Temporary hangar in Bay Area (CA)?

azure

azure

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azure
I'm hoping to be able to fly my Cardinal out to California this August to spend some time with a friend, and (hopefully) to tour the country a bit. While he's out there the Branded Bird will need temporary digs. The most convenient airport in terms of location would be KOAK, but I'm guessing that nothing would be available there, or fees would be sky high. So anything in the area and within 20-30 miles of Berkeley would be acceptable, though KHAF is probably a little too far (ditto O69, sorry Kimberly ;))

I'm not planning to be there longer than a week (or two at the outside), so if a hangar isn't available, a tie-down might be acceptable, assuming it's not right on the ocean and that nasty weather is rare enough to be considered not a factor (that's my impression, but I've only been there for short visits before, and my friend is definitely not a weather geek).
 
KHAF is about 15 miles from Berkeley.

And it's likely to be the only place with a vacant hangar. Unless you can talk to someone at San Rafael; but, they don't seem to like transient aircraft there. Maybe KDVO. Practice your crosswinds. It's a LONG drive from Berkeley to Novato.

Make sure you're instrument-current and capable of precision GPS approaches if you even consider KHAF.

If you don't mind tie-downs, there are a lot more options. Like KHWD and KCCR.
 
Thanks for the information! I'll be instrument current, and can fly LPV approaches, but what percentage of the time is KHAF below minimums? From what I can tell from the automated observations there, it's socked in much of the time. Also, I should ask how long does it take to drive from KHAF to Berkeley?

As far as a tiedown, the only thing is that I don't have any way to protect the plane from the elements. What is the weather like in the East Bay area in August? Do you get thunderstorms, hail, etc.? How much salty spray would it be exposed to at someplace like KHWD? KHWD looks like the closest field after KOAK, though I have no idea what traffic is like in the East Bay area.
 
Half Moon Bay doesn't even register as being "close to Berkely". I would think you would drive past a bunch of airports on your way from Half Moon Bay to Berkeley.

The logical choice is Hayward. Simple drive to Berkely.

Also, consider airports out in the Concord-Walnut Creek-Danville-Livermore area, pretty simple drive back over the hill to Berkely. Even airports like Nut Tree out in Vacaville are still closer than Half Moon Bay.
 
There is no significant weather in August. Just the marine layer. A tie down would be the way to go. A little inland like Nut Tree and you will pretty much have guaranteed VFR every day.
 
John221us said:
There is no significant weather in August. Just the marine layer. A tie down would be the way to go. A little inland like Nut Tree and you will pretty much have guaranteed VFR every day.
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And I bet for the price of a hangar in CA for two weeks, you could buy a REALLY nice Bruce's cover for your plane instead...
 
You might check out KAPC, a couple of the FBO's have huge hangars and you might be able to work something out on a temporary basis with one of them. It's about 20 minutes from Bezerkeley.
 
Agree with those who say you don't need an hangar in the Bay Area in August. No thunderstorm, no hail, no rain either.

Half Moon Bay may be 15 miles in a straight line from Berkeley but it's a long drive. I'm guessing at least an hour or more.
 
JoseCuervo said:
Half Moon Bay doesn't even register as being "close to Berkely". I would think you would drive past a bunch of airports on your way from Half Moon Bay to Berkeley.
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That was my impression too, just from looking at the map. The city and the Bay are in between. I don't know anything about driving in and around San Francisco, but if that was Detroit, it would be at least an hour's drive.
The logical choice is Hayward. Simple drive to Berkely.
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And what looks to be a very good LPV approach. My only concern would be salt spray, since it's only a couple of miles from the Bay. But I'm not sure whether that kind of exposure for a couple of weeks maximum is even worth worrying about.
Also, consider airports out in the Concord-Walnut Creek-Danville-Livermore area, pretty simple drive back over the hill to Berkely. Even airports like Nut Tree out in Vacaville are still closer than Half Moon Bay.
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Thanks for the suggestions! I am looking closely at Concord too, especially since it's well inland away from the salt water.
 
