Popped my Chicago Lakefront Cherry

benhar77

benhar77

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benhar77
Finally had the time, the plane, and the weather to complete my mission to fly the Chicago lakefront en route to Pilot Pete's yesterday 7/15, with my son and his friend. ATC was awesome, patient, and very helpful.

Got FF from Chicago Approach, and after some initial transponder issues (was transmitting old code from MKE FF), they asked my destination. Told them 06C and they asked if I was going to do the Eisenhower transition, or go south around Midway. I requested a MDW transition otherwise I'd go around the south, and he was doubtful they'd let me but said he'd call and ask. Shortly past downtown, he handed me off to MDW tower and the controller verified I wanted to transit and said just to let him know when I wanted to turn westbound.

Pilot Pete's was really cool with great models and memorabilia, and the food was good awesome. I did not get the nachos as recommended by @Radar Contact, but my BLT was quite filling enough.

I definitely will be making the trip again!
 

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The first time I did it I was amazed I was allowed to do so. It was so utterly cool

Of course, I've now done it about 17 times more, so it isn't os new anymore. Rats.
 
We did it near dusk(CFI and me). I was terrified of busting airspace, but did take a minute or 2 to enjoy flying over Chicago and expressways
 
charheep said:
We did it near dusk(CFI and me). I was terrified of busting airspace, but did take a minute or 2 to enjoy flying over Chicago and expressways
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I was the same way, always double checking my position and altitude. My biggest challenge was my route put me through the edge of Waukegan airspace, so I stayed above it but then had to get down to go under the Bravo. I got really worried when my transponder started acting up and started thinking of turning around but thankfully a reboot did the trick. Once I got under the B, i just kept it at 1900 the whole way.
 
Awesome experience, isn't it? Next time, try the Eisenhower transition. You turn westbound from the Navy Pier and basically you follow I-290 to Schaumburg. You get to fly pretty close to the Sears Tower (or whatever it is called now) and at the same height as its 66th floor.
 
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GreatLakesFlying said:
Awesome experience, isn't it? Next time, try the Eisenhower transition. You turn westbound from the Navy Pier and basically you follow I-290 to Schaumburg. You get to fly pretty close to the Sears Tower (or whatever it is called now) and at the same height as its 66th floor.
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I may do that next time. The controller asked if I was familiar with it, but I was in name only. I hadn't "studied" it enough to feel comfortable, since my plan was either MDW or around south. I figured right over Midway was enough of a treat!
 
benhar77 said:
I may do that next time. The controller asked if I was familiar with it, but I was in name only. I hadn't "studied" it enough to feel comfortable since my plan was either MDW or around south. I figured right over Midway was enough of a treat!
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On a couple of occasions, I've heard MDW TWR clearing airplanes for the "Ike" transition, only to come back on frequency a few minutes later and advise the pilot that he's flying over the I-55 instead of I-290, then issue a new clearance to transition the airspace over the field. I lived in Oak Park for 15 years and I drove the Ike on a daily basis, so I am comfortable flying it too. But flying over MDW is the best of the treats.

Were you cleared to fly over a specific runway? When I fly the shoreline from the south and I ask MDW for a transition to 06C, sometimes I am cleared to fly over runway 31C at or below 2000. What a treat!
 
GreatLakesFlying said:
Were you cleared to fly over a specific runway? When I fly the shoreline from the south and I ask MDW for a transition to 06C, sometimes I am cleared to fly over runway 31C at or below 2000. What a treat!
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No, tower just told me to let him know when I wanted to turn west, so I said I'd turn at the Crib. I turned, he said maintain heading and altitude, and through I went. My course took me just south of the runway ends, so gave a great view of the whole airport out the right side.
 
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