NorCal XC flight advice

[jcepiano]

Hey folks!

I hope those Northern California flyers out there can offer some advice. I'm trying to decide on a XC route and could use some input.

I'm a 46 hour student finishing up the solo hour requirement for the PPL Check ride. Flying out of CCR and thinking of the following airports:

- Healdsburg (HES)
- Lampson (1O2)
- Westover Amador Co. (JAQ)
- Calaveras Co. (CPU)

I was particularly interested in Lampson at Clear Lake, but I worry that the mountain range that I'd need to cross may add challenges that I shouldn't mess with at this stage of my training.

I assume the airports to the NW would make for a more visually interesting ride, but the airports to the east could have their own positives, especially that they'll be on the quiet side.

Thanks for your input!!

 

[willywildes]

I did mine out of Ccr to Red Bluff to O15 Turlock. Mts around Clear Lake not any big deal. Have fun.

 

[LauraE51]

Hey folks!
)
- Lampson (1O2)

Flying out of TCY, i'd like to head up to Lampson, too. In the past, i have landed at Clear Lake''s now closed Pearce field. I wouldn't advise flying direct to 1o2 though because of the way lampson is situated. i plan on flying around the volcano and then turn left to the field.

yes, it gets bumpy during the mountainous part, but the view is nice.

 

[MAKG1]

If you're doing this during the heat wave, go to Healdsburg.

Better yet, Watsonville or Monterey.

All your choices except Healdsburg are in foothills. That often means weird winds, especially in the afternoon. None are particularly bad, but student pilot solo limits might prevent you from landing.

 

[coloradobluesky]

Find the easiest, simplist flights to do at first. Save the harder flights for later. One step at a time. NO sense in pushing it. Heck, some instructors have their students do their cross countries the same as the cross country with the instructor. This was because they KNOW SOME OF THE FOULUPS that occur during student solo cross countries! Usually the student survives them, but sometimes not. Either way a foul up is not a good thing.

Yes, and try and do it in calm winds and turbulence. Watch those cross wind landings! Dont get too slow on final! Good luck!

 

[chartbundle]

If you don't like the terrain around Lampson you can stay on the west side and land at Ukiah instead, not as pretty but the same navigation as getting to HES(Follow the freeway, land at the airport.) For either UKI or 1O2 be cautious of the parachute jumping at Cloverdale, flight following is a very good idea. I did find 1O2 to be a bit hard to spot if you get too low too soon.

JAQ is situated on a hill and is trivially easy to spot from many miles away, it has a bit of slope and the altitude on final will look strange since you're over a valley until short final. CPU is also on a hill, but is behind another hill and can be about 3% harder to spot.

 

[Dav8or]

Hey folks!

I hope those Northern California flyers out there can offer some advice. I'm trying to decide on a XC route and could use some input.

I'm a 46 hour student finishing up the solo hour requirement for the PPL Check ride. Flying out of CCR and thinking of the following airports:

- Healdsburg (HES)
- Lampson (1O2)
- Westover Amador Co. (JAQ)
- Calaveras Co. (CPU)

I was particularly interested in Lampson at Clear Lake, but I worry that the mountain range that I'd need to cross may add challenges that I shouldn't mess with at this stage of my training.

I assume the airports to the NW would make for a more visually interesting ride, but the airports to the east could have their own positives, especially that they'll be on the quiet side.

Thanks for your input!!

What plane are you using? Consider density altitude if you go on one of these hot days we're getting. All of these airports are subject to goofy turbulence and some wind shear if the wind is up. Not a big deal, just expect it and be ready for corrections in the pattern and on final.

From the direction you are coming, you can go direct to Lampson if you want, I've done it, but it will be more pleasant and arguably safer if you plan a hook around that big hill and go over the lake. The hardest part if you don't have GPS will finding the airport. From the lake, it can be tough to see.

Since you haven't had a lot of experience finding strange airports and the like, I might suggest going easy on yourself and just pick some less picturesque airports with easy predictable approaches in the valley. Maybe make one of them Williams and you can go to Nancy's and get a great burger and pie while you're there!

On the other hand, the airports you chose aren't that big of a deal, just really study them and maybe expect a few bumps on the way in over hilly terrain.

 

[onwards]

Try Willows (WLW).

Take off late morning and have lunch at Nancy's.

It's a fun flight, with a couple of helpful challenges:

1) you will need to deal with several ATC handoffs;
2) you will have to exercise your strip-spotting skills to find WLW - it can be a little tricky the first time;
3) you will have to avoid several areas, like jump zones, and maybe even deal with some Travis traffic (nothing like C5 trainers going up around you)
4) you will have to fly into an uncontrolled airport that can see a bit of traffic on some days.

It's a good flight to a good destination and if you get lost, you can always follow the I-5 and I-80 back.

 

[Dav8or]

Try Willows (WLW).

4) you will have to fly into an uncontrolled airport that can see a bit of traffic on some days.

Really?? I'm not saying you're wrong, but every time I've been there I'm the only guy using the airport. It always seems nearly deserted to me.

 

[Skyscraper]

I wouldn't necessarily recommend Lampson at first, Healdsburg is one I fly to often and it's a nice little airport. You can stop off at Santa Rosa as well if you want to brush up some radio communications work.

 

[onwards]

Really?? I'm not saying you're wrong, but every time I've been there I'm the only guy using the airport. It always seems nearly deserted to me.

Huh. I've been there a handful of times - on about half of them, there was at least one more plane in the pattern, once there were three (!)

Maybe it's a time thing.