Jay,

I have flown through there many times. I always contact PSP and they
assign me a code. I just zip through at the appropriate altitude and
keep the eyes wide open. It does get busy through there... In fact,
I think I read there was a mid air over the Banning airport a few
years back. Not to surprising considering the GA traffic in the area.

The other route would be further south of PSP, head NW from Salton Sea
Area and go NW to the March or Fench Valley area. Not that big of
deal AND you have to worry less about the tight space through the
pass.

Negative part is there is an area for 10 minutes or so where there are
few landing places should the need arise... Climb an extra couple
thousand feet for a little more safety margin.

If you want more deatails let me know and we can talk via email...


On Mon, 15 Jan 2007 16:38:46 -0700, "Jay Beckman"
wrote:

Greetings All...

I've been wanting to fly from the Phoenix area to Chino, CA to get a bite at
Flo's and see the Planes of Fame Museum. The Wx looks like it will
cooperate for Wednesday but I have a couple of questions for any pilots who
know this part of the LA Basin and how best to deal with getting through the
Banning Pass.

I have flown as far as Palm Springs but beyond the PSP VOR is virgin
territory for me.

First question has to do with actually transiting the Banning Pass. From
the Palm Springs VOR, I see you can hug the right side (going west) via the
DEWAY intersection or you can hug the left side by going via the BANDS
intersection. Is it better to "Keep Right" in each direction?

Next Issue: Looking at the LA TAC, once you get over or abeam the Banning
airport, there are three flyways. One goes off to the NW to get around
Ontario. One goes to the Paradise VORTAC via Riverside (staying north of
March ARB) and one goes more to the SW directly over March ARB to Lake
Matthews (VPLLM) and then intersects another flyway going NW to the Paradise
VORTAC and then to Chino.

My gut tells me maybe the SW route over March to Lake Matthews might be
better as it gets you off the straightline route through the pass and Lake
Matthews would work as a checkpoint for TOD. I could even go from Lake
Matthews to the Corona airport and get a good approach angle to Chino from
the SSE. This way, I'd also stay SW of the Paradise VOR and maybe help
avoid converging traffic? How active is March these days? Trash Haulers?
Fast Movers?

So, maybe my route over would be:

P19 (Stellar Airpark)
GBN (Gila Bend VOR) (Quickest way out from under the Phoenix Class B..They
sometimes will approve an early climb direct to SADLL)
VICKO
BLH (Blythe VOR)
CONES
PSP (Palm Springs VOR)
DEWAY or VPLBP (Banning Pass Reporting Point)
KRIV (March ARB)
VPLLM (Lake Matthews)
KAJO (Corona Airport)
KCNO (Chino)

Coming back, I could just depart Chino and head direct (or as direct as
possible) to the VPLBP point and proceed on the reverse of the above.

If anyone has thoughts or suggestions, I'm open for them...

I plan to park in the NW corner of transient parking in order to walk to the
museum.

TIA,

Jay Beckman
PP-ASEL
Chandler, AZ



Mike Alexander
PP-ASEL
Temecula, CA
See my online aerial photo album at
http://flying.4alexanders.com