Good flight schools/FBO's in Los Angeles?

[AdamFrisch]

I'm going to LA for some business and would really like to do some flying with an instructor and get to learn a bit more about flying in Southern California, with an eye towards getting a free standing FAA license at some point (as I'm there quite a lot). I'll be staying in the Miracle Mile/Hollywood area.

Any recommendations? Also, is SMO the best airport for GA flying in the area, or are there others better suited?

I fly C152/172's, PA28's, TB9 Tampico, but wouldn't mind trying something else.

[172driver]

Basically you've got two options in the immediate area. SMO and VNY. Both offer a plethora of FBOs. VNY suffers less from the marine layer that usually affects SMO until about 1000L.

A nice place to fly is Justice Aviation (http://www.justiceaviation.com/) at SMO. Nice a/c, good instructors (not the Flroida 'sausage factory' type). However, there are many more, a Google search will help.

Enjoy - flying in SoCal is great :ok:

PS: I may be there again soon for some biz as well, if you wanna combine something, PM me

[AdamFrisch]

Thanks!

I might just do that.

[englishal]

I'd do the 20min drive down to Long Beach, knock on the door of Angel City Flyers (dot com) and fly with them. Highly recommended and I'll think you'll find there are a few on these forums that fly with them. They are, and are used to europeans too. Nice aeroplanes, Diamonds with G1000.

[englishal]

It has never taken me much longer...but then I wouldn't go at 16:30 ;)

[SkyHawk-N]

Is "flying with an instructor and get to learn a bit more about flying in Southern California" the same as flight training (M-1/F-1 Visa requirement)?

[DA-10mm]

honest opinion?=pm me

[AdamFrisch]

I have a visa and a SS, so I'm a legal alien.

[AdamFrisch]

So, I took 172driver up on his suggestion and flew from SMO to Big Bear today and back in a nice 172SP with Justice Aviation.

This was my second time using the G1000 and it's still quite overwhelming, but I can def see it being a great tool. The TCAS displays on the map were extremely useful in the busy LA airspace. It's funny how close you get to real heavy traffic inbound for LAX/Burbank and San Bernardino here. We had to turn left at the request of ATC to let a Southwest 737 pass through our altitude. I'm sure it wasn't that close, but it felt like I could reach out and touch that blue 737. You rarely get traffic like that in Europe. It had been raining here so it was a very clear morning and visibility was terrific.

Clearing the mountains into Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear means hitting 9500ft. The little 172 was surprisingly sprightly at that altitude and climbed at around 500fpm still. It's a beautiful ride and approach over Big Bear Lake. We joined the downwind straight in and turned around for a landing on Rwy 26. No time for a coffee as the plane needed to get back, so we taxied back and took off again. 10 degrees flap and straight out over the lake. What a beautiful climbout! Plane wasn't too sluggish at this altitude (airport elevation is 6700ft), but no rocket. Thankfully the rwy at Big Bear is long. Then it was straight back to SMO at 8500ft until we hit the Griffith Observatorium when we sank down to below 5000ft for a straight in on Rwy 21 at Santa Monica.

Total flight duration 2hrs exactly! Great fun and well recommended!

Now where to next?

[englishal]

Now where to next?
The Sky's the limit ;)

I had the BA 747 inbound to LAX pass 1000' overhead over the San Bernadino area - I was at 9k, he was at 10k. Made for a nice bit of video footage.

[172driver]

So, I took 172driver up on his suggestion and flew from SMO to Big Bear today and back in a nice 172SP with Justice Aviation.

:ok::ok::ok:

[AdamFrisch]

Well, I'll tell you where to next! If you're at all interested, that is.

So after about two weeks I got the itch to fly and once again went down to Justice Aviation to get my fix. We went to three different airports: Agua Dulce Airpark, Santa Paula and Van Nuys.

I'd driven by a beautiful spot up in the Santa Clarita mountains called Agua Dulce and they had a small airstrip, which I wanted to have a look at. So off we went. The early morning fog that sweeps in over Venice and Santa Monica this time of year was pretty bad, although we could see it was clear to the east and to the north. My instructor contemplated doing an IFR departure and the cancel it when we were clear, but in the end we requested a downwind departure on Rwy 03 to the east. Weather was fine as soon as we got above that layer.

We routed west to Malibu and then headed north. Traffic around Burbank and Van Nuys was heavy and we had to drop a couple of times in altitude to let aircraft pass us and keep a keen eye out the window. Lots of aircraft passing close, but that's part of the fun. After the San Fernando valley was passed radar sevice was terminated and we were on our own. Uncontrolled you squawk 1200 in the US, compared to the 7000 normally done in the UK.

