Transit of LA Basin

[buildrunfly]

Hello All --

First post...

I'm going to be flying in the LA area for the first time and wanted some advice on how to transit the area. I'm flying from Santa Barbara to Palm Springs under VFR in a Piper Archer II during daylight hours. I found AOPA's guide for using the LA TAC and have been looking at it.

Any advice on how best to get through the area? I can stay north and east of class bravo space, overflying Burbank and Ontario above 5,000. Any gotchas in that?

Thank you.

 

[Pilawt]

I can stay north and east of class bravo space, overflying Burbank and Ontario above 5,000. Any gotchas in that?

That, and being on Flight Following all the way, pretty much cover it.

On smoggy days coming back westbound into the afternoon sun, apparent visibility can go way down, even if you're still legal VFR. Sometimes the smog packs up against the San Bernardino mountains, pushed inland by the onshore breeze, and tops out above 5,000'. Voilá, no horizon, and landmarks can be hard to pick out. This is especially true in the Banning - Redlands - Ontario part of the route. Be prepared for that too, if necessary.

Welcome aboard, and have a good trip.

 

[Shawn]

I just did that exact route a few weeks ago...about the simplest flying you can do through the LA basin!...just stay north and east of LAX Bravo and above all the underlaying airpace and you will be golden. East of LA, stay north of the 10 and you will stay clear of ONT arrivals and departures. No other gotchas really to worry about other than weather.

Pick up FF and shoot right through Banning Pass...and be sure that everything is strapped down if it is windy!

 

[John Baker]

I've flown that area a lot, flight following, saves a whole lot of grief.

-John

 

[ActiveAir]

What they said above. Your plan will work fine, Definitely better to be on FF ( vfr advisories), but don't rely on it solely as many times atc won't have the opportunity to warn you about traffic until it's too close or by you. No worries. Piece o'cake.

 

[stratobee]

There are ways to do it without having to talk to anyone if you want to, but FF is a good idea. If you don't want to talk, keep eyes on a swivel because coming down through Malibu, north of SMO and westwards by the Hollywood sign and north of Downtown is extremely busy airspace. Especially the coast bit, where every training flight out of SMO goes.

If you have FF, best is to go north of VNY and through Burbank's Class C. They'll normally restrict you to higher altitudes for transitions, but they're always very accommodating.