TAKE THE LEAP
Thunder in the Mist
Three waterfalls straddle the international border
Getting there: Niagara Falls International Airport (IAG) makes a good staging area for your aerial tour, and the fixed-base operator keeps printouts of the Niagara special procedures on hand for visitors. You may be charged a landing fee if you do not purchase fuel.
Plan ahead: Aviation fuel at Genesee County Airport (GVQ) is $1 to $2 per gallon cheaper than at IAG and Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF).
How: Departing IAG, head southwest about 5 nautical miles, climbing to 3,500 feet msl. Look for the triangular Navy Island, turn to a heading of about 231 degrees, and proceed to the railway yard.
Turn clockwise to a heading of about 51 degrees. The falls will be on your right. Keep an eye out for Goat Island in the Niagara River on the U.S. side. It is in the middle of the falls.
Go no farther north than Paradise Bridge, just past the falls. Turn clockwise and don’t forget to announce your position. Repeat.
Internet listicles often include Niagara Falls as one of the worst tourist destinations in the United States. Don’t believe the haters. When you soar in your aircraft above the Maids of the Mist full of raincoat-wearing tourists, you’ll enjoy the view that much more. The falls—three separate waterfalls, to be precise—are in a special air traffic rule area. You must follow designated procedures, announce your position on a common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF), and maintain 3,500 feet msl, all while keeping a sharp eye out for other traffic. The airspace below 3,500 feet belongs to helicopter air tour traffic. The falls are located a few miles from Niagara Falls International Airport (IAG). Special procedures to fly above the falls can be found in the Northeast U.S. Chart Supplement. The procedures resemble a clockwise holding pattern with designated checkpoints. Stay above, follow the designated procedures, and frequently announce your position on the CTAF. Even from 3,500 feet, the falls are majestic—particularly when the sun catches the mist and presents you with a rainbow.
Why you should go: A bird’s-eye view of 750,000 gallons of water per second, plunging 167 feet, is impressive.
