Flight planning in Class Bravo
 

Hey all, student here with another question for you (i plan on asking my instructor as well but wanted to ask here while the question is fresh in my mind).

What kind of precautions would I need to take if I were to fly a plane to an airport which is a small Class D airport, but falls within the veil of a larger airport's class B veil?

For instance, the airport i was thinking of was TEB, New Jersey. However, the class B veil from JFK seems to extend very far out.

Assuming that I plan on trying to avoid all altitudes which are shown by the sectional (i think its from 3,000-7,000ft around where I'm going, the class b veil anyways), would it be wise to call JFK ahead of time and let them know the day i'm going, or my plan in general?

Thanks for any info!

I would not call them. Your safest bet would be VFR flight following or advisories. If you didn't want to communicate within that disaster of an airspace then simply abide by the class B shelf limits which around TEB looks to be 70/15 immediately surrounding TEB.

Are you planning to fly to TEB? The reason I ask is that it doesn't fit the description of small class D airport. Granted I've only flown cabin class twin (414) and larger into there but that airport is probably one of the bigger pain in the a..... class D airports I know of.

Regarding flight following, the controllers there are great but may not have time for you. If they do, they are nice but not patient. You can't miss radio calls and must be concise, clear, and brief.

In my opinion, a terrible airport, area to fly to unless you are based there. I'm not even sure id encourage a commercial pilot working towards a CFI to go there.

I learned to fly in my home of Orlando, at executive (KORL) we were under a 1600 foot bravo shelf. In addition, Disney is a permanent TFR just to the west that you have to stay over 3000 feet, then drop down to under 2000 on the other side approaching ORL. It was always easier just to call Orlando approach, get a squawk code and Bravo Clearance, and just descend in normally. Workload permitting for the controller of course but sometimes it's so much easier.

Yeah, I actually did plan on flying there eventually. Maybe I will choose another airport close-by though if TEB is that much of a PITA. My wife wants to go to a certain spot in NJ and I figured once I get my license I could fly us there. So I just googled airports closest to the center and TEB was closest. I think there were a few others. Unfortunately they all will probably fall in that giant circle of vomit on my sectional.

Some advice I gave my students which I wish I had when I was new was to take my time before flying friend/family/loved ones. A nice quick morning or evening (also spring/fall) hop to a local airport for a burger is a great start. I simply did not have the experience to deliver a great "experience" to my passengers as a new pilot. In hindsight I wish I had waited till maybe 100-200 hours or so. I got into situations such as complex airspace, turbulence, winds etc that I simply didn't have the experience to avoid/navigate until later on.

With all this being said..TEB is certainly not impossible but would require A LOT of homework. I would certainly want a VFR flight plan or at the least, flight following. It is busy and the airspace can be complex. I've got a few hours now and I'd be hesitant to plan a trip into there with my wife in a light single engine.

I'd rather fly into Boston Logan or even JFK before TEB. This site definitely will have some local and/or TEB experts though who could give you some first hand info over the handful of times I've been in there.

By the sound of it, I'd rather just find an alternate airport lol. Not sounding too good there. I'm really glad I asked first.

TEB is one of the busiest GA airports in the country. With that said, don't avoid it just because of that fact, rather your first trip or so, have another pilot or CFI that has been there go with you.

I have been there in turboprop aircraft, never any piston, but I'm from the midwest and no reason otherwise. It is manageable, just be prepared to have a lot thrown at you. If you can, do a practice run on a simulator or something of that nature.

100's of tidbits of advice, but I encourage you definatley try it.

Showing off to the wife as a new pilot going into Teterboro is a bad idea. Leave it to us that loathe going in there on a daily basis.
If your piloting skills can do an ILS approach to runway 6, circling to runway 1, with howling winds at 270, manage to avoid the towers next to the stadium, while you have a NetJets Global on your A$$, then have fun with it.....There is Morristown nearby.

Unless you are really on your game and can keep that Cessna at 140 kias until a one mile final, do everyone a favor and avoid TEB. Unless you plan to go on a Saturday, when it is usually a ghost town. As mentioned above, TEB is no place for a novice.
Having said that, a Saturday or Sunday morning trip with an experienced CFI could be a great experience.

thinking maybe I will try Morristown. The only reason I was thinking TEB was because according to google maps it was the closest to a landmark she wanted to visit. I believe Morristown may have been second though.

If I did go, it'd be on a weekend, but even still I'd rather a less busy airport. I was actually just at bradley international recently and the taxiing there confused me a lot, so simple is better for right now.


First order of business though, I need to pass my darn test! This friday actually! getting nervous. Instructor says i'm ready, but there's nothing like the nice comfort of turning to your right and asking what to do sometimes.