Rainbow Aviation

[Superpilot]

I'm thinking of going over to L.A later next year for some hour building and would appreciate some comments about this outfit.

Also, if you could recommend some places to fly to that would be great.

Thanks!

[Julian]

Used Rainbow a few times (& UKFT).

Rainbow have good instructors and good choice of aircraft. Reasonable rates and aircraft in very good condition.

Off again in 2 wks to do the IR with them (FAA)

Julian

[SKYYACHT]

Have flown with Rainbow many times. Good school, good aeroplanes, and good instructors (Try out Harry Leicher!) Would recommend them. Places to fly to.....Hmmm, I suggest that no trip to the Los Angeles basin would be complete without a visit to Chino (Fantastic Air Museum!). Also try a trip up the coast to Santa Barbara, or go north east and go to Las Vegas. The checkout to Catalina Island is great fun, and you will be amazed at Avalon airport. For a real buzz, try overflying LAX on the VFR corridor, but take a camera! A visit to Palm Springs is also good. I seem to recall that I flew there with a couple of fellow pilots a few years back. Spent a happy afternoon in Million-aire (The FBO) using their swimming pool........

Have fun.

Tailwinds

[ 03 October 2001: Message edited by: SKYYACHT ]

[Julian]

Skyyatch - Agree with all your comments. Fantastic area to fly and SoCal make it such much easier than the UK!

Don't think anyone could beat a mate of mines experience though. Sort of guy that if something was going to happen it would happen to him. He did his qualifying XC to PSP and got held up as he tried to taxi to the tower to get signed off - by Airforce 1 !!!!

Julian.

[Diplomate]

Hang on a minute chaps - There is still no VFR private flying in "enhanced class B" airspace which includes many of the areas suggested!

Flying training under a fully qualified instructor is allowed in enhanced class B though. For more info see www.aopa.org. (http://www.aopa.org.)

[Julian]

Current NOTAM from FAA re VFR over US.

THIS IS THE SECOND OF 3 NOTAMS ADDRESSING FLIGHT OPERATIONS IN THE U.S.; THE FIRST NOTAM ADDRESSES IFR OPERATIONS IN THE U.S.; AND THE THIRD NOTAM ADDRESSES OPERATIONS TO/FROM LOCATIONS OUTSIDE THE U.S.

ATTENTION ALL OPERATORS –

SPECIAL NOTICE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, PURSUANT TO 14 CFR 91.139, THE FOLLOWING EMERGENCY AIR TRAFFIC RULES ARE IN EFFECT:

PART I. DEFINITIONS

"TERRITORIAL AIRSPACE OF THE U.S." MEANS THE AIRSPACE OVER THE U.S., ITS TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS AND THE AIRSPACE OVERLYING THE TERRITORIAL WATERS BETWEEN THE U.S. COAST AND 12 NAUTICAL MILES FROM THE U.S. COAST.

"OVERFLY/OVERFLIGHT" MEANS ANY FLIGHT DEPARTING FROM AN AIRPORT/LOCATION OUTSIDE THE U.S., ITS TERRITORIES OR POSSESSIONS, WHICH TRANSITS THE TERRITORIAL AIRSPACE OF THE U.S. EN ROUTE TO AN AIRPORT/LOCATION OUTSIDE THE U.S., ITS TERRITORIES OR POSSESSIONS.

U.S. "PUBLIC AIRCRAFT" IS DEFINED AND DESCRIBED IN 49 USC, SECTION 40102(a)(37) AND INCLUDES U.S. FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AIRCRAFT.

"FLIGHT TRAINING" MEANS THAT TRAINING, OTHER THAN GROUND TRAINING, RECEIVED FROM AN AUTHORIZED INSTRUCTOR IN FLIGHT IN AN AIRCRAFT.

AIRSPACE

CLASS B AIRSPACE AS DEFINED IN 14 CFR SECTION 71.41.


"ENHANCED CLASS B AIRSPACE" REFERS TO THE CLASS B AIRSPACE AND THAT AIRSPACE UNDERLYING AND OVERLYING THE CLASS B AIRSPACE FROM THE SURFACE TO FL180. THIS DEFINITION DOES NOT CHANGE THE ASSOCIATED RULES AND/OR SERVICES PRESCRIBED FOR CLASS B AIRSPACE. ADDITIONALLY, THIS DEFINITION DOES NOT CHANGE THE ASSOCIATED RULES AND/OR SERVICES PRESCRIBED FOR THE UNDERLYING/OVERLYING AIRSPACE.

PART II.

