Tom Fleischman wrote:

You should ask for a Class B clearance sometime.

I have, although I've not "done Manhatten" this way.

Call them from up
around the Tappan Zee bridge and if your radio skills are better than
average you will probably not have much of a problem getting one.

I'm IFR rated, and I've learned in this neighborhood. I've shown others, a
little shy of VFRing in, how easy it is to get into the class B. You'd
*hope* I've decent radio skills by now.

But I still managed to stutter my way through a request of "Newark Approach"
for a transition recently laugh. Still, they let me in. I don't think
they're as picky as everyone says. I think it's really just a matter of
whether they can fit us in.

And they do try. I had to duck under people riding the ILS into TEB, but
they fit me in.

I did have to wait for a couple of minutes, but circling was no problem.
More, I unexpectedly got to see my house. That was very funny. I was
grumbling about having to wait and then..."Hey, there's Brookdale [park]" I
said to my passenger. "And there's my house!".

[...]
Last time I did it I asked for the East River northbound and was handed
off to La Guardia Tower after turning north over the tip of Manhattan.
They brought me up the East River to Roosevelt Island and then cleared
me to fly over Central Park back to the Husdon and then back up to HPN.

*That's* the clearance I want (except replacing CDW for HPN {8^).


I prefer getting a clearance to using the corridor for several reasons.
I'm already talking to them and they know who and where I am in case of
trouble, I'll be at a somewhat higher altitude, and they will keep me
separated not only from the jet traffic, but also from all of the
helicopter traffic down low in the corridor.

Choices choices grin.

- Andrew