How to Fly to Montgomery Field / Casa Machado for Lunch Tomorrow?

VWGhiaBob

Line Up and Wait
Joined
Mar 17, 2013
Messages
884
Display Name

Display name:
VWGhiaBob
Always wanted to try the Bravo / San Diego airspace. Planning to fly through LAX Bravo (from KSMO after attending the Airplane Expo tomorrow) to Montgomery Field tomorrow for lunch with a co-pilot buddy.

Not intimidated with Bravos, but would appreciate any advice on San Diego flying! Do I just pick up ATC Flight Following and they vector me, or???? Use the published route through San Diego Bravo?

Also, any info on where to park to be close to restaurant? Never landed there before...

Thanks, all!
 
My experience has been that on the weekend you've got a good chance to get cleared through the miramar portion if they know you're going to Kmyf.
 
Have flown into there a few times...get FF. Even though you can get into MYF without actually needing a Bravo clearance, they voluntarily hand them out like candy.

There is transient parking right in front of the restaurant.

LAX Bravo is a different story. Know and study the published VFR routes and know what you want. If you show up unprepared they will shoo you away!
 
Easy flight. You will have to circle around Santa Monica to get to 5500 if you want to use the VFR corridor over the top of LAX. After that pick up flight following, they usually have me stay at 5500 until after John Wayne. I have found every time I take this flight San Diego clears me into Bravo without me having to ask and hands me off to tower a couple miles out from the airport. Leaving the Bravo is tight, they usually have me call San Diego before I clear the runway, they really do help you down there.

The food is great there.
 
I think there's an air show in Miramar this weekend... check to see if there's a TFR.
 
Stay way clear of Miramar, airshow weekend with big TFR - check it out.

SoCal will vector you if you request it, especially with the TFR I suspect.

Parking is usually open right in front of Casa Machado but if transient is full you might have a bit of walk.

'Gimp
 
Cut the engine off.....1 mile out.....they hate noise round those parts.;)

Get off early before the farts set in after Casa Machado.....the locals will complain about that too!!!:D
 
Usually it's as simple as getting south of LA then getting down under 1800 just south of the Del Mar Racetrack, then hooking a left at Mount Soledad. That route requires you to do nothing and speak to no one, at least until calling MYF tower.

This weekend is a rough time to do it with the Miramar Air show on, since the TFR covers MYF as well though.
 
All, thanks for all the suggestions! Due to the TFR, I went to Grand Canyon instead. Made it there in just over 2 hours LOP, a bit more coming back (KGCN).

As a heads up for those who like to go there...the shuttle no longer operates to the airport. They renamed it a "taxi" (same drivers, same company, same vans), but now you have to pay a bit more ($22 each way to the park) and call for a special trip. They may resume next summer.

Thanks again for the help! I will try Montgomery Field soon...maybe next weekend.
 
All, thanks for all the suggestions! Due to the TFR, I went to Grand Canyon instead. Made it there in just over 2 hours LOP, a bit more coming back (KGCN).

As a heads up for those who like to go there...the shuttle no longer operates to the airport. They renamed it a "taxi" (same drivers, same company, same vans), but now you have to pay a bit more ($22 each way to the park) and call for a special trip. They may resume next summer.

Thanks again for the help! I will try Montgomery Field soon...maybe next weekend.


2 hours LOP? You got Gamis for that ? :idea:
 
Bob- There are a LOT of us in UA with multiple flights to KMYF, including both weekend lunch and weekday dinner events at Casa Machado. Don't hesitate to post your local questions like this on the group's Facebook page, as you'll get good answers there!

As for next weekend, don't forget that on Saturday, we have the big shindig at Santa Barbara! Would love to see you there.


Gerry
 
Usually it's as simple as getting south of LA then getting down under 1800 just south of the Del Mar Racetrack, then hooking a left at Mount Soledad. That route requires you to do nothing and speak to no one, at least until calling MYF tower.

This weekend is a rough time to do it with the Miramar Air show on, since the TFR covers MYF as well though.

I'm flying south along the coast from John Wayne (SNA) to Montgomery Field (MYF) later today:

KMYF.jpg


The destination NOTAMs indicate that runways 10R/28L and 3/25 are out of service, leaving only runway 10L/28R. Runway 28R is right traffic.

