Chicago Skyline Route

dachar89

Filing Flight Plan
Joined
Dec 14, 2021
Messages
11
Display Name

Display name:
dachar89
I'm in GYY currently and heading up to OSH in the morning. Provided the fog burns off as scheduled, looking to fly up the shoreline past downtown Chicago tomorrow morning (7am-ish)

Any one have any suggestions for doing this route? I plan on being about 1-2 miles off shore and will call Chicago Approach for advisories, but if they'll even talk to me is another question.
 
I agree with EdFred. I did it last week at 2000' and just off the shoreline (watchout for the stuff on the Navy Pier).

In the past C90 has set up a flight following position for OSH transitioners.
 
I have flown it many times. Pick an odd altitude such as 2,250 - most pilots will be at 2,000 or 2,500. I don't think Chicago Approach will help, but it's worth a try. I never went that far offshore. Remember to call Waukegan Tower to transition their Class D.
 
I have flown it many times. Pick an odd altitude such as 2,250 - most pilots will be at 2,000 or 2,500. I don't think Chicago Approach will help, but it's worth a try. I never went that far offshore. Remember to call Waukegan Tower to transition their Class D.
Last time I did skyline C90 (2022) got me FF. Wasn't during OSH though.
 
Go closer to shore and lower. Just mainatin 2000' clearance. Give approach a shot at giving you FF.
I did this recently on last Labor Day weekend. Be aware that on the lakeshore down south, you need to be below 2300 for MDM Class C, or speaking to them. I got FF, but in my case, it helped that I cancelled IFR, at their recommendation if I wanted the shore route, and proceeded north on FF as I requested.
 
I'm in GYY currently and heading up to OSH in the morning. Provided the fog burns off as scheduled, looking to fly up the shoreline past downtown Chicago tomorrow morning (7am-ish)

Any one have any suggestions for doing this route? I plan on being about 1-2 miles off shore and will call Chicago Approach for advisories, but if they'll even talk to me is another question.

It's one of my favorite routes. The views are fantastic, especially if you can do it at night. 1-2 mile sounds a bit too far for my comfort. I'd stay closer than that. Plan for 2500, and that will keep you below the class B shelf. Depending on the time of day, Chicago approach can be super helpful. I never had a bad experience with them. I have even picked up a pop-up IFR clearance after finishing up the shoreline tour.
 
When I give skyline tours to buddies, I’m at 1600’ (hint, earth is about 600’ here). I’m also fairly close to land. If ORD is landing west, I won’t climb until north of the final for 27R.
 
I give a few 100’ buffer from the airspace, maybe average 1/2 mile offshore. I don’t bother trying to ask ORD approach anything, I usually listen up though. That’s my methods.
 

Attachments

  • C49EFBDA-0C0E-4204-B4F1-EFD40830BC3E.jpeg
    C49EFBDA-0C0E-4204-B4F1-EFD40830BC3E.jpeg
    101.5 KB · Views: 23
As long as you are over the lake, you are good up to 2299’, Midway has new Class C airspace starting at 2300’ and the Bravo starts at 3000’ or 3600’. If over land, the Bravo starts at 1900’ so stay over the lake.

I believe the recommend altitude is 1900’ on the Chicago TAC, so anywhere between 1600’-2000’ is fine, keep in mind there are usually TFR’s over the stadiums that extend out 2-3nm over the lake. Always feels like we keep getting pushed out further and at lower altitudes.

I used to talk to Approach but they always pushed lower altitudes, they clearly don’t like their Bravo starting at 3000’ or 3600’.

Flew this route 2 days ago and with the smog/smoke/haze, you can only see the outlines of the buildings, extremely difficult to see traffic, and the TFR’s pushing you out into the lake, with minimum visibility and the loss of horizon with the lake, can get you disoriented very quickly. Remember your altitude and heading and to fly your instruments if you get disoriented.

Northbound you’ll have Waukegan and Kenosha’s airspace over the lake, both are helpful to transitioning aircraft.

Coming into Chicago area, the pressure is usually lower, high to low look out below, remember to get an updated altimeter setting.

Have fun, take photos and share with us.
 
Flew this route 2 days ago and with the smog/smoke/haze, you can only see the outlines of the buildings
Rain yesterday cleared things out a bunch. We came home this morning and vis was great until about bmi.

This is from Thursday last week
IMG_20230720_084122791_HDR.jpg

Stay close to the shore to minimize swimming if the fan quits.
 
I fly pretty close to shore, just because it gives better views.
 
A little belated, but I would caution folks to determine if Chicago Midway was landing to the Southwest, and if so forgo the lakeside fly-way. Jets are going to be overflying you just a couple hundred of feet above you in a very dirty and vortex inducing condition.

In 2015 an ATP in his PA28 got flipped hitting the wake of an MD-80 just up the lake at Milwaukee resulting in a fatal accident.

See NTSB report https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/87588/pdf
 
A little belated, but I would caution folks to determine if Chicago Midway was landing to the Southwest, and if so forgo the lakeside fly-way. Jets are going to be overflying you just a couple hundred of feet above you in a very dirty and vortex inducing condition.

In 2015 an ATP in his PA28 got flipped hitting the wake of an MD-80 just up the lake at Milwaukee resulting in a fatal accident.

See NTSB report https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/87588/pdf
Read the report, shows PA28R200 and the IO360-C1C as being 180hp. With Piper and Lycoming listed on the report, I’m surprised more details were not investigated.

I’m a newer pilot but I myself and many other pilots have flown the Chicago skyline route and this is usually done at about 1700-1900’ as recommended in the Chicago TAC. Airline traffic above is usually at 3500-4000’. I think this is fine.

I haven’t experienced wake turbulence that I know of, definitely have experienced moderate turbulence, maybe some microbursts or gusts. I would think wake turbulence would cause a temporary loss of control. Given the pilot is an experienced ATP with 30k+ hours, I’m sure he could handle it. The concerning item to me was the wing separation and higher airframe time, I’d like to know if the wing spar was checked, there was no mention of it.
 
Airline traffic above is usually at 3500-4000’.
Except when Midway is landing southwest, as @Ted K wrote. Then there'll be a bunch of Southwest 737s crossing the lake shore lower than that. Instrument approaches to the 22s cross the lake shore at 3,000'; on visual approaches they could be even lower.

I wouldn't go as far as saying "don't fly in that area", but I'd have my head on a swivel and think more about wake turbulence.

Any time I fly along the lake short, Chicago Approach has been very helpful with Flight Following.

- Martin
 
Back
Top