NOTAM: The Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) associated with the Grand Canyon has been suspended for this flight, as have many, many other regulations regarding airspeed and altitude. This is the time to kick off your heels and have some fun on the network.
Pistons: 100nm flight from Grand Canyon National Park (KGCN) to Grand Canyon Bar Ten (1Z1). HERE IS THE ROUTE for pistons
Jets: continue along the river until reaching Lake Mead, and then head to Perkins (U08). HERE IS THE ROUTE for jets
Pilots can fly in formation, race, or take a leisurely flight along the river.
Communications: suggest using 123.45 (a special 'chat' frequency that allows full-duplex communication with everyone in the area). Or, if pilots prefer an experience that more close mirrors real world radio operation, use 122.75 (standard air-to-air frequency), or 120.50 (frequency published on the Grand Canyon SFRA chart) while in the canyon. Flight following will not be available for aircraft below the canyon rim. I'm listing multiple frequencies because, depending on the size of the turn out, certain groups might want to break off onto their own, discrete frequency.
Here are some suggestions that might allow everyone to share the airspace with minimal conflict:
1) 90-200kt aircraft should remain half way up the canyon wall, or higher, and should fly on the right side of the river. No need to hug the canyon wall, just remain to the right of the river center line.
2) 200-350kt aircraft should remain half way up the canyon wall, or higher, and should fly on the left side of the river.
3) 350-450kt aircraft shall generally fly along the center line of the river (where possible), half way up the canyon wall, or higher, and keep a vigilant watch for other aircraft on the left and right.
4) 450kt aircraft will need all the space they can possibly get. Feel free to use any altitude that works for you, just maintain a constant vigil for aircraft that you will be overtaking. Do not deliberately 'ram' anyone (even though collision detection is switched off). By all means, give them a friendly wave as you narrowly avoid them
(This event is for fun, allowing us to do something we could never do in real life, blast down the Grand Canyon below the canyon rim).5) ALL aircraft, use caution for a series of recorded 4-ship military flights that operate very low above the river averaging 600kts. This is the reason for the suggestion for slower aircraft remain higher. The recordings to not attempt to avoid any other traffic, hence the suggestion to remain at least half way between the floor and the rim of the canyon, or higher. They depart Tuba City every 5 minutes or so, and terminate their flight at Grand Canyon West.
Additionally, there is an F-15 and 2 T-38's that fly in formation, roughly following the path of the river, above the canyon rim at ~450kias. Don't be alarmed if you see them above you from time to time.
If anyone wishes the join the 600kt 4-ship formation (comes through every 5 mins), feel free to depart with them out of Tuba City, or simply departing GCN rwy 3 and fly straight until you come to the river. Orbit there, look below you and within 5 minutes, you'll see them coming. I strongly suggest practicing ahead of time if you plan to do this. For reference, the drones were flown with the X-Plane stock F4 Phantom, all ordinance removed, afterburner set to LOW (switch to the left of the pilot's left knee), FULL fuel (you'll need a lot). Use extreme caution not to exceed Mach 1 when operating just above the river. Doing so will result in 'mach tuck' that will drive you into the river, or at the very least, dampen your elevator response, making it unusually difficult to maneuver along a desired ground track. The #3 and #4 drones occasionally accelerate to about 630kias (about 10-15kts shy of Mach 1) to catch up in the early stages. Incidentally, #1 and #2 do not complete the flight (one due to pilot error, the other due to an unfortunately timed invocation of the screen saver).
As much fun as this is, I've also found it helpful for practicing precise aircraft control. The specific control forces of a $20 joystick will never replicate the stick forces that are required to control a real airplane....however, the concepts are identical to flying a real airplane. The subtle elevator control that is required to safely maneuver at high speed and low level can teach you volumes about precise aircraft control, and the lessons learned are applicable at any altitude.
