Narrative:

I am a 700 hour private pilot and fixed wing aircraft owner who has flown the hudson river/east river exclusion zone in new york's class B airspace on many occasions. With respect to the east river corridor specifically; I would like to bring to your attention a challenge that fixed wing pilots must face flying the corridor. Flying north within the east river corridor exclusion zone the pilot is advised to fly up the east side and return on the west side of the river at an altitude below 1500 ft. An 1100 ft ceiling exists in the hudson river area; and many pilots seem to maintain that altitude on the east river section. VFR pilots eventually must execute a 180 degree turn at the end of the corridor just above the manhattan bridge to stay within the uncontrolled airspace and avoid entering laguardia's class B surface area. I would estimate that the corridor in this area may be approximately 2500 ft in width. I fly relatively low pwred classic aircraft with cruising speeds and stall speeds below 115 and 50 mph respectively. On more than one occasion I have had to compensate for strong eastern and southerly breezes during the 180 degree maneuver by first crossing to the west side of the river and then turning in a clockwise direction into the prevailing wind returning to the west side flying in the southerly direction rather than turning counterclockwise as one might normally. I learned to be aware of the prevailing winds after having to abort a counterclockwise turn to the opposite side when winds reduced the effective width of the river corridor and the safe execution of the maneuver seemed in doubt. My aircraft is a high wing with its structural visibility restrs; namely the wing obstructing the view above and horizontally to the inside of the banked turn. In my experience above; my avenues of avoidance; the outside of the turn; were wide open for discovery and advantage. The east river exclusion zone; an approved passage from the FAA; may not be suitable for all pilots and fixed wing aircraft combinations. For ASRS database review. (Strictly for consideration of flight safety and not security.) 1) some aircraft are higher performance with higher stall and cruising speeds. 2) turning radius at the same angle of bank is larger at higher airspds. Perhaps speed limits are in order for such airspace corridors in order to successfully negotiate a 180 degree turn with a safety margin. 3) winds of 13-15 KTS with gusts out of the east make the 'normal turn' more challenging; and improbable for some. 4) the ht and placement of the buildings and local geography create unpredictable local wind and WX conditions. 5) the visual effects that such low altitude turns create for the pilot; ie; illusion of sideslipping; are not normally experienced except for crop dusters. 6) the width of the corridor may be perfectly suited for rotorcraft; and older; slower GA airplanes; but may not be suitable for newer high performance or light twin aircraft. (Bank angle; g-loading; stall speeds; risk of stall/spin). 7) in the case when execution of the 180 degree turn is in doubt; the visibility restrs of low wing aircraft obscure potential outs; while the high wing may obscure the danger which lies ahead during the box canyon turn. 8) although legend scales exist on all charts; pilot appreciation of the enclosed airspace may not be fully appreciated. Perhaps corridor widths should be noted. 