VNY Van Nuys Airport Questions and ATC Procedures???

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Pilot101

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Pilot101
Hey All,

I soon will need to commute to VNY airport in my single engine airplane on a regular basis so I am seeking advice on where to park and also any...and...ALL...local intel for the area.

For a one time visit I would just pick an FBO based based on cheapest AVGAS or parking fee however this is going to be closer to a "home based airplane" arrangement so there might be some better options.

There is a bunch of FBOs that service the jet crowd and I see there is a place called "The Park" and they advertise that they cater to the propeller operators and that sounds good. Does the airport authority itself offer Tee hangars or ramp parking? Any suggestions or AVGAS options?

I prefer to fly VFR so for a flight Phoenix to/ from VNY, can you all please give some advice? The route is pretty much PSP ONT, BUR (Class C) VNY.

VFR ARRIVAL TO VNY:
How do you all make this arrival VFR from the southeast? Do you just call SoCal on 124.60 over Ontario and state "the ATIS letter and landing VNY" and from there they give you a transponder code and coordinate the transition through the BUR Class C and then a handoff to the VNY tower? If so what is the usual route they give/ procedure?

It seems that many places are no longer giving discrete codes because of ADS-B gives that info already...yes/no???

VFR DEPARTURE FROM VNY:
When departing VNY under VFR to the southeast, I see on the sectional if I stay below 3000 MSL I can plot a route that keeps me south of the middle circle of the BUR Class C so I don't have to talk to SoCal to transition the BUR Class C but it would be best to use ATC. So to use ATC for the VFR departure to the southeast, does VNY tower expect a VFR airplane to call Clearance Delivery and get a transponder code or do you just tell ground and/or tower that you are "departing to Ontario" and then do they give you a squawk code and a route?

CLASS C RADIO COMMUNICATION:
Here is another question that just entered my thought process...

What I DO know is if you depart a tower airport VFR and squawking 1200 the you are on your own and tower never bothers to talk to you again unless there is traffic.

What I DONT KNOW is...Lets say on departure VNY Tower does give me a squawk code and they say "cleared for takeoff to the southeast" I presume that since they gave me a squawk they are then required to say "contact SoCal on 124.60" and so on until one of cancels the flight following. So what happens if on that same departure from VNY, I switch to 124.60 and SoCal is super busy that I cannot make radio contact and/or there is a stuck mic, I cannot enter the Class C because I have not talked to ATC. So I guess that it is best to plot a course and altitude to stay out of the Class C and then if the radio contact is established then just follow their instructions. None of the above is a concern when flying IFR.

IFR ARRIVAL INTO VNY:
If I have to go IFR, I pulled up the "routes" provided by ForeFlight it two options:

-From the north (PMD.LYNXX8 STAR) For those that do this often in a single engine piston I would not expect them to really route you on a STAR so I would think that they have some kind of other route that parallels the LYNXX8 and then mixes the different speed airplanes in right before the ILS approach.

-From the west the route is PDZ V186 VNY and then transition from the VNY VOR. So on foggy days do they really route airplanes over the LA Basin or would they

So anyway...a "simple" flight to VNY is not that simple when flying VFR...IFR is definitely more easy.

THANKS for your advice, help, well wishes!!!
 
VNY has no airport or city transient parking. Call your preferred FBO ahead of time to ensure available parking. Before I answer the rest, do you have to go to VNY? Where exactly are you going when you leave the airport?

This might also be helpful

"FAA Video Offers Runway Safety Tips for California’s Van Nuys Airport | NBAA - National Business Aviation Association" https://nbaa.org/aircraft-operation...way-safety-tips-californias-van-nuys-airport/
 
Thanks for the information.

I am doing work near the VNY airport so flying into VNY is better than BUR or WHP.

Still very interested in the other arrival and departure information.
 
If flying VFR into KVNY, best recommendation is to be on FF to get through the KBUR class C. Otherwise you’ll need to talk to them for a transition. Sometimes on FF SoCal will hand you off to KBUR tower anyway before going to KVNY tower. Same process for departure. More than likely you’ll be handed to KBUR tower since their airspace overlies all of KVNY and it’s to the surface when going anywhere east.

