Fall foliage flights

labbadabba

labbadabba

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labbadabba
So, the wife asked the other day if we could go up and see some pretty trees. Not being one to ever turn down an opportunity to fly especially with the wife who often would rather drive, I agreed.

To which she asked the follow-up, will we be able to see anything? Now, granted I live in Kansas so it won't be like flying over the Catskills but there are some wooded areas particularly down by the Ozarks. But once I started to think about it, I rarely look at the ground unless it's to avoid terrain, search for off-field landing spots, or for pilotage. If I fly over something cool, I'll look but I can't say I've ever taken the opportunity to look at the leaves on Fall trees.

So, that said, how's the view from up there?
 
Excellent! I use to fly into AVL all the time and flying below the top of the mountain down a valley (at a legal & safe altitude, airliner ya know) was fabulous, especially if the sun was hitting it. Even looking down from altitude is cool. Enjoy!
 
With the Blue Ridge/Appalachian Mtns to the east, the colors can be a gorgeous sight...if they’re at their peak that is.
 
labbadabba said:
So, the wife asked the other day if we could go up and see some pretty trees. Not being one to ever turn down an opportunity to fly especially with the wife who often would rather drive, I agreed.

To which she asked the follow-up, will we be able to see anything? Now, granted I live in Kansas so it won't be like flying over the Catskills but there are some wooded areas particularly down by the Ozarks. But once I started to think about it, I rarely look at the ground unless it's to avoid terrain, search for off-field landing spots, or for pilotage. If I fly over something cool, I'll look but I can't say I've ever taken the opportunity to look at the leaves on Fall trees.

So, that said, how's the view from up there?
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Locally? Getting close to peak season for Vinland Valley and Sugar Valley.
 
Axtel4 said:
Locally? Getting close to peak season for Vinland Valley and Sugar Valley.
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Was thinking the area between Truman Lake and the Lake of the Ozarks would be pretty especially close to sunset/sunrise.
 
labbadabba said:
Was thinking the area between Truman Lake and the Lake of the Ozarks would be pretty especially close to sunset/sunrise.
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I would look a little further south. Maybe Branson down to Mtn Home and over to Fayetteville. Ava has a good view, but there's not much there to stop for.
 
I think there are autumn color peak forecasts you can use for your area. Weather Channel? Can't remember.
 
Cooter said:
I would look a little further south. Maybe Branson down to Mtn Home and over to Fayetteville. Ava has a good view, but there's not much there to stop for.
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Yup, kind of what I was thinking. Grand Lake, OK and areas to the east on the border of OK/AR/MO are in the foothills of the Ozarks and would provide some decent scenery on the way down to Fayetteville. They could always stay the night in Fayetteville and tour UofA's campus if they wanted somewhere to walk around and take pics.
 
Probably completely obvious...but be careful. This weekend a plane took off out of a Twin Cities satellite airport (KMIC). If I understand right, it was a couple going out flying to see the colors. They were flying along the river and hit a powerline. It is possible they were flying directly into the sun when it happened. I would think this combo would be more likely during fall with sunset being earlier and people flying a bit lower.
 
Sinistar said:
Probably completely obvious...but be careful. This weekend a plane took off out of a Twin Cities satellite airport (KMIC). If I understand right, it was a couple going out flying to see the colors. They were flying along the river and hit a powerline. It is possible they were flying directly into the sun when it happened. I would think this combo would be more likely during fall with sunset being earlier and people flying a bit lower.
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Thx, I don't plan on being much below 1,000ft AGL.
 
Ryanb said:
With the Blue Ridge/Appalachian Mtns to the east, the colors can be a gorgeous sight...if they’re at their peak that is.
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What? They're to the west. Don't you know east from west? :dunno:





Oh, yeah, you're in TN on the other side of the hills. :biggrin:
 
Foliage in ME at peak last week (reportedly late) but pretty colorful.
In SW VA they've predicted a very poor show secondary to very dry late summer weather.
 
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I'm enjoying all the vivid reds and yellows in Southern California, but they're from brush fires... :eek:
 
My recall of doing fall foliage flights in Massachusetts/Rhode Island was that the best colors and views could often been seen along lakes and rivers. *If it is safe* in your area, going down to around 800-1,000' AGL over a reservoir/lake, pop in some flaps for a comfortable slower flight, could be a good way to do it.

Early morning or late afternoon will give the best lighting.
 
Lawrence, KS? I went on such a "mission" around Lincoln, NE last Sunday.
the trees were just starting to turn, I suspect your color change would be later, being further south.
 
Just flew from Louisville KY to the Tulsa area yesterday. Still green along the southern MO border and looking down around Table Rock Lake but it shouldn't be too much longer...maybe three weeks...it will be great. I am usually 30K over that area and down at 6000 feet in my plane I was struck with just how few landing places there are. But it is so pretty there.
 
Amusingly, that was Margy's first flight with me. I called her up and asked if she wanted to go look at the leaves. I then told her we were going to do so from the top. She was afraid of flying even on the airliners. She found the flight pretty interesting until I hit the turkey buzzard and punched a big hole in the wing.
 
MD11Pilot said:
Just flew from Louisville KY to the Tulsa area yesterday. Still green along the southern MO border and looking down around Table Rock Lake but it shouldn't be too much longer...maybe three weeks...it will be great. I am usually 30K over that area and down at 6000 feet in my plane I was struck with just how few landing places there are. But it is so pretty there.
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Yeah, Tulsa's still green, my oak trees just started shedding some leaves last week. We won't see decent color (for Oklahoma) until the last week of October or so.
 
Pretty subdued here in the Mid Atlantic still. Going from green to brown...prolly cause we need some rain pretty badly.
 
Just went for a ride in a friend's Maxair Drifter (imagine a single engine AirCam). Should be a pretty neat leaf-peeping aircraft. Dress warmly.
 
I just did an IFR currency run the other day on a beautiful fall afternoon with abundant color all over Vermont. Enticed my safety pilot with promises of a great leaf-peeping opportunity. Of course, by the time I was out from under the hood it was dusk and I couldn't really see the colors. Oh well, I'm sure the sights were great for him.
 
Took this today. Kern Canyon, California. I think I see foliage.
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Fall foliage flying my cessna around florida isn't too great, its pretty hard to see the changing color license plates from the air, the drive becomes more scenic for the annual changing of the license plate colors
 
Just left the Ozarks in Northern Arkansas last Wed. It was too early for much color at all. They have also been very dry, so local speculation was that the color may not be too good this year. Some of the leaves seemed to be just turning brown and starting to fall off. With that said, a little research showed that the peak for that area doesn't usually happen until around the first week of November. Good luck!
 
Up here in NE Iowa trees are starting to change and this weekend would be great for a flight up the Mississippi (MLI-DBQ-PDC). The Missouri River valley and the Loess Hills in western Iowa should be nice too.
 
Mostly pines around these parts, so any color is sporadic. I did see a hint of reddish tint near BQ1 last week.
 
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