Geico266
Touchdown! Greaser!
While in the Phoenix area I decided it was time to check another item off my bucket list and fly the Grand Canyon. I flight planned from Chandler (KCHD) under the class "B" and over Falcon Field to Sedona area to take some pictures. Sedona is unbelievably beautiful, and I highly recommend the Sedona Airport for the adventurous pilots, but I digress.
If you are planning to fly the Grand Canyon you will need to buy ($4) or borrow the chart below please do not be intimidated by the restrictions. This is a flight well worth the effort. A little air traffic control is not a bad thing, and it is now the regs.
I added the GPS coordinates from the above VFR chart to my Garmin 496. I decided to start on the east side and work my way west flying the corridors at the prescribed altitudes of 11,500 northbound and 10,500 southbound. I was the only plane flying the VFR route at the time I was there, but the charter flights were busy below me. It is customary to call out your position and direction on the local canyon freqs as you enter a corridor. This is for reference only, you still had to fly wide of a few of the restricted areas so "buyer beware.
For reference, the blue dot airport is the Grand Canyon Airport (KGCN)
IMHO, the Grand Canyon trip is well worth the time as a destination flight. There are several nice, inexpensive places to stay if you do a little home work.
If you are interested in seeing the pictures I took here is the link.
https://picasaweb.google.com/104592539075472798431/GrandCanyon?authkey=Gv1sRgCLn7wujCs9is8gE#
The chick with the beer in the pics is my bride of 21 years. I bought the bracelet in Sedona when I stopped for fuel and lunch. I gave it to her that night for Valentines Day 2011. Smooth huh?
Sedona, is an EXCELLENT place to fly beautiful rock formations with no restrictions, but there are MANY helos giving tours so monitor the CTAF and report your position. The airports presents an interesting landing and take off if you are not prepared for up draft and down drafts. Caution should be exercised.
The best fuel price is the area seemed to be Valle (pronounced valley) K40G, but I elected Sedona for a "crew car" trip into town.
I hope you enjoyed the brief trip write up and I hope you add the Grand Canyon to your bucket list. Well worth the trip.
Fly safe.
If you are planning to fly the Grand Canyon you will need to buy ($4) or borrow the chart below please do not be intimidated by the restrictions. This is a flight well worth the effort. A little air traffic control is not a bad thing, and it is now the regs.
I added the GPS coordinates from the above VFR chart to my Garmin 496. I decided to start on the east side and work my way west flying the corridors at the prescribed altitudes of 11,500 northbound and 10,500 southbound. I was the only plane flying the VFR route at the time I was there, but the charter flights were busy below me. It is customary to call out your position and direction on the local canyon freqs as you enter a corridor. This is for reference only, you still had to fly wide of a few of the restricted areas so "buyer beware.
For reference, the blue dot airport is the Grand Canyon Airport (KGCN)
IMHO, the Grand Canyon trip is well worth the time as a destination flight. There are several nice, inexpensive places to stay if you do a little home work.
If you are interested in seeing the pictures I took here is the link.
https://picasaweb.google.com/104592539075472798431/GrandCanyon?authkey=Gv1sRgCLn7wujCs9is8gE#
The chick with the beer in the pics is my bride of 21 years. I bought the bracelet in Sedona when I stopped for fuel and lunch. I gave it to her that night for Valentines Day 2011. Smooth huh?
Sedona, is an EXCELLENT place to fly beautiful rock formations with no restrictions, but there are MANY helos giving tours so monitor the CTAF and report your position. The airports presents an interesting landing and take off if you are not prepared for up draft and down drafts. Caution should be exercised.
The best fuel price is the area seemed to be Valle (pronounced valley) K40G, but I elected Sedona for a "crew car" trip into town.
I hope you enjoyed the brief trip write up and I hope you add the Grand Canyon to your bucket list. Well worth the trip.
Fly safe.
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I heard that Valle is a great place to stop. Sorry I missed it!
