and Heidi)
PS: Here's our 08 Left hype track
01. Who would rather collect adventures.
Cities, airports, countries, and continents - and the experiences that come with them - are our trading cards. We collect and treasure them.
02. Who love the view up there.
Up where the spicy tomato juice tastes better and things are put in their proper place: problems get smaller and the world gets bigger. Elie Weisel says to "think higher and feel deeper". We're all in, whether it's at 38,000 feet or ground level. Of course, we want the window seat so we can enjoy that view.
03. Who appreciate the journey as much as the destination.
Sometimes we're so intent on getting somewhere that we can't seem to enjoy the spot we're already in. But, when we manage to stop complaining about the seat in front of us, we can realize we're participating in something magical.
04. Who are always looking and listening.
See the paint colors on that street. Listen to the waves crash against the shore. Taste that 500 year-old pastry recipe. Feel the energy in the street market. Smell the sunshine heat up the puddles. Pay attention to the stories of those who have already been there and, by all means, keep looking for a sweet deal on flights.
05. Who love the new.
Not new things but new experiences. New cultures, new languages, new perspectives, new ideas, new architecture, new designs, new stories, new relationships, new histories, and new ways to do... just about everything. It's all out there and we're a little addicted to it.
06. Who choose awe instead of frustration.
Yes, we all know the lines in TSA are long. Yes, we all know the tray tables are closer to our knees. Yes, we all know our favorite spot turned into a tourist trap. But then we remember what we're doing. Frustration can really wipe out the awe. But choosing awe will take out the knees of frustration.
07. Who smile at every takeoff and landing.
The deafening roar and that delicate wing flex. That thing of beauty is carrying hundreds of people thousands of miles. Sometimes we're on it and sometimes we're just watching but either way we're smiling like we were the first time we experinced it.
08. Who generally consider life to be a big, beautiful, amazing trip...
Some people (of every profession, income, race, religion and circumstance) consider life to be a small, ugly, boring trip, and... they make smiles fade pretty fast. But some people (of every profession, income, race, religion and circumstance) know how to do just the opposite. We want to be them and be with them.
When Ryan Miller was little, he lived in Haiti. While there, his family took a flight from Port-au-Prince to Santo Domingo for a short vacation. The flight was on a Pearl Airways DC-3. The Captain invited Ryan up front while still on the ground, and then proceeded to let Ryan stay up front the entire trip. He then put Ryan in his chair - with paying passengers in the back - and let him bank the plane around a cloud. Yes, highly, highly illegal.
But, pretty intoxicating for a 12 year-old.
Do you see that smile? No one can say for sure but the odds are good that right there was the moment this company was born, even if Ryan didn't know it at the time.
We do know that smile is still basically the same any time Ryan is near an airplane, in another country, or a new city.
Art is always tricky but after years in the video game industry and working in graphic design, Ryan decided it was time to create some art that would remind him of that smile and that he would hang on his own walls. On a trip, of course, to Mexico, Ryan decided to start 08 Left. Though he had eaten some bad fish, sometimes when you can't sleep, the best ideas kick in and insist that someone bring them to life.
And the rest is, as they say, history.
Years later, he is still creating what he thinks is the coolest, most modern, and the best art and apparel centered around the twins of aviation and good design. And still smiling.
TO INSPIRE US ALL.
TO BETTER SEE.
THE WORLD.
WELCOME TO 08 LEFT.
BECAUSE IT MEANS THE WORLD.
I’m a pilot from Southern California and I was in love with aviation from as early as I could remember. My dad had an office in El Segundo so as a child I would always come watch LAX 25R/L arrivals and departures. I also ended up spending a lot of time watching the old school heavies come in over the In-N-Out so that played a big part in where I am today. I started flight training at 20 years old (last July) and I’m now about to take my commercial checkride. Im in love with aviation because everyone shares the awesome passion of aviation whether it’s spotters, engineers, pilots etc. I’ve been lucky to meet so many wonderful people through flying and I’m excited to meet many more. My goal is to eventually become a professional airline pilot, but for now, I’m just having fun flying with friends every step of the way.
- Arnold
I'm sitting here 10,000 miles from home. Why? Because this trip justified taking the sixth longest flight in the world.The spooling of engines never gets old. The destinations always hold something special. Unexplored or heavily explored, changing your location 500mph at a time imparts a perspective that too few are able to personally experience.
- Dan
Aviation is quite literally the backbone of my family. When my parents were in their 20s, they were both working at California airports—my mom at SFO and my dad at SBP. Because of the nature of their jobs, they often had to communicate to each other through the computer messaging systems. Simple messages soon turned to flirtatious comments and love notes. They had never met, until my dad flew to San Francisco one day, showed up at my mom’s ticket counter, and said he was “Dave from Dispatch.”When my dad became an air traffic controller, it moved them to the Midwest, nearly across the country from their families. Needless to say, we traveled a lot for the holidays and summer vacations. I’ve been flying since before I can recall my earliest memory; I was raised to be a jet-setter, to see the world from new perspectives, to interact with people from different walks of life.And that’s what I love about flying. In today’s world, it often becomes a rather mundane, relatively normal task. But if you stop to really take in the adventure, it opens your eyes to new people, places, and cultures. And when you’re flying on a plane, you’re sharing an experience with hundreds of strangers. No matter you’re all from, you’re all brought together through a shared destination. This strange fate is one of humanity’s modern unities.
