flying around niagara falls

[Andrey Serbinenko]

Hi all,

I'm going to be in KBUF this weekend, and was contemplating
giving my passengers a brief aerial tour of the Falls.
Are there any special considerations? I'm new to that area,
so a word of experience would be very welcome! Thanks!!



Andrey

[Martin X. Moleski, SJ]

On 14 Jun 2007 16:09:49 GMT, Andrey Serbinenko > wrote in
>:

>I'm going to be in KBUF this weekend, and was contemplating
>giving my passengers a brief aerial tour of the Falls.
>Are there any special considerations? I'm new to that area,
>so a word of experience would be very welcome! Thanks!!

I was along for the ride in a 172 a few years back.

There are special procedures in place due to commercial
sight-seeing flights (mostly helis, I think) that fly
all day long. There also was a tethered hot-air balloon
in Niagara Falls, NY, in previous years. I don't know
whether they're still in operation.

Here is a page describing the general flight restrictions
over the Falls:

<http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/11feb20051500/edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2005/janqtr/pdf/14cfr93.81.pdf>

http://tinyurl.com/2cdzs9

A brief report from a fellow who has done the trip
three times:

http://www.landings.com/_landings/spots/niagara-falls.html

That should give you some ideas.

Marty
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[Martin X. Moleski, SJ]

On 14 Jun 2007 16:09:49 GMT, Andrey Serbinenko > wrote in
>:

>I'm going to be in KBUF this weekend, and was contemplating
>giving my passengers a brief aerial tour of the Falls.
>Are there any special considerations? I'm new to that area,
>so a word of experience would be very welcome! Thanks!!

DOH!

I forgot that this topic has come up in this group before.

<http://groups.google.com/groups?as_q=&num=10&scoring=r&hl=en&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_ugroup=rec.aviation.piloting&as_usubject=niagara+falls&as_uauthors=&lr=&as_drrb=q&as_qdr=&as_mind=1&as_minm=1&as_miny=1981&as_maxd=14&as_maxm=6&as_maxy=2007&safe=off>

http://tinyurl.com/2h5oke

Marty
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[B A R R Y[_2_]]

Martin X. Moleski, SJ wrote:
>
>
> Here is a page describing the general flight restrictions
> over the Falls:
>
> <http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/11feb20051500/edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2005/janqtr/pdf/14cfr93.81.pdf>
>
> http://tinyurl.com/2cdzs9
>


The AF/D that includes NY has lots of info, and a diagram in the
"Special Notices" section.

[Andrey Serbinenko]

Thank you, guys! That's very helpful!!

Andrey


Martin X. Moleski, SJ > wrote:
> On 14 Jun 2007 16:09:49 GMT, Andrey Serbinenko > wrote in
> >:
>
>>I'm going to be in KBUF this weekend, and was contemplating
>>giving my passengers a brief aerial tour of the Falls.
>>Are there any special considerations? I'm new to that area,
>>so a word of experience would be very welcome! Thanks!!
>
> DOH!
>
> I forgot that this topic has come up in this group before.
>
> <http://groups.google.com/groups?as_q=&num=10&scoring=r&hl=en&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_ugroup=rec.aviation.piloting&as_usubject=niagara+falls&as_uauthors=&lr=&as_drrb=q&as_qdr=&as_mind=1&as_minm=1&as_miny=1981&as_maxd=14&as_maxm=6&as_maxy=2007&safe=off>
>
> http://tinyurl.com/2h5oke
>
> Marty

[James Robinson]

"Martin X. Moleski, SJ" > wrote:

> There are special procedures in place due to commercial
> sight-seeing flights (mostly helis, I think) that fly
> all day long. There also was a tethered hot-air balloon
> in Niagara Falls, NY, in previous years. I don't know
> whether they're still in operation.

Both the helis and the balloon are still very evident.

[vincent norris]

Andrey Serbinenko wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I'm going to be in KBUF this weekend, and was contemplating
> giving my passengers a brief aerial tour of the Falls.
> Are there any special considerations?

Yes, there are, but I haven't been there in several years and they may
have changed. I strongly advise you to check with AOPA or phone KBUF
for info about altitudes, directions, etc.

Enjoy! vince norris

[George Graham]

The last time I flew around the Falls, I had to fly a racetrack hold
pattern at 3500 ft. Which was a hornets nest of helicopters at the
same altitude.
We could not see anything -too high, and were terrified by the
conjestion. If I were you, I'd get a cab or rental and drive out to
see the falls, which are really awesome up close.

Enjoy!

George Graham


On Jun 14, 12:09 pm, Andrey Serbinenko >
wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I'm going to be in KBUF this weekend, and was contemplating
> giving my passengers a brief aerial tour of the Falls.
> Are there any special considerations? I'm new to that area,
> so a word of experience would be very welcome! Thanks!!
>
> Andrey

[Paul Tomblin]

In a previous article, George Graham > said:
>The last time I flew around the Falls, I had to fly a racetrack hold
>pattern at 3500 ft. Which was a hornets nest of helicopters at the
>same altitude.
>We could not see anything -too high, and were terrified by the
>conjestion. If I were you, I'd get a cab or rental and drive out to
>see the falls, which are really awesome up close.

I've flown the falls many times since it's barely 50nm from here. The
helicopters stay below 3500 feet - that's the entire point of the altitude
restriction for the non-pros. And the most I've ever seen at my altitude
were two other bug smashers, and once a jet did a much bigger race track
a few thousand feet above my head.


--
Paul Tomblin > http://blog.xcski.com/
I told $VERY_BIG_CLIENT that sure, we can do $THING_THAT_VIOLATES_CAUSALITY
by Tuesday. You can do that, right?
-- Things that a developer or sysadmin dreads hearing, #235

[Martin X. Moleski, SJ]

On Sun, 17 Jun 2007 18:53:31 -0700, George Graham > wrote in
m>:

>The last time I flew around the Falls, I had to fly a racetrack hold
>pattern at 3500 ft. Which was a hornets nest of helicopters at the
>same altitude.

>We could not see anything -too high, and were terrified by the
>congestion. ...

My friend flew me over the Falls at that altitude. I enjoyed
the view very much.

Making two or three circuits would have been better than just one
pass if you have the time. It can take a little while to take
in the view, especially if you're fumbling with a camera at the
same time.

Marty
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[George Graham]

On Jun 14, 12:09 pm, Andrey Serbinenko >
wrote:

> I'm going to be in KBUF this weekend, and was contemplating
> giving my passengers a brief aerial tour of the Falls.
>
> Andrey

Well, did you see the Falls yet ?

Curious George