Don't park at transient unless you plan on not buying gas. Gibbs will waive their ramp fee if you get gas, while the City won't.
Eh, they're both fine. Don't try and land at the big airport if you're going into MYF(from the north Miramar and MYF are in-line). There's parking at the MYF terminal if you don't need services, looks like $7/night.(Can still get an Uber or Lyft, and the FBOs with fuel trucks will deliver there.)
Tips and advice for trips to San Diego, for the unfamiliar?
I'm probably looking at KMYF or KSEE, unless people advise otherwise. MYF is closer to where I'd be going by about 30 minutes' drive, but VFR only, so if coastal fog or cloud cover favors SEE significantly, that's good to know. If people know that one FBO is a lot better than another, that's good to know too.
Beyond that, other hints for working in the SOCAL airspace are welcome. I've skirted the north side of LA to Burbank a couple of times, but never flown to San Diego yet.
Thanks!
1) Even if you aren't IFR, are you IFR equipped? If so, SoCal are really good about doing practice approaches and that will give you plenty of airspace clearance to get into MYF from the east.
2) Definitely utilize FF. Coming from the east into SEE or MYF you may well run smack into a practice area, and the radar advisories are priceless there. Also, the SoCal San Diego sectors are very good about Bravo clearances and expediting your way around, so long as you are talking and squawking. Do not be afraid of them.
3) When are you coming in? Marine layer season won't start in earnest for another few weeks, and you are still ok between the hours of about 11 and 6-7.
4) There is no question KSEE has less issues with marine layer than any of the airports, but it is more challenging to fly into and has its own challenges.
Don’t get Hepatitis..... seriously.
Maybe a year ago. It also helps to have the Hep A vaccine.
San Diego is pretty easy. The FBOs at MYF aren't luxurious (but Coast is building a bitchin one!). If you're flying VFR only you'll usually be cleared through Miramar Bravo no problem. I don't usually come in VFR, but when I do it's been via two routes... along the coast and turn inbound at Mt Soledad (VPSMS) or along the coast and inbound at Oceanside then over Miramar.
Not sure if KSAN is closer, but that's a great airport. Super friendly for pistons to fly into and a gorgeous approach. I miss flying in there (based at MYF now).
If paying $8 a gallon and whatever Signature wants to rip you off for a ramp fee for is "friendly," ok. MYF is just as easy to basically anywhere as SAN, so meh.
I didn't really consider KSAN - it's a little farther, but not by much, but I figured I'd stay out of the way of the commercial traffic and I thought it also might be more slightly to get me stuck under low visibility. I'll be coming from the east, more or less direct from El Centro.
KSAN usually loses the marine layer a little in the day after KMYF does, but may stay clear later into the night, so it is a trade off. Before I had my instrument rating, I did almost go to KSAN a couple times in the late afternoon when KMYF was getting covered, and KSAN was still clear, though I found holes both times.
I've had great luck at Gibbs at Montgomery Field. If you need a car, let them handle it as it would be tough to find a better deal. As the others have said, SOCAL approach is easy to work with. I can almost guarantee that you will get vectored for a right base to runway 28R.
The Gibbs folks are great, as are the controllers at SoCal.
I fly for work out of KMYF and I hangar my airplane at KSEE. It is seriously not an issue coming from the East. Whether your destination is KSEE or KMYF, you will not have to deal with any airspace. Just make sure you are below 4800 at the Class B line about 5 miles East of KSEE. Talk to Gillespie tower for transition if continuing to KMYF. The marine layer will envelop KMYF well before KSEE. Both KMYF and KSEE are pretty busy, and both will often split the tower frequency during the busy hours. Fuel is MUCH cheaper at KSEE if you use Circle Air self serve. I would imagine ramp fees are cheaper too. The drive can be terrible going West from KSEE between 6 - 9 am, the drive East to KSEE is terrible 4 - 7pm.
Fuel is not MUCH cheaper at KSEE, and the difference in Uber costs will eat it up.
