NYC/Hudson VFR Corridor...finally!

I've been a pilot for a number of years, now. The first flight in a GA
airplane I took as a passenger - the trip that flipped me over into
learning to fly - included a trip down the Hudson corridor. I've been
wanting to do this for a while myself.

I was in the air with my wife, with the trip planned. But we decided to do
something else given the poor visibility. "Next week", we agreed. That
was September 10, 2001.

Then there was IFR training, trips to take, club checkouts to fly...

Today, I found myself at Linden airport with a need to fly to Caldwell. I'd
just come down under the class B shelf, I'd already flown the GSP
transition...hey, why not the corridor?

So off I went.

I did experience a bit of concern, realizing that I'd not checked with FSS
for the latest Bush/Cheney/&Friends report. But a quick chat on 122.2
solved that (and got the "all clear" with my tail number on tape, Just In
Case {8^).

And north I went.

It was fun, but crowded. And those helicopters are either not watching, or
very daring. One climbed past my 2 o'clock quite close to me. No
announcement, either. A little unnerving.

The bridges seemed awfully high!

Next time, I might try it higher (ie. in the class B). Who would I speak
to? LGA's tower at the north end, or EWR's tower down south? Which
frequency? 118.3 for EWR (I think)?

Normally, I'd start with approach and let them transition me. But, starting
from Linden, I was practically on top of EWR. So I'm not sure.

BTW, when I got back to CDW, my CFII and a friend working on his rating were
landing. So I popped in at the FBO to say "hi". I explained what I'd just
done...and my CFII was somewhat disapproving. He doesn't like the
corridor, apparently, with all the crowded (and uncontrolled!) traffic.

The perfect CF-*double*-I! laugh

- Andrew

Gosh, if he doesn't like the corridor, I can just imagine what he must think
about Oshkosh.


"Andrew Gideon" wrote in message
gonline.com...

BTW, when I got back to CDW, my CFII and a friend working on his rating
were
landing. So I popped in at the FBO to say "hi". I explained what I'd
just
done...and my CFII was somewhat disapproving. He doesn't like the
corridor, apparently, with all the crowded (and uncontrolled!) traffic.

The perfect CF-*double*-I! laugh

- Andrew

Andrew Gideon wrote:

Next time, I might try it higher (ie. in the class B). Who would I speak
to? LGA's tower at the north end, or EWR's tower down south? Which
frequency? 118.3 for EWR (I think)?

Normally, I'd start with approach and let them transition me. But, starting
from Linden, I was practically on top of EWR. So I'm not sure.

From the north, talk to LGA approach. From Linden, call up EWR. If you're over
the Raritan bay, call JFK. If you call the wrong one, they will direct you to
call the airport with jurisdiction over your area. When this happens, they will
sometimes give you a frequency to call. My limited experience here leads me to
advise you to ignore that. If EWR tells you to call JFK approach on xxx.x, you
will be wasting your time to do it. Look up the JFK approach frequency on the
sectional chart and call that.

George Patterson
A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something that can be learned
no other way.

What's the deal with the corridor now? Is it pretty much back to normal?

No ADIZ or anything there, right? I don't see any TFR's listed, but don't
always trust the internet.

mike regish

"Peter Gottlieb" wrote in message
t...
Gosh, if he doesn't like the corridor, I can just imagine what he must
think
about Oshkosh.


"Andrew Gideon" wrote in message
gonline.com...

BTW, when I got back to CDW, my CFII and a friend working on his rating
were
landing. So I popped in at the FBO to say "hi". I explained what I'd
just
done...and my CFII was somewhat disapproving. He doesn't like the
corridor, apparently, with all the crowded (and uncontrolled!) traffic.

The perfect CF-*double*-I! laugh

- Andrew

mike regish wrote:

What's the deal with the corridor now? Is it pretty much back to normal?

Yep.

No ADIZ or anything there, right? I don't see any TFR's listed, but don't
always trust the internet.

You have to keep tabs on it. The main problem recently was games at Yankee
Stadium (not a problem since the series is over). The briefers would warn you
that a game was scheduled, but they wouldn't know the exact time it started,
and nobody knows when one will end.

George Patterson
A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something that can be learned
no other way.

Next time, I might try it higher (ie. in the class B).

Yes, try it, but once you do, you'll be back downstairs where the view is
prettier. To get in talk to the approach controllers - the frequencies are
on the TCA (oops, TAC) chart, which is a must-have.


Normally, I'd start with approach and let them transition me. But, starting
from Linden, I was practically on top of EWR...


Go East. That's where the Hudson starts anyway. Call approach. You might
even get them on the ground (never tried it)


my CFII was somewhat disapproving. He doesn't like the corridor,


To each his own. I love the corridor. Saw a C5A flying down the Hudson at 500
feet. Those must have been happy pilots!

Jose

--
(for Email, make the obvious changes in my address)

G.R. Patterson III wrote:

From the north, talk to LGA approach.

LGA approach? Is that different from the tower or NY approach? Is this on
119.95?

From Linden, call up EWR.

On 127.85 or 118.3. That's where I became confused. Is 127.85 what you're
calling "EWR approach"?

If you're
over the Raritan bay, call JFK.

Yes? EWR seems the closer choice there.

If you call the wrong one, they will
direct you to call the airport with jurisdiction over your area. When this
happens, they will sometimes give you a frequency to call. My limited
experience here leads me to advise you to ignore that. If EWR tells you to
call JFK approach on xxx.x, you will be wasting your time to do it. Look
up the JFK approach frequency on the sectional chart and call that.

Is "JFK approach" 125.25?

So what is this "airport approach" thing? Where does it fit in the Universe
(as I understand it) which includes TRACON and Tower?

Thanks...

Andrew

Teacherjh wrote:

Next time, I might try it higher (ie. in the class B).

Yes, try it, but once you do, you'll be back downstairs where the view is
prettier.

A couple of hundred feet makes that much of a difference? One of those
helicopters past awfully close, and came right out of a blind spot. Given
that he climbed past me, and turned east, he must have been speaking to
ATC, as opposed to the corridor's CTAF.

- Andrew

"Andrew Gideon" wrote in message
online.com...
A couple of hundred feet makes that much of a difference? One of those
helicopters past awfully close, and came right out of a blind spot. Given
that he climbed past me, and turned east, he must have been speaking to
ATC, as opposed to the corridor's CTAF.


Regardless of who he is speaking to or not, his principle responsibility is
still to "See and Avoid." Yours, too, so keep your head on a swivel and do
not get complacent.

Peter Gottlieb wrote:


Regardless of who he is speaking to or not, his principle responsibility
is
still to "See and Avoid." Yours, too, so keep your head on a swivel and
do not get complacent.

Right. But I cannot see under my aircraft's cowling. Having an extra set
of (RADAR) eyes watching cannot hurt.

- Andrew