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Great lakes Tour Redux?

Great lakes Tour Redux?

  • I am interested in the Tour at any time this summer

    Votes: 11 68.8%

  • I am interested, especially if we end up at Oshkosh

    Votes: 2 12.5%

  • I am interested, especially if we depart from Oshkosh

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I am interested and would consider the 5-Lake Option, including Lakes Superior & Ontario

    Votes: 2 12.5%

  • I am interested but have an entirely different idea (which I will post in messages)

    Votes: 1 6.3%
  • Total voters
    16
N4843W

N4843W

New member
SE MI
Aircraft Year
1977
Aircraft Type
114
Reg Number
N4843W
Serial Number
14173
Many years ago ... 5? 6? 7? A group of us undertook the Great Lakes Tour. We met up Friday at Put-in-Bay, Middle Bass Island and stayed over on Kelley's Island, both in Lake Erie. Had dinner with Joe Greene, Commander Owner who has gone incognito on us. Saturday Morning we flew up the Lake Huron Shore, had lunch on Mackinac Island, then flew over to Beaver Island. Had Dinner with Don Falik, who not long after bought a Twin-Commander and kind of dropped out of sight as well. (should we be worried about this trend?)

Sunday we all flew off toward home. We had a great group and a good time was had by all. The Great Lakes are stunning and a couple of folks from as far away as Texas and Maryland were rather shocked to see the amount of "Big Water", shorelines, forest, sand dunes, etc.

Several have mentioned doing this again. Like anything, it takes more planning that you'd think. I thought that going just prior to or after Oshkosh might be the ticket. Warm temps abound and that might help us pull more planes and pilots/passengers, as a fair number of folks headed that way anyway. Or we could depart from KOSH and go the opposite way around.

So, here is an initial, very simple poll, just to get things started. I am seriously thinking about flying first into Toronto Lakefront, staying over there, then to Put-in Bay ... then after Beaver Island land on the only airstrip in Lake Superior, the Apostle Islands. That would give those who are interested, landings in all 5 of the Great Lakes ... Ontario, Erie, Huron, Michigan and Superior. Kind of cool and I have never heard of anyone doing that.

So, if you are interested at all, post your thoughts here and let's see what develops.
 
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Re: Great lakes Tour Redux?

That sounds like a road trip, count me in , when?? About now we could land on all the lakes!!!!
 
Re: Great lakes Tour Redux?

Sounds like fun. Will depend upon date. Have a graduation to attend in the Great Britain this summer which will tie us up for a few weeks. Will be close to Edinburgh so hope to see Rob Rother while we are there.
 
Re: Great lakes Tour Redux?

Sounds like fun. Busy in June but open after that. I just need VFR weather...
 
Re: Great lakes Tour Redux?

Sounds like fun Scott. I would be up for all or part of it depending on the date. I like the idea of landing in all five great lakes.
 
Re: Great lakes Tour Redux?

hockeyguygh said:
Sounds like fun Scott. I would be up for all or part of it depending on the date. I like the idea of landing in all five great lakes.
Click to expand...

We will try our best to keep it to landing "on islands" in all 5 of the Great Lakes!
 
Re: Great lakes Tour Redux?

mrolih said:
Sounds like fun. Busy in June but open after that. I just need VFR weather...
Click to expand...

As you know, but for the benefit of others here, our summer weather is (almost) always quite good and manageable. Rare to be knocked out for an entire day, even VFR.
 
Re: Great lakes Tour Redux?

Got a Bama member/couple interested, maybe we could spark Ken's interest as well. (He’s just across the border in Ga)

Will you hit Canadian a/space (any special requirements?) (Radio license)?? (water survival gear)??
 
Re: Great lakes Tour Redux?

If you start in Put-in-Bay in Lake Erie, no issues with Canada. We just fly on the U.S. side of the airspace but if you want to cheat over them, as long as you are on a VFR or IFR flight plan, and do NOT land there, US airport to US airport, all is good.

Now, if you want to start at Toronto Lakefront, you have to file eAPIS and such ... not difficult, in fact, AOPA has complete instructions. have to do it both each way. U.S. side actually more anal about it. But we would depart Toronto and lnad at Niagara Falls ... 15 minutes ... so hard to screw up the times! and IAG is easy for customs, as it is 90% cargo. They don't worry much about small birds.

So, yeah, you have do do some things but not onerous. I have never once had anyone ask for my FCC radio license, but have had it laminated in my wallet for years just in case.

No water gear necessary on our route.
 
Re: Great lakes Tour Redux?

Scott

Sounds good and highly recommend flying in the great lakes region to others if you have never flown the area, as the lakes look so nice from the air. Not often you can see the same lake like Erie for two hours on my first flight taking my Commander home a couple of years ago, and really great to see the great lakes from the air and a must see for all pilots.
 
Re: Great lakes Tour Redux?

Hi Scott,

I would be very interested in joining up depending on the exact dates, for either all or a part of it.

Best regards,

Pete
 
Re: Great lakes Tour Redux?

N4843W said:
If you start in Put-in-Bay in Lake Erie, no issues with Canada. We just fly on the U.S. side of the airspace but if you want to cheat over them, as long as you are on a VFR or IFR flight plan, and do NOT land there, US airport to US airport, all is good.

Now, if you want to start at Toronto Lakefront, you have to file eAPIS and such ... not difficult, in fact, AOPA has complete instructions. have to do it both each way. U.S. side actually more anal about it. But we would depart Toronto and lnad at Niagara Falls ... 15 minutes ... so hard to screw up the times! and IAG is easy for customs, as it is 90% cargo. They don't worry much about small birds.

So, yeah, you have do do some things but not onerous. I have never once had anyone ask for my FCC radio license, but have had it laminated in my wallet for years just in case.

No water gear necessary on our route.
Click to expand...

Thanks Scott, I too have a very faded radio license in my wallet (1980 I think?) but I think there is one required for the plane as well, which I don't have at the moment . .:eek:
 
Re: Great lakes Tour Redux?

Scott -Thanks for again bringing up the idea of a Mac inaccurate or Great Lakes tour.
I was kinda thinking 'alternative' to Oshkosh given the serious pesticide ground spray poisoning at the airport and at the college grounds which were no escape for Camellia. We are interested but depends on timing and logistics. Whatever, appreciate your willingness to float the idea.
 
Re: Great lakes Tour Redux?

Scott, was not trying to be funny, just discovered 'Dumb phone changed Macinac- to Mac inaccurate. Worse than panel scan monitoring
 
Re: Great lakes Tour Redux?

Id be interested but with my limited ability to get much time off for summer months I probably couldnt do too long of a trip. Any thoughts of combing this with the Mackinac fly-in idea?

Tim
 
Re: Great lakes Tour Redux?

I'm in depending upon the dates. Sounds like fun.
 
Re: Great lakes Tour Redux?

I'll leave now - gonna need a head start...
 

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Re: Great lakes Tour Redux?

Conor said:
I'll leave now - gonna need a head start...
Click to expand...

Conor, I did my first BFR after returning to flying in a Remos. Flew from Addison, TX to Georgetown, TX and back. The prop was set up for maximum cruise speed (at the expense of some climb performance), so we were making 118 KTAS on about 4.5-4.8 GPH up at 7500 feet.

We made that flight with the doors removed and left in the hangar at Addison. It was about 102 F on the ground, but at cruise altitude it was about 75 F. I thought it was great, but my CFI's teeth were chattering on the way home... I never told him I was flying a 1/4 ball out of trim so he was getting most of the slipstream. Old helicopter pilot trick! LOL
 
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