Flying in FL

Nikhiln25

Nikhiln25

Pre-takeoff checklist
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nikhiln25
I have a few trips coming up to FL (Orlando, Naples, Miami) from NJ over the next few months. I’ve never flown south of North Carolina. Anything in particular I should be aware of or mindful of Florida airspace that the locals wouldn’t mind sharing?

A couple of things about flying in NJ for example: Flight following could be hard to get because of shortages at TRACON in Newark (other facilities might pick you up but Newark might refuse the transfer)
They prefer you fly 5500 through bravo but are very receptive of it
Going west to east IFR if you file above 6500 you will get a long reroute around the bravo. If you file 6500 or below you can go through the bravo

Stuff like this that pilots should be aware of would be helpful
 
I've never had any issue getting FF anywhere in Florida but I have never gotten a Bravo transition through Orlando or Miami even though Miami has a published one (Red Road) - fortunately Miami tops out at 7000 so it's also easy to overfly or fly the shoreline transition. Palm Beach generally requests FF traffic to remain 20nm east or west of the field. ATC is used to small planes flying along the shorelines and it's spectacular, especially along the southeast coast and through the Keys, so it's easy to get the various transitions you need. There's a lot of concentrated flight training and a lot of inexperienced pilots with English as a second language vs other parts of the East Coast i fly in so my head is on a swivel more than in most places, especially west of FTL and MIA. The TFRs can be annoying, including the large one the often accompanies the President to Palm Beach but also small ones like over Hard Rock Stadium that take HWO our of service, for example, so watch out for those if you overnight near a stadium. One watch out is that it's very ambiguous as you fly north and south whether you should be on a VFR east or VFR west altitude so I find that there are a lot more planes flying right at me at the "wrong" altitude than I get up north. Every on-course heading seems to be close to 360 degrees or 180 degrees.
 
Many restricted areas. Some of them are fairly complex, with different layers that are not always active, like Kennedy Space Center. A few are small and easy to overlook, like Disney and the Brunswick sub pens.

8 trillion student pilots in the pattern at some GA fields, half of whom barely speak English.

Several very active skydiving centers on the outskirts of Bravos. Monitor the radio at Deland and Z-hills.

The weather is usually spectacular this time of year. Fog can be a thing in spring, but it burns off by mid morning.

Overall, Florida is very friendly to GA and usually easy to aviate.
 
Ed Haywood said:
Several very active skydiving centers on the outskirts of Bravos. Monitor the radio at Deland and Z-hills.
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Also Lake Wales. (And probably many other places. Lots of skydiving in Florida.)

Nikhiln25 said:
I have a few trips coming up to FL (Orlando, Naples, Miami)...
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The center of the state has a traffic funnel between the Orlando and Tampa bravos. Lots of VFR traffic and student traffic get concentrated, especially below 3000'. It's considerably clearer higher; get above 4000' and things get easier. Down low you can also expect seaplanes, some of them NORDO, so be aware of the seaplane base locations and keep your eyes open.

There are many MOAs and restricted areas, so check their status and know the altitudes. Flight Following is a big help in that regard. In my limited experience, Jax, Tampa, and Miami have been near 100% for providing FF, but Orlando is probably closer to 80% of the time.

Not sure when you're coming but SNF is April 14-19. That's either a fun trip or a traffic nightmare, depending on your objectives.

Florida seems to have a small airport about every 20 miles, most of them built on WW2 training bases. That can make for some neat history if you're interested, but even if you're not you have lots of options if you have a problem, need fuel, need a bio break, etc.

If you're headed down to Naples, you'll likely pass near Venice. Venice is a nice stop, with a shuttle to take you to the pier. Sharky's is located at the pier and makes a great lunch destination (excellent Gulf shrimp).

Unlike NJ, Florida has very few restrictions on carrying weapons. Be polite.

Let us know when you're coming and maybe we can arrange a meet-up with the Florida POA gang.
 
Florida flying is great,you must always be aware of the airspace you are flying in. Tampa will violate you if you break the Bravo. If you want cheap fuel and good truck food,stop by Arcadia o6x on a tuesday. All of Florida is an intensive flight training state ,stay alert. Flight following may not always be available if the ATC is busy.
 
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Nikhiln25 said:
Anything in particular I should be aware of or mindful of Florida airspace that the locals wouldn’t mind sharing?
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Flying down the coast in early winter (like now), when approaching the southeast Georgia coastand the Jacksonville area, there often exists a fog bank that sits on or just off the coast. As temperatures start dropping in late afternoon into the evening with calm/light winds, the fog bank grows and moves inland.

The ocean/ground fog has low tops, but if fog is anywhere in the forecast, or showing up offshore, have adequate fuel to overfly any potential fuel stops at JAX or SAV, or coastal airports like St. Simons, Fernandina Beach, St. Augustine, etc.

It's not uncommon to move inland sooner, or become worse than what's forecast. The barrier beach island airports can have the visibility drop down to near zero/zero, and remain that low until after sunrise.
 
Florida is easy flying, avoid the tfrs and other special use airspace, esp disney.

don't land in the everglades
request low pass over shuttle strip, if it's still there.
gets a bit hectic around sun and fun but most other times, it's simple.

don't be scared to fly around big dark puffy clouds
 
Mileage said:
One watch out is that it's very ambiguous as you fly north and south whether you should be on a VFR east or VFR west altitude so I find that there are a lot more planes flying right at me at the "wrong" altitude than I get up north. Every on-course heading seems to be close to 360 degrees or 180 degrees.
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Check out the Letter to Airmen from JAX approach regarding recommended VFR routs and altitudes through their airspace along the coast from around SSI to south of SGJ. They specifically address the fact their recommended altitudes in that area do not necessarily follow the standard VFR hemispheric rules. Agree with keeping eyes outside and head on a swivel.
 
