Trip report: Hudson River, Long Island, Bayport Aerodrome

[eshazen]

Just a quick trip report...

Yesterday we flew in our PA28 from Bedford down the Hudson, East along the south shore of Long Island, landed at Bayport (23N) and then back to Bedford. What a great flight! Started in KBED, stopped for fuel at KDXR, then joined the Hudson near Sing Sing. Flew South over the Tappan Zee while descending to 1100'. Self-announced per procedure (123.05 CTAF) on our way down the river, only a couple of other planes, no traffic problems. Beautiful views! Descended to 500' as we passed the Statue since no one else was around.

Then we climbed back to 1000' to clear the VZ bridge, turned left, descended to 500' and called Kennedy Tower (heli controller) on 125.25,
"Archer N----- just West of Breezy point, 500', South Shore Eastbound". She gave us a squawk code and cleared us through at 500' VFR. Flew past breezy point, rockaway beach, past JFK. Somewhere around long beach she handed us off to approach. Once clear of the lower shelf of the Bravo (JFK 8 DME) we climbed to 1000' and continued along the beach. Landed at Bayport Aerodrome (23N), a wonderful old-time grass strip nestled in the KISP class C.

Some notes if you want to do this: Make sure you bring a copilot or helpful passenger and brief them thoroughly. Take the FAA online course for flying the Hudson. Study the NY Helicopter chart. Print the FAA kneeboard for the Hudson and carry it. Carry life jackets and have them handy. Brief on ditching and egress. Beware of wake turbulence if they're landing on 13L or 13R at JFK.
If you want to fly into 23N, surf to http://www.bayportaerodromesociety.org/ and watch the arrival video and print and carry the old-timey but very informative arrival procedure.

All in all a great trip but bring the A team for this one, many tricky aspects.

 

[tawood]

I may try to fly the Hudson river over the Memorial weekend...but it looks a little daunting for this mid-western flyer. I'm still doing research at this point. Any advice? I'll be starting/ending in eastern NJ.

 

[eman1200]

no pics? this is a rookie pirep!!! in fact, how did xenforo allow a hudson river exclusion thread to be started without pics?!? shEEESH

 

[eshazen]

If you skip the low-altitude part along the beach, it's really not so bad. I did it the first time back when I was pretty low time, though I'd had quite a bit of experience operating in and around the NYC area.

Really the hardest part is watching for traffic. I have ADS-B in and TIS traffic, and between them I got about a dozen traffic alerts during the flight. Some were fake, others were copters buzzing around below us, but all grabbed our attention briefly. Also you have to stay cool and not bust anyone's airspace.

I covered most of it in my post, but certainly take the FAA online course:
https://www.faasafety.gov/gslac/ALC/course_content.aspx?cID=79
Grab the Kneeboard PDF:
https://www.faasafety.gov/files/gslac/courses/content/79/776/kneeboard.pdf
Study the NY TAC and Heli charts. I'm not sure where you're starting, but picking for example Moristown (KMMU) you'd be flying something like this:
KMMU FIGON WALOB ERORE CIMBL TICKL ELVAE KMMU. Other than the tower at MMU you don't have to talk to anyone except to self-announce on 123.05 while flying down the river.

If you're nervous, try to get a local pilot to come with you.

 

[eshazen]

Whine Whine Whine! I was busy flyin' da plane, but my buddy did get a few photos...

 

[bkspero]

I may try to fly the Hudson river over the Memorial weekend...but it looks a little daunting for this mid-western flyer. I'm still doing research at this point. Any advice? I'll be starting/ending in eastern NJ.

Depending upon how far north you are you'll either start from the north (say near the George Washington Bridge just east of KTEB, Teterboro) or from the south (near the Verrazano Narrows Bridge). You could ask for a transition over KEWR and enter the river mid way, but I don't see much benefit to that.

My preference is the route from the south. I fly the south shore of Staten Island to the Verrazano Narrows (Bridge), then north up New York Harbor towards the southern tip of Manhattan (the tallest buildings). You'll pass the Statue of Liberty on your left. Travel north up the eastern shore of the Hudson passing One World Trade Center just off the right and continue north to the 77th street boat basin (a marina on the eastern shore of the river. You will know its the right one because Central Park will be a massive green area smack in the middle of Manhattan off to the right. Turn right at that point to fly directly across Manhattan over the center of Central Park. Turn right (south) when you reach the East River on the other side of Manhattan and follow the western shore of the East River back down towards the southern tip of Manhattan (passing the United Nations building and several large bridges including the Brooklyn Bridge). When you reach the Hudson continue straight ahead to the Statue of Liberty where you can do a couple of circles, then head back south towards the Verrazano Narrows Bridge and back to NJ.

You'll need to be in the Bravo to cross over Manhattan, so I typically pick up flight following as soon as I take off. I stay below the Bravo at less than 1500 ft until a hand-off near the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. At that point you can tell the controller that you want a sightseeing flight in the Bravo up the Hudson with a Central Park Transition to the East River and then back down to the Statue of Liberty. They will tell you to either stay at 1500 ft or climb to 2000 ft and that you are cleared into the Bravo as requested (presuming all is ok). They will hand you off a couple of times during the circuit.

Suggest you wear floatation. Losing an engine almost certainly means going into the water. Enjoy.