Prop Park is best for single engine parking but they can get busy and run out of tiedowns so reservations are recommended for them.
 
I used to do this very thing, commuting daily from San Diego (MYF) for several weeks. On a few occasions, I stayed for several days.

I wasn't as savvy as you, getting good advice from the smart people on this website. I just got VFR flight following, did the Mini Route through LAX, and stayed at Signature East. It probably wasn't the least expensive option, but it worked. (I wasn't instrument rated at the time)

For your purposes, VFR flight following would probably get you through BUR conveniently. You can absolutely navigate the LA basin without it, but there's a TON of traffic, and lots of opportunities to screw up and bust airspace. You've got to get through ONT and BUR class C, and the southern route skirting the BUR Class C gets you pretty close to the ground over there by Griffith Park Observatory.

If I were doing that sort of thing now, I would definitely go IFR. It's just way easier
 
Pilot101 said:
Hey All,

I soon will need to commute to VNY airport in my single engine airplane on a regular basis so I am seeking advice on where to park and also any...and...ALL...local intel for the area.

For a one time visit I would just pick an FBO based based on cheapest AVGAS or parking fee however this is going to be closer to a "home based airplane" arrangement so there might be some better options.

There is a bunch of FBOs that service the jet crowd and I see there is a place called "The Park" and they advertise that they cater to the propeller operators and that sounds good. Does the airport authority itself offer Tee hangars or ramp parking? Any suggestions or AVGAS options?

I prefer to fly VFR so for a flight Phoenix to/ from VNY, can you all please give some advice? The route is pretty much PSP ONT, BUR (Class C) VNY.

VFR ARRIVAL TO VNY:
How do you all make this arrival VFR from the southeast? Do you just call SoCal on 124.60 over Ontario and state "the ATIS letter and landing VNY" and from there they give you a transponder code and coordinate the transition through the BUR Class C and then a handoff to the VNY tower? If so what is the usual route they give/ procedure?

It seems that many places are no longer giving discrete codes because of ADS-B gives that info already...yes/no???

VFR DEPARTURE FROM VNY:
When departing VNY under VFR to the southeast, I see on the sectional if I stay below 3000 MSL I can plot a route that keeps me south of the middle circle of the BUR Class C so I don't have to talk to SoCal to transition the BUR Class C but it would be best to use ATC. So to use ATC for the VFR departure to the southeast, does VNY tower expect a VFR airplane to call Clearance Delivery and get a transponder code or do you just tell ground and/or tower that you are "departing to Ontario" and then do they give you a squawk code and a route?

CLASS C RADIO COMMUNICATION:
Here is another question that just entered my thought process...

What I DO know is if you depart a tower airport VFR and squawking 1200 the you are on your own and tower never bothers to talk to you again unless there is traffic.

What I DONT KNOW is...Lets say on departure VNY Tower does give me a squawk code and they say "cleared for takeoff to the southeast" I presume that since they gave me a squawk they are then required to say "contact SoCal on 124.60" and so on until one of cancels the flight following. So what happens if on that same departure from VNY, I switch to 124.60 and SoCal is super busy that I cannot make radio contact and/or there is a stuck mic, I cannot enter the Class C because I have not talked to ATC. So I guess that it is best to plot a course and altitude to stay out of the Class C and then if the radio contact is established then just follow their instructions. None of the above is a concern when flying IFR.

IFR ARRIVAL INTO VNY:
If I have to go IFR, I pulled up the "routes" provided by ForeFlight it two options:

-From the north (PMD.LYNXX8 STAR) For those that do this often in a single engine piston I would not expect them to really route you on a STAR so I would think that they have some kind of other route that parallels the LYNXX8 and then mixes the different speed airplanes in right before the ILS approach.

-From the west the route is PDZ V186 VNY and then transition from the VNY VOR. So on foggy days do they really route airplanes over the LA Basin or would they

So anyway...a "simple" flight to VNY is not that simple when flying VFR...IFR is definitely more easy.

