Choosing an IFR route

Rykymus

Rykymus

Line Up and Wait
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
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647
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Allen, TX
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Display name:
Rykymus
I've only had my IR for 8 months. So far, all of my routes have either been based on airways, or routes from FF that were previously approved by ATC, with MEAs I could legally meet. Now that I'm preparing to fly around the US, I'm trying to improve my ability to roll my own routes.

The first exercise is KSCK to KLAS. I want to fly it IFR, as I've heard it's easier to get into KLAS IFR vs VFR. (Plus, I'm trying to get as much practice "in the system" as possible.) However, the only two airway routes I see are V244 across (which has an MEA 1000' above my certified ceiling) and then down to KLAS, or going all the way down to Palmdale, over and up. (Which adds about 30 mins.)

So I was wondering about two options. The first is could I file something like KSCK MOD CZQ TTE SERUE L72 HIDEN KLAS (at 13000 MSL), which takes me over R-2506 and threads the Trona Gap between R-2505 and R-2524. (This is pretty much what I'd fly if I were VFR) The second option would be filing for KSCK MOD CZQ TTE KLAS (also at 13000 MSL) which would be more direct, but would require that R-2505 was cold.

Thoughts?
 
I'd go the PMD route. Will help you get better sequencing in the system as LAS expects all of the GA traffic from the south typically.

You out of SCK? I'd chat with Jamie.. she was a CFI but flies a lot of twin-Prop charter out of SCK and could provide a little more local insight.

PS... O20 is betterer than SCK!


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O20 has more expensive hangars, worse conditions, and shares it's runway with Drag races. And no lights. SCK is just fine.

I think I met Jamie once, back when JC Air was still operating out of Atlantic
 
Rykymus said:
O20 has more expensive hangars, worse conditions, and shares it's runway with Drag races. And no lights. SCK is just fine.

I think I met Jamie once, back when JC Air was still operating out of Atlantic
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Yup, that's her. She's great to chat with. What's a hangar at SCK going for these days? My friend has one there, but it's the one with the cheech and Chong van parked out in front of it. We just picked up another boat in Stockton so looks like its back to finding a place to stage a car. If Atlantic wasn't so damn greedy, I'd just base in the county tie-downs again.

And believe it or not, they actually have working lights again at Kingdon. Although my third flight after my PPL was a night landing and someone had flipped off the breaker... it took a King Air at the threshold and an F-150 at the end to get me down.... the freshly paved ramp is nice too!




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Yeah, Jamie gave me some good advice when I was going through some DPE difficulties during my PPL. Nice lady.

My T-hangar is $209/mo. (No electricity) Last time I checked, the hangars at Kingdon were at least twice that. When I bought my plane back in 2014, it was the first place I checked into. (I took a discovery flight out there about 30 years ago.) Funny you should mention the Chong Van. That's the hangar next to me! A guy named Jim owns that. He's a good guy, does on site metal work for aviation. My wife refers to his van as the "Atomic Taco Truck". Makes it easy to find my hangar at night, though.

I kept my plane with Atlantic for the first year, paying a whopping $400/mo. They were nice, and it was fun not to have to pull my plane in and out. But it wasn't really worth the cost. Once a hangar opened up, I jumped on it. (Of course now, they have several of them available.) To be honest, I rather prefer operating out of a controlled field. Most of my flying these days is for travel. I try not to buy gas in Stockton, as it is more expensive. I'll either hop over to Tracy for self serve, or to McClellan, where it's also cheap, and they fill it.

I've come to prefer avoiding uncontrolled fields these days. Every close call I've ever had was at an uncontrolled field. I know they happen at towered fields as well, I just like not being the only one watching out for me.
 
I've never tried it, but I'd bet you aren't going to get the Trona Gap IFR. I can just about guarantee that it will not be in your departure clearance. You may be able to negotiate a short cut once you are down around TTE. Are you planning this on a weekday or weekend?
 
You will not be vectored or given a routing through an active restricted area IFR - hence - don't worry about them. ATC is supposed to worry about that for you - of course - don't turn of your brain - and don't be afraid to ask.

you will not get the Trona gap IFR at any altitude you can reach - so don't worry about it - will not get assigned.

Have FF or Garmin or WingX? - Enter the route KSCK - KLAS and see what you get as an previously assigned routing.

There are several places you can go online to see what has been assigned before as well - lmk if you don't know where those are -

And yes - going to Las Vegas I ALWAYS fly into McCarran - IFR. I'm going to Vegas, not Henderson - and when you factor in the cost of getting back to Henderson - and the time - it about the same cost unless you are staying a week -

You'll get vectored around alot - and they're landing north or using the CRESO arrival - you MUST Be at 11,000 feet or they WILL NOT ACCEPT YOU IFR - so make sure you can make 11,000 for about 20 min. Tha'ts the gatekeeper for McCarran - if you are such a little guy you can't make 11,000 - then they will reject you - there is an MRA segment there on the CRESO3 arrival thats more important than the MEA -

PM me if you need more info - I ALWAYs use Atlantic - and avoid Signature whereever possible. Atlantic is wonderful at LAS to small GA.
 
