4 takeoffs, an almost ramp check, a rock, a hard place and almost a TFR bust . . .

[comanchepilot]

Did 4 legs today - all really short - so in busy airspace in SoCal you get really busy with all the transitions even using flight following. Its really easy to get behind what airspace you are in when it gets really busy -

As for the almost ramp check, Brackett was having the monthly 'antique airplane display' used to get the tax exemption and we were leaving to go to Santa Monica to meet some friends for breakfast.

It was 0820 and we needed to be there by 845 or so and this guy wanders up as I'm pulling the airplane from the hangar - he displays an FAA Inspector badge and tells me he wants to do a ramp check. I told him that we really needed to meet friends at Santa Monica in less than a half hour and if was gonna be here for a while we could see him on the way back.

He was taken slightly aback but was really nice - he asked me if I had my pilot certificate and medical on my person - and I said it was in the my flight bag. He then asked if I had a current registration document - and I told him I actually just put it in the airplane that morning after renewal.

He said - I can see you need to get going - thank you. So I 'almost' got ramped. Seemed one of the most decent and reasonable federal employees I have ever met - if he rolled up 10 min earlier I would have had a few moments to display my documents . . . .

We were going to meet some friends for breakfast and at sunrise SMO was clear and million - no morning clouds - which made it easy to run over and pick them up VFR and then go have breakfast at the Waypoint in Camarillo - I HIGHLY recommend the tri-tip omelet.

As for the almost TFR bust - I have the schedules of the Dodgers and Angels on my phone - and keep an eye on the USC and UCLA football teams and MLS soccer that happen at the Rose Bowl - not real worried about the Kings, Lakers and Clippers since they are way too close to the surface area of the Class B.

So I'm in the 'coffin corner' under the Class B airspace near Dodger Stadium where the BUR Class C comes down to the Class B airspace and it goes to 3000 and the Class B to 5000 and then steps down to 2500 over down town - so I'm at 2500' heading toward Dodger Stadium and I see the parking lot looks awful full for a night game - I have had trouble getting through to SoCal to get a code dur to departures from BUR and VNY - I make a sharp left turn under the shelf of the BUR Class C right before the Class B steps down to 2500 - I closed out Foreflight and looked at the schedule and it is showing a night game for the Dodgers - yet the parking lot is full.

Simultaneously I got contact with Socal and know I missed the TFR since I never got closer than 5nm to the Stadium but the game time had been changed at some point. I was rapidly heading toward Class B airspace. Class C airspace, and a Stadium TFR underlying Class B airspace through which you usually need to traverse to get from the west side east of downtown. The other problem is terrain coming up to about 2000msl near the Hollywood sign. I was putting myself in a situation where I was running out of options to remain legal . . .

The moral of the story is that instead of trying to shave 5min off the trip by doing a left downwind I should have taken the flight following to the beach and up Sepulveda Pass to the Valley and then cut over east over Burbank Airport . . .

 

[wabower]

Re: 4 takeoffs, an almost ramp check, a rock, a hard place and almost a TFR bust . .

You have the right to remain silent . . .

 

[comanchepilot]

Re: 4 takeoffs, an almost ramp check, a rock, a hard place and almost a TFR bust . .

You have the right to remain silent . . .

nah . . . nothing happened. I was on FF and SoCal did not suggest a phone call . . . When I hit the 405 I was looking at Dodger Stadium 'just to make sure' and I could not see the parking lots easily - which causes a concern if you are paying attention. When I got inside 8nm near National it was pretty clear there were cars in parking lot - lots of cars.

This is where the 20/13 vision pays off. . .

 

[MAKG1]

Re: 4 takeoffs, an almost ramp check, a rock, a hard place and almost a TFR bust . .

The usual rule about contact with ATC and a squawk code doesn't apply at Dodger Stadium?

I'm headed down there in a week and was planning to arrive from Malibu, past Griffith Park, through KBUR Class C (cross midfield) and into KWHP. Is that a bad idea? Alternatives are not hard to come by; this is mainly for sightseeing purposes.

Edit: checked the Dodgers schedule, and it seems that day has a night game, in San Diego. Unless some other team uses that stadium these days, not a factor.

 

[comanchepilot]

Re: 4 takeoffs, an almost ramp check, a rock, a hard place and almost a TFR bust . .

The usual rule about contact with ATC and a squawk code doesn't apply at Dodger Stadium?

I'm headed down there in a week and was planning to arrive from Malibu, past Griffith Park, through KBUR Class C (cross midfield) and into KWHP. Is that a bad idea? Alternatives are not hard to come by; this is mainly for sightseeing purposes.

Edit: checked the Dodgers schedule, and it seems that day has a night game, in San Diego. Unless some other team uses that stadium these days, not a factor.

Today is Giants v. Dodgers - orig sked for 5.05p - Red Sox Yankees got the ESPN game tonight.

The issue was the TIMING of the squawk code - I got the code after I made the turn away - I was trying to contact SoCal and there was some aircraft needing help to get on V186 and that took 5 min interspersed with BUR departures -