KSZP (Santa Paula) Pireps

ircphoenix

ircphoenix

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ircphoenix
Hey party people.

Heading up to Ventura this weekend. Santa Paula seems to be the closest to our destination and we have friends that live near there.

I have limited experience with uncontrolled fields, and it seems like all the noise abatement procedures at SZP are a pain in the butt for those unfamiliar with them.

Now Camarillo (CMA) and Oxnard (OXR) are only about 5 minutes further from our destination than Santa Paula. Am I better off going to one of those to not have to deal with remembering the procedures at SZP?
 
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SZP is not a pain at all. In fact, it's a great little airport!

Winds typically favor 22. If coming from the east thru the valley, just fly upwind at 1500 and then after turning crosswind (about a mile from departure end) begin descent down to 800 for the downwind leg. Keep an eye out for traffic. There are NORDO planes around there.
 
mr_happyland said:
SZP is not a pain at all. In fact, it's a great little airport!

Winds typically favor 22. If coming from the east thru the valley, just fly upwind at 1500 and then after turning crosswind (about a mile from departure end) begin descent down to 800 for the downwind leg. Keep an eye out for traffic. There are NORDO planes around there.
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It's the NORDO planes that make me nervous.
 
ircphoenix said:
It's the NORDO planes that make me nervous.
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Looking for NORDO planes is no different than looking for planes in unexpected places at controlled airports. Personally, I've had more issues with the latter than the former.
 
It says night operations are prohibited... soooooo.... night is 1 hour after sunset, right? No weird rules regarding night there, yes?
 
I've flown out of SZP for the last 3 years, its a great airport. Google their website for their arrival and departure procedures due to noise abatement and its geographical location (right up next to a 2k foot mountain.) In 3 years, I've only been in the pattern once with a NORDO plane, most every thing from cubs to the weight shift trikes have radios. That said, if your uncomfortable with a small airport, low pattern (600' agl) and a tight patern (down wind is maybe 1/2 of a mile off the runway) OXR or CMA would be better. There are no runway lights or beacon, that along with trees, wires, and a palm tree on final I would not plan on landing/taking off before sunrise or after sunset. If that didn't scare you off:

Coming from the East for Rwy 22: The airspace east of SZP from 1500 to 4500 feet is a wavered acrobatic box. Acrobatic planes from SZP and VNY use it everyday, don't go blasting down the middle of the valley at 3k not talking to anyone. The acro planes tend to fly either north or south of the 126 freeway so fly right over the freeway or along the north or south side of the valley. South of the Filmore VOR and around the Simi vally and Thousand oaks area is a practice area for students doing manuevers as well. Moniter 122.77, make position reports (bugsmasher XXX over 126 freeway, westbound 4500 feet, adjacent lake Piru/Fillmore, etc.) After Fillmore, be on the north side of the freeway, go to SZP CTAF 122.9 and report 4 miles east (at the big powerlines on the North side of the valley.) Report 1500 feet over the city for 22. Report and turn cross wind at Peck road (first major bridge crossing the freeway west of the airport.) Watch for planes climbing straight out. Report downwind over the golf course.

From the West for 22: Watch out for OXR and CMA airspace if below 2k. Report downwind at Saticoy Bridge which is 6 miles to the west. Report downwind "over the junk yard", 3 miles to the west, looks like a parking lot of cars in rows. Report down wind over golf course.
 
If you are coming in from the east there is an aerobatic box three miles to the east with lots of training going on.
The frequency is 122.775.
There are also unmann
In my opinion the noise procedures are not at all complex and the pattern is so small it is pretty easy to spot traffic.
The gas is currently 3.999 per gallon.
There are a lot of interesting at the Santa Paula airport.
The website with procedures can be found here:
http://www.santapaulaairport.com/flying-into-kszp/traffic-pattern
Pay attention to the windsocks and tetrahedron.
 
Yeah. I read on the website. Just seemed onerous. Probably because I'm not used to it.

And that's good info G-force. Sunset is 6:14 this weekend there... and I don't know when we're leaving. Especially if we're visiting friends out there.

How's OXR vs CMA? OXR is a straight shot down the road from the high school we're going to. It's 5 miles closer but 5 minutes further. CMA is a crapshoot because I hate the 101.
 
ircphoenix said:
It says night operations are prohibited... soooooo.... night is 1 hour after sunset, right? No weird rules regarding night there, yes?
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FAR 1.1 says civil twilight. You're thinking of FAR 61.57(b)(1). It's common for people to get confused by FAR 1.1, FAR 61.57(b) and FAR 91.209
 
CMA is a nice class D airport with a great restaurant; The Waypoint Café.

The proximity of Point Magu and Oxnard makes for some interesting traffic.

They also have a nice museum; CAFs Southern California Wing.

I feel OXR has a nicer tower and tends to be less crowded.
 
Either OXR or CMA are easy to fly into. I don't believe OXR has self serve fuel, CMA does. SZP has self serv fuel, cheapest in the area, stillunder $4 as of last weekend. I believe there is transient parking at CMA near the cafe (which is excelent by the way.)
 
G-force said:
Either OXR or CMA are easy to fly into. I don't believe OXR has self serve fuel, CMA does. SZP has self serv fuel, cheapest in the area, stillunder $4 as of last weekend. I believe there is transient parking at CMA near the cafe (which is excelent by the way.)
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All three are susceptible to coastal marine overcast and/or fog. OXR, being closest to the coast, gets it more often than the other two. Otherwise, it's a pleasant, easy airport.
 
ircphoenix said:
It says night operations are prohibited... soooooo.... night is 1 hour after sunset, right? No weird rules regarding night there, yes?
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No. There are three definitions for night, and that one is used for currency only.

The relevant one here is after civil twilight. That's less than 30 minutes after sunset this time of year in SoCal. If you may need night, go to KOXR or KCMA. Both are pleasant airports with lights.

That's nothing local. The definition of night is in 14 CFR 1.1.

The third definition is sunset to sunrise, used for position lights in 14 CFR 91.209.
 
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