Pilots living in NYC/Manhattan: How often do you go flying? Do you feel it's inconvenient?
Posted by Top-Literature-6248@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 29 comments
I've done some research into flight schools and flying clubs already, but I wanted to get actual New Yorkers' impressions, and not just some AI's blind speculation.
Compared to other places I've lived, basically every place I found to rent a Cessna (list below) seems inconvenient to get to, and most have few aircraft available. That's not entirely unexpected given the location, but it makes me wonder:
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If you live in Manhattan (and don't have a car), how often are you actually going flying? Is it easy to go every (other) weekend, or does getting to the airport, or finding time when a plane is even available, feel like a hurdle?
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If you do fly often and don't find it particularly inconvenient, which school/club do you rent from, and how do you get there?
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Tangentially: Is going flying feasible as a date idea here, or is an hour on the train/bus a hard sell?
Here are the places I found (correct me if I'm missing something):
- Republic Airport (FRG): 1 hour from Penn Station to Farmingdale on the LIRR (every half hour) + 5 min Uber to airport
- Long Island Aviators looks like the only place with more than a single Cessna, but they also have the largest fleet of any NYC-area club or school I found (C172: $190/hr wet)
- A few smaller flight schools here too (no rental rates listed); no flying clubs it seems
- Morristown Municipal Airport (MMU): 1 hour 10 minutes by train (every hour) + 5 min Uber
- Certified Flyers flight school (C172: $196/hr wet)
- Morris Aero Club, small club with a single 172 ($85/mo; $130/hr wet)
- 150th Aero Flying Club is here too, but they have a long waitlist (they don't say how long; can't find their monthly dues either)
- Essex County Airport (CDW): 40 minute bus ride (every 20-40 min) + 10 min Uber
- Bus is the only option without a car
- Paramus Flying Club has three Cessnas and a DA40, but high monthly dues ($270/mo; C172: $150/hr wet)
- Century Air (rates not shown, but they don't rent Cessnas to non-students anyway)
- Westchester County Airport (HPN): 40 min from Grand Central (every hour) + 15 min Uber
- Westchester Flying Club only, several aircraft but no Cessnas ($230/mo; Archer: $144/hr ~~wet~~ moist)
- Linden Airport (LDJ): 30 min from Penn Station (every hour or so) + 10 min Uber
- Richmond Pilots only, small club with two planes, both 172s ($95/mo; $135-160/hr wet)
Substantial-Row9752@reddit
I live in NYC and it’s doable. Like everything in NYC, it is not easy. Having a car helps a lot / makes it easier.
Substantial-Row9752@reddit
Having $$$ is also necessary.
nhorvath@reddit
you're in a flying sub. that's implied.
Myfirstlemon@reddit
Here’s an example of a typical weekend flying in NYC:
Look at the LIA schedule for some openings. Every weekend is booked out for a month. Ok, no problem, just book a 3 hour block for a 172 on a Saturday 5 weeks from now. That weekend finally arrives and you hop on the LIRR to FRG for your time block at 1pm. This means you leave your midtown apartment at 11:00am to give yourself plenty of time to get there. After 65 mins on the train, and spending $20 on an Uber, you show up with 20 mins to spare before your time slot. The guy who had the plane before you shows up 30 minutes late. He says “sorry man” and hands you the keys. The plane has 6 gallons of gas in the tanks. You taxi over to the self-serve fuel area (no chance the fuel trucks are going to show up in a timely fashion). There are 4 people waiting to use the pumps, which takes another 30 minutes before you can fill up. You start your taxi. Because it’s a nice VFR day, there are 15 planes in the pattern, and 15 more holding short waiting to take off. It’s another 30 minutes before you can depart. After flying around Long Island for a little bit, you come back and are cleared to land, number 9. You taxi back and check in the plane (on time). After another 60 minute LIRR ride back, followed by 15 minutes on the subway, you settle in on your couch at 7:15pm and fill in 1.4 in your logbook.
This is slightly exaggerated but not that far from reality
Top-Literature-6248@reddit (OP)
Oof. I thought with LIA having so many planes it'd be easier to get a reservation, but maybe flying clubs are the way to go, despite the cost. I wonder if that explains why none of them are at FRG, too...
nhorvath@reddit
I fly with LIA. flew yesterday in fact. this is definitely an exaggeration, but FRG can be very busy. if it's a nice day 20 mins to get out and in. if it's a little bumpy like yesterday I was #2 to take off and cleared to land 10 miles out at the Northport stacks on the way back. hard disagree on fuel though. I've never had to wait more than 10 mins when I had to call modern for fuel. use the radio instead of the phone. first thing i do before I start preflight is check fuel and call. I'm also courteous and always call for fuel when I enter echo ramp.
I generally have no problem finding a 2.5 hr block about a week in advance. if at all possible fly on a weekday. if you fly out of Islip it's much less busy but you have to deal with NY approach in the C and a longer train ride.
DankVectorz@reddit
I used to be a member of GACE flying club out of ISP. At the time they had a 172SP and I think it was a 172N but can’t remember exactly. Anyway, member rates were like $45/mo and rental was $145/hr tach time wet. I moved in 2024 though so rates might have chsnged and they were actively looking to add another plane for better XC duty. There are a lot of members but enough didn’t fly very often that I rarely had issue getting a plane when I wanted it and everyone was entitled to I believe it was a week block if you wanted to travel somewhere every year.
