Route Advice? KGEU (Phoenix) -> KEMT (Los Angeles)

Winds can be high through the pass, from the west. Expect lower groundspeed.
Oh yes, keep your head on a swivel!

It should be a good flight!

Harvey

"Scott Schluer" wrote in message
news:xMgSc.26111$Uh.25928@fed1read02...
Thanks for the tip on expecting to get dropped by Palm Springs and
reestablishing flight following after flying through the pass. It's local
knowledge like this that helps me anticipate what's going to happen on
flights into unfamiliar territory like this.

Another poster suggested going north towards Apple Valley. Coming from
KLAS
that makes sense, but from Phoenix, it takes me well north of my intended
route, so I think I'll stick with the Banning Pass. If anyone has other
tips
on what to expect flying through the LA basin, it would be appreciated. I
did some early training in the San Francisco area, but even that is fairly
mild compared to LA. It'll be good experience if nothing else.

Thanks!

"Dan Thompson" wrote in message
...
It's a no-brainer. Fly the Banning Pass (Palm Springs-Riverside route).
Save the $100. You can get flight following, but expect Palm Springs
Approach to abruptly drop you, then you have to reinitiate it with Socal
Approach when you get through the pass. They can be busy and it can be
frustrating.

"Scott Schluer" wrote in message
news:EW8Sc.24898$Uh.10443@fed1read02...
Hello All,

After a year long flying hiatus, it's time to jump back in. There's a
family
function in the Los Angeles area (landing KEMT, El Monte, California)
that
I
plan on flying VFR to from Glendale Muni (KGEU), in western Phoenix.
I've
looked at a couple different route options, including flying north of
the
LA
area through Victorville, towards Palmdale VOR, and then south to El
Monte
thereby skipping the entire LA basin area, although it would add a
little
more than an hour round trip (which translates to another $100). I
don't
have unlimited funds for this so saving $100 would be nice. The more
direct
route would be this:

KGEU - BXK - BLH - PSP - RIV - PDZ - POM - KEMT

This would take me over Palm Springs, then west through the Los
Angeles
basin. I plan on flying 8,500 feet past Palm Springs, so I'd be well
above
the congested mix of airspace beneath me. However, this will be my
first
trip into the Los Angeles Basin in a Cessna 172 (or any light plane
for
that
matter). I will obviously be taking full advantage of flight following
if
they can accomodate me. Are there any LA locals who can provide some
advice
on this proposed route? Would it be wise to take the northen route
given
my
year off from flying and my inexperience in LA? I'm not adverse to
navigating airspace (in fact, I enjoy a more challenging flight) but I
thought I'd pick some brains here first.

If you were going to go north, what route would you take given the
oxygen
requirements and limitations imposed on my aircraft by density
altitude
in
the summer near Big Bear and the restricted areas near Twentynine
Palms?
I've looked at a couple options but none of them seem to justify the
added
expense just to save some flight time over a congested area.

Thanks for any advice you might be able to give.

Scott
PP-ASEL

The flight into the LA basin via Banning is fine, you'll be out of the
way for traffic into LAX and SNA; ONT isn't that busy. Stay high in
the desert before PSP and you'll stay on radar, the turbulence/wind
and traffic is lighter in the mornings as well.

-lance smith


"Scott Schluer" wrote in message news:xMgSc.26111$Uh.25928@fed1read02...
Thanks for the tip on expecting to get dropped by Palm Springs and
reestablishing flight following after flying through the pass. It's local
knowledge like this that helps me anticipate what's going to happen on
flights into unfamiliar territory like this.

Another poster suggested going north towards Apple Valley. Coming from KLAS
that makes sense, but from Phoenix, it takes me well north of my intended
route, so I think I'll stick with the Banning Pass. If anyone has other tips
on what to expect flying through the LA basin, it would be appreciated. I
did some early training in the San Francisco area, but even that is fairly
mild compared to LA. It'll be good experience if nothing else.

Thanks!

"Dan Thompson" wrote in message
...
It's a no-brainer. Fly the Banning Pass (Palm Springs-Riverside route).
Save the $100. You can get flight following, but expect Palm Springs
Approach to abruptly drop you, then you have to reinitiate it with Socal
Approach when you get through the pass. They can be busy and it can be
frustrating.