John221us said:
There is no significant weather in August. Just the marine layer. A tie down would be the way to go.
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That's what I wanted to know, thanks.
A little inland like Nut Tree and you will pretty much have guaranteed VFR every day.
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Which isn't a bad thing at all! Though Vacaville and even Napa both look a little farther than I'd like to be from Berkeley.
 
Sac Arrow said:
You might check out KAPC, a couple of the FBO's have huge hangars and you might be able to work something out on a temporary basis with one of them. It's about 20 minutes from Bezerkeley.
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Thanks for the info!
 
azure said:
And what looks to be a very good LPV approach. My only concern would be salt spray, since it's only a couple of miles from the Bay. But I'm not sure whether that kind of exposure for a couple of weeks maximum is even worth worrying about.

Thanks for the suggestions! I am looking closely at Concord too, especially since it's well inland away from the salt water.
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There is no salt spray, even at HAF, which is the closest to the water. Any moisture will be strictly water. There might be morning dew (which will be fresh water). It is unlikely there would be any rain, either. Sun is probably your biggest enemy on the ramp and even that is in short supply in the Bay Area in summer.
 
John221us said:
There is no salt spray, even at HAF, which is the closest to the water. Any moisture will be strictly water. There might be morning dew (which will be fresh water). It is unlikely there would be any rain, either. Sun is probably your biggest enemy on the ramp and even that is in short supply in the Bay Area in summer.
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Thanks! Sounds like I should inquire about a tiedown at KHWD...
 
I would say KHWD, KCCR, or KLVK would be the best choice. All of those airports are also in good proximity to a BART station if you choose to take subway from Berkeley. I fly out of KHWD and KLVK and I love both airports. KHWD would be the closest to Berkeley. But KCCR or KLVK will have a lot more VFR weather if that matters to you. KHWD is often under the marine layer a couple of hours longer in the morning. Also KHWD is slightly busier with news choppers and bizjets, and has two class C airspaces up and down, class B to the left, and hills that extend up to the marine layer to the right. As a VFR pilot these things matter to me somewhat, but it may not be any issue for everyone.
 
If you're instrument current and comfy in complex airspace, KHWD or KOAK make the most logistical sense. VCB and LVK get hot. Bayside airports really don't.

Arriving into HWD, watch out for the 600 foot TPA and do not overfly the golf course on the west. You'll have to make an early crosswind when leaving. The field is directly under the KOAK conga line, and only some 5 miles away from the 29 threshold.
 
MAKG1 said:
If you're instrument current and comfy in complex airspace, KHWD or KOAK make the most logistical sense.
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I agree about KHWD or KOAK making the most logistical sense. I would pick KOAK unless KHWD is much cheaper. Part of the time I was learning to fly I lived in Berkeley and flew out of KOAK. Not having an instrument rating really won't be that much of a problem in August. Keep in mind, if there is a marine layer it tends to go away in the afternoon, at least in the East Bay.
 
Everskyward said:
I agree about KHWD or KOAK making the most logistical sense. I would pick KOAK unless KHWD is much cheaper. Part of the time I was learning to fly I lived in Berkeley and flew out of KOAK. Not having an instrument rating really won't be that much of a problem in August. Keep in mind, if there is a marine layer it tends to go away in the afternoon, at least in the East Bay.
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I haven't yet priced airports and am just assuming that KOAK would be sky high, since it's a very busy Class C and airports like that are generally less friendly to SE piston airplanes than Class D fields. But I'm only going from my own experience in the Great Lakes area, and even here there are exceptions. If KOAK and KHWD are comparably priced, then I'd certainly favor KOAK over KHWD as it's closer to Berkeley.

And yes, I noticed the last couple of days how hot it can get inland. If salt carried by the breeze is not a factor as someone has said, then I would definitely favor one of the bayside airports.

I'll probably post other threads about how to depart those airports VFR, and what is involved in departing IFR, since I'll probably be arriving that way and also leaving that way when it's time to head back. In complex airspace I'll admit that I'm a lot more comfortable IFR. Also I'm hoping that with the marine layer being a constant during the mornings that I can take advantage of the opportunity to shoot some approaches in actual while I'm there. Here I really have to watch the weather and seize the window of opportunity because it doesn't usually last long. I got very lucky yesterday morning, we had a marine layer coming off of Lake Huron and I was able to do a nice 2 hour proficiency flight, got in 4 approaches and some holding. Yes! :thumbsup: But that doesn't happen here very often during the summer.
 
