February 18, 2012 - RV New York City Fly By

I tried to organize an RV flight up to Alton Bay, New Hampshire this Saturday to land on an ice runway; however, there were pools of water on the ice, and a strong crosswind was forecasted, so we decided to just fly up the Hudson River corridor past Manhattan and have lunch north of New York at Sky Acres airport. 

Bruce was flying with me today.  Weather conditions in Maryland were outstanding.  Visibility was unrestricted and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. 

Here we are winging our way northwards towards Pottstown, Pennsylvania.

 
These nuclear water cooling towers make it easy to navigate to Pottstown.  We could see them over 70 miles away!
 

On the ground at Pottstown Heritage Airport  (KPTW).  I was last at this airport back in 2005 in the Citabria with my Dad for a Pancake breakfast. 

This is Scott P.'s home airport.  Arjan, Fernando and Bruce R. flew in as well.  Plus there were two other Pottstown RVs giving us a total of seven RVs for the flight.

 
This big Travel Air was sitting in the FBO hangar.  It would be awesome to tour around the country in one of these. 
 
We did a quick brief in the pilot's lounge.
 
We departed Pottstown and headed East towards New York City.  Here we are passing Princeton Airport (39N). 
 
Soon, the New York skyline was visible. 
 
Feet wet over Raritan Bay.
 
Now over the Lower New York Bay approaching the Verrazano Bridge.  Manhattan is jsut right of center in the background. 
 
I was in the lead, the six other RVs were strung out in a loose line behind me. 
 
Dyker Heights in the right foreground, Brooklyn on the far right.
 
There were quite a few merchant ships in Upper New York Bay.
 
Governors Island with Manhattan in the background.   The new "One World Trade Center" or 1 WTC skyscraper towers above Manhattan already although it won't be finished until 2013. 
 
I was flying the northbound leg so I didn't get any pictures until we got to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point seen below. 
 
We turned northeast just prior to the town of Poughkeepsie, seen below.  The Hudson River continues off to the north. 
 
Sky Acres Airport (44N), pictures below, is about 10 miles east of the Hudson River.   There was activity at the airport but we managed to insert ourselves into the traffic pattern without incident.  I saw a Cessna holding short prior to turning base.  He should have took off -- I wasn't even on final yet -- but he didn't and had to wait until all seven of us landed! 
 
On the ground at Sky Acres.  The FBO office is in that little white building to the left of the silo, and The Perfect Landing Cafe is in the big barn. 
 
The service in the restaurant was great -- they managed to seat all of us together right away.  The food was excellent.  We had a good time eating and swapping flying stories.   
 
The airplane ramp areas are terraced at this airport.   Below are two of the Smoketown RVs.
 
Our group getting ready to head for home.
 
Arjan was the lead for the trip home.  Here he is briefing the flight. 
 
 
Pilots, man your aircraft!
 
Gotta do that preflight. 
 
I was #6 this time.  Here we are heading back to the Hudson River.  You can see the five RVs ahead of me in this picture. 
 
Fernando (#5) down low.   
 
Bruce flew the leg home so I was able to take pictures from the left seat.   Here is the Tappan Zee Bridge. 
 
 RV squadron inbound to NYC!
 
When we were flying up the river, a Cirrus self-announced at the GW Bridge and then said, I have the northbound air force in sight!
 
About to cross the George Washington Bridge. 
 
Two years ago Lynnette and I drove across the GW Bridge in a heavy snowstorm.
 
No one was flying the corridor that day!
 
Central Park -- not very scenic in winter time. 
 
The World War II Aircraft Carrier USS Intrepid (CV-11) looks small next to those big cruise boats.   The Intrepid was the third Essex-class carrier built.  The Essex-class carriers were the backbone of the U.S. Navy during World War II. 
 
 
 
I tell people seeing Manhattan from the air for the first time is comparable to seeing the Grand Canyon. 
 
A good shot of the new One World Trade Center. 
 
The entire flight of RVs flew around the Statue of Liberty -- counter-clockwise -- per the rules.  The arrow point to two other RVs.   Looks at all the ships and barges in the Upper Bay. 
 
 
A nice shot of lower Manhattan.
 
Ellis Island
 
A good shot of the Lady.
 
 
 
Heading for the Verrazano Bridge.
 
Coney Island is at the top of the picture. 
 
 
A closer look at Coney Island, with Breezy Point beyond. 
 
Approaching Sandy Hook.  We decided to fly home via the Jersey Coast just for variety. 
 
Not really sure what this is.  If anybody knows, let me know. 
 
We flew the coast down past Atlantic City then turned west.  It's pretty much all swamp and forest crossing this part of New Jersey.    It took us another half an hour to get home; all in all, a fun flying day. 
 
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