SoCal Destinations for New Pilot

Timmer said:
I flew to Chino today! It was a little hazy -- that's LA vernacular for smog, right? -- out there but otherwise a wonderful flight. I took my GoPro but my first attempt didn't do so well. It only recorded 17 minutes in one file and 2 minutes in a second sequential file and shut itself off. Hmm. I have a 64GB card and a Batter Pack. Blah. I'll have to look into that...

I got Flight Following both ways as soon as I was off the ground and it was a great experience. While it was pretty quiet on the way out, the way back had a lot of traffic. I originally was at 5,500 but once I hit the coast, I was switched to the next frequency and called them up and mentioned I was descending to 3,500 of which they told me to maintain 5,5 instead. It turned out there was a lot of traffic off CRQ and OCN at 3,000' -- it really showed the pluses (and minuses) of FF -- without that I would have been at the altitude I wanted but I also wouldn't have had any idea how congested it was.

Later they gave me 2,5 along the beach which put me into Miramar's Bravo without clearing me into Bravo so I asked for clarification that 2,500 was the correct altitude upon which they confirmed and said "That will put you into Bravo, cleared in at 2,500, radar contacts at ... " so I'm glad I did that. Over Mt Soledad was handed off to MYF with my squawk code kept and moseyed on in.

A great experience and KCNO was a blast -- got lost taxiing to the transit area so had to ask Ground for help "I'm near the Air Force Constellation, where is the transit?" :D

Good breakfast at Flo's, too, although I couldn't try the gravy as I wanted to be able to fly back home in my plane not an ambulance :)
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Glad you enjoyed the flight to Chino. Best time to experience the basin without haze (smog) is right after a good rainstorm and definitely not in June. Visibility has been pretty crappy for the past month now.

Also if you are willing to travel even further North I would recommend Oceano. It is a nice little strip on the beach with campgrounds on site about 3 to 4 hrs from you. This is without a doubt one of my favorite SoCal destinations aside from Catalina. Be prepared for a relatively short and skinny runway, though. Also don't be disappointed if you make the trek up there and find it isn't VFR. There are plenty of airports up there to divert and stay the night.
 
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vdehart said:
Glad you enjoyed the flight to Chino. Best time to experience the basin without haze (smog) is right after a good rainstorm and definitely not in June. Visibility has been pretty crappy for the past month now.
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That matches what a co-worker told me which was that Chino is nicer in the winter. I'll take a note of Oceano, thanks!

AcroGimp said:
http.160knots.com has a great selection of info on SoCal in the Our Trips section.
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Thank you for that link, very nice. I've been to Hemet a couple of times and that will continue to be a popular destination for a quick flight no doubt -- good length to take passengers and a decent cafe and nice scenery along the way.

Flabob is on my list and so is Borrego, although I will wait until after August for that spot ;)
 
This thread is great! Definitely gonna have to make up some excuses to go check out a bunch of these. Took my first flight over to Catalina today with my CFI. I have several friends begging to go, so I decided to do a trial run with the instructor first. Definitely a very different landing experience there, but fun!
 
Ah glad I came across this thread. Still working on my PPL, but I was just thinking to myself over the weekend "well ****, once I DO get my PPL, where am I going to go?" :)

Good suggestions. Although I have not flown into Chino, my friend lives right by it, so I have eaten at Flo's numerous times.

-Brian
 
Palm springs, thermal, all good airports too.. Get working on your 50hrs x/c time for the IR.. Vegas is about 3 hrs out of MYF
 
StinkBug said:
This thread is great! Definitely gonna have to make up some excuses to go check out a bunch of these. Took my first flight over to Catalina today with my CFI. I have several friends begging to go, so I decided to do a trial run with the instructor first. Definitely a very different landing experience there, but fun!
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Cool! I have yet to go there. I've been sick the past few weeks and then the marine layer was nasty before that, so I haven't gotten as much flying in as I wanted. Catalina, a return to Chino, and Camarillo are all on my short list.
 
B17Rex said:
Ah glad I came across this thread. Still working on my PPL, but I was just thinking to myself over the weekend "well ****, once I DO get my PPL, where am I going to go?" :)

Good suggestions. Although I have not flown into Chino, my friend lives right by it, so I have eaten at Flo's numerous times.

-Brian
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Awesome. Good luck on your studies and I'm sure the first time you walk up to Flo's out of an airplane you piloted there, it'll taste that much better :yes:
 
sferguson524 said:
Palm springs, thermal, all good airports too.. Get working on your 50hrs x/c time for the IR.. Vegas is about 3 hrs out of MYF
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depends how fast you are going!

LAS is usually 75 min for me from POC - and MYF is only another 35 . . .
 
Hey Guys,
I am flying in KFUL from KRHV for the weekend. This will be third trip so far but still feel uncomfortable around LAX. I am hoping to get comfortable in the area on this trip. Any local volunteer pilot to go up with me in my airplane? May be sight seeing etc? Thanks
 
Old Fart said:
Torrance or LGB to pick me up, then up to MHV (Mojave) to tour the airplane graveyard :)
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Ok I've driven past the airplane graveyard a bunch of times and always wanted to see it up close. Is this actually something you can do?
 
StinkBug said:
Ok I've driven past the airplane graveyard a bunch of times and always wanted to see it up close. Is this actually something you can do?
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MHV is a public use airport. You can land there anytime you want.

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to play tourist the times I landed there, but hopefully someone else can speak to that part of your question.
 
Palmpilot said:
MHV is a public use airport. You can land there anytime you want.

