Back at the Bay for flying fun

Flying right over the tower at San Francisco International Airport to avoid a midair with a B747 from Japan Airlines is tons of fun and definitely business unusual for pilots like me.

This blog started three years ago after my first flight over San Francisco. A hotel room in Silicon Valley felt like an appropriate location for entering the blogosphere. This week I am back for the Web 2.0 Expo conference in San Francisco, and I spent the pre conference Sunday in a Skyhawk for a VFR Flight Review and checkout at the Shoreline Flying Club in Palo Alto (PAO). 

Dan, Shoreline's chief pilot and a United Airlines captain, gave me express enrollment service to this very affordable flying club, where no money is spent on luxurious ground facilities.

Flying with Libor was a very pleasant experience. He did a great job of making me feel comfortable with the airspace and radio communication. After some air work and an simulated emergency landing at Half Moon Bay (HAF), we continued northbound to Golden Gate Bridge before flying over San Francisco and transiting the bravo airspace by highway 101.

As we approached San Francisco International (SFO), a B747 Jumbo Jet from Japan Airlines was on the takeoff roll on runway 28. The wind was to strong to use the default runway 1, and I was directed to cross midfield over the tower to avoid a close encounter with the big bird en route for Asia. Then a right turn back to the west side of HWY 101 was needed to avoid traffic at San Carlos (SQL) 9 miles SE.  7 miles further SE our home base of Palo Alto is located, only 4 miles NW of Moffett Federal (NUQ), where president Obama would have landed with Air Force One.

This is close to aviation heaven. I'll be back!