Jim Barker. My illegitimate grandfather. If you ever run into him ask him about the 9-month pregnant lifeguard that saved him after he fell off his boat in the delta one 4th of July...


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Rykymus said:
My T-hangar is $209/mo. (No electricity) Last time I checked, the hangars at Kingdon were at least twice that. When I bought my plane back in 2014, it was the first place I checked into. (I took a discovery flight out there about 30 years ago.) Funny you should mention the Chong Van. That's the hangar next to me! A guy named Jim owns that. He's a good guy, does on site metal work for aviation. My wife refers to his van as the "Atomic Taco Truck". Makes it easy to find my hangar at night, though.

I kept my plane with Atlantic for the first year, paying a whopping $400/mo. They were nice, and it was fun not to have to pull my plane in and out. But it wasn't really worth the cost. Once a hangar opened up, I jumped on it. (Of course now, they have several of them available.) To be honest, I rather prefer operating out of a controlled field. Most of my flying these days is for travel. I try not to buy gas in Stockton, as it is more expensive. I'll either hop over to Tracy for self serve, or to McClellan, where it's also cheap, and they fill it.
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$209/mo for a hangar??? In Atlanta I paid $168 for a tiedown :(

Isn't Byron cheaper than Tracy though?
 
My route to KLAS from concord has been direct to about the porterville area, then straight east just north of the restricted. If I had to go IFR and didn't have a turbo airplane with oxygen, I'd go through Palmdale. Quite a detour.
I have found KLAS to be very easy to access VFR, just don't sound like an idiot when you call up and they'll get you down to the runway quickly. Departing VFR there is extra cool. Super fast turn giving you a perfect look down the strip!
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comanchepilot said:
You will not be vectored or given a routing through an active restricted area IFR - hence - don't worry about them. ATC is supposed to worry about that for you - of course - don't turn of your brain - and don't be afraid to ask.

you will not get the Trona gap IFR at any altitude you can reach - so don't worry about it - will not get assigned.

Have FF or Garmin or WingX? - Enter the route KSCK - KLAS and see what you get as an previously assigned routing.

There are several places you can go online to see what has been assigned before as well - lmk if you don't know where those are -

And yes - going to Las Vegas I ALWAYS fly into McCarran - IFR. I'm going to Vegas, not Henderson - and when you factor in the cost of getting back to Henderson - and the time - it about the same cost unless you are staying a week -

You'll get vectored around alot - and they're landing north or using the CRESO arrival - you MUST Be at 11,000 feet or they WILL NOT ACCEPT YOU IFR - so make sure you can make 11,000 for about 20 min. Tha'ts the gatekeeper for McCarran - if you are such a little guy you can't make 11,000 - then they will reject you - there is an MRA segment there on the CRESO3 arrival thats more important than the MEA -

PM me if you need more info - I ALWAYs use Atlantic - and avoid Signature whereever possible. Atlantic is wonderful at LAS to small GA.
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You probably know my brother then, Tyler. He works at atlantic on the line for the last 3 years. I currently rent out of HND, never had a need to fly into KLAS....but KLAS HATES GA! They will ALWAYS delay IFR depatures for GA. Easier to climb out and get your clearance in the air. Usually rude because you can't climb fast enough.

Not to scare anyone GA flying into KLAS, they'll get you in...just know they are not as friendly as when I fly into Cali :)

EDIT: I just started noting on my IFR flight plan "slow climb" ... my last flight didn't help as I recieved about 3 "best rate through 8000" ... and my reply as always "we're giving her all we got".
 
sobsidian said:
You probably know my brother then, Tyler. He works at atlantic on the line for the last 3 years. I currently rent out of HND, never had a need to fly into KLAS....but KLAS HATES GA! They will ALWAYS delay IFR depatures for GA. Easier to climb out and get your clearance in the air. Usually rude because you can't climb fast enough.

Not to scare anyone GA flying into KLAS, they'll get you in...just know they are not as friendly as when I fly into Cali :)

EDIT: I just started noting on my IFR flight plan "slow climb" ... my last flight didn't help as I recieved about 3 "best rate through 8000" ... and my reply as always "we're giving her all we got".
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"slow climb" is kind of pointless, because less than 500fpm climb is a mandatory report to ATC anyway.
 
mtuomi said:
"slow climb" is kind of pointless, because less than 500fpm climb is a mandatory report to ATC anyway.
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The idea was as they're handing me off, they aren't all telling me to hurry up. They can see it on their strips. But guess it doesn't matter.

Planning to buy a nice HP plane next year, so hopefully won't have to worry after that.
 
sobsidian said:
The idea was as they're handing me off, they aren't all telling me to hurry up. They can see it on their strips. But guess it doesn't matter.

Planning to buy a nice HP plane next year, so hopefully won't have to worry after that.
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They won't pay any attention to it. (I flew a C150 IFR for a while and it is not capable of 500fpm, so I got to explain that pretty often to ATC!)
 
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