Category: Destination

DESTINATION - CliffWalk @ Newport RI

6/18/2022

Departure via Bedford or Norwood Airport, Stay at 2800ft until clear BOS Class Bravo Airspace.

Approaching Providence RI class Charlie airspace, either climb up to 4500ft or cycle around to avoid ATC communication.

While Newport airport in sight, descending down to 1000 - 1500ft to proceed scenic tour route.

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DESTINATION - BOSTON CITY TOUR

4/29/2021

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Experience spectacular sights of the world-famous and history-rich hub of the Northeast suspended 1000ft above the city streets! You’ll have the opportunity to hover over Fenway Park, the BU Bridge and Boston Common while orbiting downtown to get the best angles. You and your friends will find yourselves taking selfies with the Prudential and John Hancock skyscrapers as a backdrop!

Flying Boston City tour need a permission from Boston approach, I cannot tell until airborne.

I usually contact Boston approach (124.4) from the west of Needham towers'.

"Boston approach, Aircraft 1234 circling Needham tower at 2000
Request VFR transit Class Bravo for City Tour, Charles River to Back Bay, then exit westbound"

Usually they'll assign a squawk code and hand you off to Boston tower or Boston skyway (the helicopter controller, 124.725). Then wait until you hear the magical words "Aircraft 1234, you are cleared into Boston Class Bravo at or below 1500"

The rest is easy part, I generally level off at 1200' and fly down the river until abeam the Prudential or Hancock building (except when they only clear me as far as Mass. Ave.), then turn around to the left heading towards Cambridge / Sommerville (over MIT, Encore Casio, and Harvard) then a right hand turn at the Bunker Hill Monument to South; down Boston inner Harbor (Coast Guard Station, North End, and Financial District). Logan will be on your left.

None of this works during Boston Red Sox games. Under the general post-9/11 principle that only one American business can be functioning at a time, aviation within downtown Boston, aside from scheduled airlines, is shut down from 1 hour prior to a game until 1 hour after it ends.

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DESTINATION - NYC HUDSON RIVER CORRIDOR

4/22/2021

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Every pilot has a bucket list slightly different than others, but what if you could show people you flew under the skyline of New York City? Well, you can!

New York’s airspace is one of the busiest in the world, but offers such a great experience for those that go on this adventure. The FAA has a downloadable kneeboard reference guide to lay out all of the requirements for the flight.

As you fly northward on the eastern side of the Hudson River, you will call out each landmark as you pass it while stating your flight’s information. Below is an example:

"Cessna, Statue of Liberty, 1,000 feet, Northbound."

You must state your aircraft type, the checkpoint, your altitude, and North/Southbound (whichever way you are headed). As you get to the Alpine Tower, you must turn Southbound and head back down the Hudson River.

The entire trip would take 30 mins including departure and landing from Teterboro Airport, NJ (TEB). If you departure from Boston commute to NYC and take a tour along the way, it would take two hours one way.

Sights Include: