Anyone been flying in Las Vegas?

[Captain Spunkfarter]

I've got a trip to Las Vegas next month and I'd like to do rent an aircraft for a few hours over there. I've looked at a few of the schools on offer at both McCarren International and North Las Vegas Airport but can't decide which to go through. Can anyone help?

[JJflyer]

I flew there for 9 months...

Email me.

JJ

[DB6]

Nice username ! Is your first name Pillowbiting....?

[Ham Phisted]

As well as McCarren and NLV there is also Henderson which is a few miles to the south of LV but is possibly a better bet since it lies outside the LV Class C. Flew from there a few times and it was fine. C172s, Archers etc.

[AirScream]

If flying from NLV you can request " a code for the Dam" and get cleared thorugh the B class, then stooge overhead the Hoover Dam, which is nice, ugly ugly terrain from an aviators point of view though!
A night time strip tour is also highly recommended.
I reckon North Las Vegas would be your best bet for a Cessna 152 etc expect to shell out the massive sum of $55, plus an instructors fee of $20 approx. You can even get a bus for $1.25 to the airfield from downtown if you wish.

I flew with Aerleon who were good.
they have a website, have you found it yet?


[This message has been edited by AirScream (edited 25 January 2001).]

[slim_slag]

If you are doing things on the cheap I would avoid LAS, its a tad pricier though well placed for the hotels on the Strip. North Las Vegas (VGT) is a nice little class D airport to the north and is where I hang my hat when I head to Lost Wages for a major sin session.

If you do go for a little spin over the Canyon make sure you take something along which will get you up to 11500 with your load. There is special airspace over the Canyon and you cannot just go buzzing the place like in the past. If you do go up there don't bother with the special reporting frequency, just get flight following (from LA centre in that neck of the woods) and you will do fine. Land at Grand Canyon airport and take a trip to the rim via road and you will see it all. Remember density altitude - its at 6600 ft - though from memory the strip is 9000 ft long so if the botty starts to smell you have plenty of time to slam the brakes on and skulk off the runway in shame.

If you are only used to flying GA in the UK you will get a shock when ATC lets you fly near/over a large airport and actually talk to you. e.g. if approaching VGT from LA the standard way to transit the class B is to cross LAS over the numbers of 25 and head for the Stratosphere tower. Don't worry about the class B, most GA VFR pilots in the US have crap radio procedure and nobody really gives a toss. If you sound really, really bad they will just tell you to stay clear but probably still provide flight following. Having said that though, If I was checking you out I'd want to make sure you weren't dangerous so you might want to read up how on the procedure to get through class B airspace. Have fun.

[Billy M]

To add to what slim_slag said; On your way back from the main Grand Canyon airport, it's well worth a quick landing and a look around at Grand Canyon West.

A tiny little place (one portacabin!) with nothing around, but it's right on the rim and so the circuit and landing are great fun and provide a brilliant close-up view of the canyon.

My thanks to the English bloke from Shoreham who'd just taken off from there, heard my English voice on the radio and proceeded to recommend I drop in there on my way past! Fine advice - thanks.

[SKYYACHT]

If you are going out that way, and want some other places to fly to, try getting a Big Bear check out, for Hot n high stuff. Also a trip to Avalon airport at Catalina Island is worth doing. A visit to Chino airport (Home of the trousers) is ggod, as the museum of flight there is awesome. I would also say that for sheer terror fly through the Banning Pass in the middle of summer for Palm Springs!

Tailwinds