Introduction to LA Airspace

Svend found my story about flying a Skyhawk over Manhattan on the Internet, and invited me to a greater challenge in the LA Airspace of 35 airports. Svend is a former flight engineer at Sterling where he was flying Bowing 727. Now he owns a 1979 C-172 based on Fullerton (FUL), doing all the maintenance himself in a well equipped hangar - a home away from home.

He generously offered me the left seat. I did the flying and Svend did the radio. The visibility was not the greatest over Orange County, but as we came closer to our destination at French Valley (F70), an hour's flight to the southeast, the sun had burned off all the mist.

Going back the visibility was perfect until Lake Elsinore. Crossing the ridge abeam Santiago Peak we got back in the low visibility and heavy traffic reality of LA airspace. I did my best to establish on long final without having the field in sight, and had to adjust my course a bit as we got closer.

A great introduction to the most creasy airspace on the planet!