Heber Valley, Utah (KHCR)

Bender Aviation

Bender Aviation

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Jun 28, 2020
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Bender Aviation
I have a friend in Park City I plan on visiting this year. I live in San Diego and will be flying in from the south. Do you have any tips for flying here - best time of year to fly weather-wise in the coming months, terrain, etc. I'll probably be flying a PA-32-300.
Thanks.
 
Well, after doing some research about the FBO there, maybe I won't be landing there. $5.50 AvGas :rolleyes:
 
They also recently instituted landing fees (not sure how much).
If you land at Provo, you get to drive through the canyon and see Bridal Vail falls.
 
You don't save a whole lot of time, if any, using Heber to get to Park City versus an airport in the valley, especially coming from the west. Simplest way is to fly into SLC. I've used TAC Air there. Fees are reasonable, and avgas is basically the same price as Heber. Rental cars are easy to arrange, and it's quick access to the highway and a pleasant drive up. Worth a stop at the Olympic facilities. South Valley U42 is a little cheaper, but a little farther. I'd use that one if I were heading up one of the side canyons, but SLC is best for Park City, and it is general aviation friendly. Expect to use the east side runway 17-35, and the FBOs are right there.
Jon
 
Can anyone comment on weather patterns for the area in late summer/early fall? I'm thinking of doing this trip in early September. I have no idea what to expect and would like to plan a trip with some semblance of stability if possible. I'm mainly concerned with DA, winds, and storms/cumulus buildups and low cloud cover / Airmet Sierra. I'll be flying a PA-32-300 from San Diego, and my experience is VFR avoiding marine layer, with some desert and mountain flying.
 
Bender Aviation said:
Can anyone comment on weather patterns for the area in late summer/early fall? I'm thinking of doing this trip in early September. I have no idea what to expect and would like to plan a trip with some semblance of stability if possible. I'm mainly concerned with DA, winds, and storms/cumulus buildups and low cloud cover / Airmet Sierra. I'll be flying a PA-32-300 from San Diego, and my experience is VFR avoiding marine layer, with some desert and mountain flying.
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Our DA here in Heber is very high in the summer, currently at 6pm is it 8,656 with a true elevation of 5,766 at my house pretty close to the airport. Typical mountain stuff, fly early and be done before the winds and thermals kick in. 11-12:30 is then the wind in the valley typically kicks up. If the wind and the turbulence don’t bother you, we seldom get storms in the Heber Valley as it is mostly desert
 
Summer convection usually starts kicking up around 1-2PM. If you land before then, usually no problem. If there is a cold front, weather can be crazy and in September you can get snow occasionally. Fires in the summer can be IMC. But summer flying in the Intermountain west is usually pretty benign, minus the above. Density altitude is a real deal and terrain in all quadrants out of Heber. SLC is definitely more forgiving, but you can get some crazy VFR stuff. Head to the red barn, or hold over the capital, or turn at the spaghetti bowl, fly downwind over redwood road..... . Other than the weird vusual waypoints, SLC is very GA friendly for a Bravo.
 
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