Weather too good in California?

[simonwalther]

Hey folks,
I am planning to do my JAR-PPL in the US this summer (July or August). The options are Florida or California. As the climate can get a bit oppressive in Florida at the time I am planning to go, plus thunderstorms, the alternative is California. Now, I have a really wannabe kind of question: Can the weather in California actually be too good? I mean, always nice weather so I can neatly get through my PPL training but never experience any more difficult weather conditions such as windy, cloudy, or whatever? After all, I will not always be flying in California later, but rather in Germany, where the weather is not always that nice. Would you guys consider this an issue and maybe rather go to Florida where it may be hot, but with enough possibilities to train also the "difficult stuff"?
Looking forward to getting your advice...
Cheers,
Simon

[Blinkz]

Ok well I think you either need to aim for one thing or the other! The whole point of going to the US is to have good weather and get PPL done quickly. If you want to experience lots of different weather types then stay home. I think trying to do both isn't going to work out too well! Personally I think if your just planning on doing a PPL to fly for pleasure and not to continue to CPL then I would do it at home, as you will learn more about your local weather/area etc. If you just want to learn quickly so u can continue your ATPLs etc then US would probably be better.

Good luck either way!

[172driver]

OK, from my own training (quite a few years back) here goes:

average 8-10 knots across the rwy, 10.000 ft mountains, sea fog rolling in at a few moments' notice (or not being 'burned off' as planned), 40kn+ winds while practicing turns around a point in the desert, mountain tops obscured by cloud..... ATC friendly, but BUSY :eek: to put it mildy.

Where ? Los Angeles area. Last time I looked this was in California.

If you want pretty much anything that Mother Nature or ATC can throw at you, that's not a bad place to learn to fly. Except perhaps that constant drizzling UK rain that seems to make so many people on here miserable ;)

[IO540]

Go to Arizona. Guaranteed 363 days/year of flying.

Doing a PPL (or an IR) in the US is a full time project where you sit the exams, get the medical, get the visa/tsa stuff done, buy the plane tickets, go there, get your head down and FLY solidly. No boozing, clubbing, shopping. You don't want anything that will introduce risk into this.

There will be plenty of time to learn about British weather when you get back here. It's no rocket science to read TAFs etc, but doing the training at the same time just makes the PPL take a year, which is how long most people take in the UK. Most lessons get cancelled. of course the traditionalists say this makes you a better pilot, etc.

[Seagull61]

SoCal - whats the weather like out there at the moment. Heading to Livermore next Wednesday for two weeks - second week touring to Reno, vegas and San Diego...so hoping that sea fog and cloud keeps away!

[Cusco]

Marine Layer is biggest problem in SoCal this time of year.
Can hang around all day: fine if you've got an IR to punch out but grisley if you're stuck on the ground in fog/mist.
Much better a few miles inland but that's where you'll find the FBOs booked up solid with UK hopefuls for months in advance.

Safe flying.

Cusco. FAA/IR;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)

[englishal]

California:

Can be good weather, often though vis in the LA Basin is rubbish - 3 statute miles and I don't fly in this without a radar service or traffic information system ;)

Marine layer can be a problem, often it burns off by 11am but can roll in pretty quick. I've been sitting on Catalina Island eating a buffalo burger in clear sunshine, only for 10 mins later to watch the fog roll in.

Often there is an afternoon breeze, which leads to cross winds of 10+ plus at some places. Good for practice but meant it took me 27 hours to solo (but now I'll land with 25kt across the runway and not be too worried ;) ).

Thunderstorms are not too much of a problem in Cali, though go to the desert areas and often you will meet massive thunderstorms in the afternoon. Best fly early out there in the summer.

You may meet heavy turbulence through the mountain passes and in the desert in the summer.

You will have to lean properly too as you'll be meeting high density altitudes.

All in all a great learning experience. You probably won't get any rain in the summer, but don't forget that weather can change everywhere. My brother-in-law who lives in San Diego has been freezing all winter with close to zero temps often!

[Seagull61]

Thanks all. Lucky enough to sample the SoCal weather in September last year, just hoping for more of the same in the next few weeks.

Good point about the mixture. We`ll be flying into some high elevation stuff, Reno, Grand Canyon etc etc....so will need to do a bit of reading on that to.

Got a nice 172 with GPS to help plus will certainly make use of the very helpful flight following service that you can get out there!

Cant wait.

[slatch]

Don't let the reports of our great weather make you think flying can not be challenging in California. With so many airports to choose from, from below sea level to over 7000 feet, from the desert to coast conditions change all of the time. Add in mountains to over 13,000 feet and there is plenty to learn. Like others have mentioned if you learn to operate in the LA basin and bay area you will be well prepared for operations in complicated congested airspace were ever you go. Not to mention all of the great places to fly and things to see.

[WALSue]

Having only managed 1 hour flying time in the past 2 months at my flying school due to various types of bad weather, I'm very tempted to clock up some hours in the States myself

[simonwalther]

Well, thanks everyone! After all I've read I think I will try and go for California - I just hope that they are not fully booked yet (as I already read...) at that one school...