Bay Area to San Diego and Catalina Island

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Artiom
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Bay Area to San Diego and Catalina Island

Post by Artiom »

I'm planning my first XC trip after getting IR and need your advise. I'm flying from Hayward KHWD to San Diego KSAN on Saturday morning. Planning to go IFR to avoid dealing with LAX Bravo. Will file KHWD ALTAM FIM LAX.HUBRD1 KSAN. In case there will be a long delay at departure airport I can depart VFR and pickup IFR clearence from Bakersfield approach before entering SoCal airspace. Is it good idea or should I go VFR? I picked up KSAN because it is close to the hotel I reserved in downtown San Diego. I'm planning to use Landmark there.
On Monday I'm planning to depart to Catalina Island KAVX. Need suggestion on route, IFR/VFR.
On Tuesday I'm planning to depart from Catalina Island back to Hayward.
Any suggestions on this trip? Local knowledge?
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Colin
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Re: Bay Area to San Diego and Catalina Island

Post by Colin »

I would go VFR. There is a very easy route through the LAX bravo at 3,500ft. Descend for that, then climb back up to continue on the KSAN. I wrote about my first flight into KSAN here:

http://www.flyingsummers.com/2006/07/bigboys/

I flew down there last weekend. Just keep the radio talk really clean and the controllers will be happy. Be prepared to do some 360s or a short approach if they need that to squeeze you between two airliners.

Feel free to mail me with any questions. KAVX is a challenging landing because of the position of the airport atop a pair of mountains. The sight picture is a little screwy as you turn final and because of the hump midway down the runway it seems like you have half the distance you do.
Colin Summers, PP Multi-Engine IFR, ~3,000hrs
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Re: Bay Area to San Diego and Catalina Island

Post by Artiom »

Colin,
Thanks for suggestion. I decided to go VFR (weather permits) and make a lunch stop at Santa Barbara. According to AirNav there is Elephant Bar and Restaurant on field. Do you know if there is any other restaurant nearby?
From Santa Barbara I'm planning to take Coastal route through LAX class B and fly along the coast to KSAN.
BTW good writeup on your trip to KSAN.
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Re: Bay Area to San Diego and Catalina Island

Post by Colin »

The Elephant Bar is terrible food. When you land at KSBA park at Atlantic and there is a really nice walk to the beach. The food at the beach is decent (not great). But the walk is so nice the food doesn't really matter.

KCMA has the best food on the field in the area. The Waypoint Cafe. That's just a little further on from KSBA.
Colin Summers, PP Multi-Engine IFR, ~3,000hrs
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Re: Bay Area to San Diego and Catalina Island

Post by Artiom »

Colin wrote:The Elephant Bar is terrible food. When you land at KSBA park at Atlantic and there is a really nice walk to the beach. The food at the beach is decent (not great). But the walk is so nice the food doesn't really matter.
How long is the walk to the beach? From looking at Google Maps it seems to be 5 minutes or so.
Colin wrote:KCMA has the best food on the field in the area. The Waypoint Cafe. That's just a little further on from KSBA.
That's might be a good alternative! Thanks for suggestion.
When you taking off from KCMA and need to transition LAX class B what route do you recommend?
I see 3 choices:
1. Coastal Route
2. Mini Route
3. SFRA
Coastal Route would be my first choice because it does not require any local knowledge. Once over the ocean I can request 7,500' and cruise along the coast all the way down to KSAN.
Mini Route is easy to get established on but it drops me off in the middle without further guidance.
SFRA sounds like indian territory :)
Am I just over-thinking this transition?
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Re: Bay Area to San Diego and Catalina Island

Post by Colin »

I think the beach is a ten minute walk for me, but it is through this gorgeous estuary and I always stop to look at birds.

I have only flown the Special Flight Rules and the Mini-route. Although the mini-route is low (2,500), you are talking to LA Tower (119.8) when you pass through the bravo and they will hand you off to SoCal for flight following to Lindbergh. Actually, LA tower will pass you to Hawthorne tower first (121.1) then you go to SoCal (127.2). The mini-route is the 128 radial off the SMO vor 110.8 and the Santa Monica tower can give you the clearance for the mini-route (they are on 120.1).

The Special flight rules is higher up, 3,500 and you talk on the CTAF (128.55) and fly a slightly different radial (132) off the SMO VOR. And I put in the points SMO and VPLSR to fly the route with the GPS (not perfect, but it works).

If you are already talking to SoCal as you depart KCMA I guess the coastal route is simple enough. I would probably do the miniroute so I could stay low along the coast and look at all the beach houses in Malibu.
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Re: Bay Area to San Diego and Catalina Island

Post by Artiom »

Colin, thanks again for your suggestions. My family voted for lunch on the beach at Santa Barbara. That was short walk from the Atlantic. The food at the beach restaurant was so-so but walk, birds and beach compensated for that. I'm attaching couple pictures to illustrate it.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1347774389.354983.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1347774389.354983.jpg (89.05 KiB) Viewed 4644 times
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1347774408.156124.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1347774408.156124.jpg (82.21 KiB) Viewed 4644 times
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1347774424.572957.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1347774424.572957.jpg (128.97 KiB) Viewed 4644 times
LAX class B transition was really simple. Once handed over to SoCal approach I requested Coastal Route and have been cleared to B right away. Switched few frequencies and was cleared to San Diego class B at 3,500' and later to 2,500'. Landing at KSAN was fun. Somehow at the moment I came there was no one else to land and only one plane ready to go. When I landed and taxied on C to Landmark there was a constant stream of both landing and departing planes.
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Re: Bay Area to San Diego and Catalina Island

Post by Colin »

Great! Glad it went so smoothly. You captured in photos what I love about that walk.

A friend of mine said that there is no good food when you can have your toes in the sand. It's a rule of the universe. I would rather have the mediocre food with the stunning view.
Colin Summers, PP Multi-Engine IFR, ~3,000hrs
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Re: Bay Area to San Diego and Catalina Island

Post by Artiom »

Don't take me wrong - the food was OK. At least it met our expectations. But the walk was spectacular!
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Re: Bay Area to San Diego and Catalina Island

Post by Artiom »

I really liked the service at Landmark Aviation at KSAN. they are really a top notch. When we arrived they took us to our hotel in downtown on their shuttle free of charge. Before departure I needed crew car to pick up some stuff at Montgomery Field so they gave me Nissan Leaf :) Nice car I would have to say.
Departure from KSAN was really easy - called Clearance Delivery, got code and instructions, taxied to rwy 27 and been asked if I'm ready to go as soon as I finished runup and taxied to hold short line. I was ready so they cleared me for takeoff and heading 310 when able.
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