THANKS for your advice, help, well wishes!!!
Click to expand...
Years ago when I worked there, bugsmashers would occasionally get the LYNXX arrival at 9000. But usually V386 at 7000. I doubt that's changed much. On the V186 from PDZ route expect to start getting Vectored out around the PURMS/DARTS neighborhood. It'll be Northwestbound pretty much along V459 for the ILS Rwy 16R Approaches. If VNY is 34 it's probably severe clear, windy and bumpy, BUR will be on 33. Your gonna get vectored around some way that makes it work. Maybe even over VNY and out to the West and then back for a left base like entry to 34. I'd recommend doing what the natives do. Cancel.
 
I wouldn't over-complicate this. I think you'll find VFR arrivals from the East to be pretty easy. Once you're past Palm Springs and through the Banning pass, you basically fly West over the 210 freeway. Call ATC and get VFR advisories. All they really care about is keeping you clear of the approaches to the big airports (ONT, LAX, BUR). The approach to BUR is from the West, and the one to VNY is from the North so no factor there. Approaches to ONT and LAX are from the East, but you will be well clear to the North so I almost never get jerked around on this route. By the time you're over Glendale, ATC will hand you to BUR tower for the transition. Jet traffic from BUR does depart to the South, but they climb very steeply and you'll be down around 2,000 at this point so usually no issue as long as you can call them out. This will put you right on the downwind to 16 R/L at VNY. IFR is certainly doable, but since this is a commute and I assume time and money are at issue I see no reason to waste it unless WX is poor. In that case, they will vector you way out North over the Santa Clarita valley to get on the ILS.

As others have said hangars/tie-downs are very hard to find - unless you have mega-bucks to pay one of the big FBOs. There is a ton of unused space at the airport but the city/county and local businesses just can't seem to get their sh*t together. I could show you places at VNY where you could park for months before anyone would say anything. But try and get permission? No way.

C.
 
Forgot to mention departing VNY to the East is just the reverse. Call VNY clearance delivery, tell them you're departing VFR to the East and get a code. Take off, turn left and VNY will hand you off to BUR. BUR will hand you to SoCal around Glendale. You'll be on the same code all the way home unless you cancel (which I would). I think you'll find it to be pretty easy.

C.
 
First, SoCal WANTS to be talking to you...they would rather have plots on FF in the LA basin and know their intentions vs dealing with a bunch of unverified 1200 targets, so getting FF is a given and rarely denied.

On arrival pretty much expect to remain north of I-10 past ONT and it is a straight shot around the hills.

VFR in the LA basin is far easier IMO than IFR. You can go lower and direct staying out fo the way of all the arrivals and departures, IFR routing can often be a mess and less direct having to sequence you in.

It is super easy to bust BUR Charlie and it happens all the time. Although I have never NOT ben able to get through to SoCal for a handoff it can get busy on frequency and I still keep a VFR/no FF route saved in Foreflight so if I ever did get dropped I know where I gotta be.
 
Yes they want you on FF but are often too busy to acknowledge your request, so I highly recommend you have FF before hitting the San Bernardino airport area...
 
Hey everyone, super good information I greatly appreciate the time you spent to help me!
 
Information on a pilot forum isn't definitive. Can you imagine a situation when any time a pilot wants to go somewhere new he posts on pilotsofamerica. Read the FAA information, look at the airport website pilot information, call them up
 
sonopoa said:
Information on a pilot forum isn't definitive. Can you imagine a situation when any time a pilot wants to go somewhere new he posts on pilotsofamerica. Read the FAA information, look at the airport website pilot information, call them up
Click to expand...
Experiences from those who have had actual real time experiences there can be very valuable. But of course you should read the published info. @Pilot101 , the OP here, obviously did, in detail it seems.
 
sonopoa said:
Information on a pilot forum isn't definitive. Can you imagine a situation when any time a pilot wants to go somewhere new he posts on pilotsofamerica. Read the FAA information, look at the airport website pilot information, call them up
Click to expand...

Yes, for sure don't ever ask for advice from other pilots who know the area well. God forbid! Just get a chart and AFD and see what happens. Flying is more fun with a few surprises thrown in.

C.
 
camorton said:
Yes, for sure don't ever ask for advice from other pilots who know the area well. God forbid! Just get a chart and AFD and see what happens. Flying is more fun with a few surprises thrown in.
Click to expand...

Like you?
Lol
 
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