SOCAL and southern Nevada flyers...

fiveoboy01

fiveoboy01

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Apr 21, 2013
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Madison, WI
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Dirty B
I have a question for those who are flying in and around Southern California.

I'll be in Vegas for 11 days in April and I have decided I want to take an airplane up with a CFI just so I can say I flew out there. I'm not familliar with the airspace and nobody's going to rent to me without a checkout, so I would carry a CFI.

John Wayne looks pretty close to Catalina Island, about 32 miles. Only around a 4 hour drive or so from Vegas...

Initially I am thinking rent a 172 at John Wayne and fly to Catlina, grab some food(IF there is anywhere to eat there) or just do a full stop and take off, and go back to John Wayne. Rates are ridiculous compared to what I pay here, so I need to keep the flight to an hour or 1.5 max.... John Wayne also has an Evektor Harmony, which is what my dad is currently having built, so that might be a cool option for me to try.

Otherwise if I decide that's too far to drive(looks to be about 4 hours), I might just rent something from Henderson Executive and fly over Hoover Dam and that area.

As a bonus I've never been to California or the coast so it would be really nice to see that as well.

If you guys have any other suggestions for either the Southern Coast area of California or even in the vicinity of Las Vegas, I'm all ears. Someone suggested Sky Combat Ace, but I really want to fly and log this.

Thanks for the suggestions ahead of time:)
 
If you're expecting to drive across LA at highway speed, you'll have to do it at 3AM.

I'd suggest perhaps driving to San Bernardino or somesuch and fly from there.
 
Yeah I was going to mention traffic, but I've only heard and not experienced it, so I didn't want to talk about something I didn't know about:D
 
I can get you a ratted out but completely airworthy 172 for $104/hr wet from KFUL. I'll bet all my certs on it if it eases your mind. You let me when I know the where. You can be PIC all the way but you pay pro rata. Give me no less than one week notice. BTW: SoCal may be busy but it is easy to fly in SoCal. You may be surprised you can fly all over SoCal without having to talk to no one. Look on the chart if you don't believe me.
 
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Richard said:
I can get you a ratted out but completely airworthy 172 for $104/hr wet from KFUL. I'll bet all my certs on it if it eases your mind. You let me when I know the where. You can be PIC all the way but you pay pro rata. Give me no less than one week notice. BTW: SoCal may be busy but it is easy to fly in SoCal. You may be surprised you can fly all over SoCal without having to talk to no one. Look on the chart if you don't believe me.
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Hey Richard,
I'm in LA from the east coast next week id take you up on that offer?


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fiveoboy01 said:
...nobody's going to rent to me without a checkout, so I would carry a CFI.
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Sounds like a perfect excuse to get an OpenAirplane checkout! There are three operators in the LA area with planes on the OpenAirplane network.
 
Catalina is a nice little trip. Most rental places require a checkout on that airport as it has a high rate of accidents due to the weird visual cues, but since you're taking a CFI that's no problem. Airport is one of the few that charges a landing fee - it's about $20 I think. There's a restaurant at the airport with great views of the surrounding nature (but not so great food), or you can take the bus into Avalon which is a very cute little village.

I would aim to rent aircraft a little closer to your drive. Beach Cities Aviation at Hawthorne, or Justice Aviation at SMO I have personal experience with and they're excellent. It's a long drive down to John Wayne from Vegas - better to fly it. Also, if you rent in LA you can time it so you can do the Mini Route at 2500ft above LAX at dusk - it's a spectacular view of all the big iron on final landing below you. It's normally the first thing I do when I take people up flying in my plane. Always impresses.

The airport diner at Camarillo is excellent and pilots fly in from all over to eat there. Always a good show there and you're eating right next to the airplanes.
 
^^^^^^. What he said. Most rental places require a catalina checkout

Just to put a wheel on catalina runway is gonna cost u $25 landing fee. This time a year its very hit n miss with the fog. Bufalo burgers at the airport are good ImO, bus ride into town cost big $$
 
KCMA is not too far from the island and out of the LA rat race. I have flown my 172 there a few times, altitude is your friend over the water.
 
Personally, I'd go to Bracket [POC] Cable [CCB] or Riverside [RAL] or even Flabob and finding a rental there - it is alot faster to fly across the basin to Catalina than it is to drive to Orange County in the morning . . .

I'll also tell you that if you fly to Santa Barbara you can walk to the beach for free - or - you can fly to Camarillo and get better food . . . Catalina is on alot of wishlists but as an airport to fly into? Boring. Nothing to do there without spending significant dinero . . .
 
Flying around Vegas, I'd recommend West Air Aviation. T-41B (210hp) with new GTN750, C-182RG with I think a Garmin 430 and a moving map display. C-172S with Garmin, older 172s for basic training. Instructors available for trips to Grand Canyon or south.

Also a Staggerwing for fun flights with the Chief Pilot.
 
Guys thank you for all the suggestions.

After some thought, I think I am going to call up West Air and do a flight or two with them. Probably one day flight and one evening one if possible. I lived in Vegas for about a year so I'm fond of the city... and a night flight over the strip is something I don't think I can pass up:)

Whatever I do I will be sure to get some material for the daily pic thread :)
 
Yes. The whole thing is in the B surface area but I believe that you can fly sightseeing through there.

