PIREP for Bay & LA areas

[Cici]

Going on a spring break trip w/ the family. I'm going to pick up the family in SLC and then fly west. We have both the Bay and LA areas on the list (as well as SEZ).

We wanted to overnight in San Francisco. Seems KSQL is a safe bet? From my research the FBO is friendly, close to the "heart" of San Francisco etc. We wanted to catch BART into town, is that possible from SQL (with shuttle or reasonable uber)? Any other airports we should consider. I read Hayward is another good option.

I have a good friend that lives in the Burbank area. Is KVNY the best for a lowly GA guy trying to park for a night? I don't need a hanger. Rental car doesn't bother me. I tend to avoid the $ignature $ervice (and $7 LL) we've all come to know and love.

What if I was trying to airbnb something on the coast and I decide my good friend isn't that good after all? Oxnard a good base to see some coast and grab a nice house for the night?

What about Beaches end of March? I assume too cold, but I want to tell my daughter some stranger on the internet decided that, not me.

Heard a lot about flying into KSEZ. Best to go in IFR and follow an approach in or no big deal VFR in clear weather?

 

[Palmpilot]

BART would be a fairly short Uber ride from SQL. Study the Terminal Area Chart carefully before coming in!

There is a decent restaurant open for breakfast and lunch in the terminal building, which is next to transient parking.

 

[Pilawt]

Is KVNY the best for a lowly GA guy trying to park for a night? I don't need a hanger. Rental car doesn't bother me. I tend to avoid the $ignature $ervice (and $7 LL) we've all come to know and love.

Whiteman (KWHP) is convenient to the Burbank area, and more suited to light G.A. Check Airnav or call around for prices and transportation options.

Heard a lot about flying into KSEZ. Best to go in IFR and follow an approach in or no big deal VFR in clear weather?

It is definitely no big deal VFR in clear weather. Phoenix approach provides flight following in the area, and is recommended. Don't miss Sedona; it is spectacular.

 

[dreyna14]

KVNY is not exactly a convenient GA location. Huge corporate jet hub. As mentioned, KWHP is about ten miles away and a but more convenient, but right under the KBUR class C. I live in Oxnard and the coming months will get into some marine layer if you aren't IFR but you can get an AirBnB at the beach easily and very close by. Camarillo is a great airport with a fantastic restaurant and CAF museum. KSZP has the best avgas around for a buck cheaper than anywhere else.

Beaches will be cold for swimming but I'm a big wuss about that so take it with a grain of salt.

If you make it to the Oxnard area, send me a message.

 

[mr_happyland]

KWHP (my home airport) is the way to go for proximity and cost for Burbank. BUR is obviously the most convenient, but it will cost you a little more. Transient at WHP is something like $10/nt (don't quote me on that).

The cheapest fuel in the area (and a great airport to visit) is KSZP (Santa Paula).

The weather has been so unusual here the past month (cold and wet) but usually end of March you can expect 70's during the day. The water will be cold.

Regarding an airbnb along the coast, there are obviously many options, depending on the kind of vibe you are looking for. One really cool airport right next to the beach that I would recommend checking out is Oceano.

 

[Stan Cooper]

BART would be a fairly short Uber ride from SQL. Study the Terminal Area Chart carefully before coming in!

There is a decent restaurant open for breakfast and lunch in the terminal building, which is next to transient parking.

That would be Sky Kitchen. I use any excuse to have lunch there.

 

[Cici]

Oceano looks cool. We may add that as a lunch stop, but I'm too chicken to commit a night time stop (with advance reservations) with the cirrus loaded up with the whole family. I can give it a couple tries and we can find lunch somewhere else if I'm not feeling it. Im used to field elevations of 6000' and 9000'+ runways. I'll have to start paying attention to how far my ground roll is and putting it down where i want it....

 

[olasek]

I read Hayward is another good option.

I live in the Bay Area, would never pick KSQL - short runway, easy to violate airspace (class B is right above you), congested, cramped.
I am partial to KHWD with its superior real estate, better approaches, easier airspace. BART is nearby.

 

[dans2992]

At KSEZ, calm (or low winds) dictate landing 3, depart 21. There is a definite uphill slant to 3.

Traffic is usually reasonably light.

 

[mtnflyr]

i second hayward..bart into the city.

also second sedona..i thought it was better than the grand canyon.

 

[Cici]

Trip plans are firming up, leave next Tuesday. I'm going to fly into ogden, ut to pick up the family. We're then going to take a day to do south rim of grand canyon. I've been and hiked to the bottom (i think my wife has as well), but we're just introducing our girls to it. I can't imagine we'd stay more than 4 hours including bus time. We're then going to head to sedona to visit an old friend of mine and stay the night. My high school alma mater is in AZ, so I've spent a fair amount of time in both the GC and sedona.

My middle daughter, age 5, is stuck on going to oceano, and I'm confident i can land the plane safely. I also want to try that pismo fish and chips....well grab a late lunch and walk back down the beach if it isn't raining. San luis obisbo will be the back up if i keep fumbling the landing.

Then a couple days in san fran. My wife has family there that we'll see. Still deciding between san carlos and hayward. I know my wife's family is in oakland, but i like the ksql low lead prices. If i owned the cirrus, i would paint it broncos colors and for sure land it on the oakland side.

We'll finish off at grants pass oregon, by medford, to visit for a couple hours with a family friend and then make the trek across idaho and wyoming back to KAPA.

Im excited for the first big trip with the family. Here's to praying the baby, 2 yrs 10 months, doesnt get shipped back home with my wife on southwest.

Thanks for all the input, it is appreciated.

