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Bucket List: Journey to the Keys

The island chain beckons, extending Florida's reach into the Caribbean.

A pilot's view of Marathon Key [Credit: Jim Barrett]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Flying to the Florida Keys requires careful planning, including understanding complex airspace (ADIZ, Cuban proximity, MOAs), carrying essential overwater safety gear (flotation, EPIRB), and potentially traveling in a group.
  • Primary public-use airports (Marathon and Key West) necessitate advance parking reservations, involve significant service and parking fees (especially during special events), and have expensive fuel, making tankering a consideration.
  • The Keys offer diverse destinations for pilots, from Marathon Key's central location and dining to Key West's vibrant culture and attractions, and the remote beauty of Dry Tortugas National Park, each with unique flying aspects and local experiences.
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The ocean takes on a range of colors as you approach it from the tangle of land and water composing Florida’s southernmost end. The tones run from steel gray to cerulean blue to baby turquoise, depending on the winds, the waves, and the clouds above.

On this late morning approach, as we fly in as a two-ship in a loose route formation from Dade-Collier airport (KTNT), the Caribbean turns to cobalt as we leave the Everglades behind and scoot towards the furthermost inhabited island in the chain that lies ahead of us.

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