San Diego Bay Tour

JaceTheAce

JaceTheAce

Well-Known Member
I'm doing the "VFR San Diego Bay Tour" here in San Diego tomorrow with my Dad. I forget which altitudes they usually assign you when flying past the skyline. I know a few of you on here have done it. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!
 
I haven't done it yet but you have two options. The first is the VFR corridor that crosses over the approach end of runway 27 at Lindberg and goes down the bay (see the TAC chart), and since it's a vertical chunk cut out of the Bravo you don't even need to be in contact with Socal Approach to use it. Just stay to the right of the bay going either north or south (within the lateral limits on the TAC chart) between 3300 - 4700 ft, and utilize the advisory freq 126.05 for position reports. It's similar in operation to the LAX SFRA although it doesn't look like a discreet transponder code is required.

The other option is you can run the coast southbound below SAN departures and get a Class B transition from Lindberg tower, but the only clearance they'll give you is maintain at or below 500 ft between the Crystal Pier (Pacific Beach) and OB Pier (Ocean Beach). From there you continue down Point Loma and are handed off to NAS North Island tower. I still have to try this one too. :)

Hope that helps!
 
Sounds like fun....a WSO buddy of mine (who is has his PPL on the side) pretty much does it every time his sister brings a hot friend to town for a visit. I think it has worked well for him in this way....

He said it is pretty straight forward, and ATC is generally pretty accomodating with it....I know they are generally speaking pretty helpful and friendly around here outside of peak business hours.
 
If you call SAN tower north of mission Bay and ask for "delta transition" they might clear you into the Class B, for a pass over downtown. ask for 1500'.
If they do, fly right over top D taxiway and over 27 threshold, follow the harbor contour and exit over top tue Coronado bridge. Then you're on your own.
A good transition back north is descend over south Coronado to 500' and chat with N Island tower for a "point Loma" transition.
Get down to 500' and follow the beach, then across the jetty to Point Loma and then north bound.
Call Lindburgh tower abeam civilization again, you'll know it as you see it. This will give you enough time before you hit the magic mark of "OB pier " then north to "Chrystal pier ". Don't be a PiTA and loiter over PB. One pass is enough.

Once you get past CP, be very careful around the corner at La Jolla, it's Indian country because everyone and their grandma transitions to the beach out of Montgomery. Ive lost count the number of times I've nearly been hit.
 
One of my favorite flights to do in SAN terminal area. I've done it many times, and as an instructor out of SEE, many of my students have requested to be taught it. Basically, request a shoreline south transition from Lindberg Tower before Crystal Pier, they will clear you at or below 500 and to report Ocean Beach Pier. Once you report that, they kick you off, and you need to contact Island Tower and request the Bay Tour. They will typically ask you to report the south end of Point Loma. At this point you will be cleared for the tour, at 800 ft, and to remain clear of any Naval vessels or piers... essentially stay over the water and you're gtg as long as there is no military ship in the bay, if so, deviate as necessary. It is seriously the coolest flight I have ever done, and you'll have a great time. Granted if Island Tower is closed, it's Class G below 700' and have fun.
 
Nark said:
A good transition back north is descend over south Coronado to 500' and chat with N Island tower for a "point Loma" transition.
Get down to 500' and follow the beach, then across the jetty to Point Loma and then north bound.
Call Lindburgh tower abeam civilization again, you'll know it as you see it. This will give you enough time before you hit the magic mark of "OB pier " then north to "Chrystal pier ". Don't be a PiTA and loiter over PB. One pass is enough.
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Be prepared to circle outside of bravo at 500' AGL when you switch over to Lindberg, especially if there is a someone else already doing the transition. I've also done the transition from the north, got handed off to North Island, and been denied the "channel route" due to someone in the pattern at NI.
 
