First Landing at a Class Bravo Airport! KSAN
Posted Jul 12, 2018, 10:26 PM UTC
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There's an XKCD for everything!
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Take your pick. I'm DFW.
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SAN Francisco is SFO.
SAN Jose is SJC.
SAN Juan is SJU.
SAN Antonio is SAT.
Only San Diego is SAN.
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Did you park next to a Mooney with flames on it?
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I saw it! That's yours, right? I was a couple of planes down.
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Yup thats me. Pro tip: Signature has a balcony on the 2nd floor that is great for taking shots of the plane with the cityscape in the background.
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I'll try that next time!
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Oh crap. Wish I had known that when I was there a few weeks ago!
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u/Santos_Dumont, I saw you coming into SAN a couple of days ago on the way into the office. I was on the 5 North just before the 163 to see you on final approach. Very cool!
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How much did that set you back?
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$44 ($39 handling fee and $5 security fee) @ Signature. If you buy some 15 gallons of overpriced fuel, the handling fee is waived.
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That isn't nearly as bad as I expected!
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Quite reasonable! And they had crew cars. Ran down to eat dinner at Coasterra and this was closer than Montgomery .. plus a new airport in the logbook!
Checking rampfee.me for other airports, looks like San Diego is the most reasonable in CA. KSFO is nuts... like $200+.
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Hmm. My son is at MCRD right next door to SAN. He has liberty from 1600-1945. I was trying to figure out how to fly to MYF, rent a car, and have dinner with him after work. If I can borrow a car from the FBO at SAN, this will make it a million times easier
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Coasterra....awesome restaurant.
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they get like $7/gal for avgas though... Next time Ill just pay the ramp fee.
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Correct. Exactly what I did, considering gas at KLGB is $4.29/g
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Congrats! I'm trying to see how many Bravos let a Cessna in- I'm only at 3, but SAN was my first!
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I landed at KPHX in a 172 while I was training for my PPL! When I left I got to take off next to a 737 on the parallel runway. He let me get off the ground and then rocketed past me like I was standing still. Was an awesome experience.
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I took a 172 into KPHX just to see if I could. They let me, but rushed me off the runway- after I stopped, a 767 rolled on by. Awesome to watch! Where'd you train out of?
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[deleted]
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KMEM will as well. I sea some 172s in KSEA sometimes.
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I’ve heard about crazy landing fee in SAN... is that not true?
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Around 400 bucks to quick turn a king air at SAN. It’s cheap for the millionaire in the back but cuts into the budget on razor thin charter revenue when KMYF is free.
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Ouch! Much better deal in the single piston bugs masher!
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Nope, it's a handling fee ($39) and security fee ($5) for a total cost of $44 for the day.
Overnights are $50 / night, which is steep.
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If you buy the 15 Gal they half the overnight to $25.
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All nights or just one?
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Ill tell you tomorrow.
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They gave me a discount on all nights. They also gave me a $.50 discount on gas because ‘it was the weekend’. $158 in total for 15 GAL 100LL, 2x $25 overnights, + taxes & airport fees. Also they gave me two bags of ice for free for my B-Kool.
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Hello PA24 friend! I brought mine there about six weeks ago too. Besides SAN I've done LAS twice and PHX once, and of course OAK is home so yeah...
Everything's cheaper than SFO or BOS. Other than that, it's often not too bad, especially for any place that has more than one runway.
Other pro tip: just ask if the frequency isn't slammed! Parked at 19R (LAS) and traffic is landing 19 and taking off 8L giving you a two mile taxi in 100 degree heat? "I'd just love it if you could somehow give me 19R for departure." Tower: "Can do." Guy right behind me who just got taxi clearance to 8L: "Hey, can I get that too?"
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Nice! I will eventually get the rest of the bravos in the state. Just for bragging rights :)
Good tip on the runway requests. Never hurts to ask!
Do you take your Comanche to Black Rock City? I am thinking about a fly by (saw the flair).
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It hasn't been there yet. It was my goal last year when I purchased it, but it spent... a lot of time at the shop before initial flight.
I've gotten by volunteering working unicom for the past few years. It will be there this year :)
If you do a fly by, read up on the airport docs and you can join the scenic pattern more easily. It's fairly busy airspace and uncontrolled with no radar so helps to be on the same page.
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Thanks for the tip! I've briefly read about it, but will study the details before I go, if it works out.
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My first class B I Landed at KMCO at 1 am with maybe one or two airliner in the area. I asked for a taxi back for take off and got yelled by tower and ground saying it wasn't a training airport. I was practicing some actual IFR some times after I got rated... 😓
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That's obnoxious! I am going to try that at LAX one of these nights....
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I recommend just taxiing towards Atlantic or Signature before requesting another departure. LAX won't be as forgiving as some other airports. Their 6 day 60 hour work weeks don't allow much for morale and patience.
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I fly over this airport all the time but never tried to land there. Since it's only one runway I assumed they didn't allow it, or that maybe IFR would be required or something. I guess I should do it for the experience. Perhaps during Comic-Con next week!
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I’ve been to KSAN 4 times now. If you come in VFR they will tell you to do 360s north of tower over the SPAWAR building until they can fit you in. They expect you to land and not to do a touch and go. IFR they will clear you to MZB but then will give you vectors and tell you not to slow to approach speed until REEBO.
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Thanks, it helps knowing what to expect.
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Totally allowed and they were quite friendly! I would call Signature before flying down, just to verify the fees -- I read elsewhere that occasionally there's an "event fee" if something big is happening. Just so you're not surprised.
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Pretty cool coming over the parking garage on short final, isn’t it?
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Yeah, it's a cool approach!
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u/digivation, my office is literally right under short final for 27 at SAN. When your nose gear passes over the 5 freeway, you are literally over my office!
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Must be a nice view! My office overlooks LAX from the south side of the 105. Also a cool way to pass the time.
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It is a great view. I have seen some interesting planes come into SAN over the years. Probably the most interesting was a RAF Vickers VC-10. It was like a really loud and shrill dog whistle!
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Nice! Come pick me up next time
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Sue thing! One way trip back to LA?
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Fuck it lets go!
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Next, fly down to KMYF and drive to the TRACON for a tour.
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I talk to you guys often enough, I really need to!
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Just let me know when you want to come in, I do private tours outside of Operation Raincheck.
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Awesome! Will do!
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Yikes! I'll stick to Montgomery or Gillespie
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That's awesome! Miss flying with you, dude!
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You too!! Still planning to get over to Chicago, just gotta find the time :/
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Welllll... Oshkosh is next weekend!
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Just came here to say that that is a very handsome looking aircraft. Comanche? Well done on the big airport!
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Thanks! Yep, a Comanche 260B. Awesome plane!
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Nice C260B! What year? 67?
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1965! I'm a very early serial number for the B model.
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After 560 hours of flying, I finally touched down on the hallowed pavement of a Class Bravo.
It's just another airport (though, I'll admit - this one has a GREAT view).
The arrival from the LA area was easy - I had flight following from departure to destination, and at 50 miles out, approach sent me "direct MZB then right traffic for runway 27." No sweat.
The remainder of the flight was uneventful, except that I had to execute a few 360s in the pattern while five jets departed, then "cleared to land runway 27, caution wake turbulence."
Signature San Diego had a "reasonable" fee of $44 ($39 handling and $5 security fee). A crew car was provided. Overall, for a day trip to San Diego, I would recommend this stop!