Sport Pilot Talk

I've flown over it a number of times, but this is the first time I've ever landed there. There is a $12.00 landing fee, but it gets you a bicycle for the day. You can ride to the beach or into town. Most of the island is a gated community and off limits to the unwashed smelly masses.

Neat place. Surprised them rich folks don't have hangars there... 'didn't see any on Google Earth.

ct4me wrote:Neat place. Surprised them rich folks don't have hangars there... 'didn't see any on Google Earth.

It's a strange place. The FBO is a bicycle repair\rental\furniture refinishing shop.

Looks like a great place to drop in - good picture... VR.. Don

I got my PPL in Groton,CT back in '76. Did lots of my touch n goes on Fisher's Island (when it wasn't foggy)

Looks like a most interesting destination!

Kind of a newbie question here, with lots of common sense possible answers (of course), still I'd be interested in opinions, so...

This island is 3 to 5 miles off the coast. Hardly very far over "open water".
How do you process the risk factor flying to such destination?

Now change the equation. Suppose the island was 15 miles off the coast?

Thanks!

There are lots of variables. But a couple of compact PFDs and a waterproof PLB of some sort are cheap insurance, no?
Warm or cold water? Lots of recreational boaters or desolate waters? Have you ever flown over a 15 mile stretch of inhospitable terrain? How'd you deal with that? Funny how your hearing and sense of smell get better at those times.
Flight plans and Flight Following are good friends.

Merlinspop wrote:Funny how your hearing and sense of smell get better at those times.

Adrenaline heightens all the senses. It's a useful survival strategy in the wild.

drseti wrote:

Merlinspop wrote:Funny how your hearing and sense of smell get better at those times.

Adrenaline heightens all the senses.

Except "common" (for some people I know). But that's where training and repetitive drills hopefully come to bear.

Flying over water is no big deal. If you have concerns, carry a life jacket and make sure you file a flight plan.

About 24 years ago, I was flying my old Beechcraft, IFR from Williamsport PA to Oshkosh, for the big EAA fly-in. My airway route took me right across Lake Michigan, at 8000 feet. Knowing my L/D ratio, I determined that, at that altitude, I could glide to shore from mid-lake in an emergency. But, as soon as I was halfway across the lake, Chicago Approach instructed me thusly: "November Six Six Tango X-ray, descend and maintain four thousand."

Having no flotation gear aboard, my response was a single word: "unable." They let me stay at eight.

drseti wrote:

Merlinspop wrote:Funny how your hearing and sense of smell get better at those times.

Adrenaline heightens all the senses. It's a useful survival strategy in the wild.

Unfortunately it also ruins fine motor coordination and gives you tunnel vision. Useful when you have to run real fast to escape a predator, less so when trying to land a plane between two stands of trees!

drseti wrote:About 24 years ago, I was flying my old Beechcraft, IFR from Williamsport PA to Oshkosh, for the big EAA fly-in. My airway route took me right across Lake Michigan, at 8000 feet. Knowing my L/D ratio, I determined that, at that altitude, I could glide to shore from mid-lake in an emergency. But, as soon as I was halfway across the lake, Chicago Approach instructed me thusly: "November Six Six Tango X-ray, descend and maintain four thousand."

Having no flotation gear aboard, my response was a single word: "unable." They let me stay at eight.

I bet your airplane experienced quite a bit of auto-rough too.