One After Another

Wednesday, November 25, 2020 at 01:22 PM ET

Verified

Relevant Discussion: AIM 4-3-26, 7-1-1, 7-1-11, 7-1-17, 7-1-29, 7-1-30, FAA-H-8083-16, 8083-25, AC 150/5220-16, order 8260.19F 8-6-6 Nathan Rambo

Key Takeaways:

Flight planning for the Elkhart to Buffalo trip involves navigating complex US Class B airspace (Detroit, Cleveland) by optimizing routes using resources like VFR Flyway charts and strategic waypoints.
Crossing Lake Erie requires careful altitude planning to account for aircraft glide range, ensuring a safe offshore distance within conservative limits.
Transiting Canadian airspace necessitates understanding Flight Information Regions (FIRs), specific ADS-B requirements, and Class F advisory areas (CYA) for safe operations.
Thorough pre-flight planning, including contingencies for weather or equipment issues like inoperative ADS-B, is a time-consuming but essential process due to varied airspace rules and route considerations.

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A long-awaited family reunion is finally happening in Buffalo, New York, just over two-hours’ flight time from your home in Elkhart, Indiana. Two hours, that is, going direct, 331 miles, KEKM-KBUF. You’ve never flown to Buffalo, but you already know direct won’t be possible thanks to some busy airspace up ahead. So you’ve set aside a good hour the day before the trip to figure out the best route to file, unaware that the flight planning will require all of that hour, and more.

Navigating Bravos

Any route flying is still faster than the seven-hour drive, and your Cessna 210 can easily accommodate three passengers and a lot of small bags. First airspace obstacle is Detroit Metro Wayne County. You’re ADS-B Out compliant, so it’s okay to enter (provided you comply with the other requirements in
§91.131, Operations in Class B airspace).