Ontario To NFLD

[JasonE]

Hi Guys - flying the Cherokee out east very soon. If weather permits I plan to make it as far as Newfoundland. This will be my first trip out there in my own plane, and plan to stay mostly in Canada. Any suggestions of airports and neat places to stop along the route?

Cheers

[gwagen]

Hi Guys - flying the Cherokee out east very soon. If weather permits I plan to make it as far as Newfoundland. This will be my first trip out there in my own plane, and plan to stay mostly in Canada. Any suggestions of airports and neat places to stop along the route?

Cheers

Only advice I can offer is be sure to verify before departing that the air port you intend to arrive at has 100LL. It can be quite scarce in NFLD. You may need to bring a pump and plan to buy a barrel.

Keep an eye on the weather NFLD can be challenging any time of year.

[JasonE]

Thanks for the tip. I've already confirmed a place to refuel!

[nbinont]

If weather permits I plan to make it as far as Newfoundland.

Did a similar trip a few years back.

Flying notes:
-Northern Maine is heavily forested and very lightly populated. If you cut across northern Maine, either fly IFR or have a GPS unit on board and don't push the weather. You'll get out of radio + VOR range even at moderate altitudes. If you clear customs into the states, Houlton has great hours.
-There's a lot of water between Cape Breton and NFLD. Strongly recommend you take the shortest route across the water - no need to be over it for longer than necessary. You probably want a fuel stop in Sydney on the way out. Alternates are some distance away from each other in NFLD, plan your fuel accordingly. The south shore is pretty underpopulated. Saint John's International airport is not cheap (landing fees, fuel, handling).

Sightseeing notes:
-Signal Hill in Saint John's is neat.
-Louisbourg fortress in Cape Breton is neat.
-Halifax has the Citadel.
-PEI has distinctive red mud (even from the air). If you go there, Anne of Green Gables is a good tourist attraction.
-Flying over the confederation bridge between NB and PEI is neat.
-Moncton has Magnetic Hill (water appears to flow uphill). You can see the tidal boar in Moncton. The nearby Fundy national Park has some of the highest tides in the world. There's some good beaches in Shediac and further up the coast.
-Quebec City has a nice historic area.

Enjoy your trip! You'll have a blast - I know I did!

[Broken Slinky]

Fly into Miquelon Airport (LFVM) and get your log book stamped. Google Saint Pierre and Miquelon or look them up in the CFS. They're actually territories of France. You can say you flew your bird to France. There's no fuel there so make sure you have enough to get to St John's.
Oh, and I'd rather chew off my right arm than go back to Anne of Green Gables. If you're bringing family that's really into the books then... If not, fly over it and say you saw it.
Quebec City is a great place to visit. Landing and parking fees are similar to what you'd pay for Toronto Island. Very friendly city and lots of fantastic restaurants. Search out a raclette or fondue place if you're wanting a good feed of meats and cheeses.

[av8ts]

Saint John=CYSJ in New Brunswick. St John's =CYYT in Newfoundland. Many have made the mistake of getting info on one thinking it was the other.

[ant_321]

Once you get to NL I would recommend a flight to Fogo island, maybe lunch at the Fogo island inn. Or stay the night if you have deep pockets. And if scenery is what you're looking for be sure to do some flying around the west coast of the island. In particular Gros Morne national park.

[Adam Oke]

St. Martins, New Brunswick - St Martins Sea Caves
Hopewell Cape, New Brunswick - Hopewell Rocks
Fundy National Park, New Brunswick - Hands down the best park in NB
St John's, Newfoundland - Signal Hill
New Glasgow, PEI - New Glasgow Lobster Supper (Amazing Lobster Dinner....they sure know how to punch out a lot of people with amazing service -- well worth the money)
Cape Breton, Nova Scotia - Skyline Trail (An amazing Hike -- give your self a lot of time on the trail)
Halifax, Nova Scotia -- Pub's Galore and Citadel Hill -- A must stop is the Lower Deck

I wouldn't bother with Fredericton or St John, NB. Freddy is just a government/University town, and St John is very industrial -- it's a working town with a nice waterfront....but that's about it.

I can't help much with Newfoundland, as I have yet to tour it....but I drove all across NB, NS, and PEI and it was one of the best trips I had ever done. It's the small towns and little lobster shacks that made the trip. You're going to miss a TON if you don't rent a car and drive around.

[JasonE]

We'll have access to a car in PEI, and plan to rent one in NL.

Not sure its worth the hassle of going through customs just to land in LFVM to get my book stamped!

Fogo looks neat, don't think we can afford the $1650 per night (min 2 night stay) at the Inn....There's a few other options around there for $150/night that I may spring for though!

[all_ramped_up]

Skip Sydney for fuel and grab it in Port Hawkesbury (CYPD). 100LL was $1.70+tax last I checked there. No landing fees there as opposed to YQY too.

[JasonE]

CYPD was actually the plan, then up to the tip of Cape Breton for the 60NM hop over.

[Siddley Hawker]

If you're going via Cape Breton, why not come back via the northern route across the Straits of Belle Isle from St. Anthony (YAY) to Blanc Sablon (YBX) and up the coast of the Gulf of St. Lawrence to Sept-Iles and Quebec City? Don't miss Deer Lake (YDF), that's the 'airport of entry' for Gros Morne National Park, where the scenery looks more like Norway than North America. At St. Anthony, it's a short drive to the Viking ruins at L'Anse aux Meadows.