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KOAK is almost like two separate airports. There is the North Field for GA and the South Field for the airlines. At the time I was learning (a long time ago) there were even two physical towers. I don't know if that is still the case.

Especially in the summer there is a huge variation in temperature and weather as you move inland. Berkeley/Oakland/Hayward are in the mostly sunny and temperate zone. If you go east over the hills is gets hot, while in the City it's cooler with a greater chance of having the marine layer. There can easily be 30 degrees of difference between the coast and inland.

...she says as she puts on a jacket to walk to the store. The marine layer has been out here by the coast all day but KSFO and downtown were sunny.
 
azure said:
I haven't yet priced airports and am just assuming that KOAK would be sky high, since it's a very busy Class C and airports like that are generally less friendly to SE piston airplanes than Class D fields. But I'm only going from my own experience in the Great Lakes area, and even here there are exceptions. If KOAK and KHWD are comparably priced, then I'd certainly favor KOAK over KHWD as it's closer to Berkeley.

And yes, I noticed the last couple of days how hot it can get inland. If salt carried by the breeze is not a factor as someone has said, then I would definitely favor one of the bayside airports.

I'll probably post other threads about how to depart those airports VFR, and what is involved in departing IFR, since I'll probably be arriving that way and also leaving that way when it's time to head back. In complex airspace I'll admit that I'm a lot more comfortable IFR. Also I'm hoping that with the marine layer being a constant during the mornings that I can take advantage of the opportunity to shoot some approaches in actual while I'm there. Here I really have to watch the weather and seize the window of opportunity because it doesn't usually last long. I got very lucky yesterday morning, we had a marine layer coming off of Lake Huron and I was able to do a nice 2 hour proficiency flight, got in 4 approaches and some holding. Yes! :thumbsup: But that doesn't happen here very often during the summer.
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I have flown into,KOAK several times. I don't remember the exact prices, but it was very reasonable. I went to Business Jet Center and can't say enough about their service. They have always given me an immediate ride to the Bart station and picked me up from there, when I called and I fly a Cherokee 140 :) I did a couple of nights there for a Citrix conference, when I was returning from a trip to Eureka. I think the waived or significantly reduced the overnight fee with gas. There is still two towers, so GA has their own.
 
KOAK still has two towers. There are landing fees at the south field, but not the north. It's really not a big deal. And it's not all that busy. Usually, 27L and 27R are in use. When arriving from the south VFR, the one bit of weirdness is that South Tower will assign you an entry, but not a runway! You get the runway assignment when handed off to North Tower.

Try to avoid arriving VFR over Hayward as that's the South Field conga line. But you can arrive along the east bay hills or over the bay just fine. Stay on the east (right) half of the San Mateo Bridge below 1500 to avoid Class B. That's the KSFO conga line, and clearance there is very unlikely.

A simple "unfamiliar" goes a very long way.
 
azure said:
As far as a tiedown, the only thing is that I don't have any way to protect the plane from the elements. What is the weather like in the East Bay area in August? Do you get thunderstorms, hail, etc.?...
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From your question, it sounds like protection from thunderstorms is an issue in your part of the country. If I fly to the Midwest this summer, for a stay of a few days or a week, will I need to find a hangar? Is hangar space generally available for transient pilots there, and if so, how expensive is it?
 
Palmpilot said:
From your question, it sounds like protection from thunderstorms is an issue in your part of the country. If I fly to the Midwest this summer, for a stay of a few days or a week, will I need to find a hangar? Is hangar space generally available for transient pilots there, and if so, how expensive is it?
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Hangar space is definitely available for transient pilots at my airport, though I'm not sure of the cost or how widespread this situation is. I would definitely try to get a hangar if I was going to stay anywhere in the Midwest more than a day or so. Thunderstorms have been as much an everyday thing here this summer as they are throughout the southeast in a normal summer.
 
Thanks. This would be in the Twin Cities area. At least now I know that I will need to make inquiries at the appropriate airport when I find out which town my brother is moving to.
 
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