Setting up a flight using ATC / Flight Following

[RalphInCA]

Once I get through the training for my re entry into aviation, and I am cleared to fly alone again, I am thinking of flying from my home airport (CCB ) to where my parents live in Palm Desert, CA.

Nearest airport to them is Bermuda Dunes (UDD)

I was playing around with ForeFlight today and noticed they have existing routes that you can use.

I plugged in my origin and destination and it suggest a route:

KCCB - PDZ - V16 - BANDS - KPSP - KUDD

So, if I were to fly this route, would I simply take off, contact SoCal approach on 135.4 and request flight following to KUDD via the route mentioned above?

Is it that simple?

 

[evapilotaz]

Ralph how long have you been out of aviation. Just wondering.

 

[eetrojan]

Maybe you have experience by having trained out of cable, but I'm wondering if it might be better to stay north of Ontario's (KONT) surface cylinder, and generally fly east toward San Bernardino airport (KSBD), so that you have time to establish flight following with SoCal Approach?

 

[RalphInCA]

Ralph how long have you been out of aviation. Just wondering.

30 years. All previous experience was in Midwest or eastern US in airspace MUCH less complex then SoCal.

I am pretty rusty, so I tend to ask lots of silly questions. Have patience with me.

 

[eetrojan]

So, if I were to fly this route, would I simply take off, contact SoCal approach on 135.4 and request flight following to KUDD via the route mentioned above?

By the way, I think 135.4 isn't ideal for your initial call up frequency as it looks like it's associated with the area a little bit south of Cable, near Chino, Corona, etc.

The AFD for Cable suggests a different frequency for use in reaching SoCal when departing Cable, 125.5. It's on the chart too, in a magenta communications box northwest of Cable.

 

[RalphInCA]

Maybe you have experience by having trained out of cable, but I'm wondering if it might be better to stay north of Ontario's (KONT) surface cylinder, and generally fly east toward San Bernardino airport (KSBD), so that you have time to establish flight following with SoCal Approach?

Makes sense.

 

[SixPapaCharlie]

Why not just get a squawk from 125.5 and go direct?

 

[MAKG1]

You can use that route, but it's really an IFR route.

For flight following, you tell them you're going to KUDD, say your position and current and target altitudes, and give them warnings about nearby Class B/C/D transitions you may need. It's not necessary to file a complete route VFR. It's also a good idea to avoid Victor airways, as you may encounter climbing or descending IFR traffic at a VFR altitude.

SOCAL Approach Cessna 123XY 3 east of Cable 1500 climbing 3500 request flight following to Bermuda Dunes.

As for the route, if it were me, I'd follow the foothills to Banning Pass and I-10 from there. Only if the winds aren't too nasty, and are not from the north. Banning Pass is known for nasty turbulence. Fly early. Coachella Valley is something like the 4th circle of Hell in summer.

 

[RalphInCA]

You can use that route, but it's really an IFR route.

For flight following, you tell them you're going to KUDD, say your position and current and target altitudes, and give them warnings about nearby Class B/C/D transitions you may need. It's not necessary to file a complete route VFR. It's also a good idea to avoid Victor airways, as you may encounter climbing or descending IFR traffic at a VFR altitude.

SOCAL Approach Cessna 123XY 3 east of Cable 1500 climbing 3500 request flight following to Bermuda Dunes.

As for the route, if it were me, I'd follow the foothills to Banning Pass and I-10 from there. Only if the winds aren't too nasty, and are not from the north. Banning Pass is known for nasty turbulence. Fly early. Coachella Valley is something like the 4th circle of Hell in summer.

As usual, I am over thinking this. KISS.

Probably won't be ready for this until fall or early winter. Would flight conditions be more reasonable then?

 

[CTLSi]

You can use that route, but it's really an IFR route.

For flight following, you tell them you're going to KUDD, say your position and current and target altitudes, and give them warnings about nearby Class B/C/D transitions you may need. It's not necessary to file a complete route VFR. It's also a good idea to avoid Victor airways, as you may encounter climbing or descending IFR traffic at a VFR altitude.

SOCAL Approach Cessna 123XY 3 east of Cable 1500 climbing 3500 request flight following to Bermuda Dunes.

As for the route, if it were me, I'd follow the foothills to Banning Pass and I-10 from there. Only if the winds aren't too nasty, and are not from the north. Banning Pass is known for nasty turbulence. Fly early. Coachella Valley is something like the 4th circle of Hell in summer.

Remember, lo level IFR victor airways are on odd/even altitudes. VFR is on odd+500 even+500 so there is less chance of a headon unless someone doesn't follow the rule. If on a victor airway, even crossing back and forth over it, or using a VOR or intersection as a waypoint try to get flight following so they will pay attention to you as you fly among the IFR guys.

 

[poadeleted20]

I'm not sure where you got that frequency, as the sectional and A/FD suggest that 125.5 is the right frequency for SoCal coming out of Cable, but other than that, you're spot on. And as others said, there's no need to follow that airway routing if you're VFR -- you can certainly choose your own route (including direct) as long as it keep you out of any active R-areas or the like.

 

[MAKG1]

Remember, lo level IFR victor airways are on odd/even altitudes. VFR is on odd+500 even+500 so there is less chance of a headon unless someone doesn't follow the rule. If on a victor airway, even crossing back and forth over it, or using a VOR or intersection as a waypoint try to get flight following so they will pay attention to you as you fly among the IFR guys.

Those are cruise levels. An aircraft can fly through any altitude for climbs, descents, or traffic avoidance. The OP must do this to climb to his cruise altitude -- which will be high due to the desert pass (or else he'll need good dental insurance).

And the cruise altitudes do not apply below 3000 AGL, and quite a number of folks still follow airways at those altitudes.

VFR cruising altitudes are not a panacea. I've come across almost head on traffic with both airplanes flying legally before. 002 vs. 178 is a bad combination, especially with fast aircraft on hazy days.

Furthermore, VORs are places where aircraft converge from multiple directions, and almost all Victor airways terminate at one.

The proposed route also goes through the only TRSA in California. Not a terribly big deal, but it's a sign there is extra traffic there.

 

[AggieMike88]

A coaching point...

If you were to use this script

SOCAL Approach Cessna 123XY 3 east of Cable 1500 climbing 3500 request flight following to Bermuda Dunes.

make sure to say "...one thousand five hundred climbing three thousand five hundred...." instead of "fifteen hundred" and "thirty five hundred".

Took me a while to develop the habit, but the former is the correct phraseology.