Flying to Niagara Falls

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corny357

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Brandon
Hey guys,

I am considering planning a day trip up to Niagara Falls with a friend to have a visit. I'm hoping to be able to fly over the falls and do some sightseeing from the air. I know there is some kind of altitude restriction up there, but are there any others? Also, is it worth it to land and have a look from the ground, or does the bird view do it justice?

Any thoughts, suggestions, concerns, comments, etc that anyone has are appreciated. (That includes other destinations!) ;)

Thanks in advance.
 
The procedures for overflying Niagara Falls are spelled out in a chart in the AF/D. It's been a couple years since I did it, but as I recall, they have you circling at a fairly high altitude, where it looks something like this:
http://www.meretrix.com/~harry/images/toronto06/medium/060806_15_SD450.jpg

I'd say this is a sight best seen from the ground, at least given the altitudes they allow you to fly. More specifically, I thought the best view was from the water, on one of those "Maid of the Mist" boats.
-harry
 
mantakos said:
More specifically, I thought the best view was from the water, on one of those "Maid of the Mist" boats.
-harry
Click to expand...
Absolutely worth it!

The weather in that area tends to be a bit difficult in the summer. I flew up to Niagara Falls in July '05 and we had nothing but TS and low visibility for 4 days.

-Felix
 
As far as I'm concerned BOTH are a must. It's a view few have had a couple of laps around the falls should do it. When you fly over the falls be ready for up and down drafts. Be prepared when you land to pay a landing fee and to have to hire a cab to the falls. Don't bother to take the cab to the Canadian side, just have them drop you off by the bridge. Be sure and have proper id to reenter the US.

Dave :blueplane:
 
Niagara Falls PROCEDURES

ALL AIRCRAFT AT 3500' ASL OR ABOVE

Prior to pattern entry and in pattern : recognition, landing, strobes and/or ant-collision lights on
- fly clockwise pattern as deepicted
-do not exceed 13-kts or minimum safe speed
-broadcast altitude,checkpoint and intentions on 122.050mhz prior to entry & monitor that frequency in patttern
-use Niagara Falls Intl altimeter setting

Sorry I can't scan the diagram but the racetrack pattern headings are 051deg on the Cdn side and 231 on the US side with the ends at about Goat Island and the Y in the river at the South West end. . Enter and exit at the SW end hdg 281 or at the NE end hdg 101 deg

You can find this in the Canadian Flight Supplement unde Niagara Falls VFR Terminal Procedure Chart.
 
It's "Do not exceed 130 kts", of course, not 13 kts.

The procedures are spelled out in the regular NE AF/D, you don't need to go to the Canadian charts to find this.
-harry
 
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mantakos said:
It's "Do not exceed 130 kts", of course, not 13 kts.

The procedures are spelled out in the regular NE AF/D, you don't need to go to the Canadian charts to find this.
-harry
Click to expand...

Yep, I see the procs. in there. Just wanted to grab any extra info that anybody had. Obviously that racetrack pattern described brings you into Canadian airspace. I don't need a flight plan or anything, do I?
 
corny357 said:
Yep, I see the procs. in there. Just wanted to grab any extra info that anybody had. Obviously that racetrack pattern described brings you into Canadian airspace. I don't need a flight plan or anything, do I?
Click to expand...

When I did it I just talked to approach I think. They actually asked if I wanted to fly over the falls before landing. I said sure. they said stay above 3500 monitor the freq for other traffic. I landed at NIG I think it was. They give you a rental car $20.00 for an hour. We took longer because we took the boat ride.

Dan
 
corny357 said:
Yep, I see the procs. in there. Just wanted to grab any extra info that anybody had. Obviously that racetrack pattern described brings you into Canadian airspace. I don't need a flight plan or anything, do I?
Click to expand...
When I last did the Falls racetrack thing (about year ago) I called Niagara Falls to check in for the border crossing. They said they don't bother with the usual border crossing procedures for the Falls circuit. I'd probably still give them a call just to CYA.
 
Helicopters fly lower.

If you don't land in Canada, you don't need to do anything.