"Scott Schluer" wrote in message
news:EW8Sc.24898$Uh.10443@fed1read02...
Hello All,

After a year long flying hiatus, it's time to jump back in. There's a
family
function in the Los Angeles area (landing KEMT, El Monte, California)
that
I
plan on flying VFR to from Glendale Muni (KGEU), in western Phoenix.
I've
looked at a couple different route options, including flying north of
the
LA
area through Victorville, towards Palmdale VOR, and then south to El
Monte
thereby skipping the entire LA basin area, although it would add a
little
more than an hour round trip (which translates to another $100). I don't
have unlimited funds for this so saving $100 would be nice. The more
direct
route would be this:

KGEU - BXK - BLH - PSP - RIV - PDZ - POM - KEMT

This would take me over Palm Springs, then west through the Los Angeles
basin. I plan on flying 8,500 feet past Palm Springs, so I'd be well
above
the congested mix of airspace beneath me. However, this will be my first
trip into the Los Angeles Basin in a Cessna 172 (or any light plane for
that
matter). I will obviously be taking full advantage of flight following
if
they can accomodate me. Are there any LA locals who can provide some
advice
on this proposed route? Would it be wise to take the northen route given
my
year off from flying and my inexperience in LA? I'm not adverse to
navigating airspace (in fact, I enjoy a more challenging flight) but I
thought I'd pick some brains here first.

If you were going to go north, what route would you take given the
oxygen
requirements and limitations imposed on my aircraft by density altitude
in
the summer near Big Bear and the restricted areas near Twentynine Palms?
I've looked at a couple options but none of them seem to justify the
added
expense just to save some flight time over a congested area.

Thanks for any advice you might be able to give.

Scott
PP-ASEL

Excellent tips, everyone. Thanks!

"lance smith" wrote in message
om...
The flight into the LA basin via Banning is fine, you'll be out of the
way for traffic into LAX and SNA; ONT isn't that busy. Stay high in
the desert before PSP and you'll stay on radar, the turbulence/wind
and traffic is lighter in the mornings as well.

-lance smith


"Scott Schluer" wrote in message
news:xMgSc.26111$Uh.25928@fed1read02...
Thanks for the tip on expecting to get dropped by Palm Springs and
reestablishing flight following after flying through the pass. It's
local
knowledge like this that helps me anticipate what's going to happen on
flights into unfamiliar territory like this.

Another poster suggested going north towards Apple Valley. Coming from
KLAS
that makes sense, but from Phoenix, it takes me well north of my
intended
route, so I think I'll stick with the Banning Pass. If anyone has other
tips
on what to expect flying through the LA basin, it would be appreciated.
I
did some early training in the San Francisco area, but even that is
fairly
mild compared to LA. It'll be good experience if nothing else.

Thanks!

"Dan Thompson" wrote in message
...
It's a no-brainer. Fly the Banning Pass (Palm Springs-Riverside
route).
Save the $100. You can get flight following, but expect Palm Springs
Approach to abruptly drop you, then you have to reinitiate it with
Socal
Approach when you get through the pass. They can be busy and it can
be
frustrating.

"Scott Schluer" wrote in message
news:EW8Sc.24898$Uh.10443@fed1read02...
Hello All,

After a year long flying hiatus, it's time to jump back in. There's
a
family
function in the Los Angeles area (landing KEMT, El Monte,
California)
that
I
plan on flying VFR to from Glendale Muni (KGEU), in western Phoenix.
I've
looked at a couple different route options, including flying north
of
the
LA
area through Victorville, towards Palmdale VOR, and then south to El
Monte
thereby skipping the entire LA basin area, although it would add a
little
more than an hour round trip (which translates to another $100). I
don't
have unlimited funds for this so saving $100 would be nice. The more
direct
route would be this:

KGEU - BXK - BLH - PSP - RIV - PDZ - POM - KEMT

This would take me over Palm Springs, then west through the Los
Angeles
basin. I plan on flying 8,500 feet past Palm Springs, so I'd be well
above
the congested mix of airspace beneath me. However, this will be my
first
trip into the Los Angeles Basin in a Cessna 172 (or any light plane
for
that
matter). I will obviously be taking full advantage of flight
following
if
they can accomodate me. Are there any LA locals who can provide some
advice
on this proposed route? Would it be wise to take the northen route
given
my
year off from flying and my inexperience in LA? I'm not adverse to
navigating airspace (in fact, I enjoy a more challenging flight) but
I
thought I'd pick some brains here first.

If you were going to go north, what route would you take given the
oxygen
requirements and limitations imposed on my aircraft by density
altitude
in
the summer near Big Bear and the restricted areas near Twentynine
Palms?
I've looked at a couple options but none of them seem to justify the
added
expense just to save some flight time over a congested area.

Thanks for any advice you might be able to give.

Scott
PP-ASEL

I'm not local to LA, but from Texas. I have flown to LA about a dozen times
though, always over Banning, and it is always the same. The irony is the
"locals" don't know this stuff either unless they make a lot of cross
country flights.

"Scott Schluer" wrote in message
news:xMgSc.26111$Uh.25928@fed1read02...
Thanks for the tip on expecting to get dropped by Palm Springs and
reestablishing flight following after flying through the pass. It's local
knowledge like this that helps me anticipate what's going to happen on
flights into unfamiliar territory like this.