Agua Dulce Airpark is a really beautiful little airport nestled amongst some mountains. Like most US airports, the runway has impeccable tarmac, is long and narrow even though it's in the middle of nowhere. Looked like you could squeeze a smal VLJ down into it, if you put your mind to it. And of course, completely free as opposed to here in the UK where they highway rob you even for a touch and go. I highly recommend a visit to Agua Dulce.

After that it was westwards towards Santa Paula airport. This is a pretty short and narrow tarmac strip with a huge mountain next to it. So the circuit took us pretty close to the hills. It was very busy and we had to maintain own separation on the unicom with loads of aircraft. My instructor spotted a plane that I'd completely missed as I started my turn downwind and we extended and fell in behind, but I'm glad he was there. Just a touch and go and then off.

Had to climb to 7000ft to clear the mountain down into the Simi Valley towards the Santa Susana pass. After that it was back into the kettle around Van Nuys. We did a straight in to Rwy 16R and a touch and go. We were told to expedite our climb, but this being a beat up old 172 from the 70's, the controller probably saw the futility in that and asked us to turn east asap to clear for a starting Citation. Seconds later it came chasing up behind us and went through our altitude in a steep climb. It was so close I could see the all American white Colgate smile on the captain.

After that it was over the Sepulveda Pass and back down into the LA basin. To stay out of B airspace as you pass the pass, you have to keep pretty close to those multi million dollar Hollywood Hills homes. What a sight.

After that we decided to have a go at the unbelievable LAX crossing. We flew straight over LAX international on the so called LA Special Flights Rules Route which allows GA aviation to cross LAX midfield in a corridor at 3500ft going south (and 4500ft going north). No ATC with LAX needed, just air to air RT and own separation. I could literally have spat on the Lufthansa B747 that landed right below me.

On the other side, we dropped down to 2500ft and did the crossover in what's called the Mini Route. This needs ATC clearance from LAX, but was promptly given. I'm amazed it's allowed, but very glad that's the case. Nice to see not everything is getting prohibited.

After that it was a short hop to KSMO. Turned to final over Century City and straight in to Rwy 21. I greased the landing, but for some inexplicable reason throttled up after touch down. Maybe I didn't want it to end.

This trip: 2.2hrs total flying time. Total cost: $378. Try that in the UK. And not a single landing fee in sight.

America really is the promised land when it comes to GA and aviation. Everything is so much easier, better and cheaper there. Airports everywhere with top class FBO's to take care of you. We have a long way to come in Europe. Hopefully we're going in the right direction (but I'm not sure).

[englishal]

Sounds fun. Did you go for a swim in the Pool at Agua Dulce?

We once refueled at Santa Paula and had lunch, only for my mates ONLY credit card to be refused :O I'd left my wallet and stuff down in Long Beach and for a time I thought we were stuffed....until I remembered a credit card of the wife's which I kept as an emergency backup with my licence.....phew, that could have been embarrasing! Lunch and Fuel were on her...

Catalina is a good lunch destination too (as is Palm Springs, Pismo Beach Int.:}, San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, St ynez (?), Santa Barbara, Harris Ranch, Montery, Calsbad (or was), Calexico, Apple Valley....etc......I could go on all day but will be there is a few weeks :ok:)

[AdamFrisch]

I'll try to hit those spots when I'm back in LA next month. I'll probably need a couple of hours more of instruction and familiarization for the free standing FAA PPL.

[PoppaJo]

Justice Aviation at Santa monica any good? Looking at 172 hire.

[172driver]

Yep, Justice are a great outfit! Highly recommended.

[piperboy84]

Joe and Sharon justice have been friends of mine for over 20 years, really nice people , Jim Ross the rampy is really helpfully also, I would try and give them plenty of notice as there fleet is not as large as it used to be primarily due to the commissars who run the people's republic of Santa Monica try everything in there power to close down every school on the field

[172driver]

the commissars who run the people's republic of Santa Monica

Couldn't agree more. May they rot - you know where!

I regularly rent from Justice (albeit not normally the 172s) and rarely had scheduling issues. That said, their instructing business has picked up nicely this year (good!!) and they recently advertised for FIs, which means the airplanes get more work too.

Once you are registered with them, you get access to the online scheduling system.

You can also check out their fleet on their website.

[Desert185]

Chino has a terrific aircraft museum, and of course, there is Flo's for eats.

A fun little airport to fly into is Flabob, home of EAA #1. The on-field restaurant has a GREAT breakfast.

Follow the 15 south to French Valley, which also has a good restaurant, but go during the week. They must change cooks on the weekend, because the food isn't as good.