Flying over Niagara

[jws_39]

I am new to the RV family. I was very fortunate to purchase an awesome RV7A from Dan Masys. His did a wonderful job of building and helping me transitioning from the old Warrior. My wife and I made the trip up from Va. took about 2 hours. Sure beats driving. The guys at KBUF were very nice when I requested to orbit the Falls. The video is at the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlFUXbWdQh4

Jeff
N747DL
RV7a

[davcor]

Thanks for posting the link to your video. I was born and raised in Niagara Falls NY. Other than a brief return in mid 70's haven't been back.

Looks like fall is in full swing. Don't miss the winters at all, but the video does bring back a lot of memory's.

Thanks

Dave

[RV10Man]

Having ridden to Niagara Falls this past June/July on the Goldwing, your video was really "moving". I do enjoy listening to the sound of a sweet purring engine MUCH more than music when watching videos.
Now, I do have a question for you. Nothing intended here in any way, shape, or form, please. Having been up there, I noticed you were on the Canadian side for a bit. Are there any regs. pertaining to just flying over or into then out of Canada? I ask this because I honestly don't know. I think I'd like to do this sometime when I get my -10 finished if it's not abig hassle.
Again, just a question, because I don't know anything about crossing
airspace(s).

Marshall Alexander

[tc1234c]

Jeff,

Great video, really enjoyed it. Three weeks ago when we toured Canada we were planning to fly over Niagara Falls from the Canadian side. Unfortunately, due to weather, we had to fly in and out of St. Catharines/Niagara District airport IFR.

In the Canada Flight Supplement there is a VFR procedure over Niagara Falls. It is a racetrack pattern at 3,500' on the south west of the Falls. Part of the pattern is over the river on the US side. There must be an agreement between US and Canada to allow such over fly.

Canadian procedure (go to page 16, for reference only. This is an out of date chart for flight sim.): http://charts.ivao.ca/CFS/CFS_AD_N.pdf

US procedure: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_20...14cfr93.71.pdf

Ted

[RV10Man]

Originally Posted by tc1234c

Jeff,

Great video, really enjoyed it. Three weeks ago when we toured Canada we were planning to fly over Niagara Falls from the Canadian side. Unfortunately, due to weather, we had to fly in and out of St. Catharines/Niagara District airport IFR.

In the Canada Flight Supplement there is a VFR procedure over Niagara Falls. It is a racetrack pattern at 3,500' on the south west of the Falls. Part of the pattern is over the river on the US side. There must be an agreement between US and Canada to allow such over fly.

Ted

So, sounds like there's not much involved. Need to contact anybody via radio?

Marshall

[RV10Man]

Just read the doc. Answered my question about contact.:

Marshall

[jws_39]

Originally Posted by tc1234c

Jeff,

Great video, really enjoyed it. Three weeks ago when we toured Canada we were planning to fly over Niagara Falls from the Canadian side. Unfortunately, due to weather, we had to fly in and out of St. Catharines/Niagara District airport IFR.

In the Canada Flight Supplement there is a VFR procedure over Niagara Falls. It is a racetrack pattern at 3,500' on the south west of the Falls. Part of the pattern is over the river on the US side. There must be an agreement between US and Canada to allow such over fly.


US procedure: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_20...14cfr93.71.pdf


Ted

Thanks for all the replies. I have even gone to liveatc.net and listened to my radio contacts with KBUF and KIAG. I asked Buffalo approach for permission to orbit the falls after I was handed off from Erie approach. He told me no problem just maintain alt until I passed there air space then he handed me off to another controller who wanted me to call once I had the falls in sight and just be sure to stay at 3500ft MSL or higher at all times. The controller told me I would be ok to transition thur the airspace. He even gave me VFR report when a Cherokee was crossing in front of me. I called in when I was ready to go to KIAG. He switched me over and everything went well.

I guess if I had planned on landing in Canada I would have to file a flight plan. I also think they allow it as long as you don't go any futher into Canada if you are going to land back in the US.

[mikeljshields]

Living not 20 minutes (RV TIME) from the falls I know this procedure well. The procedures put in place about 10 years ago was due to a mix of helicopter and fixed wing traffic, 2 helicopters hit each other, one made it down safe, the other all parshed.

Fixed wing aircraft were restricted a 1000 ft even higher (go figure), the helicopter companies have approved patern that they must follow, they got the lower 1000ft. The cross wind points are the rainbow bridge and the railway tracks, your video looks a tad bit tight there. There are designated entry and exit points.

IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND
Buffalo and Erie can not approve flight into this area, be careful to think you had approval from them, they have no say what so ever, you are VFR. It is your responsibility to ensure you do not violate airspace. No harm done, but this is usually a HEAVY traffic area with a lot of aircraft in close to each other and everyone is expected to be following the procedure.

In Canada, VFR flight plans or itineraries are manditory beyond 25 NM from destination. In Canada airports are far more spread out. If you have an emergency, these flight plans are your life line. When I fly in the US, which is quite a bit, I joke about having an airport to land at every 5-10 miles. Here in Canada, well north of Toronto anyway, most of Canada's airports can be hours apart.

If you land in Canada (Customs), make sure you have to 2 hours prior notice, the US (Customs) is becoming more in tune with this 2 hour requirement, including Buffalo now. This is hard to work with being 30 minutes from the border.

Regards,
Mike

[jws_39]

Originally Posted by mikeljshields

Living not 20 minutes (RV TIME) from the falls I know this procedure well. The procedures put in place about 10 years ago was due to a mix of helicopter and fixed wing traffic, 2 helicopters hit each other, one made it down safe, the other all parshed.

Fixed wing aircraft were restricted a 1000 ft even higher (go figure), the helicopter companies have approved patern that they must follow, they got the lower 1000ft. The cross wind points are the rainbow bridge and the railway tracks, your video looks a tad bit tight there. There are designated entry and exit points.

IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND
Buffalo and Erie can not approve flight into this area, be careful to think you had approval from them, they have no say what so ever, you are VFR. It is your responsibility to ensure you do not violate airspace. No harm done, but this is usually a HEAVY traffic area with a lot of aircraft in close to each other and everyone is expected to be following the procedure.

In Canada, VFR flight plans or itineraries are manditory beyond 25 NM from destination. In Canada airports are far more spread out. If you have an emergency, these flight plans are your life line. When I fly in the US, which is quite a bit, I joke about having an airport to land at every 5-10 miles. Here in Canada, well north of Toronto anyway, most of Canada's airports can be hours apart.

If you land in Canada (Customs), make sure you have to 2 hours prior notice, the US (Customs) is becoming more in tune with this 2 hour requirement, including Buffalo now. This is hard to work with being 30 minutes from the border.

Regards,
Mike

Mike

Thank you for the cleafication on the flight plan deal. I never did understand exactly what Canada meant until you explained it.