Van's Air Force
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Expected arrival into Hawthorne (HHR)
- Thread starter Ron Lee
- Start date
davidkarlsberg
Well Known Member
Sometimes they will clear you through Bravo sometimes they won't. Other than that there is not too much to it. Just avoid LAX airspace if your not cleared. I normally ask to track the LOC and get a bravo clearance.
az_gila
Well Known Member
When I did it, they specifically...
...told me to remain clear of Class B.
Being my first trip into the LA basin, I was concerned, but if you use the "VP" points in your GPS data base, it should go well.
From the East.
VPLLM Lake Matthews
VPLSA Santa Ana Canyon - over top of Fullerton - top of D is 2700 ft
VPLFX 91/605 Interchange - over edge of Long Beach - top of D is 2600 ft
VPLHF 110/405 Frwys
HHR
Watch the lowering heights of the Class B as you get to the coast. Flight Following seemed too busy really to deal with me, but did ask for altitudes lower than I expected - and was really comfortable with over the city - and not at VFR cruising altitudes...
Mark the DisneyLand TFR on your chart so you don't bust it...
...told me to remain clear of Class B.
Being my first trip into the LA basin, I was concerned, but if you use the "VP" points in your GPS data base, it should go well.
From the East.
VPLLM Lake Matthews
VPLSA Santa Ana Canyon - over top of Fullerton - top of D is 2700 ft
VPLFX 91/605 Interchange - over edge of Long Beach - top of D is 2600 ft
VPLHF 110/405 Frwys
HHR
Watch the lowering heights of the Class B as you get to the coast. Flight Following seemed too busy really to deal with me, but did ask for altitudes lower than I expected - and was really comfortable with over the city - and not at VFR cruising altitudes...
Mark the DisneyLand TFR on your chart so you don't bust it...
Steve Brown
Well Known Member
I usually have flown this route
BNG 6500' (or more)
AJO 4500' (under 6000' class B near fullerton)
FUL 2000' (duck under a 2500' section of class B)
HHR
I'm always using flight following if VFR, but I found that about 50% of the time palm springs will drop me in the banning pass. In that case I'll call up the March AFB class C when their in range.
I can't remember ever being dropped after that. Its been a while, but my recollection is that hand offs to the Hawthorn tower are the norm.
I remember once at night when things were slow atc offered me a class B, which I took. However, before I got to the airport they ended up vectoring me out of it anyway.
BNG 6500' (or more)
AJO 4500' (under 6000' class B near fullerton)
FUL 2000' (duck under a 2500' section of class B)
HHR
I'm always using flight following if VFR, but I found that about 50% of the time palm springs will drop me in the banning pass. In that case I'll call up the March AFB class C when their in range.
I can't remember ever being dropped after that. Its been a while, but my recollection is that hand offs to the Hawthorn tower are the norm.
I remember once at night when things were slow atc offered me a class B, which I took. However, before I got to the airport they ended up vectoring me out of it anyway.
az_gila
Well Known Member
That was one of the...
...bits that concerned me, hence the slightly more Southern route using the VPLHF way point.
I prefer being higher than 2000 ft over pretty solid city if I can....
Also AJO has a 2700-5000 Class C over it.... the slightly more Southern use of the VPLSA way point avoids this.
Check your GPS data base and check they have the "VP" points in it. If not, the coordinates are listed on the LAX TAC.
As you get closer to HHR, note that the "courthouse" marked on the TAC chart near Compton airport really is a good landmark. It sticks out like a sore thumb...
...bits that concerned me, hence the slightly more Southern route using the VPLHF way point.
I prefer being higher than 2000 ft over pretty solid city if I can....
Also AJO has a 2700-5000 Class C over it.... the slightly more Southern use of the VPLSA way point avoids this.
Check your GPS data base and check they have the "VP" points in it. If not, the coordinates are listed on the LAX TAC.
As you get closer to HHR, note that the "courthouse" marked on the TAC chart near Compton airport really is a good landmark. It sticks out like a sore thumb...
Last edited:
Ron Lee
Well Known Member
I decided to nix my Option A since it would have forced me lower than desirable. I went BNG to CMP (Actually a bit south of BNG) to avoid Class B.
Leaving this morning it was even easier since I got Class B clearance.
Using the VP waypoints may have been better. If I do it again it will be easier.
What got me was the direction to stay at 1500' until past some expressway. I may have picked the wrong one (went N-S) and I almost had to go-around.
Thanks for the help guys.
Leaving this morning it was even easier since I got Class B clearance.
Using the VP waypoints may have been better. If I do it again it will be easier.
What got me was the direction to stay at 1500' until past some expressway. I may have picked the wrong one (went N-S) and I almost had to go-around.
Thanks for the help guys.
az_gila
Well Known Member
I lived there for 22 years...
...but never really flew in the LA basin - all my flying was in sailplanes in the Mojave desert.
The freeways do look different from the air, and a quick look can easily identify "concrete rivers" (the locals know what I mean......) as freeways, even with the Terminal Area Chart in front of you. My first flight into the basin in a power plane was quite a surprise, and like you, I was surprised at the low altitudes I was given over solid city areas by Flight Following.
The VP way-points do help identify the correct freeway intersections.
Did you notice the Compton Courthouse?
...but never really flew in the LA basin - all my flying was in sailplanes in the Mojave desert.
The freeways do look different from the air, and a quick look can easily identify "concrete rivers" (the locals know what I mean...
...) as freeways, even with the Terminal Area Chart in front of you. My first flight into the basin in a power plane was quite a surprise, and like you, I was surprised at the low altitudes I was given over solid city areas by Flight Following.The VP way-points do help identify the correct freeway intersections.
Did you notice the Compton Courthouse?
Ernie Bryant
I'm New Here
Expected Arrival into Hawthorne (HHR) - Sept 09
I used the suggested VP route by Gil Alexander recently and it worked great! There was the added safety of being clear of Class Bravo at all times in case communications went South. I was on FF from Flagstaff all the way to HHR but then ended up at Torrance after finding out that HHR doesn't have tie downs when I taxied to Million-Air. We simply turned around and taxied back out. It was an easy hand-off from HHR Tower to TOA Tower and TOA is a much better airport with an interesting warbird museum. Transient parking was $7/night. Leaving TOA I got FF while on the ground and left as soon as the vis was up to 3 miles (Marine layer every morning). I simply reversed the route to Banning and flew directly over March AFB. You just have to pay attention to altitude and approach will help with that too. The LA Terminal chart is a must! Leaving Torrance, I did get dropped by SOCAL at Banning before I could extend FF onto Flagstaff but picked it back up at Palm Springs as they were very busy!
Thanks again for your routing Gil! It was real easy!
Ernie Bryant
Va Beach
I used the suggested VP route by Gil Alexander recently and it worked great! There was the added safety of being clear of Class Bravo at all times in case communications went South. I was on FF from Flagstaff all the way to HHR but then ended up at Torrance after finding out that HHR doesn't have tie downs when I taxied to Million-Air.
We simply turned around and taxied back out. It was an easy hand-off from HHR Tower to TOA Tower and TOA is a much better airport with an interesting warbird museum. Transient parking was $7/night. Leaving TOA I got FF while on the ground and left as soon as the vis was up to 3 miles (Marine layer every morning). I simply reversed the route to Banning and flew directly over March AFB. You just have to pay attention to altitude and approach will help with that too. The LA Terminal chart is a must! Leaving Torrance, I did get dropped by SOCAL at Banning before I could extend FF onto Flagstaff but picked it back up at Palm Springs as they were very busy!Thanks again for your routing Gil! It was real easy!
Ernie Bryant
Va Beach