Myfirstlemon@reddit
I’m not trying to dog on LIA, they’re a good operation. I was really trying to emphasize all the friction and external costs associated with flying when living in NYC, which are present at all the metro area airports
E2TheCustodian@reddit
This pilot NYCs.
This closely mirrors my experience. I flew out of KISP - further on the LIRR but not nearly the bizjet etc traffic of KFRG. Also iffy weather would cost me 3-4 saturdays a year when by the time I get to the flight line the weather has turned but the travel whacks my whole day anyway. Mid Island Air Service was amazing to work with but generally the friction of the logistics is just ungodly high.
AlexJamesFitz@reddit
I stopped flying for the decade or so I lived in NYC because of the cost and difficulty involved. Mostly the cost, though - it just wasn't feasible for me early in my career while trying to make NYC rent and enjoy my city experience otherwise.
rFlyingTower@reddit
This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:
I've done some research into flight schools and flying clubs already, but I wanted to get actual New Yorkers' impressions, and not just some AI's blind speculation.
Compared to other places I've lived, basically every place I found to rent a Cessna (list below) seems inconvenient to get to, and most have few aircraft available. That's not entirely unexpected given the location, but it makes me wonder:
If you live in Manhattan (and don't have a car), how often are you actually going flying? Is it easy to go every (other) weekend, or does getting to the airport, or finding time when a plane is even available, feel like a hurdle?
If you do fly often and don't find it particularly inconvenient, which school/club do you rent from, and how do you get there?
Tangentially: Is going flying feasible as a date idea here, or is an hour on the train/bus a hard sell?
Here are the places I found (correct me if I'm missing something):
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Nachocheeze60@reddit
Does anyone do KHPN or KDXR?
YouCompetitive9854@reddit
I live in NYC and fly out of KCDW! Best airport by far imo
pilot2647@reddit
So I live in Harlem and fly out of republic, it’s kind of a bitch by public transit, but the LIRR is pretty dependable. I did my IR with AoA, but tbh the airspace is pretty slammed. Everyone is a little annoyed when you ask for a practice approach when the next caller is a super heavy. The commute is a lot. Maybe check out HPN as it’s not as crazy
MrAflac9916@reddit
I’m moving to Manhattan for grad school in August and I’m wondering the same thing thing. I’m a CFI and it would be nice to pick up a student or two somehow so I can keep current
FullStreak@reddit
Same situation here and I’m hoping I can make it work. Good luck!
MrAflac9916@reddit
Sent you a pm
Theytookmyarcher@reddit
Had a friend who was a CFI at FRG and would take the LIRR there then uber to the airport. It's like a 25 min walk and 5 min drive from the station I think. I know one or two others who just have cars and they don't find it difficult.
ben_makes_stuff@reddit
I'm going to start doing this commute very soon. It seems like it's not bad if you take the LIRR from midtown directly to Farmingdale. Takes \~55m plus a 5-10 min Uber to the airport after that, call it 1 hour total.
Not the worst - I never really mind train commutes because I can completely shut my brain off and not do anything except look at the scenery out the window. What I'm planning on doing is to deal with the 1 hour commute, and try to pack 2 lessons into 1 day every time I go out there so I'm not spending most of my day commuting.
Something like:
Of course, need to figure out what aircraft availability will look like first.
EmbarrassedLink2675@reddit
I'm going to start doing this commute very soon. It seems like it's not bad if you take the LIRR from midtown directly to Farmingdale. Takes \~55m plus a 5-10 min Uber to the airport after that, call it 1 hour total.
Not the worst. What I'm planning on doing is to deal with the 1 hour commute, and try to pack 2 lessons into 1 day so I'm not spending most of my day commuting.
Something like:
Of course, need to figure out what aircraft availability will look like first.
Hokie_Pilot@reddit
7 hour old account, making a lot of bullet points…certainly not AI, eh?
Top-Literature-6248@reddit (OP)
How else would you present a list? And the account is new because I created it to ask this question, obviously.
Rainebowraine123@reddit
Normally people don't go through the trouble of actually formatting things into bullet points (especially two deep) on Reddiy
Top-Literature-6248@reddit (OP)
Maybe I shouldn't have copied the list from my notes? But I figured if I missed some place obvious, maybe someone will point it out.
But idk, I've seen some really long and well-formatted posts on reddit (pre-AI). In any case, can we keep this post on topic, please? I'd really like to hear from people who live in NYC, and I'm afraid this is going to derail into a pointless AI witchhunt.
hoppertn@reddit
I’m here to discuss Rampart.
legimpster@reddit
Definitely AI…
Hokie_Pilot@reddit
I guess I really should have added /s
I figured I didn’t have to, but now I realize I should have
legimpster@reddit
Oof. I sense the sarcasm now…
Necessary_Topic_1656@reddit
I went to Old Bridge from our Times Square layover hotel to rent a 172 and fly it around over central New Jersey for an hour and a half.
Took path to NJ then Ubered the rest of the way when I missed the bus to get down to the airport.