First Cross Country VFR Plan

[mikealphacharlie]

Hi
I'm planning my first VFR cross country flight on PE from San Luis Obispo (KSBP) to Santa Barbara (KSBA). The basic plan is to follow a heading of 132 at 3500 feet and cross the coastal range somewhere near the Gaviota VOR before turning east and following the coast to KSBA. I have some questions:

1. Nearing Gaviota I have to contact Santa Barbara Approach - should I use 120.55 or 125.40 ?

2. What sort of instruction am I likely to get from Santa Barbara Approach?

3. If I want to request flight following on departure from KSBP who do I need to speak to?

Any comments on my flight plan also extremely welcome.

Steve

[ChristophPreinfalk]

1. With flight following, the controller will hand you over, no need to figure out the frequency beforehand.
2.
3. San Louis Clearance are the ones to request flight following from.

I recommend to watch the V-2 video and read the transcript, things will be much clearer then.

[Nick Warren]

2. What sort of instruction am I likely to get from Santa Barbara Approach?

I am not a controller by any means, but as a possible scenario based on Pilot's Guide to California Airports, I may expect a right base entry for 15, or a left downwind for 25 even. Get out there and give it a whirl!



Nick

[mikealphacharlie]

Thanks guys! Two very helpful answers. The pilot's guide is a great reference. Now all I need is a book that will solve the mystery of how to quickly change frequency on COM1 so many times in flight

Steve

[JN_]

Thanks guys! Two very helpful answers. The pilot's guide is a great reference. Now all I need is a book that will solve the mystery of how to quickly change frequency on COM1 so many times in flight

http://www.saitek.com/uk/prod/radio.html

[Keith Smith]

In X-Plane, I've resorted to mapping my CTRL-up/down/left/right keys to manipulate the COM1 stdby freqs, and have mapped a joystick button to flip-flop the freqs. This is until I get some proper radio hardware

[Nick Warren]

Good product, although I don't yet own one. I am looking to get the switch panel next to compliment the TPM, yoke, and pedals. I generally throw the arrival ATIS and TWR freq. in COM2. If you have an a/c that will utilize COM1 and 2 at the same time you can pick up the ATIS/AWOS on the way without going off frequency, otherwise just advise the controller that you will be off freq. for weather. Otherwise, the switch to TWR comes at a time when quite a bit is going on and there is a high degree of situational awareness so it's much easier to already have that dialed in and just switch over to COM2. As far as enroute frequencies, it can somewhat be anticipated what freq. is next, but mostly it's a crap shoot and that one you just have to dial it in as quick as you can.

[mikealphacharlie]

In X-Plane, I've resorted to mapping my CTRL-up/down/left/right keys to manipulate the COM1 stdby freqs, and have mapped a joystick button to flip-flop the freqs. This is until I get some proper radio hardware

I've been looking for a way to do something like this for a while, but obviously haven't understood the X-Plane key mapping functionality sufficiently, because I was unable to see how to manipulate the COM1 frequency with a key. However, the act of making my OP lead to the sudden realisation that I could solve this problem with Airtrack. So I rushed out and bought it - or more precisely my wife did, since I'm using her iPad. Works great and you get all the other fancy Airtrack stuff to play with into the bargain.

Using COM2 to tune ATIS had also occurred to me but then I started thinking about what use this is in the PE reality. The XP ATIS will tell you what is supposed to be happening according to the XP weather settings, whereas the actionbs of ATC could be predicated on some entirely different scenario. For example, in calm conditions the KSBA ATIS will tell you that all of the runway options are simultaneously in use. It all adds to the excitement!

Regards
Steve

[Keith Smith]

Steve, you can use the XP ATIS to get the altimeter and winds, but not the runway or approach in use.

Use caution regarding using COM2 to get ATIS. If you're using the Windows X-Plane client, it'll swap to using that as your radio with ATC, and you'll no longer be talking on the com1 radio. The Mac behaves differently, only COM1 is used on PE, freeing up COM2 for ATIS if you want. This is not going to be the case, long term, I simply have to release the Mac build to bring it inline with the Windows build.

[mikealphacharlie]

1. With flight following, the controller will hand you over, no need to figure out the frequency beforehand.
2.
3. San Louis Clearance are the ones to request flight following from.

I recommend to watch the V-2 video and read the transcript, things will be much clearer then.

Looking at the various frequencies for KSBP on Airnav I can see:
CTAF: 124.0
UNICOM: 122.95
ATIS: 120.6
WX ASOS: PHONE 805-547-1260
SAN LUIS GROUND: 121.6 [0600-2000]
SAN LUIS TOWER: 124.0 379.9 [0600-2000]
SANTA BARBARA APPROACH: 127.725
SANTA BARBARA DEPARTURE: 127.725


So I'm guessing that to request flight following I have to speak to Santa Barbara Approach / Departure on 127.725 ???

Steve