- Melissa
For the past 35 years I have worked around GA and commercial aircraft. Every day I find myself in awe of the physics that allow them to lift off the ground and soar through empty space. There is a mechanical and physical beauty to this process that inspires both youth and adults alike. For youth, it’s the visual of what is possible, and for adults, the adventure that awaits somewhere around the globe. Air travel intertwines people and cultures, giving us a better perspective on the collective of human kind.
- Jeff
I have always loved all things aviation! I am a meteorologist, and my first job with the National Weather Service was at the Atlanta ARTCC. There is nothing like forecasting the weather for an airspace like ZTL, with two of the busiest airports in the country! Each day was a challenge and I learned so much about aviation, air traffic control and of course the weather! I have the ATL Airport ATC poster in my office as an homage to my roots, and it’s a great conversation starter. I also have the ATC coasters from several other places I have lived. Thanks for making such unique pieces in such sleek and modern designs!
- Cindy
I am an aviation nerd since birth. I grew up living in apartments next to Teterboro Airport in New Jersey. I used to watch planes all the time. After that, 6 years in the military as an Avionics Mechanic on helicopters in the United States Army (2 years South Korea, Operation Just Cause – Panama, Operation Desert Storm – Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Kuwait)... We love to travel when we can and have been to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and Prague, Czech Republic. We have our sights set on Tokyo next we get the time.
As you can see and guess, aviation at work, at home, and for vacation. We are truly an aviation family.
- Ray
I am an aviation/travel lover and I owe it to my boyfriend! He works for a major airline and has taught me so much about aviation that I didn’t know already! We non-rev together often and it’s always such a cool experience to be in different planes, see different airports, and it truly has taught me to appreciate all the work that goes into creating possibilities for people to travel by plane. My favorite airplane is the Dreamliner and our home airport is ORD!
-Dalia
I have been a life long aviation enthusiast! I knew I wanted a career in aviation. At the age of 19 I began A&P school and 2 years later was a certified aircraft mechanic. In the years since I got a job with a major airline and have been able to travel the world with my family. My daughter has been to 23 states by the age of 6 and multiple counties! This is why I love aviation! It’s a big world with a lot to see!
-Phil
I am a flight student and my wife and I just moved to our first house, in fact we just closed yesterday. We both love travel and since I am a flight student hanging out on the ramp all day, my wife (who also has the aviation bug) has given me permission to decorate the study room, garage, and main entry point however I see fit. The way I see it there is one option and way option only, I need to express my inner avgeek so that no matter where I am (the airport or my home) I will always be surrounded by the beauty of aviation.
-Jeff
I'm cabin crew with Southwest Airlines. I am a lover of all things aviation and travel because I don't have to factor in airfare for ANY travel. I definitely use my travel benefits. I began flying, as crew, in 1989. I still love the excitement of takeoff, the beauty of the earth from 40,000ft, and the thrill of landing somewhere new - as a pax or crew.
-Michael
When I was roughly 7-8 years old I was into trains, but when I first flew out to Edmonton, as I boarded the plane, something just clicked. After that moment I knew that I was going to loves planes and that I want to be a pilot. However, me being my age now, I’ve been to more countries in the world than most people that live in my area have gone in they’re lifetime. Of course, I’m very Fortunate. Travel is my second favourite thing in the entire world. Of course aviation takes the number one spot. Traveling is something very special, because when you go to foreign country outside of your home continent you get this feeling of happiness, and next thing you know your really excited and don’t want it to end. But once I get to my final destination, I make sure to plan some flights that are out of the ordinary, or not something that I’ve flown on before. And plan for sights I want to see in that city or country. When you’re ready for takeoff and lined up on the runway I get excited knowing that the engines are just about to roar (My favourite sound in the entire world, I’m probably not the only one) because knowing what’s going on in the cockpit, and the satisfaction of just pushing the throttles and hearing the engines roar know that you’ll soon be getting an experience you’ll never forget. That’s why aviation and travel are my favourite things ever.
-Ben
I love aviation because the person I love loves it. Ever since the day I met my fiancé (age 18), he expressed his dream of being a pilot. He felt, as did his parents, that this was an unrealistic dream. He knew since he was little that it was all he wanted to do. It has been 6 years since we met and I’ve watched him defy all the doubt from his family to work toward his dream. Without any financial support paying for flight school is HARD. I’m a teacher and so much of our savings goes to his dreams! Just last week he got his private pilot license! He is working toward his instrument rating now! It’s been so amazing to watch his determination and drive to make this happen no matter how hard it is financially for us. I’m so amazed by him everyday.
- Hayley