U.S., MEXICAN OR CANADIAN REGISTERED AIRCRAFT CONDUCTING VFR OPERATIONS ARE AUTHORIZED IN THE TERRITORIAL AIR SPACE OF THE U.S. IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE REGULATIONS AND NOTICES TO AIRMEN SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING PROVISIONS:

VFR - OPERATIONS WITHIN THE TERRITORIAL AIRSPACE OF THE U.S.

IN THE INTEREST OF NATIONAL SECURITY, AND TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE, PILOTS ARE ADVISED TO AVOID THE AIRSPACE ABOVE, OR IN PROXIMITY TO, SITES SUCH AS NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS, POWER PLANTS, DAMS, REFINERIES, INDUSTRIAL COMPLEXES, AND OTHER SIMILAR FACILITIES. PILOT SHOULD NOT CIRCLE AS TO LOITER IN THE VICINITY OF SUCH FACILITIES.


PART 129 OPERATORS REQUIRED TO HAVE A SECURITY PROGRAM, PART 129 OPERATORS NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE A SECURITY PROGRAM WITH A MAXIMUM CERTIFICATED TAKEOFF GROSS WEIGHT OF 95,000 POUNDS OR LESS, AND PART 121 AND 125 OPERATIONS, INCLUDING FERRY FLIGHTS ARE AUTHORIZED TO OPERATE BETWEEN U.S. AIRPORTS/LOCATIONS.


PART 121 CARGO OPERATIONS ARE AUTHORIZED.


PART 133 OPERATIONS ARE AUTHORIZED TO OPERATE WITH AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL ASSIGNED DISCRETE BEACON CODE.


PART 135 OPERATIONS ARE AUTHORIZED TO OPERATE WITH AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL ASSIGNED DISCRETE BEACON CODE. PART 135 AIRCRAFT THAT DO NOT HAVE A COMPANY CALL SIGN MUST FILE A "T" PRIOR TO THE AIRCRAFT TAIL NUMBER.


U.S. REGISTERED AIRCRAFT CONDUCTING PART 137 OPERATIONS ARE AUTHORIZED TO OPERATE OUTSIDE "ENHANCED CLASS B AIRSPACE."


U.S. REGISTERED AIRCRAFT CONDUCTING PART 91 OPERATIONS ARE AUTHORIZED TO OPERATE OUTSIDE "ENHANCED CLASS B AIRSPACE".


PIPELINE/POWERLINE OPERATORS ARE AUTHORIZED TO CONDUCT IFR/VFR OPERATIONS IN ALL AIRSPACE EXCEPT THE TFR AIRSPACES OF NEW YORK, WASHINGTON DC AND SPORTING EVENT-OPEN AIR ASSEMBLIES, AND THE "ENHANCED CLASS B AIRSPACE" IN BOSTON. AN ATC ASSIGNED BEACON CODE IS REQUIRED FOR ALL OF THESE OPERATIONS.


FLIGHT TRAINING OPERATIONS (SEE DEFINITION) AND PROFICIENCY/CURRENCY/STUDENT SOLO OPERATIONS (NO INSTRUCTOR REQUIRED) ARE AUTHORIZED OUTSIDE "ENHANCED CLASS B AIRSPACE" FOR PILOTS OF SINGLE AND MULTI-ENGINE NON-TURBOJET POWERED AND NON-POWERED AIRCRAFT WITH A MAXIMUM CERTIFICATED TAKEOFF GROSS WEIGHT OF12,500 POUNDS OR LESS.


FLIGHT TRAINING OPERATIONS (SEE DEFINITION) WITHIN "ENHANCED CLASS B AIRSPACE", EXCEPT THE BOSTON "ENHANCED CLASS B AIRSPACE" AREA AND EXCEPT FOR OPERATIONS WITHIN THE NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON DC TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTION AREAS, VFR FLIGHT TRAINING OPERATIONS AND SUPERVISED STUDENT SOLO OPERATIONS ARE AUTHORIZED FOR SINGLE AND MULTI-ENGINE NON-TURBOJET POWERED, NON-POWERED, AND ROTOR DRIVEN PISTON POWERED AIRCRAFT WITH A MAXIMUM CERTIFICATED TAKEOFF GROSS WEIGHT OF 6000 POUNDS OR LESS.


