What to expect IFR from the NW into and out of KSNA?

[polumbo]

Flying into SNA for the first time on Thursday from San Jose in a 172. I expect to arrive at 9am, so I'm expecting the marine layer. Does anyone have advice on what to expect a) As a clearance route, b) Where I might be sent when I get there? Altitudes, waypoints, any local names I should familiarize myself with?

I'm looking to do a WAAS approach. Any prevailing winds, East/West?

How about on the departure. The 172 doesn't have much of a climb rate.

 

[colojo]

Fltplan.com and ForeFlight can give you common routes to expect.

Winds at KSNA generally favor runway 20.

Departures don't require high climb rates.

Have fun!

 

[polumbo]

Great suggestion fltplan.com. I noticed some of the routes include DOYLE, I guess to skirt the LAX traffic. Taking people 20 miles out to sea from LAX? That water is COLD. Me not to happy taking the wife that far offshore in a little Continental tin can. Yikes.

I did that one time many years ago in February in a Bonanza. Had to get from Carlsbad back to San Jose. It was 1500 overcast, I was a low time VFR pilot with about 200 hours and no instrument rating. Not that it would have helped me with the icing at 6000 to get out of the LA basin. I remember going way out to sea to get around the LAX bravo at 1000 feet, only 500 below the ceiling. Approaching LA, I was speaking either to SoCal. They asked how I planned to transition LA. I said, somewhat sheepishly, "by going around it". The controller, probably sensing my inexperience, said "That's going to take you about 15 miles offshore. You okay with that?" Not having a Plan B, I wimpily responded "Ahhh, yeah." I think he was giving me a hint. Plan B probably should have been stay in Carlsbad. As I saw Catalina off me left side much closer than LA, I was thinking that I never wanted to do that again!

 

[polumbo]

Change of airport. Now I'm going into Fullerton. I'll post a new request on that one as it doesn't have any precision approaches and I'd like an opinion on the most likely to use given the high minimums, the marine layer and where I'm coming from.