EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS

The requirements are really simple.

• Radio
• Mode C transponder and ADS-B out.
• Recommend familiarity with normal flight following procedures.

GENERAL NOTES

• • The Boston City Tour is not a mandatory service and is provided as a VFR service if workload permits. I would say that you are extremely likely to be accommodated but be prepared for a denial.
  • There is no set route and no fixed entry/exit points. You make your own route. 
  • Have a route planned ahead of time in Foreflight. This reduces workload once in the Bravo so you can take photos and look at everything.
  • There are several class Delta airports surrounding the Bravo. Be aware of these and plan your route accordingly. 
  • Check NOTAMs/TFRs before you go. If there is a Red Sox game, Fenway Park is going to be under a TFR. There are frequently TFRs around this airspace for various reasons.
  • Get trimmed up at your altitude for hands off flying before going under the 2000ft shelf. The less work you have to do, the more you can look outside and enjoy.
  • The John Hancock Tower is the tallest building in the area at 790′. You can plan your altitude for this. 1800′ is legal for everything in the city. The downside to this is that you are very likely going to be restricted to “At or below 2000ft”. This makes it a tight window to not bust that clearance. I generally fly the city tour at 1200-1600′. You can make your own decisions here. 
  • 91.119 Minimum safe altitudes; general (b) Over congested areas – Over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any open-air assembly of persons, an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft.
  • Pay attention to wind direction on your planned city tour day/time. Boston typically uses runways 04/22. If you look at Foreflight, you can draw extended centerlines (our content pack has these as a layer that you can enable) and see where you might to be asked to avoid. Sometimes they do use other runways which will affect your clearances in the Bravo. For instance, if 09/27 is in use, you are likely to be “Cleared into the bravo, at or below 2000ft, stay West of the city”.
  • The controllers have always been very nice and friendly any time I’ve done this route. Thank them on your way out. 

OVERVIEW

The procedure for doing the city tour is pretty simple. From any direction, you call up Boston Approach and let them know all the same info as you do with flight following and tell them you would like to do the city tour. They will issue a squawk code and start coordinating with Tower. You continue your route and do NOT enter the Bravo airspace yet. You will step down to your city tour altitude of 1600′ or whatever you choose. Approach will hand you off to Tower or Skyways frequency and they will issue your clearance into the bravo and any restrictions. Now you fly around the city and when done, continue on your route. You can then tell them that you are done with the city tour and are exiting the airspace to whatever direction your route takes you. If you don’t call, they will notice you heading out and ask if you are done. Expect vectors out of the airspace depending on what runways are in use or any traffic in the area. I typically stay low and exit the bravo back to vfr flight. If desired they will keep you on flight following and hand you off to departure. 

SAMPLE SCRIPT

You: “Boston Approach, Cessna 564G with VFR request.”

Approach: “564G, say request.”

You: “564G is a Cessna 150 at 1,600 over COTEE, looking to do the Boston City Tour if possible.”

Approach: “564G, Radar contact, Squawk 5127, I will coordinate with Boston Tower.”

You: “5127, 564G.”

Continue inbound to the first point on your route staying below and out of the Bravo airspace. At some point, Approach will reach back out to hand you off or give you more info. 

Approach: “564G, expect clearance into the Bravo from Tower.” or “564G, Contact Skyways on 124.72.”

Read back these instructions. Change frequency if instructed. You will be handed off to Boston Tower or Boston Skyways, but the same thing happens with both as far as you are concerned. 

On frequency change:

You: “Boston Skyways(or Tower), 564G at 1,600ft.”

They might ask what you want, just repeat that you are looking to do the city tour. I would say the most common response is:

Skyways: “564G, you are cleared into the Bravo, at or below 2000ft.”

Repeat back “Cleared into the Bravo” and all of the instructions. You may be issued an additional restriction; “Stay West of the city.” “Stay West of the Inner Harbor.” “Stay South of the Zakim Bridge.” It’s not critical that you study and memorize all of these landmarks but take a look at a map before you go and get a general idea of the area. If you are paying attention to which runway is in use, it’s very easy to guess what your restrictions are going to be. Essentially you can just expect to be asked not to fly straight into an approach/departure path. Easy. If you are asked to maintain a restriction that you do not understand or don’t know the location of, do not pretend. Just say “Unfamiliar with the area.” You are then likely to get a really easy restriction, “Stay West of the big buildings.” or “Stay South of the river.” While we are used to ATC speaking in code, the Boston Tower folks are friendly and helpful, quite opposite of normal Boston citizens. Just ask for clarification and they are happy to help. Our content pack has a number of spots listed in the ATC Restriction layer. While we can’t predict everything ATC might ask, this is a good starting point. If you’ve flown this route and been given an instruction not listed in the content pack, please reach out so we can add it.  

From here, fly around and do your thing. Have fun and check out the sights. Slow down and enjoy. There’s no rush. Listen for any directions from ATC and watch your altitude. 

When done, keep maintaining any restrictions and start heading out of the Bravo on your planned route. 

You: “Boston Tower/Skyways, 564G is done with the city tour, departing to the North/South/West towards xxx airport (wherever you are going)”. 

They will acknowledge and you are most likely going to receive vectors out of the airspace. Expect them to call out a couple of headings for you to follow as you make your way out. Once clear they usually hand you back off to approach or direct you to squawk VFR and change to advisory frequencies, depending on what you want. You can ask for either.