9) charts make no advisement as to winds or aircraft types and the radius/speed of aircraft for the 180 degree turn which for all practical purposes is an FAA approved 'box canyon with a ceiling' flight for a VFR pilot. Especially when the VFR pilot is unprepared to solicit ATC help and clrncs. 10) the trend in pilot instruction seems to favor larger patterns with shallow bank angles which don't prepare new pilots for performance oriented; coordinated turns at lower altitudes. 11) the motive for GA pilot's flight operations in the enclosed class B exclusion area vary as much as the aircraft; bringing with it different levels of experience; preparation; awareness; and expertise. 12) the nature of corridor and low level flight (an uncommon experience); provides substantial stimulation and distraction for the pilot; taxing situational awareness and concentration during flight. 13) the hudson river corridor has very real practical use for pilots who wish to fly through the area of the ny/nj class B as well as a scenic thrill. As much as I hate to suggest limiting any VFR access; the east river corridor may warrant fixed wing restrs or caveats. 14) in addition; auths (FAA; NASA) should evaluate whether the continued use of the hudson river corridor by light twins is still practical for all the same reasons above with the additional risks that the disparity in cruising speeds of mixed aircraft present.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA16 PLT COMMENTS ON FLYING THE EAST RIVER EXCLUSION ZONE IN NEW YORK'S CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I AM A 700 HR PVT PLT AND FIXED WING ACFT OWNER WHO HAS FLOWN THE HUDSON RIVER/EAST RIVER EXCLUSION ZONE IN NEW YORK'S CLASS B AIRSPACE ON MANY OCCASIONS. WITH RESPECT TO THE EAST RIVER CORRIDOR SPECIFICALLY; I WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTN A CHALLENGE THAT FIXED WING PLTS MUST FACE FLYING THE CORRIDOR. FLYING N WITHIN THE EAST RIVER CORRIDOR EXCLUSION ZONE THE PLT IS ADVISED TO FLY UP THE E SIDE AND RETURN ON THE W SIDE OF THE RIVER AT AN ALT BELOW 1500 FT. AN 1100 FT CEILING EXISTS IN THE HUDSON RIVER AREA; AND MANY PLTS SEEM TO MAINTAIN THAT ALT ON THE EAST RIVER SECTION. VFR PLTS EVENTUALLY MUST EXECUTE A 180 DEG TURN AT THE END OF THE CORRIDOR JUST ABOVE THE MANHATTAN BRIDGE TO STAY WITHIN THE UNCTLED AIRSPACE AND AVOID ENTERING LAGUARDIA'S CLASS B SURFACE AREA. I WOULD ESTIMATE THAT THE CORRIDOR IN THIS AREA MAY BE APPROX 2500 FT IN WIDTH. I FLY RELATIVELY LOW PWRED CLASSIC ACFT WITH CRUISING SPDS AND STALL SPDS BELOW 115 AND 50 MPH RESPECTIVELY. ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION I HAVE HAD TO COMPENSATE FOR STRONG EASTERN AND SOUTHERLY BREEZES DURING THE 180 DEG MANEUVER BY FIRST XING TO THE W SIDE OF THE RIVER AND THEN TURNING IN A CLOCKWISE DIRECTION INTO THE PREVAILING WIND RETURNING TO THE W SIDE FLYING IN THE SOUTHERLY DIRECTION RATHER THAN TURNING COUNTERCLOCKWISE AS ONE MIGHT NORMALLY. I LEARNED TO BE AWARE OF THE PREVAILING WINDS AFTER HAVING TO ABORT A COUNTERCLOCKWISE TURN TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE WHEN WINDS REDUCED THE EFFECTIVE WIDTH OF THE RIVER CORRIDOR AND THE SAFE