Flying 136 Miles Low & Slow Over the Mississippi River | Baton Rouge to Downtown New Orleans!

Join Maddi and Virgil on an unforgettable 136-mile VFR adventure down the Mighty Mississippi River, flying just at 1,000 feet AGL from Baton Rouge (KBTR) past New Orleans International (KMSY) and the French Quarter before heading home to Pensacola (82J)! Instead of a direct route home, we followed the river toward the Gulf of Mexico, taking in the views of cargo ships, refineries, and river towns in the heart of Louisiana. With the help of Baton Rouge Approach and a smooth handoff to New Orleans Approach, we were surprised and thrilled to get cleared into Class Bravo airspace — flying right past Louis Armstrong International Airport (KMSY) and over the iconic French Quarter! 📍 Highlights in this VFR Flight Vlog: ATC audio with Baton Rouge and New Orleans Approach Class B clearance and handoff to MSY tower with departing traffic Riverboat traffic and industrial sights along the Mississippi A surprise view of a Carnival Cruise ship in port Return route over coastal Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida towns While it was a hot and bumpy afternoon, the low-level views and amazing ATC service made this a truly special leg of our journey. From just after takeoff to New Orleans, we've left the video uncut and included as many landmarks in the timeline as we could identify. 🎥 Captured with cockpit audio and GoPro footage for a real pilot’s perspective. 🛩️ Aircraft: 1959 Piper Comanche 250 🎯 Route: KBTR ➡️ Mississippi River ➡️ KMSY ➡️ Gulf Coast ➡️ 82J 👍 Like, 🔔 Subscribe, and ✍️ Drop a comment if you've ever hugged a river VFR—this one’s for the low-and-slow lovers! 00:00:00 Changing Our Plan 00:00:32 VFR Squawk & Taxi Clearance 00:01:35 Approaching 1st Hold Short 00:01:49 2nd Hold Short 00:02:33 Approaching 2nd Hold Short & Getting the Third 00:03:23 Last Crossing Clearance 00:03:55 ILS Holding Discussion 00:04:55 Before Takeoff Checklist 00:05:26 Over to Tower 00:05:43 Takeoff Clearance & Takeoff 00:07:27 Over to Departure 00:09:16 Downtown Baton Rouge 00:09:46 Louisiana State Capitol 00:10:29 Joining the Mississippi River 00:10:52 Antenna Caution for the River 00:12:12 Two Tall Antennas on either Side 00:13:32 Dow Chemical - Morrisonville, LA 00:15:22 Icy Breeze Cooling our Necks 00:15:37 More Flight Following Updates 00:16:04 L'Auberge Casino 00:18:22 SNF Flopam 00:18:38 New Squawk 00:19:31 St Gabriel, LA 00:21:42 Geismar LA 00:23:14 Thinking Ahead for our New Orleans Plan 00:24:50 Donaldsonville, LA 00:26:37 Over to New Orleans but they cant hear us yet 00:27:11 Sunshine Bridge 00:28:52 Zen-Noh Grain Corp 00:30:19 Burton Lane, LA 00:31:00 Old Romeville, LA 00:31:48 We Finally Make Contact 00:32:23 Cleared through the Bravo! 00:34:34 Veteran's Memorial Bridge 00:36:28 Tank Change & Camera Checks 00:37:02 Marathon, Garyville Refinery 00:39:22 Over to New Orleans Tower 00:40:52 Really Tall Powerlines 00:42:49 What Bridge is This? Hale Boggs Bridge I-310 00:44:49 Taking a Bump 00:45:56 Traffic Departing in Front - Passing MSY Close 00:49:29 Back to Approach 00:50:35 Huey Long Bridge 00:55:06 Downtown New Orleans, Carnival Valor, French Quarter 00:56:14 Industrial Canal 00:57:05 Chalmette Battlefield - War of 1812 00:58:31 Leaving the River & Going for Colder Air 01:01:01 Over to Gulfport Approach 01:02:02 46 Minutes to Home 01:03:13 Silver Slipper Casino 01:03:58 Bay St Louis 01:04:18 Gulfport, MS 01:06:15 Keesler AFB & Biloxi 01:06:58 Bayou La Batre 01:07:48 Arriving Back to Pensacola 01:09:50 Overhead for Left Traffic 18 01:12:35 Landing 01:12:57 Wrap Up Please like and subscribe! Blog: https://planeplaces.com How we make these videos (affiliate links): GoPro Hero12 Cameras (https://amzn.to/45Wj1Kr) Nflightcam Audio Cable (https://amzn.to/4615t05) MyPilotPro Swivel Mount (https://amzn.to/4bD1cRy) MyPilotPro Airplane Mount (https://amzn.to/45XHzmi) Neewer ND Filters (https://amzn.to/3XYKs4q) 512GB U3 MicroSD (https://amzn.to/3XXHPQ5)