by Yasmina Platt
© Copyright 2023. All rights reserved!
Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine August/September 2023 Digital Issue
The author’s route of flight along the Chicago Lakefront. ForeFlight.
Ready for #OSH24 yet? If so, there is a good chance many of you may fly around and/or over Chicago. If so, I recommend flying a skyline tour on the way there and/or back.
Start by grabbing (or downloading nowadays) a Chicago Terminal Area Chart (TAC) and becoming familiar with the airspace. The elevation of Chicago is below 1,000 ft MSL (generally between 500 and 650 ft MSL). Downtown Chicago is located along the shore of Lake Michigan and there are two major commercial airports: Chicago O’Hare (KORD) and Chicago Midway (KMDW). KORD is in Class B airspace, and KMDW is in Class C airspace, under the Class B. Why the Class C over KMDW? The “T” is the top of the Class C airspace, which is the base of the Class B airspace. However, one can remain under both classes of airspace along the shoreline, below 1,900 ft MSL.
There are also several General Aviation (GA) airports and heliports in the area. For this exercise, we especially want to become familiar with Waukegan Airport (KUGN) on the north end, and Gary/Chicago Airport (KGYY) on the south side because they are also along the shoreline and in Class D airspace (with a ceiling of 3,200 ft and 3,100 ft MSL, respectively). Speaking to those controllers may be necessary if you go that far north and south respectively.
I’ll design a route north to south since that’s how most people (including the helicopter air tours) do it, and especially handy if you have passengers on the right side of the airplane, but it can be flown in both directions of course. The idea is to have the city on one wing and Lake Michigan on the other.
• You can start at the VFR checkpoint called “Bahai Temple,” which resembles a white acorn capping an octagonal base.
• VFR checkpoint Northwestern University is just passed it.
• VFR checkpoint Montrose Harbor (Beach) follows.
• You’ll be abeam Wrigley Field and Lincoln Park.
Soon you’ll see high-rise condos on Chicago’s Gold Coast.
• Then, VFR checkpoint Navy Pier.
• The downtown skyline has some of the tallest and most architectural significant buildings in the country. At or above your altitude (since it’s 1,451 ft high), and dominating the skyline, is the Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower), still the third tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere.
• Buckingham Fountain.
• The Field Museum, the Aquarium, and the Planetarium.• Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears, sits across the harbor from Northerly Island, once home to the iconic and beloved GA airport, Meigs Field.
Keep an eye on NOTAMs, especially blanket stadium ones, and always, always look for other traffic. All aircraft flying in and around Chicago airspace should have ADS-B Out and, therefore, if you have ADS-B In, other aircraft should appear on your screen, but still look out your window! And even though you may be able to stay below/outside controlled airspace, I always recommend getting VFR Flight Following.
Sunrise and early morning are great times to do this tour since the sun rises from the east and lights up the downtown buildings.
For more information about Air Trails and other flying destinations, visit www.airtrails.weebly.com.
Fly often and fly safe!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Yasmina Platt’s full-time job has her planning the future of aviation infrastructure for Joby’s electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) aircraft. She also writes an aviation travel blog called “Air Trails” (www.airtrails.weebly.com), in addition to articles on pilot destinations for Midwest Flyer Magazine. Pilots can locate articles Yasmina has written by going to www.MidwestFlyer.com and typing “Yasmina” in the search box, or by going to the “Archives” section, then “Columns,” then “Destinations.”
DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this column is the expressed opinion of the author only, and readers are advised to seek the advice of their personal flight instructor and others, and refer to the Federal Aviation Regulations, FAA Aeronautical Information Manual, and instructional materials before attempting any procedures discussed herein.
