Tehachapi Airport (KTSP)

thebruce

thebruce

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Jul 8, 2013
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101
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San Diego
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the Bruce
I'm flying up to Tehachapi for a couple hour visit next week. Any local knowledge I need to know? I expect to get in before it gets real gusty, and I've watched the winds this week and I'm pretty comfortable getting out in the afternoon gusts I have seen reported.

Thanks in advance.
 
What kind of local knowledge are you looking for? It's a pretty straightforward airport, at a not-too-high altitude in a mountain valley.
 
Not local, but I flew up there a few years ago. Watch for glider activity in the valley. Gliderport is only a couple miles away from KSTP.
 
I've been there. Pay attention to the wind. It can shift and be different from one end of the airport to the other. I taxied out once and by the time I was done with the runup I taxied to the other end for departure. Probably didn't really need to, it's a long enough runway. Theres some terrain west of the airport that will make you think twice before extending downwind and getting low if you're landing rw11.
 
If you make a straight-in to Rwy 11, be aware that there is a hill on final that blends in with the lower terrain beyond, so that it is easy to get too close to the ground without realizing it. It's probably best to stay over the highway when approaching or departing in that direction.

Sometimes, clouds pile up in that pass.

It's always been very windy when I've landed there, but when the winds are especially high, there can be mountain wave, with strong updrafts and downdrafts.
 
Thanks to all who replied. Winds have consistently been out of the west the last week or so, and it's a stable weather pattern out here through the date of my intended flight so I don't anticipate 11, but I'll pay close attention if things change. Now I'm more concerned with smoke from the Sand Fire impacting my flight. I'll be east of the TFR (as it's drawn right now), but I can't seem to find any PIREPs on visibility in the vicinity.
 
PIREPs? What's wrong with AWOS? That reports visibility on a minute to minute basis.

It looks like the smoke plume is further south. Palmdale.
 
I did my first solo long cross country there in training. The wind is something to take into account for sure, they don't have wind generators on those hills for nothing.

Winds favored 11 and were near solo limits when i went to leave. Early morning flight, brunch with my instructor and her husband (took a different plane, ate at the Apple Barn). My instructor suggested a climbing 360 after takeoff. There's another runway in the area i may have called downwind for before realizing it wasn't Tehachapi.

There's also a freeway right before the approach end with trucks.
 
thebruce said:
Thanks to all who replied. Winds have consistently been out of the west the last week or so, and it's a stable weather pattern out here through the date of my intended flight so I don't anticipate 11, but I'll pay close attention if things change. Now I'm more concerned with smoke from the Sand Fire impacting my flight. I'll be east of the TFR (as it's drawn right now), but I can't seem to find any PIREPs on visibility in the vicinity.
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Yeah. Thats going to be an issue with your route between San Diego and Tehachapi if it don't get put out soon. What is you're limit on high you wan't to fly?
 
luvflyin said:
Thats going to be an issue with your route between San Diego and Tehachapi if it don't get put out soon. What is you're limit on high you wan't to fly?
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Sure looks like I may be looking at a significant detour around it to the West. Through all the fun airspace. I'll be going up in an AA-5B. No O2, so no flight levels options.
 
thebruce said:
Sure looks like I may be looking at a significant detour around it to the West. Through all the fun airspace. I'll be going up in an AA-5B. No O2, so no flight levels options.
Click to expand...

If the winds stay westerly you shouldn't have to go to far out of the way. Colisum route at 8500 or just go over the top if you don't mind being at 10500 for awhile. LHS or maybe GMN then over should be enough. If it shifts to east winds, Cajon pass and then over could work. The smoke might not even be a factor either way. An LA basin temperature inversion might keep the smoke down low. Have a good flight.
 
Palmpilot said:
If you make a straight-in to Rwy 11, be aware that there is a hill on final that blends in with the lower terrain beyond, so that it is easy to get too close to the ground without realizing it. It's probably best to stay over the highway when approaching or departing in that direction.
Click to expand...

This is good to point out. thebruce - If you go to google maps > earth/satellite view (or google earth app) and scroll around KTSP in a 3d type view (hold shift down and move the mouse around to change the 3d viewpoint), you'll see the hills/fwy being mentioned.
 
3 in the green said:
If you go to google maps > earth/satellite view (or google earth app) and scroll around KTSP in a 3d type view
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Great minds think alike. I was doing some Google Earth flying around TSP last night for that exact purpose. Its' a great tool to have in the bag.
 
luvflyin said:
Colisum route at 8500 or just go over the top if you don't mind being at 10500 for awhile.
Click to expand...
I will likely do exactly that. 10500 over the top of the western edge of burn should be clear, depending on what the winds have done overnight. Hard to get a good picture of where the smoke plume is at any given time.
 
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