Having done both Gorman and Donner hundreds of time, what you learned at
Donner is perfectly applicable to Gorman. The only gotcha at Gorman is when
the Santa Ana winds (winds out of the east light and variable gusting to
sixty) blow. Then you could go over Gorman at midnight and get the snot
beat out of you.

Watch out for the controllers at VNY. Of the six close calls in the pattern
I've had in 45 years and 5000 hours, 3 of them were induced by the tower at
VNY. One of them was induced by the tower at OSH, one by the tower at MYF,
and one by the tower at SAN.

Jim



"Cecil Chapman" wrote in message
et...
Question for those of you that live in the So Calif area. As early a
morning crossing as possible (taking account winds are low at the 'top')
would seem warranted, but for crossing back to Nor Calif, when is the best
time to head back over the pass for max passenger comfort, on the way
back? Most of the pilots up here that I ask, generally tell me to avoid it
if the winds at the pass are 20 knots plus and the other caveat they
include is to avoid early afternoons over the pass.

I've flown over and back the Donner Pass and early as possible seems to be
way to go there, so I was just trying to transfer the same rationale to
the pass (although much lower than Donner) at Gorman.

Ideas?

--
=-----
Good Flights!

Cecil E. Chapman
CFI-A, CP-ASEL-IA
Reid-Hillview Airport, San Jose, California

Check out my personal flying adventures from my first flight to the
checkride AND the continuing adventures beyond!
Complete with pictures and text at: www.bayareapilot.com

"I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things."
- Antoine de Saint-Exupery -

"We who fly, do so for the love of flying. We are alive in the air with
this miracle that lies in our hands and beneath our feet"
- Cecil Day Lewis -