Flying over New Orleans

In May 1999, I visited New Orleans with a law firm colleague to give respective presentations at my former law school. The trip coincided with the Jazz Fest weekend (yeah, not really coincidence). While there, i had an urge to fly around. So I rented a Cessna 172 from Lakefront Airport (Google Map) in and took my colleague and a former law school buddy of mine flying. And we couldn't have chosen a more beautiful day to see the city and surrounding areas. After takeoff, I headed south toward Algiers and then west toward Audobon Park, following the Mississippi. I circled near the Loyola campus and then returned east, heading toward Slidell, following I-10, and then returned to Lakefront Airport for an amazingly smooth landing.

(above) Flying a rented C-172.

(above) The Mississippi River, the Poland Street wharf (center), and the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal (right) just south of the boundary of the Ninth Ward (far center/right), which was severely damaged in a later hurricane.

(above) The Mississippi River, the casino (far left), the World Trade Center (left), the Riverwalk (center).

(above) View of New Orlean's Pontchartrain Expressway (left), the Superdome (center/left) and the central business district (center/right).

Copyright © 2008 A.C. Frieden. No reproduction permitted.