Another poster suggested going north towards Apple Valley. Coming from
KLAS
that makes sense, but from Phoenix, it takes me well north of my intended
route, so I think I'll stick with the Banning Pass. If anyone has other
tips
on what to expect flying through the LA basin, it would be appreciated. I
did some early training in the San Francisco area, but even that is fairly
mild compared to LA. It'll be good experience if nothing else.

Thanks!

"Dan Thompson" wrote in message
...
It's a no-brainer. Fly the Banning Pass (Palm Springs-Riverside route).
Save the $100. You can get flight following, but expect Palm Springs
Approach to abruptly drop you, then you have to reinitiate it with Socal
Approach when you get through the pass. They can be busy and it can be
frustrating.

"Scott Schluer" wrote in message
news:EW8Sc.24898$Uh.10443@fed1read02...
Hello All,

After a year long flying hiatus, it's time to jump back in. There's a
family
function in the Los Angeles area (landing KEMT, El Monte, California)
that
I
plan on flying VFR to from Glendale Muni (KGEU), in western Phoenix.
I've
looked at a couple different route options, including flying north of
the
LA
area through Victorville, towards Palmdale VOR, and then south to El
Monte
thereby skipping the entire LA basin area, although it would add a
little
more than an hour round trip (which translates to another $100). I
don't
have unlimited funds for this so saving $100 would be nice. The more
direct
route would be this:

KGEU - BXK - BLH - PSP - RIV - PDZ - POM - KEMT

This would take me over Palm Springs, then west through the Los
Angeles
basin. I plan on flying 8,500 feet past Palm Springs, so I'd be well
above
the congested mix of airspace beneath me. However, this will be my
first
trip into the Los Angeles Basin in a Cessna 172 (or any light plane
for
that
matter). I will obviously be taking full advantage of flight following
if
they can accomodate me. Are there any LA locals who can provide some
advice
on this proposed route? Would it be wise to take the northen route
given
my
year off from flying and my inexperience in LA? I'm not adverse to
navigating airspace (in fact, I enjoy a more challenging flight) but I
thought I'd pick some brains here first.

If you were going to go north, what route would you take given the
oxygen
requirements and limitations imposed on my aircraft by density
altitude
in
the summer near Big Bear and the restricted areas near Twentynine
Palms?
I've looked at a couple options but none of them seem to justify the
added
expense just to save some flight time over a congested area.

Thanks for any advice you might be able to give.

Scott
PP-ASEL

Well, thanks again to everyone who responded! I've decided to take the
Banning Pass route and upgraded my aircraft for the trip from a 1978 172N to
a 2003 172SP, complete with MFD, dual axis autopilot, GPS, etc. Just decided
it would be better for situational awareness in the LA area and little more
fun to take the newer bird for a trip, especially considering I'll probably
be giving some family members and friends a quick flight around the area
while I'm in town. The SP makes for a much more "friendly" introduction to
flight than the "well-used" '78 N model. ;-)

Anyways, expect a detailed PIREP when I return on the 23rd!

Scott

"Scott Schluer" wrote in message
news:EW8Sc.24898$Uh.10443@fed1read02...
Hello All,

After a year long flying hiatus, it's time to jump back in. There's a
family
function in the Los Angeles area (landing KEMT, El Monte, California) that
I
plan on flying VFR to from Glendale Muni (KGEU), in western Phoenix. I've
looked at a couple different route options, including flying north of the
LA
area through Victorville, towards Palmdale VOR, and then south to El Monte
thereby skipping the entire LA basin area, although it would add a little
more than an hour round trip (which translates to another $100). I don't
have unlimited funds for this so saving $100 would be nice. The more
direct
route would be this:

KGEU - BXK - BLH - PSP - RIV - PDZ - POM - KEMT

This would take me over Palm Springs, then west through the Los Angeles
basin. I plan on flying 8,500 feet past Palm Springs, so I'd be well above
the congested mix of airspace beneath me. However, this will be my first
trip into the Los Angeles Basin in a Cessna 172 (or any light plane for
that
matter). I will obviously be taking full advantage of flight following if
they can accomodate me. Are there any LA locals who can provide some
advice
on this proposed route? Would it be wise to take the northen route given
my
year off from flying and my inexperience in LA? I'm not adverse to
navigating airspace (in fact, I enjoy a more challenging flight) but I
thought I'd pick some brains here first.

If you were going to go north, what route would you take given the oxygen
requirements and limitations imposed on my aircraft by density altitude in
the summer near Big Bear and the restricted areas near Twentynine Palms?
I've looked at a couple options but none of them seem to justify the added
expense just to save some flight time over a congested area.

Thanks for any advice you might be able to give.

Scott
PP-ASEL