KTEB (Teterboro) and niagara falls flight.

[PunkStarStudios]

I've only done one flight into TED. Pretty uneventful (the best flights always are), but I'm sure my passengers would have liked a tour of the NY skyline. It was getting late, I had to come back to Toronto empty and I didn't want to sound like a dolt over the radio "ummm.. I have some passengers that want to see the statue of liberty... can you tell me how to get there and come back?" Plus I'm lazy - I go IFR whenever possible unless I'm flying in my back yard.

Well I have to go back and pick them up on Sunday. Assuming weather is nice... does anyone have any experience with that area in terms of IFR and scenic New York flights? I'll have filed IFR to leave of course - would I just tell ground that I'm doing VFR first and would like vectors for a tour and pick up the IFR afterward? And if so - how do I work that with clearance delivery or do they even care (in other words - just tell ground and tower)? Or do I launch IFR and just ask for vectors for a tour and follow the hand offs and just tell them when I am done?

Secondly... for Niagara. Coming back I'm sure they will want to do some tours of Niagara. I was planning to just cancel IFR, keep the alerting, and do flight following once I get with Toronto or cross the border. Then drop down - do some loops around and continue on VFR. Are there any flight restrictions or special procedures for tours of the falls I should be aware of?

[ScurvyDog]

On the rear of the NYC vta there is a published VFR Hudson river corridor route that has very specific instructions. If you google Hudson river vfr corridor there are many great resources. My personal experience with this route has been in the 4 or five times I've flown it the wx has to cooperate or it can be rough as hell down low near the skyline. Every time I was done my Hudson river and liberty tour I picked up my ifr to get out of NYC. I'm to scared to fly vfr in that area!!

Niaragra falls is simple in comparison. Open up your cfs there are detailed instructions.

[slam525i]

Does anyone have first hand experience on flying over the falls? I know the procedure is in the CFS but I figure the airspace would be swarmed with airplanes/helicopters, so I've avoided it, especially since it so close to the US border.

[MCB]

Falls Tour is very straight forward. Just set-up nicely in the loop, make the calls on the frequency, don't dip down below the proper altitude (can't remember it off hand now), and look-out!

[LTGICCCCG]

The helis will be well below you. From experience, flying the pattern during the summer season, you will have one or two other aircraft doing the tour, at most. The US side is very quiet, with some random heli flights going in and out but well under your altitude. One time we had a busjet bust out of the clouds and fly straight through the pattern without making any calls (or calling on wrong frequency).

[Pratt X 3]

You will need to call TEB clearance delivery even if you are departing VFR. I don't think NY approach would have the time to vector you along the river so you will have to do the sight seeing VFR. Maybe mention to clearance delivery that you are doing the hudson river first then IFR to Toronto and they might be able to arrange/suggest a point where you can expect your IFR clearance. You may encounter a delay in getting your IFR after the tour.

A couple of links for information.

TEB briefing - http://www.airportflightcrewbriefing.com/teterboro/

Hudson River Corridor info (refer to current charts for most up-to-date info) - http://www.germaise.com/interests/aviat ... udson1.htm

An example of keeping your head on a swivel - http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_i ... 2846&key=1

[PunkStarStudios]

Those links are fantastic. Thanks.