How to fly over the top of Atlanta

[Martin Pauly]

Recently I flew to Falcon Field (KFFC), just south of the Atlanta Class Bravo airspace, and I was itching to find out if I could get a chance to enjoy scenic aerial views of downtown Atlanta and Hartsfield International airport. My plan was to fly the Tango route T319 which crosses KATL north to south, but Air Traffic Control had other plans for me that day. I still got the tour I wanted, but had to cancel IFR and proceed over ATL with a Class Bravo clearance.

I got a video completed from that flight, showing the progression of the clearance from T319 (filed and originally cleared) to the BUKHD3 arrival, to canceling IFR and getting vectors which would take me over downtown and KATL.

I've flown the BUKHD3 arrival before to KFFC, and while in theory it could take one right over KATL, at least that time I was vectored way out to the west. So on this recent flight, I offered to cancel IFR, and I suppose that did the trick for ATC.

- Martin

 

[Brad Z]

Sorry, didn't watch the video.

What altitude do you intend to fly over at? If you look at the ATL arrivals you will see a clue: the downwind segments both north and south of the parallel runways start at 13,000msl.

it's not like JFK where you can get a bravo at 5,500 over top of the field.

 

[Jim K]

There's kind of an unpublished vfr corridor directly over the field at 4500. I've gotten it a couple times on vfr flight following, as have a couple friends. Now if I could just figure out a method to fly ifr up to Atlanta, vfr over the field, and then get back on ifr afterwards. I guess the answer is two flight plans, but that seems like more hassle than just going around.

 

[donjohnston]

I've been vectored directly over ATL after departing PDK heading south. Not every time, but more than once.

 

[Martin Pauly]

What altitude do you intend to fly over at? If you look at the ATL arrivals you will see a clue: the downwind segments both north and south of the parallel runways start at 13,000msl.
it's not like JFK where you can get a bravo at 5,500 over top of the field.

I would have gone at any altitude they assign. I had heard that T319 over KATL is meant for 5,000' and 6,000' MSL.

You can absolutely go VFR over KATL with a Bravo clearance. In fact, I did in this video, at 4,500' MSL.

- Martin

 

[write-stuff]

Great video. I like the editing!

 

[luvflyin]

There's kind of an unpublished vfr corridor directly over the field at 4500. I've gotten it a couple times on vfr flight following, as have a couple friends. Now if I could just figure out a method to fly ifr up to Atlanta, vfr over the field, and then get back on ifr afterwards. I guess the answer is two flight plans, but that seems like more hassle than just going around.

A Controller could do that on the original Flight Plan. You say I wanna cancel, get a VFR Clearance through the Bravo and then get back IFR again on the other side. All he has to do is change your Altitude in the system to VFR, just a couple button pushes. Then back to a Hard Altitude on the other side. But be prepared to stay VFR for longer on the other side than you planned. The traffic situation then could preclude you getting it right away once clearing the Bravo. Coordination issues between Controllers could make them not want to do it. You'd need to get a couple of them at the same time who can think outside the box.