San Diego Scenic Routes

J

James Darren

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James Darren
Hi all,

Does anyone have some the San Diego Scenic Routes plotted on their Foreflight VFR chart with altitudes they could send me? Mainly the San Diego Bay Tour & I think the other one is called the coastal route?

Many thanks...
 
Search for my name and look for a video I did on the bay tour a while back.

If you're coming down from LA you'll be flying down the coastline across the departure from CRQ. At some point before Del Mar you'll wanna be down below 1800' to stay under the Miramar Bravo. You'll then want to continue to descend as you get to La Jolla, here's why. Somewhere around the tip of La Jolla (a couple miles north of Crystal Pier) you'll wanna call Lindbergh Tower (118.3) and request a "Coastal Transition". The clearance you will get is "offshore at or below 500', report OB pier." When you pass OB pier you check in and if North Island is operating they'll tell you to contact them.

When you contact North Island Tower (135.1) you'll tell them where you are, and that you'd like to round the end of point loma for a "Channel Transition" or Bay Tour. Most of the time they will tell you to advise when rounding point loma and approve at 700', though I have been denied recently because they had a lot of military activity going on. They are quite helpful and will try to fit you in though. They wont always give you this disclaimer, but consider it a rule "do not overfly military ships or facilities" basically stay over the water, not the docked ships.

I usually fly down that way over the bridge then turn around over the south bay. They generally will ask your intentions, just let them know you'll be doing a 180 and coming back. Most of the time I will ask for the Delta transition on the way back north, this takes you directly over the downtown buildings and Lindbergh field. Let NI tower know that you'll be doing this and they will hand you off as soon as you report your 180. Switch back to 118.3 and call SAN again, let them know you want a delta transition and they will usually clear you at 1000 or 1500'. The route is along taxiway Delta, which is the huge diagonal one. It also happens to put you pretty much on a direct course from the San Diego end of the coronado bridge to the Mission Bay VOR.

EDIT: Found the video for you. Pretty much everything you need should be here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N4LFVkO9m8
 
Thanks for the great & detailed info Dallas/Stinkbug... Some more questions...

I know it's unlikely but if North Island Tower do not approve the Bay Tour, will they generally tell you to turnaround & head north up the coast?

With the frequent switching between Lindbergh & North Island towers, do they generally advise you when to switch between the two frequencies?

I traced a route of the San Diego VFR map with altitudes in red, see attached. Does this look right?
 

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  • Bay_Tour2.jpg
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I have no procedural input but I did do the bay tour as a Pax with another member here and it's pretty damn cool.

Later in the week I rented and flew out to Catalina island which I also highly recommend.
 
The Bay Tour is definitely a fun flight and is pretty easy once you do it. Key is have all your frequencies already programmed in, its some pretty quick changes. Just call up KSAN tower a couple of miles north of Crystal Pier, they will clear you through 500ft or lower offshore, report the OB Pier. When you report the pier, they will tell you that you are exiting San Diego Class Bravo and contact North Island tower in 2 miles. I have never been denied the bay tour, but my guess is they will just inform you that the bay tour is not available, then ask what your intentions are. You can either 180 and go back up the coast, or go south outside the bay toward Imperial Beach.

Your map looks spot on, other than I swing out over the water rather than flying over La jolla. It seems more complicated than it really is. I have done the flight numerous times now, its really easy.

-Brian
 
I've been denied twice, once because NI was just too busy, and once because of a TFR at Petco Park. Both times they simply asked intentions, as I believe they can't actually tell you where to go VFR without some reason. You can ask and they will help you though. The first time, when they were busy, I just told them I'd turn around and head north. They then told me to contact SAN before entering the Bravo again. The second time they told me the bay was closed due to the TFR, and I asked if I could fly south on the west side of the silver strand (coronado), they approved and I just flew down the coast then back up.

Looking at the map you drew I only have a couple things that I generally do different. Usually I fly around La Jolla instead of over Like Brian said, and I'm usually closer to 1000', then descend as I'm getting closer to Crystal pier. You could go over at 1000', but probably not at 500 (even ignoring FARs), as the terrain does rise pretty quick there. If you wanna be down at 500' early you'll wanna be offshore. The only other thing I see is on the northbound leg after crossing Lindbergh they will probably have you fly all the way to the VOR before changing frequencies and heading for MYF. This also gives you a little more time to coordinate with the tower and will probably make things less hectic. Also a fantastic view over Mission Bay.
 
Thanks for the replies Brian & Stinkbug, great info. I adjusted my route accordingly...

Also thanks for the reminder of TFR's, I'll check the status of them...

Is there likely to be outbound traffic from San Diego Bay?
 
There's usually not much. If there is it's someone doing the same thing. I have had SAN tell me to stay clear until I had opposite direction traffic in sight for the coastal transition, but in the dozen or so times I've done this run I've only ever seen a couple non military aircraft, and most of the time the .mil ones are helicopters flying low off the coast of North Island.
 
Like Dallas, I enjoy the route and it is easy to fly although I rarely do the Bay transition, I prefer offshore so here is my video from last year


'Gimp
 
AcroGimp said:
Like Dallas, I enjoy the route and it is easy to fly although I rarely do the Bay transition, I prefer offshore so here is my video from last year


'Gimp
Click to expand...

Thanks again....

