SMO MYF

[origgiro]

I was thinking of buying a plane to fly regularly between SMO (Santa
Monica) and MYF (Montgomery Airport, near San Diego), for instance a
Diamond DA20-A1, which can go about 104 knots. However, the flight
path includes both Pendleton and LAX (perhaps others), which
presumably could cause delays. Would anybody be able to tell me
roughly how long I could expect that to take, say from the time I get
out of my car at MYF to the time I'm in my car at SMO, and how they
came to those numbers?

Thanks!

M

[Robert Barker]

"origgiro" > wrote in message
...
>I was thinking of buying a plane to fly regularly between SMO (Santa
> Monica) and MYF (Montgomery Airport, near San Diego), for instance a
> Diamond DA20-A1, which can go about 104 knots. However, the flight
> path includes both Pendleton and LAX (perhaps others), which
> presumably could cause delays. Would anybody be able to tell me
> roughly how long I could expect that to take, say from the time I get
> out of my car at MYF to the time I'm in my car at SMO, and how they
> came to those numbers?
>
> Thanks!
>
> M

Whip out the whiz wheel and start figuring!

[Robert M. Gary]

On Mar 1, 5:38*pm, origgiro > wrote:
> I was thinking of buying a plane to fly regularly between SMO (Santa
> Monica) and MYF (Montgomery Airport, near San Diego), for instance a
> Diamond DA20-A1, which can go about 104 knots. However, the flight
> path includes both Pendleton and LAX (perhaps others), which
> presumably could cause delays. Would anybody be able to tell me
> roughly how long I could expect that to take, say from the time I get
> out of my car at MYF to the time I'm in my car at SMO, and how they
> came to those numbers?
>
> Thanks!
>
> M

Expect to be IFR routed East well beyond LAX before going South
(expect a long flight). VFR is pretty easy but you can expect a lot of
IFR marine layer days. For VFR you enter a climbing turn from SMO to
enter the VFR cordor and head right down the coast (easy stuff).

-Robert

[origgiro]

Cool, thanks! In terms of VFR/IFR, how does it work with


On Mar 2, 11:30*am, "Robert M. Gary" > wrote:
> On Mar 1, 5:38*pm, origgiro > wrote:
>
> > I was thinking of buying a plane to fly regularly between SMO (Santa
> > Monica) and MYF (Montgomery Airport, near San Diego), for instance a
> > Diamond DA20-A1, which can go about 104 knots. However, the flight
> > path includes both Pendleton and LAX (perhaps others), which
> > presumably could cause delays. Would anybody be able to tell me
> > roughly how long I could expect that to take, say from the time I get
> > out of my car at MYF to the time I'm in my car at SMO, and how they
> > came to those numbers?
>
> > Thanks!
>
> > M
>
> Expect to be IFR routed East well beyond LAX before going South
> (expect a long flight). VFR is pretty easy but you can expect a lot of
> IFR marine layer days. For VFR you enter a climbing turn from SMO to
> enter the VFR cordor and head right down the coast (easy stuff).
>
> -Robert

Thanks, Robert. As a follow-up question -- it seems like if possible I
would want to fly VFR as much as possible. Is the VFR limited to day-
time use? What times of day are bad for marine layer activity? And if
I wake up to a marine layer day; how do I transition to an IFR flight
plan? And how many miles out of the way is the IFR detour?

Thanks again!

M

[Robert M. Gary]

On Mar 2, 5:46*pm, origgiro > wrote:
> Cool, thanks! In terms of VFR/IFR, how does it work with
>
> On Mar 2, 11:30*am, "Robert M. Gary" > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Mar 1, 5:38*pm, origgiro > wrote:
>
> > > I was thinking of buying a plane to fly regularly between SMO (Santa
> > > Monica) and MYF (Montgomery Airport, near San Diego), for instance a
> > > Diamond DA20-A1, which can go about 104 knots. However, the flight
> > > path includes both Pendleton and LAX (perhaps others), which
> > > presumably could cause delays. Would anybody be able to tell me
> > > roughly how long I could expect that to take, say from the time I get
> > > out of my car at MYF to the time I'm in my car at SMO, and how they
> > > came to those numbers?
>
> > > Thanks!
>
> > > M
>
> > Expect to be IFR routed East well beyond LAX before going South
> > (expect a long flight). VFR is pretty easy but you can expect a lot of
> > IFR marine layer days. For VFR you enter a climbing turn from SMO to
> > enter the VFR cordor and head right down the coast (easy stuff).
>
> > -Robert
>
> Thanks, Robert. As a follow-up question -- it seems like if possible I
> would want to fly VFR as much as possible. Is the VFR limited to day-
> time use? What times of day are bad for marine layer activity? And if
> I wake up to a marine layer day; how do I transition to an IFR flight
> plan? And how many miles out of the way is the IFR detour?

If in doubt you'll have to go IFR out of SMO. You can expect a marine
layer often in summer mornings. The IFR routing is well east of the LA
area and the VFR route would be West (over the coast line). There
really is *NOT* VFR to IFR in the los angeles area; you have to land
to pick up an IFR clearance. I have never heard of an airborne IFR
clearance issued by LA approach (although I've tried several times).
However, once you get out of the LA area its very easy to pick up an
airborne IFR in the San Diego area. So if you can stay VFR until you
approach the San Diego area you are good to go. The San Diego class B
area is one of the easist class B's to fly GA around; Los Angeles is
one of the most challenging. BTW: Understand that there are 2 class B
airspaces in San Diego. When they clear you through the San Diego
class B they do not expect you to fly direct to MYF, overflying the AF
base (ask me how I know:) )

-Robert

[[email protected]]

I agree with what Robert has said, but he may be a bit optimistic
about the
frequency and duration of the marine layer. It can be deep and
persistent.

Also, Beach Boys songs notwithstanding, there are IFR days in SoCal.
Today, for example. If you need to get there on time and often, you
will need to be able to go on instruments and budget enough time to
do so.

If you wake up to IFR conditions, it's not a question of transitioning
to
an instrument plan. You won't be able to get out of SMO without being
on one, unless you wait until midday. Some days even that isn't long
enough: right on the coast there are days when it doesn't burn off at
all. The marine layer is very common in spring and early summer.

VFR, of course, is not limited to day in the USA. You are more likely
to
have VFR conditions at night than during the day.



> > IFR marine layer days. For VFR you enter a climbing turn from SMO to
> > enter the VFR cordor and head right down the coast (easy stuff).
>
> > -Robert
>
> Thanks, Robert. As a follow-up question -- it seems like if possible I
> would want to fly VFR as much as possible. Is the VFR limited to day-
> time use? What times of day are bad for marine layer activity? And if
> I wake up to a marine layer day; how do I transition to an IFR flight
> plan? And how many miles out of the way is the IFR detour?
>
> Thanks again!
>
> M

[RST Engineering]

It isn't called the May Gray and the June Gloom for no good reason.

Jim

> an instrument plan. You won't be able to get out of SMO without being
> on one, unless you wait until midday. Some days even that isn't long
> enough: right on the coast there are days when it doesn't burn off at
> all. The marine layer is very common in spring and early summer.
>