POST MAINTENANCE, MANUFACTURER PRODUCTION, AND ACCEPTANCE FLIGHT TEST OPERATIONS ARE AUTHORIZED FOR U.S. REGISTERED AIRCRAFT WITH A MAXIMUM CERTIFICATED TAKEOFF GROSS WEIGHT OF 95,000 POUNDS OR LESS, WITHIN "ENHANCED CLASS B" AIRSPACE AREAS, EXCEPT THE BOSTON ENHANCED CLASS B AIRSPACE AREA AND EXCEPT FOR OPERATIONS WITHIN THE TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTION AREAS FOR THE NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON DC AREAS ESTABLISHED BY NOTAM.


POST MAINTENANCE, MANUFACTURER PRODUCTION, AND ACCEPTANCE FLIGHT TEST OPERATIONS ARE AUTHORIZED FOR CANADIAN AND MEXICAN REGISTERED AIRCRAFT WITH A MAXIMUM CERTIFICATED TAKEOFF GROSS WEIGHT OF 95,000 POUNDS OR LESS, WITHIN THE TERRITORIAL AIRSPACE OF THE U.S., EXCEPT THE BOSTON ENHANCED CLASS B AIRSPACE AREA AND EXCEPT FOR OPERATIONS WITHIN THE TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTION AREAS FOR THE NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON DC AREAS ESTABLISHED BY NOTAM, PROVIDED ALL THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS ARE MET: OPERATIONAL CONTROL IS BY A U.S. COMPANY; U.S. PILOTS OPERATE THE AIRCRAFT; AIRCRAFT USES A FLIGHT TEST CALL SIGN, AND; AIRCRAFT COMPLY WITH ALL OTHER PROCEDURES IN EFFECT.

ALL PART 91 OPERATIONS ARE AUTHORIZED IN ALASKAN AIRSPACE AND HAWAIIAN AIRSPACE OUTSIDE "ENHANCED CLASS B AIRSPACE."


PILOTS ARE AUTHORIZED TO DEPART VFR, WHERE VFR OPERATIONS ARE AUTHORIZED, TO ACTIVATE/FILE IFR CLEARANCES WHILE AIRBORNE.


ALL U.S. MILITARY, AND U.S., CANADIAN, AND MEXICAN MEDEVAC, FIRE FIGHTING, LAW ENFORCEMENT, RESCUE/RECOVERY, AND EMERGENCY EVACUATION AIRCRAFT CAN OPERATE WITH AN ATC-ASSIGNED DISCRETE BEACON CODE, EXCEPT U.S. MILITARY CAN OPERATE OUTSIDE "ENHANCED CLASS B AIRSPACE" WITH/WITHOUT A DISCRETE BEACON CODE AT THEIR REQUEST.


U.S. REGISTERED AIRCRAFT ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN FIREFIGHTING OPERATIONS MAY BE EXEMPT FROM THE BEACON CODE REQUIREMENT.


TRANSIT OF U.S. CONTROLLED AIRSPACE BY ANY AIRCRAFT BEYOND THE 12 NAUTICAL MILE TERRITORIAL LIMIT IS PERMITTED.


IF YOU ARE UNSURE OF YOUR AUTHORIZATION STATUS PLEASE CONTACT A FLIGHT SERVICE STATION AT 1-800-WXBRIEF.

PART III. ALL AIRCRAFT OTHER THAN U.S., MEXICAN OR CANADIAN REGISTERED AIRCRAFT CONDUCTING IFR OPERATIONS ARE AUTHORIZED IN THE TERRITORIAL AIRSPACE OF THE U.S. IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE REGULATIONS AND NOTICES TO AIRMEN SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING PROVISIONS:

VFR OPERATIONS ARE NOT AUTHORIZED EXCEPT AS SPECIFIED IN D BELOW.


PART 91 OVERFLIGHT OPERATIONS ARE NOT AUTHORIZED, EXCEPT FOR PART 91 IFR OPERATORS WITH A MAXIMUM CERTIFCATED TAKEOFF GROSS WEIGHT LESS THAN 95,000 POUNDS.


PART 91 OPERATORS ARE AUTHORIZED TO DEPART THE U.S. WITH NO INTERMEDIATE STOPS WITHIN THE U.S.


IFR/VFR POST MAINTENANCE, MANUFACTURER PRODUCTION, AND ACCEPTANCE FLIGHT TEST VFR OPERATIONS ARE AUTHORIZED FOR FOREIGN REGISTERED AIRCRAFT WITH A MAXIMUM CERTIFICATED TAKEOFF GROSS WEIGHT OF 95,000 POUNDS OR LESS, WITHIN THE TERRITORIAL AIRSPACE OF THE U.S., EXCEPT THE BOSTON ENHANCED CLASS B AIRSPACE AREA AND EXCEPT FOR OPERATIONS WITHIN THE TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTION AREAS FOR THE NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON DC AREAS ESTABLISHED BY NOTAM, PROVIDED ALL THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS ARE MET: OPERATIONAL CONTROL IS BY A U.S. COMPANY; U.S. PILOTS OPERATE THE AIRCRAFT; AIRCRAFT USES A FLIGHT TEST CALL SIGN, AND; AIRCRAFT COMPLY WITH ALL OTHER PROCEDURES IN EFFECT.