Tspin said:
Check out the Letter to Airmen from JAX approach regarding recommended VFR routs and altitudes through their airspace along the coast from around SSI to south of SGJ. They specifically address the fact their recommended altitudes in that area do not necessarily follow the standard VFR hemispheric rules. Agree with keeping eyes outside and head on a swivel.
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Very helpful, thanks. Full letter follows but money line is "It is recommended that VFR aircraft along the coast (depicted in Area 1)maintain an ODD altitude plus 500 feet Northbound, and an EVEN altitude plus 500 feet Southbound while in JAX approach control airspace." https://jaxnfc.com/wp-content/uploa...d-VFR-Routes-Within-JAX-Approach-Airspace.pdf
 
I’m down at KVNC right now… recommend it for a lunch stop- there’s a Caribbean restaurant in the FBO building and Sharky’s on the pier down by the beach used to have a shuttle that would pick you up(we brought bikes this time so didn’t try). It’s still pretty busy by rural Midwest standards but nowhere near what I’ve typically seen in the summer.

I usually prefer to cruise the coastlines if VFR conditions allow, I just follow the shoreline with my wingtip and pay attention to airspace and traffic. It’s not really complicated just a little busier than we’re used to where I live. I’ve gone up and down the west coast this way many times, less often on the east side.
 
cowman said:
I’m down at KVNC right now… recommend it for a lunch stop- there’s a Caribbean restaurant in the FBO building and Sharky’s on the pier down by the beach used to have a shuttle that would pick you up(we brought bikes this time so didn’t try). It’s still pretty busy by rural Midwest standards but nowhere near what I’ve typically seen in the summer.

I usually prefer to cruise the coastlines if VFR conditions allow, I just follow the shoreline with my wingtip and pay attention to airspace and traffic. It’s not really complicated just a little busier than we’re used to where I live. I’ve gone up and down the west coast this way many times, less often on the east side.
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East side is more busy…especially the further south you go.
 
LOTS of flight schools on the Atlantic side
 
We have lots of TFRs. With Tampa, Orlando, space center…lots of airspace restrictions. Orlando won’t let you fly through unless you’re 9000’ or better in my experience. Even IFR they will direct you around the bravo airspace and often drop you down below 7000 around the edges.
Fly early…cooler, smoother, and less weather to worry about.
Be careful not to get trapped by popup thunderstorms, they can be unpredictable. What looks like a gap between storms can close in minutes.
Fly schools generally stay below 4500, so fly higher than that.
If flying IFR south of Orlando they will direct you to the middle of the state and make a short trip down the coast into a much longer trip.
 
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Chrisgoesflying said:
@Half Fast : Do you want to tell him about the mosquitoes that are so big that they need their own tail-number?
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We don’t have mosquitoes, we have noseeums, very small biting flys.
We have lizards and spiders that eat insects, if you don’t kill them they will keep the insects in check.
 
Mileage said:
I've never had any issue getting FF anywhere in Florida but I have never gotten a Bravo transition through Orlando
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I've flown from Panama City to Sebastian more times than I can count. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I didn't fly right over the top of MCO (and Disney) at 3,000'. Then again, I was IFR.
 
GoFly said:
LOTS of flight schools on the Atlantic side
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Ain't that the truth! Just pull up ADSB-Exchange in the morning and look at the traffic. I sat on the taxiway at Sebastian for 15 minutes once waiting for a break in all the school planes doing touch and goes. And I couldn't understand a single one of them on the radio.
 
Half Fast said:
Also Lake Wales. (And probably many other places. Lots of skydiving in Florida.)



The center of the state has a traffic funnel between the Orlando and Tampa bravos. Lots of VFR traffic and student traffic get concentrated, especially below 3000'. It's considerably clearer higher; get above 4000' and things get easier. Down low you can also expect seaplanes, some of them NORDO, so be aware of the seaplane base locations and keep your eyes open.

There are many MOAs and restricted areas, so check their status and know the altitudes. Flight Following is a big help in that regard. In my limited experience, Jax, Tampa, and Miami have been near 100% for providing FF, but Orlando is probably closer to 80% of the time.

Not sure when you're coming but SNF is April 14-19. That's either a fun trip or a traffic nightmare, depending on your objectives.

Florida seems to have a small airport about every 20 miles, most of them built on WW2 training bases. That can make for some neat history if you're interested, but even if you're not you have lots of options if you have a problem, need fuel, need a bio break, etc.

If you're headed down to Naples, you'll likely pass near Venice. Venice is a nice stop, with a shuttle to take you to the pier. Sharky's is located at the pier and makes a great lunch destination (excellent Gulf shrimp).

Unlike NJ, Florida has very few restrictions on carrying weapons. Be polite.

Let us know when you're coming and maybe we can arrange a meet-up with the Florida POA gang.
Click to expand...


I have a trip planned Jan 12th to Orlando (though plane is currently in annual and not looking realistic at this point), Jan 20th to Naples Feb 16 to Orlando March 4th to Miami. I plan on flying out of NJ VFR and picking up IFR when freezing levels allow.
 
donjohnston said:
I've flown from Panama City to Sebastian more times than I can count. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I didn't fly right over the top of MCO (and Disney) at 3,000'. Then again, I was IFR.
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I suspect that may be an east/west option whereas I'm always flying north/south and their traffic patterns are more amenable to an east/west flyover
 
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