VFR NY area

french22

french22

Filing Flight Plan
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Apr 5, 2013
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France
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french22
Good afternoon

I'm a french PPL pilot and I'll spend some days of holidays with family in NY area (NY city mainly, Philly, Washington). With my son (student pilot) we would like to fly instead of walking miles doing shopping with girls. Our goal is to fly the mythical VFR transit over Manhattan.

Even if I will ask for EU PPL / US PPL equivalence I will do it with a flight instructor as I lack training in US air communications. The icing on the cake would be to fly an approach at JFK: a kid's dream.

Do you have any place to recommend around NY City where to book a single engine plane with FI and prepare such flight?

Talking about shopping: do you know any brick and mortar pilot shop in NY area?

Thanks for your help
 
You might try Nassau Flyers at Republic Airport in Farmingdale on Long Island. It's a bit over an hour by train from Manhattan's Penn Station. Also, things will be a lot easier if you obtain your US FAA PPL on the basis of your European PPL before you arrive here.
 
May I suggest Farmingdale (KFRG) for your adventure. Nassau flyers has a flight school and a decent little pilot shop. Probably can get an instructor to help with your request. Not sure about the KJFK approach - really busy pace, but maybe. The VFR corridor up the Hudson is what I recommend for a fun tour.
Bon Voyage
Ben
 
I can't recommend a specific flight school but you just received two recomendations for one at KFRG I am sure there are also some good schools at KHPN. Any flight school in that area should be able to help you with a CFI that has experience flying the Hudson River Corridor.

As for flying an approach in to JFK, Keep in mind that 1) its going to be VERY expensive to land there, but living in France you may be used to high fees. 2) It is not likely that they will grant you the option so you will have to land. JFK is not a place they like to do practice approaches. You might be able to do it in the middle of the night but then your Hudson River Flight won't be as nice.

If your looking for a place to rent in the Philadelphia area, I can help you with that, just send me a pm.
 
I agree with Adam about not trying to fly an approach into JFK in a 172. If you want to see JFK up close, you can get a real good look while flying the "shoreline transition" from Republic to the bottom of the Hudson River corridor. Any instructor at FRG should be completely familiar with both.
 
Ron Levy said:
I agree with Adam about not trying to fly an approach into JFK in a 172. If you want to see JFK up close, you can get a real good look while flying the "shoreline transition" from Republic to the bottom of the Hudson River corridor. Any instructor at FRG should be completely familiar with both.
Click to expand...

:yeahthat:

An awesome view at 500' I might add. You'll also enjoy the beautiful scenery along the beaches! One of my favorite flights.
 
Thanks a lot guys for those precious information. OK, I'll forget JFK approach.

@Adam
- we don't pay high landing fees in France (at least less than in UK) but "small aviation" traffic tends to be more and more excluded from "airports for biggies". At least we are lucky to have so many airfields, most of them non controlled, reachable after a few minutes of flight. Compared with USA, we are a tad smaller and airfield density is good.
- Philadelphia: I'll drop you a PM. Thanks

Thanks again all, keep sending ideas.
Thierry
 
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You can usually fly over JFK with Flight Following. It is awesome and easy to get clearance. If I remember correctly, you must be at 6000' or higher, though.

My recommendation is to go down the corridor in the afternoon as the sun is setting and get a great view of the City and its beauty. Then on the return flight, as the lights are coming on, it is absolutely breathtaking.

The foremost expert on the Hudson Corridor is Doug Stewart. You can probably contact him at: http://www.dsflight.com/

Also, I recommend Panorama at HPN. They will have lots of instructors who are familiar with the Hudson corridor.
 
acrodisiac said:
May I suggest Farmingdale (KFRG) for your adventure. Nassau flyers has a flight school and a decent little pilot shop. Probably can get an instructor to help with your request. Not sure about the KJFK approach - really busy pace, but maybe. The VFR corridor up the Hudson is what I recommend for a fun tour.
Bon Voyage
Ben
Click to expand...

I've tried to contact Nassau Flyers in FRG by email and through their website to no avail. Didn't call yet. Is it just bad luck or are they facing problems?

I will ring in at another operator.
 
Hi Adam,

Thanks for helping - a real fast reply

Actually that's what I did last May. As I didn't get reply I went through their website. I'll resend email and give a call
 
I have a good friend who flies with them. From what I can tell, they're definitely alive and well! He's actually in France right now.
 
I'd call their number again, they are definitely open as I just called and they answered. Are you calling 1-631-454-0626
 
Thanks for having checked. I'll give a call

James, I hope your friend will enjoy his stay in France. If he needs something, drop me a message.
 
Je suppose que t'as déjà vu ce clip sur YouTube ?


C'est génial...j'ai vraiment envie de faire pareil un de ces jours. En fait, je vais le faire cet été avec un ami français qui vient à New York avec un autre ami, mais ils arrivent fin juillet...et j'attends déjà leur arrivé avec impatience ! Je vais peut-etre l'essayer avant...pour assurer que je sache bien comment faire :).

For those who haven't seen it, this is a great video that shows the Class Bravo transit southbound to the Verrazano Bridge, then Northbound up the East River, the Central Park transition over Manhattan, and back north up the Hudson, all at 1500-2000 feet. You won't be able to understand much of the cockpit banter if you don't speak French, but you can hear the radio communications. And most importantly, see how cool this is.
 
Merci James

This video is great. I can't wait to be flying over there.

Quant à nous, nous serons à NYC début aout. Nous nous croiserons peut être au dessus de l'Hudson River ....

(sorry folks for using french)
 
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