Ever Overfly the NYC Macy Day’s Fireworks?
- Thread starter Trogdor
- Start date
bflynn
Final Approach
Fireworks from the air are a let down. Although they look huge from the ground, they're rarely over 1500' and that's the few big ones.
I've seen Independence Day fireworks from the air and while it's interesting to see so many going off, they look tiny.
I've seen Independence Day fireworks from the air and while it's interesting to see so many going off, they look tiny.
True…incredibly boring until one of them hits your airplane because you’re too low.
Arnold
Cleared for Takeoff
I've always thought they were pretty cool. If the Wx is good one can often see fireworks from several different shows at the same time.
I think it would be fun if you were high enough to be out if the way if the highest displays. Yeah, having done the fireworks flight in the Denver area (with 100 mile visibilities) I know that other that seeing multiple displays at a time, they are not quite as interesting from the air for a number of reasons. But I'd never dissuade anyone from doing it once and well, in combination with a night Skyline flight? Count me in!
I agree, by air isn't that interesting. Back when I was a Rutgers administrator, we'd watch from the roof of the seven story building on campus and could see good views of fireworks going off in all directions.
Kenny Taylor
Pre-takeoff checklist
I flex into LAX, commercial, many years back on July 4. The aerial fireworks weren't that impressive, but it was a clear night, and seeing the streets sparkling across the valley was pretty neat.
Brad Z
Final Approach
I figure there'd be a TFR for the fireworks display so overflight along the Hudson might be an issue.
Brad Z
Final Approach
“I saw it on YouTube…” Lolz.
Looks like they have a 1nm radius UAS notam over Roosevelt Island (East River) published for Sunday with a warning that more will follow. So Hudson might not be an issue. Keep an eye on the notams and realize what is possible one year might not be the following year. We’ll be passing up the Hudson Saturday and returning Sunday, heading up to CT, weather willing.
Lndwarrior
Cleared for Takeoff
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Gary
It's boring, the plane is moving, can't really see from any distance. Sounds like fun until you do it once.
C-1 PILOT
Pre-takeoff checklist
Not planned, but returning from PA, back in the 90’s in my Cougar, ATC vectored us down from FL075 (above Bravo) enroute FRG. We got a birdseye view of the entire 5 boros and more. Bklyn was insane…
geneseib
Line Up and Wait
Can't really get close enough for them to look dramatic. The one weird thing I've noticed when watching fireworks from the air, is that the burst takes on a much more 3-dimensional look.
RussR
En-Route
Most people seem to say it's boring, but I 100% disagree. All of us have seen dozens of fireworks shows from the ground. They're basically all the same. I tend to get bored well before the end of the show.
But I've gone on fireworks flights a few times, and even my passengers have thought it was a really cool experience. Yes, of course you can't hear them, and they look smaller. But so does everything, and we are always marveling about how amazing the view is when we're flying, so this isn't any different. Obviously it depends on where you live, but you can see multiple shows at once and it's fun to figure out which show they are. No, you wouldn't want to just circle around and watch the whole show, that would be boring indeed. But flying from show to show, doing a quick lap maybe? I think it's great.
Even better is if you live somewhere where fireworks are legal and available for the general public. Around here, where fireworks are easily available (and sometimes even legal) in many towns, flying overhead is really neat - it's like a non-stop WW2 bomber movie, just the flak below you is fun and colorful. Everybody with a driveway seems to have their own show - and these aren't just sparklers either, people put thousands of dollars into their home shows and buy some serious hardware.
One town near us (Mustang) actually opens up the park for a giant free-for-all, launch-what-you-brought party, with the fire department standing by. For the whole week prior, school sports teams and clubs sell fireworks for fundraisers, and then are responsible to clean up the park (to ensure a booth the next year). It's wild. And great. And flying over it is amazing.
But I've gone on fireworks flights a few times, and even my passengers have thought it was a really cool experience. Yes, of course you can't hear them, and they look smaller. But so does everything, and we are always marveling about how amazing the view is when we're flying, so this isn't any different. Obviously it depends on where you live, but you can see multiple shows at once and it's fun to figure out which show they are. No, you wouldn't want to just circle around and watch the whole show, that would be boring indeed. But flying from show to show, doing a quick lap maybe? I think it's great.
Even better is if you live somewhere where fireworks are legal and available for the general public. Around here, where fireworks are easily available (and sometimes even legal) in many towns, flying overhead is really neat - it's like a non-stop WW2 bomber movie, just the flak below you is fun and colorful. Everybody with a driveway seems to have their own show - and these aren't just sparklers either, people put thousands of dollars into their home shows and buy some serious hardware.
One town near us (Mustang) actually opens up the park for a giant free-for-all, launch-what-you-brought party, with the fire department standing by. For the whole week prior, school sports teams and clubs sell fireworks for fundraisers, and then are responsible to clean up the park (to ensure a booth the next year). It's wild. And great. And flying over it is amazing.