Well Ted's question got me to thinking about renting a plane and going flying around San Diego while I am there over thanksgiving. I'll be in Oceanside, and was wondering if anyone could suggest a place to go to?
thanks
I would highly recommend these guys for rentals...C-182, C-172, Grumman AA1C... and my old friend 70E, the '46 Champ (in which I did my tailwheel add-on in 2007). Nice folks, great rates, good airplanes.
As a place to just visit, Brown is a very laid-back towered field with a good restaurant and a very active and friendly EAA chapter on site. They have a luncheon in one of the EAA hangars every Saturday; pretty much anyone is welcome. There's also a skydiving school based there.
http://www.firstflightcorp.com/
Another nice place to stop by is Borrego Valley (L08)... very picturesque flight in/out of the valley from/to the SD area, and the nicest FBO bathroom I've ever seen (no restaurant on the field, though).
There's a glider operation west of there at Warner Springs... don't know anything about it, but that must be great country for soaring. When I was up at the observatory at Palomar Mountain, I saw someone overhead working some nice lift.
And speaking of soaring, there's also Torrey Pines, right atop the cliffs overlooking the beach just north of La Jolla. Steady onshore breezes make for good soaring there, and it's just a beautiful spot.
And of course Chino is a must! Fly in, check out the museum, and be sure to have lunch or a snack at Flo's... an archetypal airport diner.
Wherever you rent or fly to, be sure to do a transition through the KSAN corridor- that's a nice flight, and very simple to do without stressing.
