NOTICE!
This trip is only being offered as a guided tour at this time. Since this is our first time running this route, we are looking for 3 additional planes to attend this trip for costs only (no money paid to us). The only consideration we ask is that you allow us to use any photos and videos taken on the trip. If you are interested, please reach out via the Sign Up Now button, call us, or email via our contact page for more info.
NEWFOUNDLAND CANADA
This Seacoast Maine to Newfoundland Canada trip is a trip of a lifetime. We will visit UNESCO world heritage sites, small Canadian towns, gorgeous national parks and hope to see puffins, whales, and glaciers on the trip. Be the first to see the sun rise in North America at Cape Spear National Historic Site. If you are a Flat Earther you can check out one of your famous “Four Corners Of The Earth” on Fogo Island (the rest of us will pretend we agree with you). Visit Jellybean Row in St. Johns and see the colorful houses of this working harbor town. We will make a stop in Gander where planes from around the world were welcomed planes and travelers on 9/11. Gander was also once the busiest airport in the world before the age of jets.
This trip is designed to capture and showcase the individual character and spirit of each place we visit. We will be staying in locally owned properties and eating at independent restaurants. Amenities will range from modern boutique luxury to “the only place to stay for 200 miles in any direction, there are 5 rooms, and I hope the hot water works.”
Availability:
September-October, 2024
Cost:
Estimated $2000-2500/plane (two people per plane) – This is an estimate and includes lodging, meals, fuel, oil, activities, ground transportation, landing fees, etc. It is intended to be an all inclusive cost from wheels up to wheels down in Portsmouth NH.
Available Spots:
5 Planes
Weather:
We cannot control the weather. We will do our best to complete the trip as planned and there is buffer time built into the schedule. This is a general aviation VFR trip. If a no-go decision is made and we have to miss half the trip, it’s better to try again another time than end up in the side of a mountain. It’s important to be flexible on scheduling and planned excursions.
Special Requirements:
Your airplane MUST have valid and full paperwork including: Active registration, airworthiness, POH in the airplane, dataplate, and weight and balance info. You must have a valid passport, FAA license, and valid medical certificate on you. BasicMed is NOT recognized in Canada.
Aviation Adventure Routes will assist with, and process for you, any documentation, radio license, etc. required for out of country travel. You really don’t need to do anything difficult to travel in Canada. We will handle everything you need and go over any important information on the flight as needed and in the pre-trip communications. We highly recommend everyone have CANPASS for all occupants of the plane. This is an easy process, not expensive, and we can provide assistance for expedited processing.
KEY DETAILS
Trip Duration: 7 Days
Total Flight Hours: 31
Type Of Flight: VFR Only
Average Flight Speed: 95MPH (Contact us for a revised itinerary for 160mph planes).
Average Flight Leg: 3 Hours
Fuel Capacity Recommended: 3.5 hours (plus reserves)
Longest Leg Without Any Fuel Available: 2Hr 15Min (no wind)
Lodging: Hotels, No Camping. Mixed amenities, from a 7 room inn/convenience store/restaurant in a remote Inuit village to a modern boutique hotel and everything in between.
Expected Cost: $2000 all inclusive. This cost is not paid to us. We do not take money for the trip. This is just what you can expect to spend on the trip.
Food: Breakfast/Lunch – on the go and on your own. We wills top for supplies/snacks. Dinners are generally sit down as a group each night.
Airplane Requirements: Available to all. No minimum tire size.
Runway Types: Combination smooth grass and paved. There are two optional off airport landing areas. For those wanting to do off airport operations, big tires and the ability to be on the ground and stopped in 500′ and off the ground in the same is required. These off airport locations have no obstacles to approach and departure so it is just a matter of getting down and stopped and then wheels up in 500′.
Shortest Mandatory Runway: 2000ft with trees. (Similar to Hampton, NH, 7B3).
Risk Factors: Flight Over Water. Flight Over Remote Areas.
Flight Over Water: This route takes us over extremely cold water at times. There are three over water segments of 30-40nm each. With 8:1 glide ratio @10k ft, you are out of glide distance for roughly 10 miles on the longest crossing with no wind. We recommend climbing to 12,500′ for this stretch. Keep in mind in Canada Class B airspace starts at 12,500 and is “controlled VFR”. You can go higher with ATC clearance.