Communicate on the local frequency but tell Approach that you will monitor them on your second radio if you have one.
 
acrodisiac said:
Niagara Falls PROCEDURES

ALL AIRCRAFT AT 3500' ASL OR ABOVE

Prior to pattern entry and in pattern : recognition, landing, strobes and/or ant-collision lights on
- fly clockwise pattern as deepicted
-do not exceed 13-kts or minimum safe speed
-broadcast altitude,checkpoint and intentions on 122.050mhz prior to entry & monitor that frequency in patttern
-use Niagara Falls Intl altimeter setting

Sorry I can't scan the diagram but the racetrack pattern headings are 051deg on the Cdn side and 231 on the US side with the ends at about Goat Island and the Y in the river at the South West end. . Enter and exit at the SW end hdg 281 or at the NE end hdg 101 deg

You can find this in the Canadian Flight Supplement unde Niagara Falls VFR Terminal Procedure Chart.
Click to expand...

This is out of the Northeast A/FD:

attachment.php


Is that the same as what's in the Canadian Flight Supplement? It's not exactly the clearest thing in the world, and it doesn't even mark where the moored balloon they mention on the previous page is supposed to be. :dunno:

Any hints from someone who's done it?
 

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flyingcheesehead said:
This is out of the Northeast A/FD:

attachment.php


Is that the same as what's in the Canadian Flight Supplement? It's not exactly the clearest thing in the world, and it doesn't even mark where the moored balloon they mention on the previous page is supposed to be. :dunno:

Any hints from someone who's done it?
Click to expand...

I flew the falls last summer. The AF/D and the Detroit sectional have information. You do overfly Canadian airspace a bit, but as long as you remain in the racetrack, you're fine. Check with a local school for the reporting points and where to make the turns. I did dumb thing last year by not bringing the GPS with me, or I'd be able show you exactly on the map where to go.

If you're renting an airplane in the area, they'll be able to give you the details.
 

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murphey said:
I flew the falls last summer. The AF/D and the Detroit sectional have information. You do overfly Canadian airspace a bit, but as long as you remain in the racetrack, you're fine. Check with a local school for the reporting points and where to make the turns. I did dumb thing last year by not bringing the GPS with me, or I'd be able show you exactly on the map where to go.

If you're renting an airplane in the area, they'll be able to give you the details.
Click to expand...

Not gonna rent - Pete and I will be flying over on our way home from the FlyBQ. I had thought about landing at KIAG and seeing what we could learn there, but it'd be nice to avoid a stop too.

As for reporting, it seems like the rail yard and the rainbow bridge are the obvious ones... But I guess we'll listen in on the CTAF well away from the area and do what everyone else is doing.
 
I just did it on my cross country trip... easy.. but I think I was the only one in the circle when I did it. I worked with Buffalo Approach coming up from the SW, they had me keep the squawk but had me go non radar to the published self announce freq.

Came out southbound on the prescribed course and climbing and back on their freq after clear of the race track profile. No brainer. And in good light you get good pictures from the perscribed circle altitude.
 
My $0.02. I flew from Chicago to IAG a few years back. A very enjoyable trip, esp. since there was a 70kts tailwind. 200kt Cherokee, yahoo!

We spent most of our time on the Canadian side of the falls, and then found ourselves in a several hour wait trying to get across the bridge (and clear customs) back to the States on Sunday afternoon.

I vowed that if we go to the Falls again, I would figure out the procedure for landing on the Canadian side (CYSN, Niagara District Airport).

Or you could just go on a weekday, when I suspect Customs lines are substantially less.
 
nyoung said:
Or you could just go on a weekday, when I suspect Customs lines are substantially less.
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Every time I've been to Canada in the last 10 years, it's been a real PITA getting back in the States.

Despite my military ID, and other picture IDs.

This year will be the first that Passports are required. I doubt it will be any easier.
 
From which side? If you're a US pilot in US airplane, KIAG is just like any other Class C airport. If you're interested in flying the Falls route, the details are in the AF/D (or whatever it's called today). If you intend to land in Canada, you need Class 3 med or better (BasicMed not allowed at this point) and a passport. But they really don't want you in Canada these days. Ontario just got even more strict than Canada as a whole this week. Kath can provide more details on flying in and near Canada.
 
Unless you want the logbook entry for the NIAG and the view of the Falls, Lancaster (BQR) and 9G0 are about a dollar a gallon cheaper.
 
KBUF is class C. KIAG is class D.
 
Dennis M Carleton said:
What are the procedures if i want to stop at KIAG?
Click to expand...
As mentioned, just like any other class D.

If you skip to 10:20ish on this video you can see.
The departure is on this video if you want to see that with a quick spin around the falls and IFR pickup afterwards. It’s the first few min.

Hope you have a nice stop there!
 
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