Thinking about Niagara as my first PPL XC

Hobobiker

Hobobiker

Line Up and Wait
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Aug 2, 2012
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Montpelier, OH
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Hobo
I have the plane tomorrow morning and was going to do something over 50nm so it counts towards my instrument training XC time. My CFI texts me and told me to give consideration to flying to IAG, taking some pics of the falls, etc.

Any words of wisdom from those who have flown it? Looks to be about 150nm from me, Class Delta. Would be my first XC since getting my ticket last month...
 
Circling the falls is great fun. It can be challenging though to stay oriented and on track, hold your altitude and airspeed, and watch for other traffic, all while taking pictures of the scenery. Of course, you and your CFI know your skill level better than I do. But if you haven't already, you might consider trying a similar photo mission closer to home first, with your CFI along, for both practice and evaluation.
 
There are specific flight rules and freqs for the Falls area, not to mention scenic flights in the area. Read the AF/D, look at the sectional, be careful. IIRC, you will be flying in Canadian airspace if you do the tour of the Falls, just don't land and you're ok.
 
I have never flown there, but looked into it once I believe there is info in the airport facility directory related to the pattern and proceedures for flying over the falls. If you have any questions, call the FBO where you will be landing. They will point you in the right direction.

Edit - Murphey beat me to it.
 
Jim_CAK said:
I have never flown there, but looked into it once I believe there is info in the airport facility directory related to the pattern and proceedures for flying over the falls. If you have any questions, call the FBO where you will be landing. They will point you in the right direction.

Edit - Murphey beat me to it.
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Only because I'm an escapee from Buffalo. Went back a couple years ago for birthdays, HS graduations, etc. Took my 89'yr old aunt and little cousin (present for her 13th birthday) and had a blast.
 
Jim_CAK said:
If you have any questions, call the FBO where you will be landing. They will point you in the right direction.
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Not usually a productive call in my experience. I have worked multiple FBOs and there is usually someone answering phones that has little to no experience (excluding MIR) in the procedures of the airspace, procedures and or policies of their airport environment. Just what I have seen in my 25 years of being in and around FBOs.
 
Been there a bunch of times. Real easy class D, ask buffalo to circle the falls at 3500 before landing. There's a decent Italian place across the street if the courtesy van is out.
 
Brad Z said:
Been there a bunch of times. Real easy class D, ask buffalo to circle the falls at 3500 before landing. There's a decent Italian place across the street if the courtesy van is out.
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Other than Olive Garden, is there an italian restaurant in Buffalo area that isn't really great?
 
murphey said:
There are specific flight rules and freqs for the Falls area, not to mention scenic flights in the area. Read the AF/D, look at the sectional, be careful. IIRC, you will be flying in Canadian airspace if you do the tour of the Falls, just don't land and you're ok.
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This is correct. Specific route, circling direction (clockwise), altitudes, etc. IAG is a nice airport with multiple runways and a friendly airport. They can also give you details for the Fall flight, maybe a faded, multi-generation photocopy.

Take someone to use the camera, you will be busy flying, watching for landmarks that define the pattern, and looking for traffic. I had 500 hours in my plane when I did it, and I managed about two glimpses of the Falls per lap, mostly just making sure I was positioned well for my wife's pictures.

Have fun, it's a great trip!
 
Nice airport,very high gas price. They have a restaurant across the street from the FBO. Overall not a bad stop,the falls are great.
 
KIAG is my home airport. Probably the easiest class d on the planet.

The gas price is high, but then again we pay 3.90 ish for our car gas too.
 
murphey said:
Other than Olive Garden, is there an italian restaurant in Buffalo area that isn't really great?
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True I'm sure. Around my parts, there is no such thing as old school red gravy Italian. Como's is good in my book; not sure how it stacks up with the rest in the area.
 
Thanks for the input everyone. Sounds like I'm gonna go for it, even if I am too busy to take pics. It will be about a 300nm round trip for me and my first "real" trip since I've been kicked outta the nest.

Kinda excited!
 
You oughta be! Sounds like a fun trip and let someone else take the pix or worry about it next time. Please provide a report, I'd love to do that trip from the Ohio side.
 
iflyvfr said:
You oughta be! Sounds like a fun trip and let someone else take the pix or worry about it next time. Please provide a report, I'd love to do that trip from the Ohio side.
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Go for it! Shouldn't be but a couple of hours from CMH. I flew up from South Point, OH, for a 3-day weekend. The Erie shoreline looks nice for the last ~30nm.
 
It's possible to enjoy a flight even if not a single selfie is snapped or a single minute of go pro hd video is captured. Enjoy the flight, leave the distractions in your flight bag.
 
Well, I ended up going. Very cool flight, and it was good experience for me as my first XC after getting my ticket last month. Had to get high enough to avoid terrain but stay low enough to avoid the morning haze/clouds above, which was a chore at times and visibility wasn't the 6+ I normally fly in. Plenty of radio work and handoffs between Johnstown, Cleveland, Erie, Buffalo, and KIAG. Our trainer is often difficult (or impossible) to restart at times when hot, so I opted just to do a touch-and-go on 24 and then head back home. 3.2 hours on the Hobbs, got to fly in some cool places including over a part of Lake Erie and Canadian airspace, landed in another state which I had yet to do thus far, etc. All in all I'm glad I decided to do this long 300nm one instead of just a 50nm flight to a nearby airport.

Thanks for the advice everyone. Now that I've blown my flying budget for a week or two I'll have to chair fly for a while...
 
How was flying around the falls? Was it crowded? Was ATC cooperative?
 
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