There are a bunch of little airports along the North Shore between Blanc Sablon and Sept-Iles - St Augustine (YIF), Chevery (YHR), and Natashquan (YNA) plus more gravel strips at other villages. Fuel might be a problem though. And watch the weather. Keep an eye on the temperature and dewpoint, because it can go from severe clear to a DEI minimums in no time flat.

[Broken Slinky]

Not sure its worth the hassle of going through customs just to land in LFVM to get my book stamped!

It's actually not any more of a hassle than landing at any other airport and checking in with someone behind the counter at the FBO. Canadians are "grandfathered" in, just need to show ID.
http://www.st-pierre-et-miquelon.com/en/faq/

[JasonE]

Not sure its worth the hassle of going through customs just to land in LFVM to get my book stamped!

It's actually not any more of a hassle than landing at any other airport and checking in with someone behind the counter at the FBO. Canadians are "grandfathered" in, just need to show ID.
http://www.st-pierre-et-miquelon.com/en/faq/

I assume you still have to clear with Canada Customs coming back....It all takes time and planning.

[JasonE]

If you're going via Cape Breton, why not come back via the northern route across the Straits of Belle Isle from St. Anthony (YAY) to Blanc Sablon (YBX) and up the coast of the Gulf of St. Lawrence to Sept-Iles and Quebec City? Don't miss Deer Lake (YDF), that's the 'airport of entry' for Gros Morne National Park, where the scenery looks more like Norway than North America. At St. Anthony, it's a short drive to the Viking ruins at L'Anse aux Meadows.

There are a bunch of little airports along the North Shore between Blanc Sablon and Sept-Iles - St Augustine (YIF), Chevery (YHR), and Natashquan (YNA) plus more gravel strips at other villages. Fuel might be a problem though. And watch the weather. Keep an eye on the temperature and dewpoint, because it can go from severe clear to a DEI minimums in no time flat.

Northern route might be interesting. Will require some calls ahead to ensure fuel is available!

[JasonE]

Picked up a spot tracker today. Not much radar out that way, and family will be able to keep an eye on me too.

[lownslow77]

Skip Sydney for fuel and grab it in Port Hawkesbury (CYPD). 100LL was $1.70+tax last I checked there. No landing fees there as opposed to YQY too.

YPD is under new management now and they charge a $25 landing fee. It can also get a little busy there with private jet traffic from the states. They have a few extras now like light drinks and snacks. If you're going to YPD, I'd recommend a flight over the highlands if the ceilings permit. There's often low cloud decks but if they are high enough, I'd strongly suggest you fly over it. It's one of the most scenic flights I've done in Canada. Very little traffic around there too.

If you go to Sydney, there's no pilot lounge- just the airport terminal, so make sure to bring your pilot license with you inside because they lock the doors so you'll need to prove you're a pilot to the commissionaires to let you out. Safe flying!

[HiFlyChick]

We'll have access to a car in PEI, and plan to rent one in NL.

Not sure its worth the hassle of going through customs just to land in LFVM to get my book stamped!

I definitely wouldn't stop in Saint Pierre unless you are going to wander around the town for a while. If you do decide to go, keep a close eye on the hours that the tower is open, because rather than just reverting to being uncontrolled, when the tower closes, the airport closes. I've come close to being stuck there when my pax were late! It was a number of years back, so things might have changed since then, and also, maybe there's better cell coverage around the airport (my pax couldn't even call me and vice versa).

If you drive around in NS at all, be sure to hit Lunenburg - it's a really pretty little town and birthplace of the Bluenose, which may or may not be in port when you get there. If you go to Lunenburg, be sure and check out the Fisheries Museum, and I highly recommend the Boscawen Inn (was just there last week for my birthday).

In Halifax, the easiest way to tour around downtown is to park in Dartmouth and take the ferry across (which I like to call the poor man's harbour tour The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is right downtown, as are many restaurants and pubs. If you land in Halifax, be sure and rent a car, though - a taxi ride into the city is $60 one way! The folks at the Gateway FBO can help you out in that regard - they'll arrange a car to be dropped off and a hotel too if you want (Gateway is the only FBO on the field with avgas).

[kevenv]

Picked up a spot tracker today. Not much radar out that way, and family will be able to keep an eye on me too.

As long as you cross the NB border at about 5500, you will be in radar coverage. From CYFC on wards to CYYG or CYHZ 3500 will work easily. From CYYG or CYHZ to CYQY you need to be at about 5500, more for frequency coverage as we can see you lower but can't talk to you.

[all_ramped_up]

Skip Sydney for fuel and grab it in Port Hawkesbury (CYPD). 100LL was $1.70+tax last I checked there. No landing fees there as opposed to YQY too.

YPD is under new management now and they charge a $25 landing fee. It can also get a little busy there with private jet traffic from the states. They have a few extras now like light drinks and snacks. If you're going to YPD, I'd recommend a flight over the highlands if the ceilings permit. There's often low cloud decks but if they are high enough, I'd strongly suggest you fly over it. It's one of the most scenic flights I've done in Canada. Very little traffic around there too.

If you go to Sydney, there's no pilot lounge- just the airport terminal, so make sure to bring your pilot license with you inside because they lock the doors so you'll need to prove you're a pilot to the commissionaires to let you out. Safe flying!

Last I checked the $25 minimum landing fee was Commercial / Business traffic only. G/A and Flight Schools were free.

Unless the policy has changed in the last three weeks.