KSPG near Tampa Question

[steviedeviant]

I will be filing and coming from KVLD, which is simply a stop along the way. I don’t have a ton of experience in class B and I know they will give me vectors, but anyone have any experience in this airspace and landing at KSPG you would like to share? I hear they keep you pretty low coming in and the airport is around a lot of building.

 

[RyanB]

If you’ll be IFR, what are you concerned about?

 

[Jim_R]

Same as RyanB: What's your specific concern?

I often fly in/out of Shreveport Downtown (KDTN) that is similarly close to some similarly tall buildings. I'm aware of them and just make sure I don't fly into 'em, same as I do with all the 300' - 2000' towers that are pretty much everywhere.

 

[k9medic]

Would suggest that if you don't need to file that you don't. You WILL get vectored all over.

Get FF and fly the coastline pretty much direct. They will turn you in when you are west of Clearwater. Coming over the buildings is a non issue. The N/S runway is preferred though.

 

[frfly172]

Try to do the flight VFR with flight following,like previous poster said fly the coast,Tampa class B is not that scary if you study the charts.

 

[jbarrass]

All I have to add is that the Tampa controllers are easy to work with and some of the best around.

 

[farangutan]

As others have posted, come down the coast, shouldn't be a problem to get flight following. Lots of planes so keep your head on a swivel. Tampa controllers are great, sometimes busy. If you don't get flight following, the big stadium is a prominent landmark due west of the airport and the airport is just south of the outcrop of buildings making up downtown St. Pete. If you get right base runway 18, fly your base north of the buildings and watch out for the sail boats on final

 

[traumamed]

All I have to add is that the Tampa controllers are easy to work with and some of the best around.

Second this. I am based at KSRQ, and fly the KTPA bravo at least weekly. I am proud to say that my "home" bravo is my favorite bravo in the country. I might be a little biased, but seriously, they are awesome.

Whoever mentioned getting "vectored all over" is not my experience, whether I'm IFR or picked up a VFR clearance to enter. In fact, they'll often fly me right through the KTPA core when I'm on a generally north/south route.

To the OP: If you're coming in on an IFR flight plan, they will often keep you pretty high till late, so be ready for a quick descent. If you come in VFR, make sure you pick up flight following early, say no later than passing KCTY. That gives them time to sequence you in and gives you the best shot of getting cleared into the bravo. Don't be afraid to ask for it if they haven't already given it to you by 5-10 miles from the bravo. Stay toward the west/aim for the western shelf. Tampa Approach is usually pretty happy to clear you in there and descend you through that with minimal if any vectors, and then point you toward the active at KSPG.

 

[Sluggo63]

I'm based at SPG. It's a nice little airport with a great tower (except for one prickly controller). Coming from VLD, if the weather supports it, I'd cancel when you get close and come in VFR with FF. Just plan on coming down the coast until you're almost due west of the field at St. Pete Beach (VPGPE) before you turn in. Runway 7 is the most used runway so it basically will put you on final for the runway (if they're on 7). There's a blast fence at the approach end of 7 with a pretty long displaced threshold, but don't let it spook you, it's not a big deal. Runway 18 will have you flying abeam downtown and over the pier which is pretty cool. In all the years I've been here, I don't think I've landed 25.

I will say that I don't really agree with the sentiment above that TPA Class B is all that friendly. Coming in IFR from the Charlotte area, they were trying to jam me up while I was trying to avoid weather (and I was at 12,000', so above the Class B). They basically turned me due west north of the B until I was over the coast then south down the coast. At 12,000 I don't know why they didn't let me overfly the B directly then descend once I was past SPG. I asked and they were pretty adamant. I didn't really care, it only added 10 minutes of so, but even NY will let you fly over Kennedy at 11,000 and above.

Let me know if you have any questions. I don't know why you're coming in, but the airport restaurant is the jewel of SPG and probably one of the absolute best airport restaurants I've ever been to.

 

[JAX]

If you’re IFR file VLD..OCF..BOLTS..SPG. Expect odd altitudes south and 5000 south of OCF. If VFR, ZJX 125.37 will get you started eventually going to JAX 118.17 or 118.6. The handoff to TPA is 50/50 if they feel like working you. If they take radar it‘ll be 118.8 or 125.3. You’ll know by CGC of your getting services from TPA or not.