San Diego area recommendations?

[HouTxPilot82]

Last year I was visiting LA and posted here asking for recommendations for a good FBO/fun flight in the area. Ended up going to one of the recommended airports and doing a flight out to Catalina Island that was very unique and a lot of fun. So here I am, asking again...

I'll find myself in the San Diego area the week of 7/30 and as usual when I'm in a new town, would love to find a local school/CFI and go up for a fun/sightseeting flight. Any 'must do' flight experiences out there? I'm good with just a plain old 172 (what I usually fly) on an interesting/fun route, or something different from that norm (in Oahu I did a flight in a powered glider with Paradise Air that was very different and super fun).

I'm just avoiding doing a helicopter flight because I'm afraid I will then get tempted to go down that route and my wallet can't handle that! I still have lots to learn on the fixed wing side.

 

[Pilawt]

Scenic route: down the coast from Carlsbad, past Torrey Pines and La Jolla, and through the VFR corridor over KSAN with great views of the bay, downtown, Point Loma and Coronado. The airspace looks very complicated on the chart, but with a little study and talking to a local CFI it's readily do-able.

If you go to KMYF (Montgomery Field), there's good Mexican food at Casa Machado, upstairs in the terminal building.

 

[HouTxPilot82]

Thanks.

 

[Tantalum]

+1 for Casa Machado

in addition to the post above, if you go with a CFI or another local pilot who's done the route before then the offshore transition with the bay tour down around 500 to 1000 ft is also really cool. It's all through the Lindbergh and North Island airspace but you talk to the towers and there is an unpublished "corridor" there. It helps to go with someone who's done it before

for local schools, I would recommend plus one, they have an extensive instructor network and a massive fleet of airplanes, everything from your high wings to low wings to Bonanzas, etc. They have planes and instructors at both MYF and SEE

also, I know you said you were in La previously, but if you haven't already done it then taking a flight up to Camarillo and eating at their Cafe is also definitely worth it. It's a good spot to eat with a little grass lawn out front that you pull right up to with your airplane. Big Bear is also a great spot, but in the summer could get dicey, so check the density altitudes first and consult poh!

 

[HouTxPilot82]

Cool - thanks.

This being a fun flight on a vacation, I definitely would go up with a CFI... on these types of flights I like to be lazy and just let someone who knows the airspace/landmarks, etc handle the nav and comms and just enjoy flying the plane and taking in the scenery (avoid doing all that homework).

 

[Tantalum]

^then I would 100% recommend doing the offshore transition with the bay tour and then the delta transition back over Lindbergh. It is really cool and air traffic control has you start low at 500 feet then eventually steps you up to around 700-800 feet and finally somewhere between 1000 and 1500. Really cool flight. Pics below from my most recent flight just the other week

 

[jkaduk]

^then I would 100% recommend doing the offshore transition with the bay tour and then the delta transition back over Lindbergh. It is really cool and air traffic control has you start low at 500 feet then eventually steps you up to around 700-800 feet and finally somewhere between 1000 and 1500. Really cool flight. Pics below from my most recent flight just the other week

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Why are you doing a bay tour in a Cirrus?

 

[Tantalum]

Why are you doing a bay tour in a Cirrus?

why not? haha

It's what I'm flying now and had a friend who hadn't been up in a Cirrus yet so figured it would be an easy trip to do one afternoon after work but before the Casa Machado get together.

Admittedly doing it at a slower speed in something like a 172 would give you a little more time to see the sites and reduce your radio workload!

 

[jkaduk]

Friend of mine is is a partner in this operation:
https://www.sandiegoskytours.com/

 

[luvflyin]

why not? haha

It's what I'm flying now and had a friend who hadn't been up in a Cirrus yet so figured it would be an easy trip to do one afternoon after work but before the Casa Machado get together.

Admittedly doing it at a slower speed in something like a 172 would give you a little more time to see the sites and reduce your radio workload!

And give your pax a wingless view. Have you checked out the Cardinal at SEE yet? There’s a sight seein plane. Besides having the wing up thar, ya got no struts or wheels getting in the way

 

[jkaduk]

why not? haha

It's what I'm flying now and had a friend who hadn't been up in a Cirrus yet so figured it would be an easy trip to do one afternoon after work but before the Casa Machado get together.

Admittedly doing it at a slower speed in something like a 172 would give you a little more time to see the sites and reduce your radio workload!

I noticed you had the flaps at %50. My checkout instructor even said to me once "this is not a plane you do the bay tour in".

 

[jkaduk]

for local schools, I would recommend plus one, they have an extensive instructor network and a massive fleet of airplanes, everything from your high wings to low wings to Bonanzas, etc. They have planes and instructors at both MYF and SEE

Plus One might be a slight problem if the OP wants to do the flying as anyone receiving instruction needs to be a member. CFI's can give an "intro" ride, and only one, but they might be reluctant to do that for someone who is transient and has no intention of joining.

 

[jkaduk]

I'll find myself in the San Diego area the week of 7/30 and as usual when I'm in a new town, would love to find a local school/CFI and go up for a fun/sightseeting flight. Any 'must do' flight experiences out there? I'm good with just a plain old 172 (what I usually fly) on an interesting/fun route, or something different from that norm (in Oahu I did a flight in a powered glider with Paradise Air that was very different and super fun).

In spite of a my caution about Plus One, take a look at what they have:
https://www.plusoneflyers.org/ click on fleet.
If you just want a ride and not an instructor they have a facebook page where you can request what you want. You have to join the group or I would be happy to do it for you.

 

[Tantalum]

And give your pax a wingless view. Have you checked out the Cardinal at SEE yet? There’s a sight seein plane. Besides having the wing up thar, ya got no struts or wheels getting in the way

Haven't flown it, but I saw it there. Doesn't seem to fly too much. Poor plane had a bird strike when it first came on line, hit a hawk somewhere.. wing had a big dent in it

I noticed you had the flaps at %50. My checkout instructor even said to me once "this is not a plane you do the bay tour in".

It is certainly more a cross country A to B plane. But it will fly at 1,500 just fine around 100-120 knots. I assume the caution against using that plane for the bay tour is more to keep new people in a slightly faster plane out of trouble managing the radios.. I started out without the flaps, you can see in the Point Loma photo, but to help keep things slow and more easily managed 50% was a more "comfortable" place to be. If you ever eat at Il Fornaio outside there are plenty of faster and advanced planes doing the bay tour, there's a Bonanza (not sure if always the same) that I see often zipping down La Jolla shore and cruising over the bay, and have seen plenty of Cirri doing that trip as well

Plus One might be a slight problem if the OP wants to do the flying as anyone receiving instruction needs to be a member. CFI's can give an "intro" ride, and only one, but they might be reluctant to do that for someone who is transient and has no intention of joining.

If I was a CFI and had an afternoon free I wouldn't turn the money / opportunity to go flying down. If Plus One is no cigar then I'm sure someone else at MYF / SEE would be willing to give him a ride.. I would recommend Coast but they're crazy expensive. Golden State would probably do it, or depending on how much the OP actually wants to fly, etc., that bi plane link you posted could be a memorable trip for them as well

 

[mscard88]

Flythewing.com

Great CFI, might take you up.

 

[HouTxPilot82]

Thanks for the recommendations! I'll take a look at all of them - a biplane ride has definitely been on the list for quiet some time but I may actually scratch that one on another trip elsewhere this weekend.