Assuming runway 28R is active, what are tower's expectations or typical instructions for entering right traffic when inbound from Mount Soledad?

I'm guessing I'd fly just south of the East-West highway to stay below Miramar's bravo and effectively be on the downwind for 28R.


I actually prefer to fly this path via Mt. Soledad. If I'm on FF, are they likely to clear me through Miramar's bravo?
 
Those runways have been closed for a while. Call Tower along the shorline just north of Mt Soledad, right about where the Bravo 48/100 line is on that chart. 9 times out of 10 they will tell you to fly south of Mt. Soledad and turn left to make left traffic for 28R. They want you to fly south so that you're not head on with the departures.
 
Had a great flight today to KMYF. I also got to experience a fine plate of green-sauced enchiladas at Casa Machado. If only I could have had a beer.

At any rate, tower told me to fly south of Mt. Soledad and enter a left downwind for runway 28R. Easy peasy, but I turned just past Mt. Soledad (as in barely south of it). No word from tower, but I probably should have gone a bit further as suggested by the green arrows on this poster hanging in the admin building. On the other hand, this poster may be more about noise-abatement then staying out of the departure path:

KMYF_Traffic_Flows.jpg
 
Last edited:
Had a great flight today to KMYF. I also got to experience a fine plate of green-sauced enchiladas at Casa Machado. If only I could have had a beer.

At any rate, tower told me to fly south of Mt. Soledad and enter a left downwind for runway 28R. Easy peasy, but I turned just past Mt. Soledad (as in barely south of it). No word from tower, but I probably should have gone a bit further as suggested by the green arrows on this poster hanging in the admin building. On the other hand, this poster may be more about noise-abatement then staying out of the departure path:

KMYF_Traffic_Flows.jpg
All about noise there now....once a great place....now a disaster of epic proportions.

I'm gonna borrow a 185 from a good friend and buzz the place for weeks during in time hours....with a 100 piles of dog **** dropped out of the window.

Ok ok ok....I just don't go there anymore.

Closet I get is F70 for cheap Jet A and avoid SD airspace like the plague unless I need to.
 
I'm flying south along the coast from John Wayne (SNA) to Montgomery Field (MYF) later today:

KMYF.jpg


The destination NOTAMs indicate that runways 10R/28L and 3/25 are out of service, leaving only runway 10L/28R. Runway 28R is right traffic.

Assuming runway 28R is active, what are tower's expectations or typical instructions for entering right traffic when inbound from Mount Soledad?

I'm guessing I'd fly just south of the East-West highway to stay below Miramar's bravo and effectively be on the downwind for 28R.


I actually prefer to fly this path via Mt. Soledad. If I'm on FF, are they likely to clear me through Miramar's bravo?

Did you fly under the Bravo or through the gap? How much of a slam dunk is it, if you used the gap?
 
Did you fly under the Bravo or through the gap? How much of a slam dunk is it, if you used the gap?

Kind of both...

I flew down the coast at 3500 which would have automatically put me in "the gap" had I chosen to stay there until I neared Mt. Soledad. Nonetheless, my original plan was to descend to 1700 when I got to the Del Mar Race Track in order to be below the lower bravo slice.

However, because approach preemptively cleared me into the bravo, and with altitude at my discretion, I stopped thinking about the bravo issue and just descended visually as needed.

I think you'd need to descend a bit more rapidly then normal if you flew the gap without the clearance, but it wouldn't be much of an issue.
 
Last edited:
I've done it both ways. If you stay high the descent is steeper than normal, but not exactly a freefall. On takeoff if you maintain Vy you can just barely get up there without circling if that gives you an idea.
 
I've done it both ways. If you stay high the descent is steeper than normal, but not exactly a freefall. On takeoff if you maintain Vy you can just barely get up there without circling if that gives you an idea.
I always preferred to fly under it - around 1000-1500 abeam Torrey Pines. Much more scenic down lower - just keep your head on a swivel.
 
I prefer under as well. In the hundred or so times I've done the flight I've probably only gone through the window less than a handful.
 
Back
Top