 

[N1120A]

Going on a spring break trip w/ the family. I'm going to pick up the family in SLC and then fly west. We have both the Bay and LA areas on the list (as well as SEZ).

We wanted to overnight in San Francisco. Seems KSQL is a safe bet? From my research the FBO is friendly, close to the "heart" of San Francisco etc. We wanted to catch BART into town, is that possible from SQL (with shuttle or reasonable uber)? Any other airports we should consider. I read Hayward is another good option.

I have a good friend that lives in the Burbank area. Is KVNY the best for a lowly GA guy trying to park for a night? I don't need a hanger. Rental car doesn't bother me. I tend to avoid the $ignature $ervice (and $7 LL) we've all come to know and love.

What if I was trying to airbnb something on the coast and I decide my good friend isn't that good after all? Oxnard a good base to see some coast and grab a nice house for the night?

What about Beaches end of March? I assume too cold, but I want to tell my daughter some stranger on the internet decided that, not me.

Heard a lot about flying into KSEZ. Best to go in IFR and follow an approach in or no big deal VFR in clear weather?

Oxnard is actually a decent base, especially the underrated coastal areas of Oxnard and Ventura. Both Oxnard and Ventura's harbors are very convenient to KOXR, which has an ILS to 25 and LPV to both 25 and 7. KOXR usually has lighter winds, and much less chance of windshear, but lower ceilings and a longer lasting marine layer than KCMA. If KCMA is on runway 8, the approach options aren't as good, but it is also much less likely to be low ceilings. The airport at KCMA is better, the gas is cheaper, the restaurant is the best airport restaurant on earth, and you are more likely to see a cool combination of home builts, heavy business jets and everything in between. You will never sit for 30 minutes waiting to depart VFR at KOXR, however, like you might on a sunny weekend at KCMA between 11 and 2 when you have 4-5 planes in the pattern, the jump plane in and out, jets, plus the $100 hamburger set. I did my training at those airports and grew up in Camarillo, so the area is near and dear.

The water at the beaches is cold even in the summer, though I was in them in all sorts of weather as a kid (don't tell your daughter the second part). The beaches themselves, however, are beautiful.

For Burbank, just go to Burbank. Millionair are really nice there and the gas isn't much different from VNY (unless you do self serve at VNY). There is at least one controller at WHP that is a bit infamous for their attitude and I've known a few folks who got uncomfortably close to mountains on vectors there, cause it is so close to VNY and BUR that ATC forget about you. VNY is pretty light aircraft friendly, and that new "The Park at VNY" or whatever has cheapish gas and is a cheap tie down. Watch out for lines that look like a busy Class B hub though - VNY does more ops per runway than LAX does. Still, go to wherever is closer - the $10 you save will go to your Uber anyway.

If you are VFR and want to tour the L.A. basin, familiarize yourself with the LAX Class B transitions and you will be rewarded with awesome views of LAX and the megalopolis in general. Just always make sure you are talking to ATC. SoCal will not deny FF unless the controller is going down the tubes or has way too many practice approach requests (usually happens around San Diego, if it is going to happen).

For San Francisco, they redesigned the Class B to be a bit more small aircraft friendly, at the expense of some separation, but I probably wouldn't go into SQL unless I was flying IFR or very familiar - though you are IFR, so you might consider it. Don't overlook OAK - Kaiser Air there are nice and will not rip you off. There is a $50 landing fee, but you might save a few bucks otherwise.

For KSEZ - go VFR, if you can. It is a beautiful place and you can do that tour of the town that a lot of folks do on departure or arrival. I'd imagine the MVAs are high to get in IFR, so watch if you need O2 or whatever. Also think about KPGA and their amazing sunsets.

 

[Cici]

Back from our trip. I'll do a detailed write up in the coming days. But, some quick stats....20.3 hours logged, 2513 nm flown, 8 new airports (including a class bravo), 0.7 actual, 1 approach. Thanks all for the input and help.

 

[El Reverendo]

For the Bay Area I always avoid KSQL and just go to KOAK. Oakland is efficient, a bit easier to get into and out of, and there are several choices for GA. This is one of those rare occasions when I do use Signature. KHWD is another good choice as mentioned. Fly the bay tour if you have time wind afterwards maybe stop in Monterey or Océano on the way down.

For LA, I agree with the others about KWHP. It’s a stone’s throw from Burbank but much friendlier for GA. Overnight and fuel is cheap, and it’s a cinch to access the field.

Sounds like a super fun trip!

 

[El Reverendo]

Whoops I see that you’re back! Look forward to the write up and that’s a gorgeous Cirrus you have!

 

[Palmpilot]

For the Bay Area I always avoid KSQL and just go to KOAK. Oakland is efficient, a bit easier to get into and out of, and there are several choices for GA. This is one of those rare occasions when I do use Signature. KHWD is another good choice as mentioned. Fly the bay tour if you have time wind afterwards maybe stop in Monterey or Océano on the way down.

For LA, I agree with the others about KWHP. It’s a stone’s throw from Burbank but much friendlier for GA. Overnight and fuel is cheap, and it’s a cinch to access the field.

Sounds like a super fun trip!

Unfortunately, OAK has implemented a $50 landing fee for light transient aircraft.

 

[Cici]

Whoops I see that you’re back! Look forward to the write up and that’s a gorgeous Cirrus you have!

I wish it was my Cirrus!!! Alas I'm just a lowly renter. I would consider buying one, but it will only fit the family for another year or 2 and then the amount of fuel we can carry will become annoying as the kids grow (and that factors in me loosing 30 lbs!). We'll then have to jump to a twin....