PART 129 OPERATORS REQUIRED TO HAVE A SECURITY PROGRAM, PART 129 ALL CARGO OPERATORS, AND PART 129 OPERATORS NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE A SECURITY PROGRAM WITH A MAXIMUM CERTIFICATED TAKEOFF GROSS WEIGHT OF 95,000 POUNDS OR LESS ARE AUTHORIZED TO DEPART THE U.S.


FAA SECURITY MAY AUTHORIZE PART 129 OPERATORS REQUIRED TO HAVE A SECURITY PROGRAM, ON A STATION BY STATION BASIS, TO ENTER AND OPERATE WITHIN THE TERRITORIAL AIRSPACE OF THE U.S.


PART 129 ALL CARGO OPERATORS, AND PART 129 OPERATORS NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE A SECURITY PROGRAM WITH A MAXIMUM CERTIFICATED TAKEOFF GROSS WEIGHT OF 95,000 POUNDS OR LESS, MAY ENTER AND OPERATE WITHIN THE TERRITORIAL AIRSPACE OF THE U.S.


FAA SECURITY MAY AUTHORIZE PART 129 OPERATORS REQUIRED TO HAVE A SECURITY PROGRAM, ON AN OPERATOR BY OPERATOR BASIS, TO OVERFLY THE TERRITORIAL AIRSPACE OF THE U.S. PART 129 OPERATORS NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE A SECURITY PROGRAM WITH A MAXIMUM CERTIFICATED TAKEOFF GROSS WEIGHT OF 95,000 POUNDS OR LESS, MAY OVERFLY THE TERRITORIAL AIRSPACE OF THE U.S.

PART IV. OTHER AUTHORIZATIONS.

COMMERCIAL SPACE OPERATIONS ARE AUTHORIZED AND MUST BE APPROVED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ESTABLISHED PROCEDURES.


PART 101 OPERATIONS ARE AUTHORIZED.


PART 103 OPERATIONS ARE AUTHORIZED.

PART V. SPECIAL INFORMATION.

FOREIGN MILITARY OR FOREIGN GOVERNMENT AIRCRAFT MUST OBTAIN SPECIFIC APPROVAL FOR FLIGHT OPERATIONS THROUGH THEIR EMBASSY PRIOR TO FILING AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN.


PILOTS CAN EXPECT SOME DELAYS TO CERTAIN AIRPORTS DUE TO TRAFFIC VOLUME.


PILOTS ARE REMINDED THAT THERE ARE INCREASED SECURITY MEASURES IN PLACE AT MANY AIRPORTS. IN ACCORDANCE WITH 14 CFR SECTION 91.103, PRIOR TO DEPARTURE PILOTS MUST OBTAIN PERTINENT FLIGHT INFORMATION, INCLUDING ANY TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS ALONG THEIR ROUTE OF FLIGHT OR AT THEIR POINT OF DEPARTURE/ARRIVAL.


IF YOU ARE UNSURE OF YOUR AUTHORIZATION STATUS, PLEASE CONTACT A FLIGHT SERVICE STATION AT 1-800-WXBRIEF.

[VTAIL]

Have you thought of trying Fresno California?
We've got great FBO's great rates and no Class B airspace. :cool:

[SKYYACHT]

Julian,

The only thing I can come close to, is when I hired a C182 from Boeing Field in Seattle, and went puddle jumping round Washington state (That is severley recommended!!!!!)

After holding in the locality of Bill Gates's gaff, due to Al Gore kissing babies and AFII being on the ground, KBFI was shut. Still, I felt better for pi**ing off Bill Gates, seeing as how my copy of MS98 still crashes now and then!

Yes, I am a true believer in KLGB and the immediate benefits of flying Southern California. SOCAL are a great help 99% of the time.

So, ggive it a whirl,

Turn left at The Los Angeles River, and call the abeam the Queen !

Tailwinds

[Julian]

Just to let you know that I am out at Rainbow at the moment, everything here and at UKFT is still very busy.

The VFR restrictions are being lifted slowly and word by next week they may be lifted completely, we wait with baited breath though...

Julian.

P.S. Having a great time, hope the UK weather is nice. Wish you were here :o)