If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Santa Monica (KSMO) Tips or Gotchas?
I'll be flying one of our 172's down to Santa Monica (KSMO) sometime in
the next few weeks, probably this coming Friday (returning the following day). I'll be arriving from Oakland, stopping somewhere like Santa Maria or San Luis Obispo for lunch before arriving IFR into SMO with a couple of passengers at around 3pm. Any tips on Santa Monica airport and associated FBOs? I'm familiar with the area from the ground, but haven't flown into SMO itself before, and don't want to miss any less-obvious gotchas or make a major faux pas or something. And for the IFR bits -- should I expect the Fernando 5 / DARTS arrival pretty much as-is, or should I expect to get a more complex airways routing -- or just a series of vectors? I'm happy with any combination, but it'd be nice to be forewarned... And one dumb question -- do you tip FBO staff if they've parked your plane for you somewhere and retrieved it again? OK, since this is LA and it's a species of valet parking, of course you do, but how much? They did this once (very competently, with impressive attention to detail) on a crowded ramp at Santa Barbara, and I hadn't a clue what to give 'em... Thanks, Hamish |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
I was well treated by Supermarine a few years ago. They're on the
North side of the apron, at the ocean end. I don't think a tip is necessary for schlepping a 'hawk with a tug. I did phone ahead, in case they wanted to tell me anything. Don |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Add me to the list of pilots who find themselves much more baffled after landing (where is the FBO for little airplanes?) than I am in the air. I've flown from northern CA to KSMO several times, both VFR and IFR. IFR, I've gotten vectors, not a published arrival. There's a lot going on down there and they've got good radar coverage, so they're going to use it to keep everyone going. Unfortunately, this means you might be in the air a little longer than you'd like. VFR, by the way, it's pretty easy to get in without much fuss and avoid the vectoring. If the weather is clear, you may considered canceling early. You can get into KSMO from the north\northeast without having to penetrate any B or C space. Once on the ground, I'd recommend Supermarine. It's the nice FBO and they handle corporate jets as well as spamcans. American Flyers, a flight school on the field, also has an FBO and they can park and fuel your plane, too. Their gas is a good deal cheaper but their facility more homely. One nice thing about Supermarine is that they seem more capable of arranging a rental car than American Flyers. Other note: on takeoff, climbout straight ahead all the way to the beach before turning on course. Really, noise abatement is important at this airport, constantly under siege from rich people with no love for aviation. I don't know about tipping FBO staff. I have never done it, but then again, I know nothing. This falls under the category of important things your instructor never taught you. Hey guys, what is the policy? -- dave j Hamish Reid wrote: I'll be flying one of our 172's down to Santa Monica (KSMO) sometime in the next few weeks, probably this coming Friday (returning the following day). I'll be arriving from Oakland, stopping somewhere like Santa Maria or San Luis Obispo for lunch before arriving IFR into SMO with a couple of passengers at around 3pm. Any tips on Santa Monica airport and associated FBOs? I'm familiar with the area from the ground, but haven't flown into SMO itself before, and don't want to miss any less-obvious gotchas or make a major faux pas or something. And for the IFR bits -- should I expect the Fernando 5 / DARTS arrival pretty much as-is, or should I expect to get a more complex airways routing -- or just a series of vectors? I'm happy with any combination, but it'd be nice to be forewarned... And one dumb question -- do you tip FBO staff if they've parked your plane for you somewhere and retrieved it again? OK, since this is LA and it's a species of valet parking, of course you do, but how much? They did this once (very competently, with impressive attention to detail) on a crowded ramp at Santa Barbara, and I hadn't a clue what to give 'em... Thanks, Hamish |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Hamish,
This brings back memories, one of my first "solo" IFR flights after getting my rating was from Reid Hillview (RHV) in San Jose, down to Santa Monica (SMO), I also used it as my qualifying long XC for my commercial ticket. Here is the email I sent to my CFII afterwards letting him know how his newly minted instrument pilot faired on his first trip into SoCal. Since then I've flown into SMO on a couple of Angel Flights and I've Filed/flown the same route as the first time (FERN5 STAR, vectors after VNY for VOR-A approach). BTW, I've always dropped Angel Flight passengers off at Supermarine, seems like a nice place. Exit the runway on the RIGHT and pull well clear of the runway before stopping for your after landing checklist. There is a continuous apron along the runway in SMO rather than defined taxi-ways, so you can pull off anywhere. This confused me the first time - I was unsure where TWR control ended and GND began (some airports can be a real pain about this - it is never clear exactly where you should stop. Example, in PAO you need to pull onto the parallel taxiway - do that in RHV and they will be asking you to phone the tower). I stopped as soon as my tail was clear of the runway - when I called up GND they told me I should have taxied well clear of the runway before stopping. Brenor ..... Leg 1 RHV to SMO Filed: RV VINCO V107 PXN V113 ROM V485 VTU V299 SADDE SMO DIRECT, 9000' Clearance from 13L at RHV : to SMO, Fly runway heading to 400', right 290, RV VINCO V107 then as filed, Climb 3000' expect 9000' after 5 min. On contacting NORCAL I got, Climb 4000', on leaving 2100' right 090. Then I got own navigation and cleared to 7000'. Around Hollister I got cleared to 9000'. Got an ammended clearance between just before FLW VOR on V485 "Cleared SMO, V485 OHIGH, then FERNANDO FIVE ARRIVAL, maintain 9000' Before I got to OHIGH, I was cleared direct FIM (Fillmore VOR is back in service) Then got cleared down to 7000' & 5000' just passed VNY I got a couple of vectors and a clearance the VOR-A approach into SMO. Made a straight in approach to 21 at SMO. Leg 2 SMO to SBP Filed: RV SADDE V299 VTU V25 RZS V12 GVO V27 MQO SBP DIRECT Clearance from 21 at SMO: to SBP, fly runway heading to intercept LAX R315, then right 270, RV VTU, RZS then as filed, Climb 3000' expect 8000' after 5 min. LA Approach cleared me to 6000', then "direct VTU when able". After VTU I was given another ammended route "V25 RZS then direct MQO" (skipped the GVO VOR, more direct off victor airways) Flew that without problems and made a visual straight in approach to SBP. Leg 3 SBP to RHV: Filed: CREPE3.PRB V113 ROM V485 LICKE RHV DIRECT Clearance from 29 at SBP: to RHV, CREPE3.PRB then as filed. Basically exactly the route I filed, I flew it without change until I started getting vectored for a visual into 31R at RHV. |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Other note: on takeoff, climbout straight ahead all the way to the
