thebruce
Pre-takeoff checklist
After posting this question about VFR into LAS, and asking for advice on remote airfields here, I wanted to post a quick follow-up in the event anyone is interested. As a new PPASEL, I have learned quite a bit from this board and wanted to see if I could return the favor.
The purpose of the trip was to drop two friends off at Shoshone (L61) on Saturday for their legs of
a relay race that goes from Baker, California to Las Vegas, then continue on to Vegas to run my own leg later that night. Took off from KCRQ into beautiful CAVU conditions, and had a great flight to L61 at 9,500. Had flight following the entire way, as well as great visibility on other traffic via WingX Pro + Stratux w/ AHRS. As luck would have it, about 15 miles out of Shoshone I saw a contact from the ADS-B feed on the ground at Shoshone, so I switched to CTAF and sure enough heard him make a call that he was taking the active. I told him my intentions and asked for a quick wind check, which turned out to be exactly as I had anticipated. A nice centerline greaser (couldn't resist!) and we were on the deck in less than half the time it would have taken to drive. And of course flying somewhere that everyone else has to drive to is priceless.
After dropping off my passengers I climbed out of Shoshone and turned for Sin City. As expected, I could not raise Las Vegas approach until over the ridgeline to the West. Once I had established comm, I stated "VFR direct McCarran if able," having already planned for KHND if McCarran was too busy for a lowly Cherokee. I was given a squawk, and right as I hit the west edge of the Class B was told "make some left turns and I'l squeeze you in soon." I was about 270 degrees into my turns and got told to proceed for a four mile final for 1L and contact tower. Although I wasn't asked to keep the speed up I did anyway, and did a no flap landing since I had the full length of the runway to work with and I was parking at Atlantic which is at the extreme north end. Once clear of the runway Ground gave me some simple taxi instructions and off I went. About halfway to Atlantic I noticed their 'Follow Me' truck alongside me, and I was guided to parking, which was pretty cool to a me as a new guy showing up in a rented 1966 Cherokee. Super courteous staff at Atlantic had me in and out quickly, and as I waited for the free shuttle a couple pilots from EasyJet offered me a ride to my hotel. A nice finish to my best day so far in GA.
We departed KLAS on Monday, and other than a minor delay waiting for about 10 commercial airliners to depart, we got off the ground with no hassle. I will have to say that I would not have known to call up Clearance Delivery to ask for a VFR departure to the south had I not seen it on the board here. If I hadn't read that technique here I would have just called ground and asked to taxi with the ATIS like I do at my home drome Class D. Once in the air Tower gave me a course and altitude to stay out of the way of the departing traffic, and Departure Control did the same for a bit before permitting me to resume own nav. Easy flight home after that.
So to anyone who is reluctant to take his or her first trip to a busy airport, go for it! Do your homework, plan your contingencies, and if your experience is anything like mine you will have a great trip.
The purpose of the trip was to drop two friends off at Shoshone (L61) on Saturday for their legs of
a relay race that goes from Baker, California to Las Vegas, then continue on to Vegas to run my own leg later that night. Took off from KCRQ into beautiful CAVU conditions, and had a great flight to L61 at 9,500. Had flight following the entire way, as well as great visibility on other traffic via WingX Pro + Stratux w/ AHRS. As luck would have it, about 15 miles out of Shoshone I saw a contact from the ADS-B feed on the ground at Shoshone, so I switched to CTAF and sure enough heard him make a call that he was taking the active. I told him my intentions and asked for a quick wind check, which turned out to be exactly as I had anticipated. A nice centerline greaser (couldn't resist!) and we were on the deck in less than half the time it would have taken to drive. And of course flying somewhere that everyone else has to drive to is priceless.
After dropping off my passengers I climbed out of Shoshone and turned for Sin City. As expected, I could not raise Las Vegas approach until over the ridgeline to the West. Once I had established comm, I stated "VFR direct McCarran if able," having already planned for KHND if McCarran was too busy for a lowly Cherokee. I was given a squawk, and right as I hit the west edge of the Class B was told "make some left turns and I'l squeeze you in soon." I was about 270 degrees into my turns and got told to proceed for a four mile final for 1L and contact tower. Although I wasn't asked to keep the speed up I did anyway, and did a no flap landing since I had the full length of the runway to work with and I was parking at Atlantic which is at the extreme north end. Once clear of the runway Ground gave me some simple taxi instructions and off I went. About halfway to Atlantic I noticed their 'Follow Me' truck alongside me, and I was guided to parking, which was pretty cool to a me as a new guy showing up in a rented 1966 Cherokee. Super courteous staff at Atlantic had me in and out quickly, and as I waited for the free shuttle a couple pilots from EasyJet offered me a ride to my hotel. A nice finish to my best day so far in GA.
We departed KLAS on Monday, and other than a minor delay waiting for about 10 commercial airliners to depart, we got off the ground with no hassle. I will have to say that I would not have known to call up Clearance Delivery to ask for a VFR departure to the south had I not seen it on the board here. If I hadn't read that technique here I would have just called ground and asked to taxi with the ATIS like I do at my home drome Class D. Once in the air Tower gave me a course and altitude to stay out of the way of the departing traffic, and Departure Control did the same for a bit before permitting me to resume own nav. Easy flight home after that.
So to anyone who is reluctant to take his or her first trip to a busy airport, go for it! Do your homework, plan your contingencies, and if your experience is anything like mine you will have a great trip.