'Gimp, can you describe the offshore route? I assume you just continue on along the coast instead of turning left into the San Diego Bay?
 
James Darren said:
Thanks again....

'Gimp, can you describe the offshore route? I assume you just continue on along the coast instead of turning left into the San Diego Bay?
Click to expand...
Yes, I stay offshore west of the Hotel Del and the Strand all the way south to Imperial Beach/Ream Field (NRS) and then turn inland for Brown (KSDM).

It is possible and easy to get south of the Coronado Bay Bridge then turn into the Bay and ask for the Delta Transition heading back north, North Island and Lindbergh are easy to deal with for that and the view is always worth it, a real treat and should be on anyone's list if they get to fly here.

'Gimp
 
AcroGimp said:
Yes, I stay offshore west of the Hotel Del and the Strand all the way south to Imperial Beach/Ream Field (NRS) and then turn inland for Brown (KSDM).

It is possible and easy to get south of the Coronado Bay Bridge then turn into the Bay and ask for the Delta Transition heading back north, North Island and Lindbergh are easy to deal with for that and the view is always worth it, a real treat and should be on anyone's list if they get to fly here.

'Gimp
Click to expand...

That could be great option too. At what altitude do you usually fly along the coast to Imperial Beach?
 
James Darren said:
That could be great option too. At what altitude do you usually fly along the coast to Imperial Beach?
Click to expand...
SAN will usually put you at 500 or below under their Class B, then 700 I think around Point Loma, North Island typically asks for 700-800 I think through their airspace, then I usually climb up to about 1500 I think as I continue south for radio/radar performance.

Departing KSEE, after the Class D transition through MYF I drop in over the water offshore from La Jolla (La Jolla Shores to maybe Scripps Pier), pickup SAN ATIS, call SAN and they'll give you a squawk and an altitude and tell you when to report.

I stay about half-mile offshore, enough to get over to the beach if there is trouble but far enough away to get a good view.

It is a great flight. Catalina Island (KAVX) is another good one but has its' own issues.

'Gimp
 
Curious why you bother with the SAN ATIS. I was under the impression that was only required if landing. I've never gotten it, and never been questioned about it.
 
StinkBug said:
Curious why you bother with the SAN ATIS. I was under the impression that was only required if landing. I've never gotten it, and never been questioned about it.
Click to expand...
Habit, I get ATIS when transitioning airspace or landing, good to have current altimeter for the area you will be in.

'Gimp
 
A little over a week ago, I pretty much did the same flight as Dallas in his video (which I used as advanced prep - thanks Dallas) except in a C172 rented through OpenAirplane. After the SAN offshore transition, North Island asked me to stay west of Point Loma for traffic over runway 29, which happened to be a pair of jet fighters circling. They departed by the time I did a 360 and we were cleared for the channel transition at 800 ft. On the way in, we saw a submarine motoring into the the channel, and an aircraft carrier departing San Diego Bay. The USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) and the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) were docked, plus there was a fantastic view of the city. This flight was a highlight of my trip and I highly recommend it.
 
Here's another video of the San Diego Bay Tour. The flight starts at John Wayne.

Rather than doing a 180 at the Coronado Bridge after the Bay Tour in order to fly the "delta transition" over Lindbergh (KSAN), the flight continues further south for landing at Brown Field (KSDM).

It's long, but for better or worse, it includes all of the communications and related subtitles:

 
StinkBug said:
Search for my name and look for a video I did on the bay tour a while back.

If you're coming down from LA you'll be flying down the coastline across the departure from CRQ. At some point before Del Mar you'll wanna be down below 1800' to stay under the Miramar Bravo. You'll then want to continue to descend as you get to La Jolla, here's why. Somewhere around the tip of La Jolla (a couple miles north of Crystal Pier) you'll wanna call Lindbergh Tower (118.3) and request a "Coastal Transition". The clearance you will get is "offshore at or below 500', report OB pier." When you pass OB pier you check in and if North Island is operating they'll tell you to contact them.

When you contact North Island Tower (135.1) you'll tell them where you are, and that you'd like to round the end of point loma for a "Channel Transition" or Bay Tour. Most of the time they will tell you to advise when rounding point loma and approve at 700', though I have been denied recently because they had a lot of military activity going on. They are quite helpful and will try to fit you in though. They wont always give you this disclaimer, but consider it a rule "do not overfly military ships or facilities" basically stay over the water, not the docked ships.

I usually fly down that way over the bridge then turn around over the south bay. They generally will ask your intentions, just let them know you'll be doing a 180 and coming back. Most of the time I will ask for the Delta transition on the way back north, this takes you directly over the downtown buildings and Lindbergh field. Let NI tower know that you'll be doing this and they will hand you off as soon as you report your 180. Switch back to 118.3 and call SAN again, let them know you want a delta transition and they will usually clear you at 1000 or 1500'. The route is along taxiway Delta, which is the huge diagonal one. It also happens to put you pretty much on a direct course from the San Diego end of the coronado bridge to the Mission Bay VOR.

EDIT: Found the video for you. Pretty much everything you need should be here.

Click to expand...
 
I know this is a very old post, but wanted to give a big thank you for the information. We just flew the coastal and bay transitions today and I would not have had the confidence to even try without this post. It was an incredible experience, so thank you!
 
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