Flying along the Chicago shoreline - ever wonder if you could put it down on the beach?

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fasteddie

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Fasteddie
I spend a lot of time on the Chicago area beaches, and I always enjoy the amount of single engine GA traffic going up and down the shoreline.

For those who have flown it, ever considered what you'd do if the engine quits while near the city? I know the obvious choice is to put it in the water, close to the shore, but that obviously presents several hazards: Cold water for many months out of the year, for one.

Ever wonder if you could put it down on one of the beaches? Montrose Beach would be the obvious choice - believe it's the biggest beach in Chicago. Maybe Loyola Beach would work too, but after that, the beaches get quite a bit smaller. Maybe North Ave beach, if you could dodge the volleyball nets?
 
fasteddie said:
I spend a lot of time on the Chicago area beaches, and I always enjoy the amount of single engine GA traffic going up and down the shoreline.

For those who have flown it, ever considered what you'd do if the engine quits while near the city? I know the obvious choice is to put it in the water, close to the shore, but that obviously presents several hazards: Cold water for many months out of the year, for one.

Ever wonder if you could put it down on one of the beaches? Montrose Beach would be the obvious choice - believe it's the biggest beach in Chicago. Maybe Loyola Beach would work too, but after that, the beaches get quite a bit smaller. Maybe North Ave beach, if you could dodge the volleyball nets?
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I fly that route often.
In winter I'd aim for a deserted beach.
Otherwise I'm locking the gear up and putting 'er in the water!
 
Beach landings are not uncommon in Florida. Every so often, a person walking gets killed.
 
Yeah, I’m not putting it on LSD. Nor am I landing a beach in summer. Agree with @ArrowFlyer86 , gear up and I’m going to flare it in very close to the shoreline ideally aiming about 1 inch behind a life guard boat since they keep the swimmers in front of them.

This risk bothers me way less than flying the Eisenhower transition. There is no place to put it down without hitting something.
 
There used to be a paved east - west runway (for helicopters?) between Chicago and Evanston along the lakeshore. Too short, but a possibility. I haven't flown that route for years, but never worried about it much.
 
As spread out as they are, and as low as ATC has you fly, it would have to be an emergency event within short gliding distance. Never considered it; I like it though, in cold weather.
 
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