RFH: Ottawa (CYOW) - Philadelphia (KPHL)

I'll be flying from Ottawa to Philadelphia next weekend for a week-long
conference, and would be grateful for hints and information from people
familiar with the U.S. portion of the route.

I couldn't find any preferred low-level routing in Canadian or U.S. sources
-- I also tried Syracuse to Philadelphia -- so I've decided on a fairly
simple (to file) routing:

CYOW DEP YSH V145 ART V29 PTW ARR KPHL

Here's the full route:

CYOW Ottawa Intl Airport
YSH Smith Falls NDB
ART Watertown VOR
SYR Syracuse VOR
CFB Binghamton VOR
LVZ Wilkes-Barre VOR
ETX East Texas VOR
PTW Pottstown VOR
KPHL Philadelphia Intl Airport

Here are my questions:

1. Am I likely to get this routing if I file it? Perhaps someone familiar
with the U.S. portion (say, Syracuse to Philadelphia) can comment.

2. I'd prefer to land KPHL 26 for Atlantic Aviation, winds permitting. Is
it easy to get the ILS 26 approach? Once I'm in the Philly Approach area,
how will they be likely to route or vector me onto the approach? How do
they normally handle low-level, slow (Cherokee) IFR arrivals from the north?

3. Atlantic Aviation gets glowing reviews on AirNav.com. Any extra hints or
advice? Can I get tie-downs, or am I stuck with chocks?

4. How flexible is customs and immigration in Philly? Are they easy to work
with? I can always land and clear U.S. customs at Watertown or Syracuse if
Philadelphia is going to be a pain.

5. Any special issues with ATS enroute?

6. Anything I haven't thought of asking?

Thank you all in advance for any help. Despite the occasional flamewar, I
find that this newsground has the most useful content of any of the
rec.aviation groups.


All the best,


David

p.s. If you want to reply directly, use "david" at "megginson" dot "com".

See inline responses, below...

On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 14:09:26 GMT, David Megginson
wrote:

I'll be flying from Ottawa to Philadelphia next weekend for a week-long
conference, and would be grateful for hints and information from people
familiar with the U.S. portion of the route.

I couldn't find any preferred low-level routing in Canadian or U.S. sources
-- I also tried Syracuse to Philadelphia -- so I've decided on a fairly
simple (to file) routing:

CYOW DEP YSH V145 ART V29 PTW ARR KPHL

Here's the full route:

CYOW Ottawa Intl Airport
YSH Smith Falls NDB
ART Watertown VOR
SYR Syracuse VOR
CFB Binghamton VOR
LVZ Wilkes-Barre VOR
ETX East Texas VOR
PTW Pottstown VOR
KPHL Philadelphia Intl Airport

Here are my questions:

1. Am I likely to get this routing if I file it? Perhaps someone familiar
with the U.S. portion (say, Syracuse to Philadelphia) can comment.
Kind of unpredictable. File it that way if you want, but I would suggest
clearing US Customs close to the border (see below).

2. I'd prefer to land KPHL 26 for Atlantic Aviation, winds permitting. Is
it easy to get the ILS 26 approach? Once I'm in the Philly Approach area,
how will they be likely to route or vector me onto the approach? How do
they normally handle low-level, slow (Cherokee) IFR arrivals from the north?
You will be vectored, almost certainly. They will probably have defined
landing and takeoff runways (listen to ATIS in advance). You can always ask
for an exception, but it'll probably delay your landing.


3. Atlantic Aviation gets glowing reviews on AirNav.com. Any extra hints or
advice? Can I get tie-downs, or am I stuck with chocks?

4. How flexible is customs and immigration in Philly? Are they easy to work
with? I can always land and clear U.S. customs at Watertown or Syracuse if
Philadelphia is going to be a pain.
My suggestion is to clear in Syracuse or Watertown. If the customs guy is
on-site in watrerown, do it there -- if he has to drive out to the airport,
do it in Syracuse. Waiting until you get to Plilly is dangerous, as an
unexpected diversion (weather, engine trouble, or just a too-full bladder)
will cause you all sorts of grief if you are expected at PHL.

Also, do not rely on ADCUS -- phone the local Customs number for whichever
airport you finally select.


5. Any special issues with ATS enroute?
Should be straigtforward.


6. Anything I haven't thought of asking?
Not offhand -- I assume that you have current charts and airport info
(AF/D), and approach plates if you are filing IFR.


Thank you all in advance for any help. Despite the occasional flamewar, I
find that this newsground has the most useful content of any of the
rec.aviation groups.


All the best,


David

p.s. If you want to reply directly, use "david" at "megginson" dot "com".

Jay Somerset wrote:

You will be vectored, almost certainly. They will probably have defined
landing and takeoff runways (listen to ATIS in advance). You can always ask
for an exception, but it'll probably delay your landing.

From the airport diagram of KPHL, I guessed that it might be a little like
my home airport, Ottawa. Ottawa usually has two preferred runways: one in
the north field (GA) and one in the south field (anyone, but especially
transport). Philly seems to have a well-defined east field with runway
08/26 and the FBO out of the way of the rest of the airport.

4. How flexible is customs and immigration in Philly? Are they easy to work
with? I can always land and clear U.S. customs at Watertown or Syracuse if
Philadelphia is going to be a pain.

My suggestion is to clear in Syracuse or Watertown. If the customs guy is
on-site in watrerown, do it there -- if he has to drive out to the airport,
do it in Syracuse. Waiting until you get to Plilly is dangerous, as an
unexpected diversion (weather, engine trouble, or just a too-full bladder)
will cause you all sorts of grief if you are expected at PHL.

