Boston City Tour

[Aviv Hod]

I went flying with a couple of friends on Saturday and hoped to be
cleared into Boston Class B to do the city tour. After departing
Hanscom (KBED) and turning to the south, I called up Boston Tower on
128.8 and asked to follow the Charles River into town to do the city
tour. To my delight, on this bright, sunny, and windless day, Boston
Tower was very accommodating, cleared us into Bravo airspace and allowed
us to head into town. The only request was to remain at or below 1500
and north of the extended centerline of Logan runway 27, which was in
use at the time.

Flying over the Charles River, we got some spectacular views of
downtown, Cambridge, and our beloved Community Boating facilities near
the Longfellow Bridge (the salt and pepper bridge). Swinging back
around for a second pass, the controller called me up and said that he's
done with runway 27 for a few minutes, and that flying south of the
centerline is approved if I wish.

This allowed me to fly over Fenway park and circle town from the other
side, over Boston Harbor, then turn left over the harbor and get a great
view of North End. This was definitely one of my most memorable flights!

Pictures are here:
http://www.avivhod.com/gallery/2004-December-Boston-City-Tour

Happy Holidays to all!

-Aviv

[Dave]

Fab pix!

Tanks for sharing!

Dave



On Mon, 20 Dec 2004 10:37:58 -0500, Aviv Hod
> wrote:

>I went flying with a couple of friends on Saturday and hoped to be
>cleared into Boston Class B to do the city tour. After departing
>Hanscom (KBED) and turning to the south, I called up Boston Tower on
>128.8 and asked to follow the Charles River into town to do the city
>tour. To my delight, on this bright, sunny, and windless day, Boston
>Tower was very accommodating, cleared us into Bravo airspace and allowed
>us to head into town. The only request was to remain at or below 1500
>and north of the extended centerline of Logan runway 27, which was in
>use at the time.
>
>Flying over the Charles River, we got some spectacular views of
>downtown, Cambridge, and our beloved Community Boating facilities near
>the Longfellow Bridge (the salt and pepper bridge). Swinging back
>around for a second pass, the controller called me up and said that he's
>done with runway 27 for a few minutes, and that flying south of the
>centerline is approved if I wish.
>
>This allowed me to fly over Fenway park and circle town from the other
>side, over Boston Harbor, then turn left over the harbor and get a great
>view of North End. This was definitely one of my most memorable flights!
>
>Pictures are here:
>http://www.avivhod.com/gallery/2004-December-Boston-City-Tour
>
>Happy Holidays to all!
>
>-Aviv

[BTIZ]

most excellent.. thanx to the trip back home...

BT

"Aviv Hod" > wrote in message
...
>I went flying with a couple of friends on Saturday and hoped to be cleared
>into Boston Class B to do the city tour. After departing Hanscom (KBED)
>and turning to the south, I called up Boston Tower on 128.8 and asked to
>follow the Charles River into town to do the city tour. To my delight, on
>this bright, sunny, and windless day, Boston Tower was very accommodating,
>cleared us into Bravo airspace and allowed us to head into town. The only
>request was to remain at or below 1500 and north of the extended centerline
>of Logan runway 27, which was in use at the time.
>
> Flying over the Charles River, we got some spectacular views of downtown,
> Cambridge, and our beloved Community Boating facilities near the
> Longfellow Bridge (the salt and pepper bridge). Swinging back around for
> a second pass, the controller called me up and said that he's done with
> runway 27 for a few minutes, and that flying south of the centerline is
> approved if I wish.
>
> This allowed me to fly over Fenway park and circle town from the other
> side, over Boston Harbor, then turn left over the harbor and get a great
> view of North End. This was definitely one of my most memorable flights!
>
> Pictures are here:
> http://www.avivhod.com/gallery/2004-December-Boston-City-Tour
>
> Happy Holidays to all!
>
> -Aviv

[G.R. Patterson III]

Aviv Hod wrote:
>
> Pictures are here:

My old thesis advisor is from Boston. He said your photos are "very nice."
Coming from him, that's high praise.

George Patterson
The desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise.

[Aviv Hod]

BTIZ wrote:
> most excellent.. thanx to the trip back home...
>
> BT
>

You're most welcome!. I'm glad you enjoyed them.

-Aviv

[John Baker]

Fantastic Pix.

I am amazed they allowed you so low. I thought there was a height limit of 3,000 or
something like that.

John Baker

Aviv Hod > wrote:

>I went flying with a couple of friends on Saturday and hoped to be
>cleared into Boston Class B to do the city tour. After departing
>Hanscom (KBED) and turning to the south, I called up Boston Tower on
>128.8 and asked to follow the Charles River into town to do the city
>tour. To my delight, on this bright, sunny, and windless day, Boston
>Tower was very accommodating, cleared us into Bravo airspace and allowed
>us to head into town. The only request was to remain at or below 1500
>and north of the extended centerline of Logan runway 27, which was in
>use at the time.
>
>Flying over the Charles River, we got some spectacular views of
>downtown, Cambridge, and our beloved Community Boating facilities near
>the Longfellow Bridge (the salt and pepper bridge). Swinging back
>around for a second pass, the controller called me up and said that he's
>done with runway 27 for a few minutes, and that flying south of the
>centerline is approved if I wish.
>
>This allowed me to fly over Fenway park and circle town from the other
>side, over Boston Harbor, then turn left over the harbor and get a great
>view of North End. This was definitely one of my most memorable flights!
>
>Pictures are here:
>http://www.avivhod.com/gallery/2004-December-Boston-City-Tour
>
>Happy Holidays to all!
>
>-Aviv

[Gary Drescher]

"John Baker" > wrote in message
...
> Fantastic Pix.
>
> I am amazed they allowed you so low. I thought there was a height limit of
> 3,000 or
> something like that.

No, FAR 91.119b sets the minimum altitude in congested areas as 1,000' above
the highest obstacle within 2,000' horizontally.

That brings to mind a caveat for flying a Boston city tour. Occasionally a
controller will tell you to maintain 1,000 (especially if you've been handed
off to a helicopter controller, which sometimes happens for a city tour).
You're required to stay 1,000' above obstacles even if instructed otherwise
by ATC; so it's up to you to say "Unable 1,000 due to required obstacle
clearance; request 1,200".

--Gary