Hudson River Tour

[RRHaldeman]

My plan, weather permitting, is to fly my Champ from northern Illinois (C77) to New York and take in the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome airshow on 9/10 or 911. From there, I'd like to head south along the Hudson River and take the "Sully Sullenberger Tour" through the heart of Manhattan.

I'll be flying solo and I'd like to find someone in that area (who has been there, done that) willing ride shotgun and help me spot traffic. I want to spot traffic but also take in the sights and take a few photos. If anyone has suggestions of who might want to help me take the tour, please let me know.

[SFC Hiatt]

Can we pause time for 6 years? I would love to do this with you!!

Chris
Severely suffering from Aeronca withdrawals

[Nathan K. Hammond]

Dick, I've done the Hudson VFR several times and it's NO SWEAT and a whole lot of fun!. The reporting points are easy to pick out and the traffic through there is very professional on the radio. I'd say 90% is local traffic, mainly helo's sightseeing or corporate, that stay around 500-800'. Transient aircraft run between 800' and 1500' I think, need to look at the chart. Plus, it's right hand rules; Northbound traffic fly's the east side of the river, Southbound fly's the west side.

Flying a Champ, you'll be the slowest traffic out there, so listen close to the radio and announce at the reporting points. Typically, when I fly a slower A/C up the corridor, I fly lower, say 800' or 900' and the faster traffic runs around 1000'-1300'.

The only it gets a little congested around the Statue and Lower Manhattan. All the sightseeing helo's drop down to 500' and circle the statue then climb back out. And the corporate helo's come and go out of Manhattan/Wall Street/Goldman Sachs headed in all directions; north up the river or cutting across to New Jersey. The good part is they all follow dedicated routes, so if you study the map, you'll understand where they are and where they're going.

Plan on making a couple runs up and down the river, once with the camera rolling and the next soaking up the sights first hand. You can turn around in the bay or South of the Verrazano Bridge or North of the George Washington Bridge.

One word of caution; there no place to land. You might be lucky and smack it into a road, but figure on a lot of traffic. The other option is "USAir style", so an inflatable PFD might be in order. Come October the water will be chilly.

Have Fun it's something everyone should checkout.

nkh

[Nathan K. Hammond]

By the Way... Looks like I may be in NYC that same weekend to do some skywriting and may run up to Rhinebeck and check out the show again. As things shape up and firm up, I may give you a hollar if we're gonna be up there at the same time.

nkh

[rkittine]

Hi,

I keep a 7CCM at Warwick and do the Hudson River VFR Tour from time to time. I have been flying in this area since 1963. Give me a call when you get closer to the date. You should stop in at Warwick on the way (N72) and we can pop over to the Hudson from there starting at West Point and heading south.
Do you have a radio? / Transponder?

Newark Tower will let you circle the Statue of Liberty, fly over the middle of Runway 4 at 1300 feet and scoot back up thru New Jersey.

Ciao - Robet

[RRHaldeman]

Robert & Nathan,

Thanks for the responses. That is exactly what I was looking for.

My original plan has been to fly into Kingston-Ulster (20N) on Friday night, get a room, then catch a taxi to Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome on Saturday, return to the room to overnight on Saturday night and take the Hudson River Tour on Sunday morning, ending up at Somerset (KSMQ) where I start my Coast to Coast flight.

But that plan is easily amended.

My renovated Champ has C-85 with the O-200 conversion, an electric starter and a battery, but no electrical generating system; no transponder, but I do have an ICOM handheld, with an external antenna and two Lightspeed zulu headsets, so radio communications are easy.

I'll check back as the dates get closer. Thanks again.

[rkittine]

Hey Dick,

Sounds great. That is a long taxi ride from Kingston on the west side of the Hudson River to Rhinebeck. Why not get permission to land at Rheinbeck. Bill King and his son are friends of mine and fly a number of their planes. Not a bad flight from Warwick also and there are some inexpensive Hotel / Motels in the area. Can always meet you and give you a lift from the airport.

Won't be able to do the Over Newark Flight without a Transponder, but no problem in the VFR Corridor, will just need to come back up the Hudson to Alpine Tower and then inland.

The number listed is my cell phone, so that almost always works.

Ciao - Robert

[RRHaldeman]

Thanks Robert,

I like your suggestions. I've amended my last leg to fly to Warwick, where do you rx I stay? I've now got your telephone number in my iPhone. If you get permission to fly into Old Rhinebeck, that would be a great way to spend the day.

If you want to see what the Champ looks like now, go here:
http://s900.photobucket.com/albums/ac207/RRHaldeman/

[rkittine]

Hi Dick,

There is an Inn in Warwick with in-expensive rooms and a Holiday Inn Express in Chester, right up the road. There is usually someone around from 10:00 until about 3:30 each day at the airport that can give you a ride if I am not there.

Bill can get us permission to land at Old Rhinebeck if it is not in the middle of an Airshow.

If you take a look at N72 you will see that you can head a little north East, pick up the Hudson, fly by West Point (except during graduation which is over for this year) and then down the Hudson - Drop to under 3,000 at the Tappen Zee Bridge, under 1,500 at the Alpine tower etc.

Look forward to meeting you.

Ciao - Robert

[Nathan K. Hammond]

There's a B&B located adjacent to ORA in the late Bob Love's house. Then there's no need for a car unless you want to cruise around Rhinebeck, but you can always find a bicycle laying around the airport.

http://www.stonechurchroadbedandbreakfast.com/

But I'm more interested in you trip! Coast to Coast in your Champ?? Awesome!

nkh

[RRHaldeman]

Nathan,

If you are interested in my planned Coast to Coast flight in the Champ, I've got a blog started and I plan to update it along the way. http://areoncachamp.blogspot.com/

After the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome visit, I'll star from Somerset Nj.

If anyone wants to join me fr a leg or two, that would be great!

[Clay]

but you can always find a bicycle laying around the airport.

Just don't put said bicycle in back of borrowed pickup and go cruising. Police no likey...