Flying Hudson River

September 2025 – What a week flying my Cessna 185 with a good friend.

My first time doing instrument flying in dense clouds in US, both from controlled and unmanned airports (after my Cessna 185 has been equipped with Garmin avionics, and after I obtained my instrument ratings on my American license earlier this year). Visit to the Air Zoo in Kalamazoo (KAZO) (a place we only landed because of a threatening squall line, among many fine old aircraft they have the only remaining two-seat SR-71 Blackbird Trainer). Landing at the William T Piper Memorial (KLHV) at Lock Haven and visiting the Piper Museum (where everything Piper began). Approach to and landing at Teterboro (KTEB) near New York (in dense clouds to minimum, I have rarely seen so many business jets gathered in one place, we were pretty much the only piston aircraft at the airport). Hudson River southbound and northbound close by the New York skyline (at 1200 feet altitude, well below the tops of the tall buildings) and a few laps around the Statue of Liberty (anticlockwise at 1000 feet altitude as recommended). A trip to Frances Gabreski (KFOK) on Long Island and a visit to the small town of Quogue (where you only belong if 100 USD for a little shopping at the local grocery store seems fair to you). Landing at Niagara Falls Intl. (KIAG) and a visit to the falls with a free crew car. Flight through Canadian airspace for sightseeing over Niagara Falls. Friday evening in Erie (KERI) by the lake of the same name (where all the bars are on 38th street and where, according to the locals, you absolutely do not go east of that street!). Saturday excursion to two of the islands at the bottom of Lake Erie, first Middle Bass Island (3T7) and then Saturday evening with a little too many drinks in Put-In-Bay on the island of South Bass Island (3W2). Sunday we continued past the Chicago skyline to Schaumburg airport (06C), only about 15 km. due west of Chicago O’Hare (uncontrolled airport, although on approach to runway 29 you are well under 1000 feet below the large planes on final approach into Chicago O’Hare). And finally back to Milwaukee (KMWC) where N7595Q is again washed and back in its hangar.