Nark said:
Once you get past CP, be very careful around the corner at La Jolla, it's Indian country because everyone and their grandma transitions to the beach out of Montgomery. Ive lost count the number of times I've nearly been hit.
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Oh it's not that bad, generally people go out at 4500 and come back in at 3500, so if you're coming out of the VFR corridor northbound, just don't be at those altitudes. Also people are pretty good about calling over Mt. Soledad when going to or coming from Montgomery and Gillespie.
 
Nark said:
Once you get past CP, be very careful around the corner at La Jolla, it's Indian country because everyone and their grandma transitions to the beach out of Montgomery. Ive lost count the number of times I've nearly been hit.
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No kidding. Some days it's like dodging flies out there :cool:
 
ClearedToTakeoff said:
Surprised San Diego isn't littered with aircraft wreckage over Mt Soledad and Lake Jennings. The two places I'm most uneasy at. And I've been in the Stanford Stack many of times south of Phoenix.
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Over time I've just learned to get in touch with tower while I'm still southbound over the middle El Cap. I hate making that turn to the west at the southern end, I've just come too close too many times. That being said, the towers were funded with radar for a reason, so "ident" I shall. As for the Stanford stack I don't know anything about VFR Phoenix. In fact, I think my favorite part of flying into Phoenix would be..... leaving.
 
Nark said:
Once you get past CP, be very careful around the corner at La Jolla, it's Indian country because everyone and their grandma transitions to the beach out of Montgomery. Ive lost count the number of times I've nearly been hit.
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You aren't kidding! I have never been so behind the airplane as I was coming into Montgomery for the first time via the shores and Mt Soledad at 1500. That whole area is definitely a cluster and between scanning for traffic and finding new unfamiliar freqs I was quickly almost on top of the Delta. A tip when coming from the north is have the ATIS all the way back at Torrey Pines golf course and don't be afraid to go into slow flight over La Jolla Shores while contacting tower/figuring out your pattern entry instructions and who you're following/trying to stay out of the Bravo/trying not to get hit by anyone.

Another surprising fact that I was totally blown away by was he semi-formal use of the air to air frequency 122.75 in the San Diego area. Some of the people in Indian country were actually making regular position reports referencing "San Diego Coastal" and it actually helped us deconflict ourselves a few times, I was pretty impressed! (CFI on the checkout showed me otherwise I never would have bothered, since 22.75 is unfortunately normally the "Hey jimbo blah blah blah" BSing channel. :) )
 
Used to be you got a nice bay tour and buzzed the bridge every time GA landed. But then they closed that runway. You can still see it.

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Pictures not working today.
 
inigo88 said:
Another surprising fact that I was totally blown away by was he semi-formal use of the air to air frequency 122.75 in the San Diego area. Some of the people in Indian country were actually making regular position reports referencing "San Diego Coastal" and it actually helped us deconflict ourselves a few times, I was pretty impressed! (CFI on the checkout showed me otherwise I never would have bothered, since 22.75 is unfortunately normally the "Hey jimbo blah blah blah" BSing channel. :) )
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ah good ole "san diego coastal" where you can hear everything from banner tow to chinese guys who can't speak english to the weekend warriors talking about what they had for breakfast that morning.

"hey Jim...you need to come see the new lawnmower I bought yesterday over at home depot....blah blah blah...."
 
ClearedToTakeoff said:
Surprised San Diego isn't littered with aircraft wreckage over Mt Soledad and Lake Jennings. The two places I'm most uneasy at. And I've been in the Stanford Stack many of times south of Phoenix.
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The stack is the only part of all that I've ever experienced...but I remember busy days easily being 10,500 to 11,500 to TOS.
 
at1024 said:
ah good ole "san diego coastal" where you can hear everything from banner tow to chinese guys who can't speak english to the weekend warriors talking about what they had for breakfast that morning.

"hey Jim...you need to come see the new lawnmower I bought yesterday over at home depot....blah blah blah...."
Click to expand...

"Hey Bob, what's your groundspeed, I'm doing a 110 right now" :cool:
 
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