By Curtis Penner
Pilots need a mission. So here’s a challenge: Starting and finishing at the center of the continent in Manitoba, Canada, you have five days to journey 3,500 miles, see Niagara Falls, the Statue of Liberty, travel to islands in the Atlantic and each of the Great Lakes (camping on two of them), and check out historical airfields, unique ice cream shops, and restaurants along the way. Do you accept?
Those restricted to conventional travel options would have to decline. We didn’t. We departed in my Van’s RV-10 on our mission Sept. 11, 2025, accomplished all of the above — and more — and were back home for dinner Sept. 15 due to the magic carpet we call general aviation.
Approximately 500 United States airports are served by scheduled airlines. In Canada the number is less than half that. In both countries, however, those numbers can be multiplied by 10 when including public airports available for use by any GA pilot — and you can triple that if you count private airstrips.
By using our own airplane we were able to fly directly to our destinations and when we were ready to go to the next place on the list we did so without any wasted time. No parking hassles, security lines, luggage fees, and departure lounge wait times. We were seeing the sights or on our way to the next one.
Highlights of the Trip
The Hudson River SFRA
The Hudson River SFRA (Special Flight Rules Area) was the motivation behind the trip, and it did not disappoint.
As a rural pilot, the majority of my hours are in uncontrolled airspace, so New York was quite intimidating. I took the FAA Safety Team SFRA course, watched videos, loaded the route and reporting points on ForeFlight…and it worked perfectly!
Despite a TFR over the area, the SFRA was open to low altitude traffic. We started following the scenic Hudson River Valley 35 miles before crossing the Tappan Zee bridge (I highly recommend this). We then proceeded along the 30-mile SFRA route southbound at 700 feet on the west side, circled the Statue of Liberty a couple of times, and flew to the Verrazano (VZ) bridge. After passing the VZ, we reversed course to fly the east side northbound.
The most challenging part was identifying the reporting points. Traffic was moderate — certainly MUCH less than EAA AirVenture Oshkosh or the SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo, and at no time did we feel unsafe.
When we exited, the feeling was “that was a LOT easier than expected,” so we turned around and did it again with the cameras off just to enjoy and appreciate the unparalleled view and revel in the unique experience. The second trip was quite easy — no more challenging than doing circuits at a typical training airport.
I cannot encourage GA pilots strongly enough to take advantage of this amazing opportunity!
The Great Lakes
We had high expectations for Mackinac Island in Lake Huron, between Michigan’s Upper and Lower peninsulas, and it met them all.
We walked into town from the airport, rented bicycles there, and rode the 8.2 miles around the island.
In my opinion there is no better way to adsorb the “clip clop” pace and stunning views. The ice cream isn’t bad either!
Did you know there are 19 public use airports on islands in the Great Lakes? We landed at half of them on this trip and camped on two — North Fox and North Bass. North Fox in particular is well worth the effort.
A Few Disappointments
The 3,500-foot altitude restriction over Niagara Falls results in the view being considerably less impressive than the New York skyline at 700 feet. GoPros don’t do it justice.
Due to time restraints, we didn’t do a night flight down the Hudson. I really wish we could have as that would have been spectacular.
We had to settle for “low and over” at Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in Red Hook, New York, as we were unable to secure landing permission.
Unexpected Bonuses
The people in the United States aviation infrastructure are awesome. Every time I fly south this opinion is reinforced, but this trip was particularly noteworthy.
As usual, customs was hassle free, and ATC was efficient, professional and courteous. This time, however, it seemed that everyone made an extra effort to make our trip wonderful.
When I called Flight Services to ask about flying the NYC SFRA during a TFR (yes it was possible), they spent a considerable amount of time getting the answer and going over it with me. I’ve never had a “have a great flight, Canadians!” radio call before, but I did this trip, and it was duly noted and much appreciated.
On our way to Fishers Island in Southold, New York, we made a fuel stop at Sky Acres Airport (44N) in Millbrook, New York. Not only was the fuel reasonably priced, but the eclectic decor of the barn converted to a restaurant was worth the stop.
Even though they were closed, the proprietor opened up just for us, served us an excellent ice cream dish, and refused payment!
Thanks for the hospitality! We wish them every well-deserved future success. Check them out at SkyAcresAirport.com.
Water quality in the Great Lakes was excellent. There was virtually no garbage on island shores and the clarity was simply amazing.
General aviation is the magic carpet that makes all of this — plus more — available to everyday pilots. I challenge you to plan a mission of your own and enjoy.
To see more of our magic carpet trip, check out our video story.
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