Miami Beach Tour tips?

[jcepiano]

I'm getting a checkout at Tamiami tomorrow and will be flying with some friends in the area. Thinking of just staying local and doing the beach tour. Any pilots here with experience doing the tour and any idea of how crowded it gets or serious concerns?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Warrior]

I'm getting a checkout at Tamiami tomorrow and will be flying with some friends in the area. Thinking of just staying local and doing the beach tour. Any pilots here with experience doing the tour and any idea of how crowded it gets or serious concerns?

Thanks in advance!

What is the "beach tour?" If I was going to the beach I might consider renting a car and going to Cape Florida on Key Biscayne or Crandon Park, also on Key Biscayne.

 

[frfly172]

Have you studied the airspace in the area. Very traffic intensive. Have gone through the area,never heard of the beach tour.

 

[FastEddieB]

I used to fly southbound down the beach, about 1,000' just offshore.

Most banner towing operations are lower.

I would then do a loop around Key Biscayne, then Dinner Key Marina. Get to look down at the cruise ships in Government Cut and see the whales at The Seaquarium. Sometimes sharks (and nudists) at Shark Cut. I don't know if Nixon's heliport is still on Key Biscayne.

In close to Miami just stay slightly offshore and below Class Bravo - at one point the floor is 1,000' near downtown.

Is that what you were asking?

 

[Henning]

I'm getting a checkout at Tamiami tomorrow and will be flying with some friends in the area. Thinking of just staying local and doing the beach tour. Any pilots here with experience doing the tour and any idea of how crowded it gets or serious concerns?

Thanks in advance!

I transit offshore at 25' frequently, and even FLL will leave me there if I promise to stay below 100'.

 

[FastEddieB]

As a side note, overhead over 7,000' around sunset can also be a gorgeous flight.

 

[jcepiano]

Got my checkout today - beautiful scenery everywhere out near the water. Folks at Silver Express are very helpful out of KTMB.

 

[Mike I]

I transit offshore at 25' frequently, and even FLL will leave me there if I promise to stay below 100'.

How do you avoid birdstrikes down low?

 

[Henning]

How do you avoid birdstrikes down low?

Watch for them, mostly they are above me at 100' or below me skimming the water. Really the risk of bird strike is too similar at any altitude to make it a deciding factor to me.

 

[N801BH]

I used to fly southbound down the beach, about 1,000' just offshore.

Most banner towing operations are lower.

I would then do a loop around Key Biscayne, then Dinner Key Marina. Get to look down at the cruise ships in Government Cut and see the whales at The Seaquarium. Sometimes sharks (and nudists) at Shark Cut. I don't know if Nixon's heliport is still on Key Biscayne.

In close to Miami just stay slightly offshore and below Class Bravo - at one point the floor is 1,000' near downtown.

Is that what you were asking?

Great advice..

You cannot fly all the way up Government Cut to the intercoastal waterway as you will get into the Bravo Surface airspace..

Make a U turn at about Star Island....

Also... Nixon's heli pad was actually on the next door neighbers property.. B.B Rebozo...

Across from the Seaquarium is the Miami Marine Stadium.. That is Virginia Key.. Was a nude beach 30 years ago, I don't know now, but the landfill /sewage treatment plant is/ was there... Flying low over it is a high risk probability of bird strikes..... IMHO