Flying the Hudson River— How to fly a busy VFR corridor

?Photo credit to Divinity PriceWe took off of BLM Monmouth Executive Airport 23 miles south of the Verrazano bridge— the southernmost inlet of the Hudson River. I was cheesing from ear to ear, as I have never seen New York City besides through photographs. This is every aviation enthusiast's bucket list venture. This journey started early in the morning, 220 miles southwest in Virginia Beach. We embarked on a journey to see New York City. Overseeing the coastline from 5,500 ft, we landed at BLM for fuel. Left photo credit Skyvector.comAs you see, New York City and Newark are congested, complex, yet compelling areas. The three major airports are LGA, EWR, and JFK. The Hudson River is sandwiched between all three of them. To fly the River VFR corridor, preparation started the day before. Will the weather permit it? Are there any noteworthy NOTAMs that may affect my departure, route or destination? There is also a Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) along the Hudson. A FAASafety.gov course, that isn't required but is highly recommended, will prepare you for all you need to know. The course is roughly 20 minutes and highly informative as to the safe operations. Special Flight Rules Area in the vicinity of New York City Photo credit Divinity Price Besides the fact the city area is an alluring view, the Hudson is a historical landmark. On Jan. 15, 2009 the legendary Sullenberger's made an emergency landing of US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River, in which all 155 passengers and crew survived. For aviation enthusiasts, it lures them to the area to experience a bit of history. But through that interest, extreme caution must be taken. On August 8, 2009, nine people were killed in a mid-air collision over the Hudson. A tour helicopter operated by a licensed commercial pilot and a PiperCherokee PA-32R- 300 plane operated by a licensed private pilot where the pilots involved in the collision. The Federal Aviation Administration made changes to the Hudson River Airspace Corridor flight rules just three months after the collision. Now known as the Hudson Rule, the new regulations place stricter guidelines on flying over the Hudson and East Rivers. These requirements include:• Maintaining a speed of 140 knots or less; • Turn on anti-collision and aircraft position/navigation lights, if equipped; • Self announcing their position on specific radio frequencies and carrying current charts for the airspace and being familiar with them. Add this FAA handout to your ForeFlight or kneeboard as a useful supplement. New York City Hudson VFR Corridor—kneeboard quick use guidelines Every aviation enthusiast has a "must fly" bucket list. Be sure to use all available information such as NOTAMs and FAAsafety.gov training courses to equip yourself. Have fun, and be safe!