Los Angeles to Chico

Thanks to everyone for their input.

I just practiced it in my flight sim. Indeed, the narrowness played the
usual (textbook) tricks on me (think you're farther/too high, etc.), but
after some practice I was fine.

Still, I'll make sure to practice hitting centerline in my "pre" flight
(I'll be taking a plane I haven't flown for awhile, so I'll take it up for a
few spins a couple of days before the trip), and judge my performance then.
I've been lucky/unlucky to do all of my training on a 150' wide runway here
at Santa Monica (tends to encourage one to get sloppy).

Sounds fun to fly-in to a steak-house, tho!

-- Marty

"Marty Ross" wrote in message
...
Interesting... I checked it out, and it might be good for the return trip
(later afternoon).

However, check out that 30' wide runway!!! I don't know if I'm
comfortable
with that!

Anyone landed at Harris Ranch (3O8) lately? What's the runway like?

"Steve House" wrote in message
...
Harris Ranch has the best steaks I've ever tasted - 100% organic beef,
local
veggies for side dishes, the whole deal. A "must stop" on my many
drives
on
the interstate between LA and San Francisco during the 70's and 80's.
I'm
pretty sure they're still there. They have/had an airstrip right next to
the
restaurant.


"Marty Ross" wrote in message
...
I'm looking to gain information about preferred routes,
interesting/cheap
refueling stops or siteseeing opportunities, or any other pertinent
information (weather/notams/etc.) for my round-trip flight at the end
of
this month (July 2003) from the Los Angeles area to Chico (northern
California). I'll be staying in Chico about 4-5 days.

Looking at the WAC, it looks like it could be a pretty monotonous
flight
(e.g., lost in the gigantic central valley). The only stop I'm
currently
thinking of is at Columbia (O22) because I've heard it's a cute spot
to
stretch one's legs (in the old mining town nearby).

Again, any other ideas or suggestions for this flight (and the return
several days later) will be appreciated!

-- Marty

"Marty Ross" wrote:

Another question I'd like to consider at any airport I might stop at is:
what are the normal/typical winds/active runways?

I realize I can get some/all of this information from Flight Guide and/or
other sources, but I also like to hear people's recent experiences...

So far, I'm looking at Harris Ranch (3O8) and Columbia (O22).

My flight sim seemed to get winds 260 at 12 for Columbia (direct crosswind)
when it downloaded "real-time weather". Not too bad, but it prompted this
question.

The prevailing wind at Harris Ranch will favor a landing to the north.

Columbia is less predictable. For terrain and noise abatement, preferred
landing runway is 35 and departures are back the way you came from on runway
17. In my few trips up there, the wind is usually light from the west,
favoring if anything the turf runway 29. When winds are light, you can
expect pilots coming and going every which way.

We've camped at Columbia on two occasions. One time, there were WWI
biplanes using the turf runway and CDF fire tankers using the paved runway.
On the most recent trip, I happened to have my handheld monitoring CTAF at
my campsite when I heard "Columbia Traffic, North American XXX low approach,
Columbia." That gave me just enough time to run out to the turf runway and
witness an impromptu P-51 flyby.

Thanks for the details!!

Columbia sounds like a no-miss opportunity, I'll definitely try to include
it.

About that turf runway -- I'm surprised to hear people use it. What
condition is the turf in, and would one just use traditional "soft field"
takeoff and landing? I would not want to use it since I've never actually
done a "soft field" operation, and I'll be in a rented plane (probably
invalidates the insurance), so I'll just pay close attention to the winds
for 17/35.

"Craig Prouse" wrote in message
...
"Marty Ross" wrote:

Another question I'd like to consider at any airport I might stop at is:
what are the normal/typical winds/active runways?

I realize I can get some/all of this information from Flight Guide
and/or
other sources, but I also like to hear people's recent experiences...

So far, I'm looking at Harris Ranch (3O8) and Columbia (O22).

My flight sim seemed to get winds 260 at 12 for Columbia (direct
crosswind)
when it downloaded "real-time weather". Not too bad, but it prompted
this
question.

The prevailing wind at Harris Ranch will favor a landing to the north.

Columbia is less predictable. For terrain and noise abatement, preferred
landing runway is 35 and departures are back the way you came from on
runway
17. In my few trips up there, the wind is usually light from the west,
favoring if anything the turf runway 29. When winds are light, you can
expect pilots coming and going every which way.

We've camped at Columbia on two occasions. One time, there were WWI
biplanes using the turf runway and CDF fire tankers using the paved
runway.
On the most recent trip, I happened to have my handheld monitoring CTAF at
my campsite when I heard "Columbia Traffic, North American XXX low
approach,
Columbia." That gave me just enough time to run out to the turf runway
and
witness an impromptu P-51 flyby.

Marty Ross wrote:

Columbia sounds like a no-miss opportunity, I'll definitely try to include
it.

About that turf runway -- I'm surprised to hear people use it. What
condition is the turf in, and would one just use traditional "soft field"
takeoff and landing? I would not want to use it since I've never actually
done a "soft field" operation, and I'll be in a rented plane (probably
invalidates the insurance), so I'll just pay close attention to the winds
for 17/35.

