PIREPS on KSAN - San Diego International…

VWGhiaBob

VWGhiaBob

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VWGhiaBob
…is it GA friendly? Costs? Should I go to KMYF or elsewhere instead?
 
VWGhiaBob said:
…is it GA friendly? Costs? Should I go to KMYF or elsewhere instead?
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Been a few years. Bug Smasher friendly. Wasn’t to expensive then, don’t know about now. Whatcha wanna do when you get there? There is a ton of cool stuff to do within walking distance. We flew in, did the USS Midway, some Tall Ships, a Russian Submarine, great street musicians, some righteous Fish n Chips. Then walked back to the airport and then flew home before the sun set.
 
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VWGhiaBob said:
…is it GA friendly? Costs? Should I go to KMYF or elsewhere instead?
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For a Bravo San Diego Lindbergh is very easy and friendly, yes

But Montgomery and Gillespie are close enough that unless you have some need to be right downtown or want the novelty of landing at a Bravo then Montgomery or Gillespie or easier.. last time I was there I don't believe they had any 100LL
 
I’ve flown into SAN with my airline job several times and every time I’m there, there is a significant amount of GA traffic on the ground (single pistons) so I’d imagine they must be pretty GA friendly. Can’t beat the location as far as proximity to downtown and all the touristy stuff in the area!
 
Pretty easy airport and nothing GA-unfriendly about it. The FBO is Signature and their fuel pricing is high (it always is at bigger airports) so that could be a factor but hopefully you’d expect that.
 
Was just at KMYF (Montgomery) a week or so back. Always something in the pattern there it seemed.
Although a tad expensive, Casa Machado had pretty good food.
Was going to holler at @Tantalum but he hates my plane ;)
 
Is check on the fees vs min fuel.
Heard of 4-digit fees for a large corporate jet when I was there this summer
 
I was at Casa Machado last night. Great place for Mexican food
 
I’m due for a trip down to SD actually.

tantalum (and anyone else interested) - Casa Machado for lunch on an upcoming Saturday?
 
I'll be in Colorado 9/10 - 9/14 but the weekend after I'll be around
 
Gillespie also has a light rail stop, so transportation downtown is available cheap. But, in the day of Uber, everything is within reach. Al Delbertos for the carne asada. Casa Del Pico is the larger version of the one in old town and just as excellent. For my money, you should hit up Bub's at 7th and J for the best wings ever.
 
Rich Holt said:
Gillespie also has a light rail stop, so transportation downtown is available cheap.
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With only about 35 stops in between KSEE and downtown, the trip takes forever. Plus, the Gillespie trolley stop is a fair walk from the actual airport. If you have bags to carry or are going to be there much after dark, it's anything but convenient. Really, Gillespie is NOT recommended if going downtown. KSAN is very easy VFR. I used to fly Caravans in and out of there daily. Just check the costs. I seem to recall that the landing fee has increased quite a bit for piston singles.
 
Rich Holt said:
For my money, you should hit up Bub's at 7th and J for the best wings ever.
Click to expand...
Get the “garbage wings”. They mix all the wing sauce and put it on the wings and they are oh so good.
 
Never had a problem going to KSAN in my little homebuilt. I do not remember it being unfriendly or particularly expensive. It is one of the busiest single runway airports in the country and you need to be on your game. I usually would be asked to make a quick short approach. The controllers seem to be very good at getting the little guys in between the big ones.
 
When we lived in SoCal I ALWAYS used Lindbergh since I was going to San Diego - not to Brown or MYF. You do the math - and the cost is about the same - stay for a few nights just negotiate a price for the tie down - the gas is $3 a gallon more than MYF but then its a $30 cab ride less each way - so the cost is basically a wash. Its nice being right downtown too.

coming from the north you get bravo clearance [don't forget to ask for it - but they usually dole it out pretty easy on the way in] to 1500 - told to fly direct MZB then to midfield downwind and then a quick turn onto final. They'll clear you to land early - you'll likely get slam dunked but its not big deal - watch out for the wake - I usually turned off at C5 because of the speed carried from the slam dunk and the displaced threshold. The parking lot gives you a pucker on the way in - don't know how the jet guys handle it but I'm usually descending 1000fpm at that point so the angle looks scary.
 
I landed in KSAN during my ifr training in a da40.
I have no clue about the costs (an integrated atpl course) but they were very friendly. Got a ride from the fbo to little italy for second breakfast and walked back.
Was funny to see we were the only piston (and probably even prop) aircraft on the airport.
 
I used to go into KSAN a lot for business in the Archer. Super GA friendly. Everytime they just put me on the downwind and squeezed me in between airliners when practical. Fuel is expensive but fees are reasonable for a Class B. The way San Diego traffic is, if SAN is the closest airport, 100% recommend flying in there
 
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