New York pleasure flight
 

Hello,

I am off to New York this weekend for a weeks fun with my wife etc. and was thinking about the possibilities of a flight around the NY area (Manhattan and up the Atlantic coast perhaps?)

Quickly looking on line I see that there is a school out of Westchester airport, called Panorama flight service?

Can anyone give any experience of the school?

I was hoping to do a trip – with an instructor – to do some basic sightseeing around Manhattan (if that is possible?) and then up the Atlantic coast

I have never flown in the US and have never used the G1000 – which the standard 182 I believe comes with at this school

Obviously I will have help in the form of an instructor – but would appreciate any views / advice / on this proposed trip or even better alternatives?

Much appreciated
Nick

new york p;easure flight
 

Hi Nick, Try American Flyers at Westchester i managed to hire with an instructor a 172. Flew from westchester to tappanzee bridge down the Hudson river round the Statue of Liberty up the East river and across Central park at 1500ft.Back to Tappanzee and Westchester. These trips are dependant on whether the boss is in town or on sporting events taking place. hope you have a good flight RR

I think you'll find American Flyers are no longer at Westchester. Their premises were taken over by Performance Flight, who use Cirrus aircraft. The former FBO in the same building is now run by Million Air. I've flown with a few of the instructors there - they tend to be more career instructors and get charged out at a slightly higher rate as a result. The aircraft are all pristine and the whole operation is very slick.

I've never flown with Panorama. The FBO seems very nice and I've never heard anything bad about them. I'm sure they'd do a good job of putting together something for you if you chose them.

Weather this weekend isn't the best. There's a bit of a storm passing through, but hopefully by the weekend should be quite flyable although a bit breezy. It's quite turbulent when the wind gets up, so think twice about taking the wife!

thank you for your help. I just took this flight (in a rented C182 with G1000 etc) out of Westchester and managed a trip down the Hudson river right along the side of Manhattan and then around the Statue of Liberty and back - really great fun if you have time when next in NY

Even managed a touch and go into some airport (Bedford?) near by using their ILS for an approach (which came at no cost!). Loved it

The only thing that was a little different was that they (the flight school that I used) charged for the instructor for the hours you have booked out, not by the amount of time actually logged. So my lesson from 9/1 was charged as 4 hours instructor time (55 USD an hr) while my flying time was only 1.7. Not a headach at all, just different i guess to what I am used to

I have never flown with a G1000 either - and this experience helped give me at least an insight into this as well

Great fun for anyone new to flying when next in NY

Does that last reference to logging the flight mean you don't need to get a special airman's certificate?

I'm working in Manhattan in May and would love to get some pleasure flying in. If this means it's easier to do that - albeit without logging the hours - I think I'll go for it.

On another note, anyone know of a really good aviation shop or other flying must-sees in New York? I may try the Intrepid museum if I have time too.

Lunchmaster

Lunchmaster,
Not much for aviation shops in NYC, with the exception of a few smaller shops on the outskirts of town. The Intrepid museum is a must-see. I personally fly out of Republic (KFRG) on Long Island, and have flown around Manhattan a few times. It's a beautiful flight and highly recommended, especially around sunset. What kind of plane were you looking for, if you were going to rent and take along a local/instructor?

A little trek out of NY but Mid Island Air out of Islip is a great school and you could take a plane with g1000 + instructor and do the hudson corridor/Manhatten flight.

Thanks for the responses. As soon as I know how much free time I'll have I'm going to check out the options for pleasure flights. I'd love to see Manhattan from a light aircraft.

I'm a low hours PPL so getting to do a bit of flying in the US would also be great to build up the experience.

Lunchmaster-
Keep us updated as you make it this way. Here's a shot from two weeks ago over Central Park at 2000' from a 172:
http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/.../277627458.jpg