EXECUTION OF THE MANEUVER SEEMED IN DOUBT. MY ACFT IS A HIGH WING WITH ITS STRUCTURAL VISIBILITY RESTRS; NAMELY THE WING OBSTRUCTING THE VIEW ABOVE AND HORIZLY TO THE INSIDE OF THE BANKED TURN. IN MY EXPERIENCE ABOVE; MY AVENUES OF AVOIDANCE; THE OUTSIDE OF THE TURN; WERE WIDE OPEN FOR DISCOVERY AND ADVANTAGE. THE EAST RIVER EXCLUSION ZONE; AN APPROVED PASSAGE FROM THE FAA; MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL PLTS AND FIXED WING ACFT COMBINATIONS. FOR ASRS DATABASE REVIEW. (STRICTLY FOR CONSIDERATION OF FLT SAFETY AND NOT SECURITY.) 1) SOME ACFT ARE HIGHER PERFORMANCE WITH HIGHER STALL AND CRUISING SPDS. 2) TURNING RADIUS AT THE SAME ANGLE OF BANK IS LARGER AT HIGHER AIRSPDS. PERHAPS SPD LIMITS ARE IN ORDER FOR SUCH AIRSPACE CORRIDORS IN ORDER TO SUCCESSFULLY NEGOTIATE A 180 DEG TURN WITH A SAFETY MARGIN. 3) WINDS OF 13-15 KTS WITH GUSTS OUT OF THE E MAKE THE 'NORMAL TURN' MORE CHALLENGING; AND IMPROBABLE FOR SOME. 4) THE HT AND PLACEMENT OF THE BUILDINGS AND LCL GEOGRAPHY CREATE UNPREDICTABLE LCL WIND AND WX CONDITIONS. 5) THE VISUAL EFFECTS THAT SUCH LOW ALT TURNS CREATE FOR THE PLT; IE; ILLUSION OF SIDESLIPPING; ARE NOT NORMALLY EXPERIENCED EXCEPT FOR CROP DUSTERS. 6) THE WIDTH OF THE CORRIDOR MAY BE PERFECTLY SUITED FOR ROTORCRAFT; AND OLDER; SLOWER GA AIRPLANES; BUT MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR NEWER HIGH PERFORMANCE OR LIGHT TWIN ACFT. (BANK ANGLE; G-LOADING; STALL SPDS; RISK OF STALL/SPIN). 7) IN THE CASE WHEN EXECUTION OF THE 180 DEG TURN IS IN DOUBT; THE VISIBILITY RESTRS OF LOW WING ACFT OBSCURE POTENTIAL OUTS; WHILE THE HIGH WING MAY OBSCURE THE DANGER WHICH LIES AHEAD DURING THE BOX CANYON TURN. 8) ALTHOUGH LEGEND SCALES EXIST ON ALL CHARTS; PLT APPRECIATION OF THE ENCLOSED AIRSPACE MAY NOT BE FULLY APPRECIATED. PERHAPS CORRIDOR WIDTHS SHOULD BE NOTED. 9) CHARTS MAKE NO ADVISEMENT AS TO WINDS OR ACFT TYPES AND THE RADIUS/SPD OF ACFT FOR THE 180 DEG TURN WHICH FOR ALL PRACTICAL PURPOSES IS AN FAA APPROVED 'BOX CANYON WITH A CEILING' FLT FOR A VFR PLT. ESPECIALLY WHEN THE VFR PLT IS UNPREPARED TO SOLICIT ATC HELP AND CLRNCS. 10) THE TREND IN PLT INSTRUCTION SEEMS TO FAVOR LARGER PATTERNS WITH SHALLOW BANK ANGLES WHICH DON'T PREPARE NEW PLTS FOR PERFORMANCE ORIENTED; COORDINATED TURNS AT LOWER ALTS. 11) THE MOTIVE FOR GA PLT'S FLT OPS IN THE ENCLOSED CLASS B EXCLUSION AREA VARY AS MUCH AS THE ACFT; BRINGING WITH IT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF EXPERIENCE; PREPARATION; AWARENESS; AND EXPERTISE. 12) THE NATURE OF CORRIDOR AND LOW LEVEL FLT (AN UNCOMMON EXPERIENCE); PROVIDES SUBSTANTIAL STIMULATION AND DISTR FOR THE PLT; TAXING SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND CONCENTRATION DURING FLT. 13) THE HUDSON RIVER CORRIDOR HAS VERY REAL PRACTICAL USE FOR PLTS WHO WISH TO FLY THROUGH THE AREA OF THE NY/NJ CLASS B AS WELL AS A SCENIC THRILL. AS MUCH AS I HATE TO SUGGEST LIMITING ANY VFR ACCESS; THE EAST RIVER CORRIDOR MAY WARRANT FIXED WING RESTRS OR CAVEATS. 14) IN ADDITION; AUTHS (FAA; NASA) SHOULD EVALUATE WHETHER THE CONTINUED USE OF THE HUDSON RIVER CORRIDOR BY LIGHT TWINS IS STILL PRACTICAL FOR ALL THE SAME REASONS ABOVE WITH THE ADDITIONAL RISKS THAT THE DISPARITY IN CRUISING SPDS OF MIXED ACFT PRESENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.