Looking for practice area outside HPN

(journeyman) wrote:
I've lately come to the conclusion that the airspace around NYC is
just too (expletive) busy. Last night, I wound up tucked inside
the triangle formed by Bridgeporrt, Danbury, and Waterbury-Oxford,
carefully watching the GPS to make sure I didn't drift into anyone's
class D while practicing maneuvers.

All class D requires you to do is be in radio contact with the tower. I
often use I-684 north of HPN for practicing lazy-8's, and the IBM
facility in Somers (the cluster of white buildings with pyramidal roofs
just SW of DXR's airspace) is just tailor made for 8's on pylons (use a
pyramid for one pylon, and there's a highway overpass on I-684 that's
just about right for the other). I don't sweat keeping track of exactly
where DXR's airspace is; I just call up and say, "Danbury tower, Arrow
3875T will be maneuvering approximately 5 southwest, at or below 2000".
Without exception, the controller just says something to the effect of,
"roger, report leaving my airspace".

As for tucking yourself between Danbury and Waterbury, make sure you
check the notams! There's an acro box that's often hot in that area
(it's defined by a radial/dme off Carmel). Also, make sure you read the
chart carefully -- just north of Bridgeport's Class D is Sikorsky's
Class D. It's hard to find on the chart, and many people don't even
realize it exists.

Last time, I went north of Westchester County, but that on the
approach path when there's a South flow. Much further North is
Stewart's approach path.

I often do maneuvers west of I-685 and east of the river.
Alternatively, on the other side of the river, staying north of the
Class B boundary, and west towards Greenwood Lake.

For landing practice, I use any of Greenwood Lake, Danbury, Dutchess,
Sky Acres, or Bridgeport. Or, it it's not busy, I just stay in the
pattern at HPN.

A typical checkout flight with a new club member will take us west out
of HPN. I'll have them do slow flight just as we cross the river, and
then a stall series and some steep turns. I'll do the navigating, and
keep us on a generally west heading, working our way over towards
Greenwood Lake. Then we'll do pattern work there. A little further
west, over the ridgeline, there's some great flat areas (farmland) for
ground-ref maneuvers and engine-out drills. Then I'll generally put
them under the hood for a little instrument work on the way back.