beach before turning on course. Really, noise abatement is important at this airport, constantly under siege from rich people with no love for aviation. Almost. The requested noise abatement out of 21 is to turn left over the VOR, then straighten out and fly the runway heading over the golf course. The usual northbound departure request for VFR goes something like "Cessna XXX holding short 21, right turn at shoreline." When you land, just turn off the active and stop when you're at least a plane length into the apron, it's all paved. Tower will usually tell you when to contact ground, or they'll have you taxi with them depending on who's in the bathroom or whatnot. I second the suggestion to land VFR to avoid wacky vectoring. You can save a lot of time coming down the coast(watch for traffic, it's a busy corridor) and call into KSMO at Pacific Palisades (it's on the chart). Oh, keep in mind that it's right traffic for 21 (the prevailing runway), and left traffic for 03. They really don't want you getting anywhere near LAX, it's right next door. Get a copy of the terminal chart if you're going to be in the area, it'll make life easier. The sectional just doesn't have some of the stuff that you need to really get around quickly, like the VFR corridor over LAX. Instead of stopping at Supermarine, you might want to stop at the transient parking on the south side of the field, there's a good restaurant there (Typhoon) and nice outdoor tables. |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
On 11 Jun 2005 22:01:53 -0700, "Ben Hallert"
wrote in .com:: (watch for traffic, it's a busy corridor) If you come down the coast, burn a landing light and contact Santa Barbara Approach Control 20 miles north (or west). Radar Advisory Service is prudent from that point due to traffic congestion. But you probably knew that. |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
In article ,
Hamish Reid wrote: I'll be flying one of our 172's down to Santa Monica (KSMO) sometime in the next few weeks, probably this coming Friday (returning the following day). [...] Thanks everyone for the tips and suggestions so far -- it sounds like Supermarine will work just fine for the FBO (even with those fuel prices...), I'll keep my noise down, and I'll keep a look out for the non-taxiway taxiways. As for tipping -- well, I still don't know, but it sounds like there's not much consensus there anyway. I originally come from a part of the world where tipping is only done when service was exceptional, and the tip might be only 10% at that, so tipping's always been a mystery for me here. And I probably should have been clearer about the IFR thing -- I'm actually fairly famililar with SoCal's airspace VFR (although I've never landed at SMO before), but part of the reason for doing this flight is to do it IFR, at least between Santa Maria or San Luis Obispo and Santa Monica (both ways). I only recently got my IFR ticket, and I just thought it'd be interesting to try something new -- even if it means I'll be vectored from here to eternity (I'm based at Oakland -- I know what it means to be vectored :-) ...). Thanks again, Hamish |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Another vote for SMO/Supermarine... I've been there three
times in the last couple of years and been very happy with their service... rental car waiting on the ramp, that kind of thing. I just about always fly IFR into the LA area, and have never had any truly awful vectors. About the worst was going into LAX on an IMC day when they sent me maybe 15 mins out of my way. LGB is fun because they hold you at 6000' over the LAX final then you get to dive bomb into the airport. I don't recall anything special at SMO. There is a truly excellent evolved-Japanese restaurant on the field, The Hump. I believe Typhoon is also very good but I don't know because I've never been able to resist The Hump! As for tipping... never done it, seems to be a fairly broad consensus. Of course assuming your name is indicative of your origins, I would understand that tipping wouldn't come naturally :-) John |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
In article 1118644473.768445@sj-nntpcache-3,
John Harper wrote: As for tipping... never done it, seems to be a fairly broad consensus. Of course assuming your name is indicative of your origins, I would understand that tipping wouldn't come naturally :-) You got it :-) Hamish |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
John Harper wrote: Another vote for SMO/Supermarine... I've been there three times in the last couple of years and been very happy with their service... rental car waiting on the ramp, that kind of thing. I just about always fly IFR into the LA area, and have never had any truly awful vectors. About the worst was going into LAX on an IMC day when they sent me maybe 15 mins out of my way. LGB is fun because they hold you at 6000' over the LAX final then you get to dive bomb into the airport. I don't recall anything special at SMO. There is a truly excellent evolved-Japanese restaurant on the field, The Hump. I believe Typhoon is also very good but I don't know because I've never been able to resist The Hump! As for tipping... never done it, seems to be a fairly broad consensus. Of course assuming your name is indicative of your origins, I would understand that tipping wouldn't come naturally :-) With the cost of SoCal real estate, SMO is a great candidate for conversion to commercial/residential uses. The property taxes alone would contribute to shoring up Arnold's fiscal problems. JG |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Pocket PC Tips & Glide Navigator II Tips | Paul Remde | Soaring | 0 | December 14th 04 08:21 PM |