That's what I'm wondering about. The last time I tried clearing early, it
added an hour and a half to my trip. I've heard about the $5000 fines, but
I'm curious about how it works out in practices. Last time, when I was
stuck waiting, in Massena, there was a Learjet full of Mexican racing fans
who were two hours late (without notice or a good excuse), and they got
nothing worse than a tongue-lashing.

Also, do not rely on ADCUS -- phone the local Customs number for whichever
airport you finally select.

Thanks -- COPA's really drilled that one into our heads recently.

Not offhand -- I assume that you have current charts and airport info
(AF/D), and approach plates if you are filing IFR.

Yep -- a big bundle at my local map store.

Thanks for the info.


All the best,


David

In article
. rogers.com, David
Megginson wrote:

Here are my questions:

1. Am I likely to get this routing if I file it? Perhaps someone familiar
with the U.S. portion (say, Syracuse to Philadelphia) can comment.

2. I'd prefer to land KPHL 26 for Atlantic Aviation, winds permitting. Is
it easy to get the ILS 26 approach? Once I'm in the Philly Approach area,
how will they be likely to route or vector me onto the approach? How do
they normally handle low-level, slow (Cherokee) IFR arrivals from the north?

3. Atlantic Aviation gets glowing reviews on AirNav.com. Any extra hints or
advice? Can I get tie-downs, or am I stuck with chocks?

Call or email them directly. Make a reservation. Ask about heated
hangar space and cost to put the plane inside the night before
departure. In the event the snow and ice begin, you will not be last on
the list by calling at the last minute. Get the name of the person you
talk to and log the date and time. Take it with you on your trip.

4. How flexible is customs and immigration in Philly? Are they easy to work
with? I can always land and clear U.S. customs at Watertown or Syracuse if
Philadelphia is going to be a pain.

Call PHL Customs directly. These are little feifdoms, they have their
own "local" rules. Be sure to ask for a badge number and or initials of
each person you talk to and log the date and time. Keep it with your
flight gear.

5. Any special issues with ATS enroute?

6. Anything I haven't thought of asking?

EDR wrote:

Call or email them directly. Make a reservation. Ask about heated
hangar space and cost to put the plane inside the night before
departure. In the event the snow and ice begin, you will not be last on
the list by calling at the last minute. Get the name of the person you
talk to and log the date and time. Take it with you on your trip.

Thanks -- that's good advice. I keep my plane outside with full covers
(cowl, canopy, wings, and stabilator) so snow and ice are rarely much of a
problem, but it would still be nice to preflight in a warm hangar at the end
of the week.

4. How flexible is customs and immigration in Philly? Are they easy to work
with? I can always land and clear U.S. customs at Watertown or Syracuse if
Philadelphia is going to be a pain.

Call PHL Customs directly. These are little feifdoms, they have their
own "local" rules. Be sure to ask for a badge number and or initials of
each person you talk to and log the date and time. Keep it with your
flight gear.

Thanks -- I'll do that today, and will call again on the day of departure to
arrange a time.


All the best,


David

In article gers.com,
David Megginson wrote:

4. How flexible is customs and immigration in Philly? Are they easy to
work
with? I can always land and clear U.S. customs at Watertown or Syracuse if
Philadelphia is going to be a pain.

Call PHL Customs directly. These are little feifdoms, they have their
own "local" rules. Be sure to ask for a badge number and or initials of
each person you talk to and log the date and time. Keep it with your
flight gear.

Thanks -- I'll do that today, and will call again on the day of departure to
arrange a time.

The last thing I do, after receiving my clearnance on the handheld and
before starting the engine, is call the destination customs office and
give them an updated time of arrival.

David Megginson wrote:

2. I'd prefer to land KPHL 26 for Atlantic Aviation, winds permitting.
Is it easy to get the ILS 26 approach? Once I'm in the Philly Approach
area, how will they be likely to route or vector me onto the approach?
How do they normally handle low-level, slow (Cherokee) IFR arrivals from
the north?

I've been into PHL in a Cherokee, it was no problem. I'd suggest just taking
whatever runway they assign (safety permitting). They seemed able to accomodate
slow traffic with no hassles when I was there. Plan on being vectored, and plan
on enroute re-routes. Atlantic Aviation was fine, typical big-airport FBO.

Dave
Remove SHIRT to reply directly.

KPHL, On departure, there is no conveinent place to do a runup (once you're in
the taxiway system), so ask first where to do it so you don't block traffic. I
didn't know this and expected to do a runup at the departure end of the runway.
Well, it was tight, and a few bizjets squeaked by while I was doing it; this
was clearly not the preferred method.

Jose

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

Teacherjh wrote:

KPHL, On departure, there is no conveinent place to do a runup (once you're in
the taxiway system), so ask first where to do it so you don't block traffic. I
didn't know this and expected to do a runup at the departure end of the runway.
Well, it was tight, and a few bizjets squeaked by while I was doing it; this
was clearly not the preferred method.

Were you departing from 08/26, or did they send you on into the west part of
the field?


Thanks,


David

Teacherjh wrote:
KPHL, On departure, there is no conveinent place to do a runup (once you're in
the taxiway system), so ask first where to do it so you don't block traffic. I
didn't know this and expected to do a runup at the departure end of the runway.
Well, it was tight, and a few bizjets squeaked by while I was doing it; this
was clearly not the preferred method.

Good point! I forgot about that. I did the same thing.

Dave
Remove SHIRT to reply directly.