Tuesday was a beautiful day for a flight.

No clouds, lots of visibility and plenty of drivers committing violations on the highways below.

"Being up in the air is a very useful tool, because you can observe violations that you can't see on the ground," said Ryan Chaffee, state patrol pilot.

Chaffee is a pilot for the Wisconsin State patrol and he'll be watching from the skies, trying to crack down on illegal behavior that troopers say can too often lead to serious or deadly accidents, especially during the holidays.

Last year, during the Thanksgiving weekend alone, 15 people were killed on Wisconsin's roads.

"That's 15 funerals," said David Collins, Wisconsin state patrol superintendent. "That's 15 grieving families who will mourn their loved ones while others celebrate the holidays."

This year, Collins says they will have every available trooper out on the roads ... and in the air ... cracking down on drivers who break the rules, to keep the rest of us, as safe as possible.

"If they wiill just use their safety belts, obey the speed limits and drive sober, they will arrive safely at their destination and have countless reasons to be thankful for, for years to come."