This time of year, the Columbia runway 29 in no way approximates "soft." It
might be a little bit rougher than pavement but it is baked hard as a rock.
The "turf" is actually more of a closely-cropped straw.

If you land on runway 29, you can just taxi off at the campground. It's the
expeditious way to arrive and a fun way to announce your arrival to the
other campers.

While we're daydreaming about your trip...

Half Moon Bay could be a nice stop, also. It has fuel, a short walk to
restaurants and a harbor, and beautiful scenery. The risk is that it's
fogged in, and you have to navigate the airspace around SFO.


"Marty Ross" wrote in message t...
I'm looking to gain information about preferred routes, interesting/cheap
refueling stops or siteseeing opportunities, or any other pertinent
information (weather/notams/etc.) for my round-trip flight at the end of
this month (July 2003) from the Los Angeles area to Chico (northern
California). I'll be staying in Chico about 4-5 days.

Looking at the WAC, it looks like it could be a pretty monotonous flight
(e.g., lost in the gigantic central valley). The only stop I'm currently
thinking of is at Columbia (O22) because I've heard it's a cute spot to
stretch one's legs (in the old mining town nearby).

Again, any other ideas or suggestions for this flight (and the return
several days later) will be appreciated!

-- Marty

"Marty Ross" wrote in message t...
Thanks for the details!!

Columbia sounds like a no-miss opportunity, I'll definitely try to include
it.

About that turf runway -- I'm surprised to hear people use it. What
condition is the turf in, and would one just use traditional "soft field"
takeoff and landing? I would not want to use it since I've never actually
done a "soft field" operation, and I'll be in a rented plane (probably
invalidates the insurance), so I'll just pay close attention to the winds
for 17/35.

(I attempted to post previously, apologies if two similar messages
appear)

Skip the turf, land on the paved runway.

You will be flying into a mountainous area, so if you have not had
mountain training, you should at least review such factors as density
altitude and mountain turbulence.

Columbia is only at about 2000', but with the heat we've been having
you'll have to consider your density altitude. Your planes wings will
think they are higher, and your takeoff distance will be affected.
There is plenty of runway at Columbia, so you need not be concerned
about whether you can get out or not - just don't try to yank the poor
plane off the ground before it is ready to fly!

Also you will have a new set if visual distractions if you haven't
flown in this type of terrain - there is a beautiful canyon you'll be
flying your pattern over, and the runway is not quite perfectly flat.
You'll see this on final, and you shouldn't let it distract you. It
isn't enough to affect anything about your landing.

Don't be surprised by chop in the pattern if there is wind blowing.


Regarding Harris Ranch: A centerline is the same on a 150' runway as
it is on a 30' runway. If you can hit the centerline consistently on a
150' runway, you can hit hit it consistently on a 30' runway. All that
extra width is wasted on our little planes anyway.

You can use your ODF (Olfactory Direction Finder) to find Harris
Ranch. Just fly up I-5 at 2000' until you smell it. Look down, and
there you are! :-) Note that the smell is not of steaks on the grill,
but steaks on the hoof! :-(

-chuck

If you do land at half Moon Bay, I don't think anyone has told you to taxi
to the far southeast part of the field and park. From there you'll see the
trail for the very short walk to Princeton-By-The-Sea.

"Marty Ross" wrote in message
t...
Thanks to you both for serving up some alternatives to my central valley
route.

I'll definitely look into a coastal alternative/return route (e.g., for a
change of weather or scenery), and it's nice to have recommended stops for
that.

Consider Trinity Center at Trinity Lake. It's 80nm from Chico and right on
the lake. You can find a not-so-high route into the southern end of the lake
and then have the length of the lake to the airport to lose altitude.
Pilot's Guide shows the Yellow Jacket Restaurant (530-266-3866) being open
8am to 3pm Friday through Tuesday.

"Marty Ross" wrote in message
t...

Any other comments or ideas about where might be nice to fly to from Chico
for the day (radius = 100NM)?

Mick Ruthven wrote in message ...
If you do land at half Moon Bay, I don't think anyone has told you to taxi
to the far southeast part of the field and park. From there you'll see the
trail for the very short walk to Princeton-By-The-Sea.



Looks like there is a photo at:

http://www.airnav.com/airport/KHAF

snip
This time of year, the Columbia runway 29 in no way approximates "soft."
It
might be a little bit rougher than pavement but it is baked hard as a
rock.
The "turf" is actually more of a closely-cropped straw.

If you land on runway 29, you can just taxi off at the campground. It's
the
expeditious way to arrive and a fun way to announce your arrival to the
other campers.

!RIU 07/031 O22 11/29 CLSD WEF 0307141300

11/29 at Columbia is closed for a major overhaul (new turf, sprinklers, and
more that I don't really know). Summer winds almost always favor 29, but
most planes in the pattern use 17 (sometimes with a tailwind ;-). CDF air
tankers depart 17 and land 35 (keep a sharper eye/ear out for them than for
deer.)

The walk into the historic park is indeed short, and hot, but you can buy
ice cream when you get there. If you don't know what Poison Oak looks like,
don't touch any plants along the trail ;-) Have fun...josh