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to play tourist the times I landed there, but hopefully someone else can speak to that part of your question.
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Well of course you can land there, but can you actually go walk around all the old planes? Somehow I just kinda expect security to drive up and tell you to F-off.
 
CharlieTango said:
How about Mammoth Yosemite Airport?
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Now you're talking. I'll be spending a lot of time in and out of Mammoth one once I get my PPL. That, and the little strip down in Bishop. Making the Seattle-to-Sierra run is one of the big reasons I'm learning to fly.

But I wouldn't fly the Owens Valley without a CFI or experienced local in the right seat the first time. The Sierra Wave wind formation plays by its own rules, and I've known at least three pilots who got on the wrong side of them and lost their lives.
 
StinkBug said:
Well of course you can land there, but can you actually go walk around all the old planes? Somehow I just kinda expect security to drive up and tell you to F-off.
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It's been a really long time ago, but that's exactly what happened back then. No access to the boneyard and the other places like Scaled Composites were all closed door too.
 
I would think the mothball fleet out in Tucson would be pretty awesome to wander around too, but I'm sure that's just as off-limits.
 
Big vote for Santa Barbara...walk to beach, where there's a cafe with great food...or ask for a free crew car at Atlantic Aviation. Do review your Class C departure requirements tho'. Another great option: Oceano. It's practically on the beach and there are plenty of great fun restaurants...easy walk. Use your short field techniques.

Enjoy!!!
 
I just went to Catalina yesterday and that was a really fun trip. Came in from the north over the Sepulveda Pass, LA SFRA 3500' over LAX and on past the Palos Verde peninsula to Catalina. Very fun to land there although that $25 landing fee is a bummer. Buffalo burger was delicious...
 
How was the runway condition at Catalina?
 
I was just there a few weeks ago. It's bumpy. Not frighteningly horrible, but not buttery smooth either.
 
Took a trip up to Chino and visited the Planes of Fame museum today. It was awesome, and I'm glad I came today before the AOPA fly in tomorrow because there were only a few people around. Got to really enjoy the place without any crowds. Definitely gonna have to go back to check out Yanks, and to visit this one again.

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StinkBug said:
Took a trip up to Chino and visited the Planes of Fame museum today. It was awesome, and I'm glad I came today before the AOPA fly in tomorrow because there were only a few people around. Got to really enjoy the place without any crowds. Definitely gonna have to go back to check out Yanks, and to visit this one again.
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I've been to both of those museums more times than I can count, I started learning to fly on the field there in Chino! One of the hangars on the right (facing away from the flight school) has a P-51 in it. I got to sit in it and close the canopy. Such a fantastic machine.

I like Planes of Fame more than Yanks but both are pretty good.
 
I counted 3 P-51s there yesterday, and all looked to be in flyable condition. I was a little disappointed that the P-38 and the Corsair were both gone doing air shows, but that does give me a good excuse to come back!
 
Very cool. I flew there once and ate at Flo's but didn't have time for the museum so we just walked around the graveyard area then headed back. I hope to fly back there soon, though. It's a very nice flight.
 
Funny, I didn't make it to Flo's or the graveyard. LOL!
 
Oh you have to go to Flo's the next time you land there. It is rather delish homestyle food. Just be careful, very easy to get into food coma after :)

-Brian
 
A little late on the thread but in case anyone see this later, I would also like to throw French Valley (F70) and Barstow (KDAG).. Of course all of those mentioned earlier are great little airports, but these two have some interesting aspects as well. French Valley has a great little café and believe it or not has some of the best "French Toast" anywhere. The strip is long, uncontrolled, in great shape and sits in a beautiful little valley within 45 minutes from San Diego. Barstow brings some additional challenges since you will likely cross over the Cajon Pass to get there and perhaps choose a route through the Banning Pass on your return. Great Flying, lots of new challenges and some very cool scenery.. Have fun!
 
I've flown over Barstow many times. Is there anything worth doing there?
 
Palmpilot said:
I've flown over Barstow many times. Is there anything worth doing there?
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No.... The airport is in the middle of nowhere. You might get to share the pattern with some Army or USMC helos. That is the extent of the excitement.

If you're looking for a reason to cross the Cajon Pass, Apple Valley is a better option. I think a restaurant is operating again there.
 
Fly into SBA and you can walk to Goleta Beach. Great snorkeling or Scuba right off the point! Dove there many, many times. Beachside Cafe at the beach as well. Higher end beach joint with great seafood and love those crisscross cut fries. Or go fishing on the pier, or just walk the beach for miles towards isla vista.
 
Jeff Oslick said:
No.... The airport is in the middle of nowhere. You might get to share the pattern with some Army or USMC helos. That is the extent of the excitement.

If you're looking for a reason to cross the Cajon Pass, Apple Valley is a better option. I think a restaurant is operating again there.
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It's been about 10 years, but Hesperia airport had a cafe on it. It's kinda tucked into the foothills.

Brackett has that ol greasy spoon cafe good for a $100 burger. Aero-tec is on the field if you want to get the bird with new paint protected.
 
B17Rex said:
Oh you have to go to Flo's the next time you land there. It is rather delish homestyle food. Just be careful, very easy to get into food coma after :)

-Brian
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Ok finally gonna check this one off the list. One dumb question though, where is Flo's and where do you park the plane? I've only ever gone to Planes of fame, and that airport just seems like a maze of hangars.
 
I'm based at apple valley. The restaurant there has good food.

It's open everyday I've been out there, but you prob want to call first to make sure.
 
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