I grew up in the New York City area. I’ve been to the city many times, and even held a few jobs there. But most of my experiences with the city are from the ground, where the view is somewhat restricted. For years I’ve been trying to get to the top of the Empire State Building for my birthday to get a better look at the city, but it seems like every year I try they schedule the annual race up the building’s staircase for the same day. This year, with my Private Pilot’s certificate in hand and a Universal Pilot Checkout from Open Airplane, I figured I would try something different for a better effect: rent a plane and fly it up the Hudson River SFRA.