TangoWhiskey
Touchdown! Greaser!
While reading the Safety Pilot article starting on page 60 of the December '09 AOPA Pilot, a question arose. The article describes an incident from Nov 8 2007 in which two highly experienced CAP pilots flew their G1000 C182T into the side of Mount Potosi enroute to California from North Las Vegas on a clear VFR night.
The article's summary mentioned that "the Las Vegas Terminal Area Chart has a prophetically named VFR transition route, the Rocks 2 Departure, that keeps VFR aircraft safely away from terrain until they are clear of McCarran traffic and can climb to a safe altitude."
So off to SkyVector I went to look at the TAC. Snippets below, and my question is:
The ROCKS 2 DEPARTURE instructs pilots leaving VGT to proceed "direct to the Blue Diamond Gypsum Mine climbing at or below 6500'. Passing Blue Diamond Gypsum Mine proceed south to abeam Jean Airport, radar service is automatically terminated, squawk 1200, resume appropriate VFR altitudes remaining clear of the Class Bravo Airspace, frequency change approved." A note at the top of the procedure says to contact Las Vegas approach on 133.95, so that, along with the note that "radar service is automatically terminated, squawk 1200" certainly implies you'll be talking to Approach and be on a discreet squawk during this VFR departure route.
However, I can't help but notice that proceeding south of Blue Diamond Gypsum Mine at or below 6500' is going to take you inside the SW sector of class Bravo airspace, whose floor goes down to 5000. Definitely don't want to be BELOW 5000 there, due to the proximity of the 5695' MSL peak just south of OASYS intersection.
Flying this route, at 6500 southbound from the Mine, do I need to hear the magic words "cleared into Class Bravo" from the approach controller? I'd inquire, of course, to be sure... but technically, do you need to?
The note in the departure text to 'remain clear of Class Bravo Airspace' applies to the route after abeam Jeans Airport, proceeding on course.
The article's summary mentioned that "the Las Vegas Terminal Area Chart has a prophetically named VFR transition route, the Rocks 2 Departure, that keeps VFR aircraft safely away from terrain until they are clear of McCarran traffic and can climb to a safe altitude."
So off to SkyVector I went to look at the TAC. Snippets below, and my question is:
The ROCKS 2 DEPARTURE instructs pilots leaving VGT to proceed "direct to the Blue Diamond Gypsum Mine climbing at or below 6500'. Passing Blue Diamond Gypsum Mine proceed south to abeam Jean Airport, radar service is automatically terminated, squawk 1200, resume appropriate VFR altitudes remaining clear of the Class Bravo Airspace, frequency change approved." A note at the top of the procedure says to contact Las Vegas approach on 133.95, so that, along with the note that "radar service is automatically terminated, squawk 1200" certainly implies you'll be talking to Approach and be on a discreet squawk during this VFR departure route.
However, I can't help but notice that proceeding south of Blue Diamond Gypsum Mine at or below 6500' is going to take you inside the SW sector of class Bravo airspace, whose floor goes down to 5000. Definitely don't want to be BELOW 5000 there, due to the proximity of the 5695' MSL peak just south of OASYS intersection.
Flying this route, at 6500 southbound from the Mine, do I need to hear the magic words "cleared into Class Bravo" from the approach controller? I'd inquire, of course, to be sure... but technically, do you need to?
The note in the departure text to 'remain clear of Class Bravo Airspace' applies to the route after abeam Jeans Airport, proceeding on course.