SoCal for the Summer

TXTBOOK

TXTBOOK

Filing Flight Plan
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Jul 6, 2009
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Orange County, CA
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TXTBOOK
So after a couple years of flying only a handful of hours/year I’m getting some extensive checkout experience in a G1000 DA-40 and will be flying out of SNA.

I’d like to spend the summer flying around SoCal and surrounding area just checking out cool airports and generally building time. Mostly solo flying, sometimes with a friend.

What are some cool airports to check out, and what is cool about them? Particularly good restaurants? Interesting nearby things to do for an hour or two when visiting?

Catalina Island and Big Bear are already on my list (have flown both before with a CFI to get checked out on those spots) as well as Camarillo for the great restaurant there, although I want to go back and check out the commemorative Air Force.

What else?
 
Santa Paula is a cool little airport with a lot of history and a nice diner on field. I believe the first Sunday of the month is the open house.
 
SToL said:
Great list, bbbuuuutttt... if you're going to go to McCall, you have to at least go into Johnson Creek... and if you're going to go to San Felipe, man, ya gotta go down to Gonzaga Bay, aka Alfonsinas.
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I haven't been to Johnson Creek... but certainly agree with Alfonsinas; plus Loreto is a nice slightly-upscale location.
 
I know you mentioned Camarillo, but you definitely can't miss it.

The Spirit of San Luis at SBP is quite good - try the whole artichoke and turkey burger. Casa Machado at MYF is pretty famous, but heavy. There's also La Fuente across the street from Gibbs there, which was a hang out for local pilots before COVID. I've heard the place at POC, Brackett Field, is pretty good, but have no personal experience with it. I also am not sure whether they have any outdoor dining.

In a Diamond, a 2 hour trip from SNA can almost get you to MRY, which has a pretty good restaurant and is just a really nice airport to hang out at.

There's a pretty good restaurant by the beach near SBA. It is walking distance from Atlantic, but Signature is the better FBO there - they normally take you with their shuttle.

A short ride from BUR is the legendary Porto's Bakery, if you fancy mixing it up with the big boys at an airport with tons of history.

Eureka at HHR is slightly bougie, but has some good food. Currently takeout only, as they don't have outdoor seating.
 
Here’s a top 6 airports in SoCal video I made a few months ago. Perhaps you can find it useful:
 
IZA, in Bryan's video, is excellent. The only issue is they've not had their crew car of late.
 
mr_happyland said:
Here’s a top 6 airports in SoCal video I made a few months ago. Perhaps you can find it useful:
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Thanks! Been following your channel for a couple months now, really enjoy it. Plus I’m in the market for a Tiger out of SNA so it’s great to see yours in action. I learned to fly at WHP as well!
 
TXTBOOK said:
Thanks! Been following your channel for a couple months now, really enjoy it. Plus I’m in the market for a Tiger out of SNA so it’s great to see yours in action. I learned to fly at WHP as well!
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Awesome! Good luck with the Tiger search. If you haven’t already, join Grumman gang and the multiple Grumman FB groups. They often pop up for sale there.
 
TXTBOOK said:
So after a couple years of flying only a handful of hours/year I’m getting some extensive checkout experience in a G1000 DA-40 and will be flying out of SNA.

I’d like to spend the summer flying around SoCal and surrounding area
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TXTBOOK said:
So after a couple years of flying only a handful of hours/year I’m getting some extensive checkout experience in a G1000 DA-40 and will be flying out of SNA.

I’d like to spend the summer flying around SoCal and surrounding area just checking out cool airports and generally building time. Mostly solo flying, sometimes with a friend.

What are some cool airports to check out, and what is cool about them? Particularly good restaurants? Interesting nearby things to do for an hour or two when visiting?

Catalina Island and Big Bear are already on my list (have flown both before with a CFI to get checked out on those spots) as well as Camarillo for the great restaurant there, although I want to go back and check out the commemorative Air Force.

What else?
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If ya got a whole summer and the funds to do it, no problemo. Get Sectional, pick airport, fly there. Ones I’ve been to that didn’t disappoint, maybe chow, maybe’aviation soul,’ maybe just ‘never been there before,’ maybe all of the above are:

SBP, L52, IZA, SBA, SZO, CMA, VNY, BUR, WHP, WJF, L70, TSP, L00, L06, PSP, TRM, L35, UDD, TNP, CNO, POC, L65, CNO, AJO, LGB, SNA, FUL, TOA, CRQ, RNM, SEE, SDM, MYF, SDM, IPL, L08, SAN. Maybe some more , I don’t remember. Point is, fly.
 
Read the book then head to TOA. Think of Louis walking the streets, hanging out. Amazing stuff. SMO before it's gone. L18 to try small on. OKB too. SAN while you can (too late for LAX I think). Bay tour at 400' while your there. Best flight in SoCal by far. Watch the movie and head to VNY. CMP because, I dont know. Last but not least, practice the ILS into CNO. No need for marker beacon, the cow smell is the middle marker.

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk
 
Last summer really sucked for flying in SoCal - everything was closed, and you could land someplace but then needed to basically be in a hazmat suit to leave the airport . . .
 
Every Sunday we have a potluck lunch at Apple Valley.
 
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