I've already been studying the sectional and TAC charts. For a day flight I'd do a flight out to Hoover Dam in that area and then back via the Cortez 1 arrival. I have listened to LV approach quite a bit and it seems late at night there are a good number of bug smashers northwest of McCarran doing scenic flights near the strip. During the day it's non-stop helicopters taking off from the south ramp area of McCarran doing flights over the strip at probably 1000-1500' or so.

There are several VFR flyways, one circles McCarran about 7 miles out from the south to the west to the north, which would give a nice view of the strip. I'm not sure if or how much closer they let you get than that if you're not doing a helicopter tour or have some other sort of authorization.
 
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Depending on the landing configuration at LAS will determine what services you can get along the strip. Runway 1 departures can kill the Cortez arrival, but it does not hurt to ask. If not expect vectors farther north and over the top of Nellis AFB coming in from the east.
 
Well I rented a 172 from West Air and took a CFI with. Departed VGT, headed north for a bit and then east. Flew over Hoover Dam and did a stop and go at Boulder City(BVU). Headed north-westish from there. Flew over the 25R/L numbers at KLAS(was awesome) and west of the stratosphere before landing back at VGT.

I had a great time. Traffic around the Hoover Dam was nuts. Class B isn't too bad but I'm glad I had a CFI with me. Landed on a 2.7% sloped runway at boulder... No wonder it floated forever on landing and didn't want to rotate on takeoff. Fair amount of traffic at VGT, was on downwind with another airplane 1000' directly below me, got my downwind extended and slam dunked it 1000' before turning base. Fun stuff, but I won't lie... I sweated a lot haha.

I'll get some pics up later.
 
I am flying to KFUL from KRHV for the weekend. 2 trips to KFUL but still feel nervous around LAX. I was hoping a local pilot go up with me in my airplane and help me get comfortable with the area. Thanks
 
rhvpilot said:
I am flying to KFUL from KRHV for the weekend. 2 trips to KFUL but still feel nervous around LAX. I was hoping a local pilot go up with me in my airplane and help me get comfortable with the area. Thanks
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I am headed down into KFUL from KWVI...and back...all on Monday!...see ya on the ramp!
 
rhvpilot said:
I am flying to KFUL from KRHV for the weekend. 2 trips to KFUL but still feel nervous around LAX. I was hoping a local pilot go up with me in my airplane and help me get comfortable with the area. Thanks
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Nothing to it. You don't even need to talk to anyone except Fullerton Twr if you don't want to. You can slip under the bravo airspace right to east of downtown. Not a soul needs to be talked to.
 
stratobee said:
Nothing to it. You don't even need to talk to anyone except Fullerton Twr if you don't want to. You can slip under the bravo airspace right to east of downtown. Not a soul needs to be talked to.
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Yup, just need to pay attention to slot yourself in above El Monte (EMT) Class D and below the Class B. 3,500' works south/southeast bound (stay west of the 2,500' Class B floor).
 
MAKG1 said:
Isn't the Strip awfully close to McCarran?
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No matter where you fly around Vegas you will be dealing with Bravo at McCarran.

You can skirt the mountains west, or stay south of Henderson, or fly over terrain east over Lake Meade, or north over mountains (trying to stay out of Nellis and Creech restricted airspace), but at some point you will be needing a Bravo clearance to go somewhere.

If you want easier access to Vegas and rental cars, go to Henderson, or North Las Vegas KVGT. Both are Class D. KVGT is the second busiest airport in Nevada, so ATC is highly professional there.
 
CTLSi said:
No matter where you fly around Vegas you will be dealing with Bravo at McCarran.

You can skirt the mountains west, or stay south of Henderson, or fly over terrain east over Lake Meade, or north over mountains (trying to stay out of Nellis and Creech restricted airspace), but at some point you will be needing a Bravo clearance to go somewhere.

If you want easier access to Vegas and rental cars, go to Henderson, or North Las Vegas KVGT. Both are Class D. KVGT is the second busiest airport in Nevada, so ATC is highly professional there.
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McCarran Class B controllers, their standard reply is "remain clear of the Class B" but we are working on that. Nellis portion of the Class B is much easier to work with. VGT is a training tower and sometimes it shows. Traffic volume is a lot lower from years past.
 
BillTIZ said:
McCarran Class B controllers, their standard reply is "remain clear of the Class B" but we are working on that. Nellis portion of the Class B is much easier to work with. VGT is a training tower and sometimes it shows. Traffic volume is a lot lower from years past.
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VGT is the second busiest field in Nevada.

I find the controllers there to be professional, but do make little mistakes from time to time. I asked for a tower tour and they said yes on the spot. All young and eager to please.

If you wanna get roughed up by a controller, fly into HND.
 
CTLSi said:
If you wanna get roughed up by a controller, fly into HND.
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Why do you say that. I fly to Khnd 2-3 times a year. Always professional and friendly. They've even asked if I wanted a go around because they thought I was high after a base to final. Said nope chop, full flaps, drop, slip, hit the numbers.
Worse thing about Vegas -it's too bloody hot in the summer time since I don't have a/c. Second worse thing. It can be beautiful when you leave towards SoCal and then bam the marine layer makes you land in the high desert unless you have that instrument rating. Perfect rating to get if you fly to vegas a lot.
G.

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