KSEZ - Sedona

ircphoenix

ircphoenix

En-Route
Joined
Feb 29, 2016
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Location
Redondo Beach, CA
Display Name
ircphoenix
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KTOA
What's the best time of year to go to Sedona? I think I have a couple weeks off coming up shortly. Is the end of April a smart time to be flying out there from SoCal?
 
ircphoenix said:
What's the best time of year to go to Sedona? I think I have a couple weeks off coming up shortly. Is the end of April a smart time to be flying out there from SoCal?
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Might depend a bit on the airplane and how much you are carrying. I've flown into SEZ all 4 seasons. I think it is best in the Spring, but wouldn't avoid it other times.

Observe the usual notes about flying in the southwest: it gets bumpier and performance degrades in the afternoon. And make sure you read the AFD or ForeFlight remarks.

I think you'll be okay in April. I was just there in the Twin Beech a little over a week ago and it was nice.
 
It is going to be my girlfriend and I in my little 140/160.

I figured I'd have the density altitude stuff to worry about.

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk
 
ircphoenix said:
It is going to be my girlfriend and I in my little 140/160.

I figured I'd have the density altitude stuff to worry about.

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk
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A 140/160 may be a problem on a hot summer afternoon. 1/2 tanks might be a good idea.
 
BillTIZ said:
A 140/160 may be a problem on a hot summer afternoon. 1/2 tanks might be a good idea.
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When we arrive we'll be down to approx 20 gallons on board. Doesn't look like it's getting too warm out there right now... but I'm gonna keep an eye on the forecasts. Looks like maybe the first weekend in May.
 
ircphoenix said:
When we arrive we'll be down to approx 20 gallons on board. Doesn't look like it's getting too warm out there right now... but I'm gonna keep an eye on the forecasts. Looks like maybe the first weekend in May.
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Spring winds will hopefully be dying down by then and DA hopefully won't start rising until after then. I'd say you're picking a pretty good window. I was there in mid-April a few years ago and the guy behind the FBO counter said that a couple days prior a Bonanza did a half a dozen touch-n-go's while taxiing to the run-up area.
 
They were probably a little miffed at the guy because touch and goes are frowned upon at Sedona.
 
We're going there for lunch Sunday 4/23 if anyone's going to be around.
 
Probably the spring. The creeks will have water and the desert will be green. But time of DAY is what really matters. Come over the edge from the north (Flagstaff) at sunrise and it will be a view you will never forget!
 
12f61e5343ef828de5a550a615641d27.jpg


Never get tired of the view.
 
Pilawt said:
I'd like to try to make that, though it would probably be more a late breakfast run for me.
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Now we're looking at Saturday, 4/22! (We're doing a wedding a mile away at 2pm). Could you still make it?
 
Do they still have all that psychic vortex stuff there? Took my family there years ago and it seemed like every third business had something to do with that. :D
 
donjohnston said:
Do they still have all that psychic vortex stuff there? Took my family there years ago and it seemed like every third business had something to do with that. :D
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Yes, they even have one at the airport, about a mile hike.
 
These winds need to calm down. And temps look like they're going to be a consideration. LAME. I don't like having to actually plan.
 
Alright, so now that I have the hotel, tours, and rental car booked... the forecast for the return trip home looks like crap since I can't punch through the layer that'll be dumping rain on the area. WTF.
 
ircphoenix said:
Alright, so now that I have the hotel, tours, and rental car booked... the forecast for the return trip home looks like crap since I can't punch through the layer that'll be dumping rain on the area. WTF.
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Ya musta done something to make the gods angry, lol. Maybe it'll change
 
ircphoenix said:
On Sunday at 10am it was clear. On 6pm it was Rainageddon.
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What are you checking?