Flight Over Remote Areas: This route takes us over some EXTREMELY remote areas. Some areas are heavily wooded and without safe emergency landing areas.
Physical Requirements: Some walking/light hiking is optional but highly recommended. Sitting in a small plane all day gets tiring and it’s good to keep your legs moving. This trip will be a fair amount of walking/hiking but all at a mild level. The longest hike is at a leisurely pace and roughly 7km on mild trails. You can skip out or turn back on any trail at any time.
ITINERARY
Day 1
We head North through main and stop for fuel one last time int he states at the Northernmost airport in Maine. Entering New Brunswick Canada, we are officially on our way towards the first big destination, AntiCosti Island. We fly low along the beaches of the “Graveyard Of The Gulf”, named for the 400+ ships that have run aground and sunk here. Keep your eyes sharp for Bald Eagles as this is a popular nesting location for them. As we turn inland to fly around some canyons to spot Vauréal Falls, an incredible 250′ high waterfall. Next we fly along the limestone cliffs at Baie de la Tour and admire the beautiful turquoise waters. Our day ends at Gite du Copaco, a 7 room B&B right on the island.
Day 2
Day 2 starts off with a relaxed breakfast at the B&B before making our way off the island. We overfly some incredible landscapes on our way to the Innu community of Pakuashipi. Lunch is just across the water in Saint-Augustin and the only way to get there is by Hovercraft! A quick 5 minute ride drops us off at the shore of this village descendent of Inuit. After lunch we have another scenic flight up the coast and make our way towards St. Anthony where we park for the night. We hop in a van and head North for a walk around L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site where we learn about the first known evidence of European presence in the Americas. The Vikings landed at this UNESCO world heritage site over 1000 years ago. Arriving back in town around 7pm for a late dinner and some rest.
Day 3
A day light on flying and heavy with activities. Let’s start the day with some excitement and with a private glacier tour by boat in a fast Zodiac. After hopefully spotting some glaciers and whales, it’s back to the planes for a low and slow scenic flight down the coast. We overfly the Bay Of Islands to turn and follow the river back up to Deer Lake. There’s plenty of time in the schedule for a relaxed sit down lunch. From here we take a quick ride by van to Gros Morne National Park, another UNESCO heritage site. Most of the day is spent walking and exploring Gros Morne. We head back towards town for dinner in town and then a short flight over Grand Lake, the largest lake in Newfoundland. Don’t get too scared as we fly over Main Dam, allegedly haunted with many ghost sightings reported. Finish up the day watching the sunset over the water at 9:30pm for a landing back in town.
Day 4
Stopping at Gander International Airport, known for providing refuge to 7000 displaced passengers during 9/11 when US airspace closed. Not only that, but Amelia Earhart began many of her voyages here as well as Alcock and Brown when they embarked on the world’s first nonstop transatlantic flight. More scenic overflights throughout the day before winding up in famous St. John’s. We will have time to explore Jellybean row and have a nice dinner before getting to bed early. Tomorrow morning we need to be up at sunrise to be the first ones to see the sunrise in North America.
Day 5
After an action packed trip, today is a day of peacefulness, introspection, and beauty. Starting off the day with the first sunrise in North America at Cape Spear National Park we visit the Easternmost point in Canada and start to think about making our way back towards home. Lot’s of low and slow flight over Newfoundland towards the East coast, where we spend our last night on the island.
Day 6
Day 6 is Heading South we overfly scenic Cape Breton Island and then stop for the night at Port Hawkesbury. Day 5-6 allows us a fair amount of buffer time and are our “flex” days to accommodate weather or other delays. If we have perfect weather and no delays, there is plenty of scenery in the area and lots of cool stuff to do.
Day 7
Our final day. After passing through Prince Edward Island, we make a quick route back home but not before stopping in Lubec Maine and Eastport Maine, the furthest East grass and paved runways in the USA. Stopping in scenic Bar Harbor for lunch before making it back to Seacoast Airfield.
