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RV-14A over the Hudson to NYC

PandaCub

Active Member
I recently flew my RV-14A down the Hudson River VFR corridor and circled the Statue of Liberty. IMHO this should be a bucket-list item for all pilots - and it's not nearly as difficult as one might think.

There are specific VFR procedures for northbound, southbound, and other traffic that need to be reviewed first - but don't be intimidated as it's totally worth it to see the New York skyline, Central Park, Lady Liberty etc from the vantage point of a Van's bubble canopy. I did it at 1100 feet AGL, which is 150' below the Empire State Building!

Of note for us RV drivers: speed limit for the Hudson VFR corridor is 140 KIAS, which is easily bust-able in our birds (not so much for the Cessnas, Pipers, etc that I started to overtake). Just throttle back and enjoy the view.

This also fulfilled a more personal goal: I've always wanted to overfly the harbor where my ancestors Gerrit Cornelison Van Newkirk and his wife first came to America from Holland in 1659. I also flew by Scarsdale, home of my more-famous namesake John "Scarsdale Jack" Newkirk, Squadron Leader of the Flying Tigers in WW II.

Bucket List item checked - thanks, Van's!
 

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Looks nice John, thanks for sharing this. Not gonna lie, your title got me a bit worried at first. :eek:

[I changed “down” to “over” per OP’s request. s/One of the Mods. ]
 
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Thanks John good memories. Some day I will count how many times I flew that route from 2011 to 2019.

PS; thread title scared me at first...

[P.P.S. I changed “down” to “over” per OP’s request. s/One of the Mods. ]
 
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thread title scared me at first...

Yes, I should have said "RV-14A over the Hudson to NYC!" The word "down" in any aviation forum title can be alarming at first! :eek:

[I changed “down” to “over” per OP’s request. One of the Mods. ]
 
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Looks familiar!

Our second time “over” the Hudson. Crystal blue skies this day. ‘MERICA!!
 

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My pre-coffee brain read that as "RV-14 down in the hudson" :eek:

Great pics :D :D :D


[I changed “down” to “over” per OP’s request. s/ one of the Mods. ]
 
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Wife and I did it in our RV7 3 years ago as part of our 10,700 Nautical mile flight of the USA lower 48 perimeter flight.

It was my leg to fly. we started at the north and finished at Lady Liberty. The wife then wanted to fly it again from the south so she could see it without a camera in her face. I vetoed it because that meant we would have to fly it south bound again (at total of 3 corridor trips) I was not up to the task.
 
NY VFR corridor

Have flown this trip several times, including in my -9A, and I can confirm it is both easy to do and TOTALLY worth it. Really an amazing privilege. The procedures are simple and we've never had any problems whatsoever.

I don't think there's a size restriction in the VFR corridor, so I'm trying to find someone who will let me ride along in a PBY or C-46....

Apparently it's also possible, depending on ATC conditions, to fly across Manhattan over Central Park. Anyone here pulled that off? That would be double bucket list for me. :)
 
yes, I've flown the Throggs route over LGA tower to Central Park with a check out over the Hudson (in a helicopter)...it's flown at 1500 ft, then descend over the Hudson.
 
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