Looking at the NWS, they have this to say about LA:
.LONG TERM...(SAT-TUE)

The trough will deepen Saturday which will continue the cooling
trend and increase the marine lyr depth and coverage. Could even
see some morning drizzle Saturday. With heights lowering through
the day and increasing onshore flow it`s possible many areas will
stay mostly cloudy through the afternoon, especially
coast/valleys. Aside from the possible drizzle it should stay dry
most of Saturday as the upper low and better moisture doesn`t
arrive until late Saturday night into Sunday. At that point models
are in reasonably good agreement considering we`re dealing with a
spring time cutoff low. Both the GFS and ECMWF place the low
center somewhere between Bakersfield and Oxnard Sunday morning,
then slowly wobble it southeast to the southern Colorado River
Valley Tuesday morning. The best chances for precip in our area
appear to be Sunday afternoon and evening with pretty cold air
aloft, -27c at 500 mb Sunday afternoon. Although model stability
parameters were marginal at best those kind of temps aloft this
time of year are certainly enough to help spawn some
thunderstorms so went ahead and added those for Sunday. Still,
this is one of those scenarios where some places could get little
to no rain while others could see some heavy downpours, small
hail, and thunder/lightning. Snow levels pretty low as well,
around 5000 feet so there could be a couple inches of accumulation
at higher elevations.

Both models shift a lot of the moisture and colder air south and
east Monday and Tuesday, though not far enough to remove precip
chances from the forecast. There really isn`t much of an upstream
kicker to motivate the upper low to move too far east so at this
point it`s best to keep some pops in the forecast through early
next week at least.
 
asicer said:
What are you checking?

Looking at the NWS, they have this to say about LA:
.LONG TERM...(SAT-TUE)

The trough will deepen Saturday which will continue the cooling
trend and increase the marine lyr depth and coverage. Could even
see some morning drizzle Saturday. With heights lowering through
the day and increasing onshore flow it`s possible many areas will
stay mostly cloudy through the afternoon, especially
coast/valleys. Aside from the possible drizzle it should stay dry
most of Saturday as the upper low and better moisture doesn`t
arrive until late Saturday night into Sunday. At that point models
are in reasonably good agreement considering we`re dealing with a
spring time cutoff low. Both the GFS and ECMWF place the low
center somewhere between Bakersfield and Oxnard Sunday morning,
then slowly wobble it southeast to the southern Colorado River
Valley Tuesday morning. The best chances for precip in our area
appear to be Sunday afternoon and evening with pretty cold air
aloft, -27c at 500 mb Sunday afternoon. Although model stability
parameters were marginal at best those kind of temps aloft this
time of year are certainly enough to help spawn some
thunderstorms so went ahead and added those for Sunday. Still,
this is one of those scenarios where some places could get little
to no rain while others could see some heavy downpours, small
hail, and thunder/lightning. Snow levels pretty low as well,
around 5000 feet so there could be a couple inches of accumulation
at higher elevations.

Both models shift a lot of the moisture and colder air south and
east Monday and Tuesday, though not far enough to remove precip
chances from the forecast. There really isn`t much of an upstream
kicker to motivate the upper low to move too far east so at this
point it`s best to keep some pops in the forecast through early
next week at least.
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I was looking at weatherunderground. I read the discussion as well, but if ceilings are low, I'm screwed anyway. I don't feel comfortable trying to escape the LA basin in MVFR conditions. Planned departure time is 9am-10am Saturday and returning Sunday afternoon. I'm not instrument rated, so if there's a layer, I can't get home. Been there, done that, got the 100 dollar uber bill from retrieving my airplane last time to prove it.

https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/threads/divert-choice.99489/
 
Good luck! Should be warm in Sedona this weekend - High of 79 on Sat, 85 on Sun. Check those DA, but otherwise it looks like clear skies and great flying!
 
Nederland Colorado has 18" of snow as of 11am May 18, 2017!
A Basin has 10" of powder and is OPEN for skiing.
Around here, the trees are breaking, we have 3" heavy wet snow.
 
rtk11 said:
Good luck! Should be warm in Sedona this weekend - High of 79 on Sat, 85 on Sun. Check those DA, but otherwise it looks like clear skies and great flying!
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Yep. Definitely warm. Not hot yet though. And winds look favorable.

Colorado may be in the future... but it ain't this weekend. =D
 
When are you planning on getting there, Friday or Saturday? I'm flying tomorrow and possibly Saturday too but haven't decided on a location yet.
 
Timbeck2 said:
When are you planning on getting there, Friday or Saturday? I'm flying tomorrow and possibly Saturday too but haven't decided on a location yet.
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GF and I are planning on arriving Saturday sometime around 1pm. Which means she will invariably make us run late and we will arrive around 4pm.
 
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