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KSMO-KHND

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General Aviation

I am a VFR pilot with just under 300 hours. I am planning to pick up a passenger at Santa Monica (KSMO) and then continue on to Henderson (KHND). I will be using flight following and would like to eventually get to a cruise alt of 9,500. What would be my best routing options in exiting the LA basin? 

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1 Answers



  1. sixzero on Aug 19, 2016

    You are going to have to go all the way around the North side of San Fernando, unless you climb like a raped ape and fly over the Rose Bowl on a more direct route, but that puts you over 9500. I would file 3CL4 ZOREN to KHND, but I fly helicopters and can climb as fast as I want and as slow as I want.
    If you don’t wanna go higher than 9500 I would avoid flying too close to KVNY and go North then head East. In that case I would file TWINE ZOREN to KHND (watch the fire TFR South of the 34 grid line).
    SOCAL Departure will allow you to go in the general direction you need, but expect some unexpected headings around that busy airspace, as they will turn you for IFR separation. I wouldn’t plan on climbing too much until I turned East for that very reason.
    I checked the FAA Preferred Routes Database, just to see, and nothing comes up for SMO to HND, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t one out there. I am sure there is someone more familiar with the area that could give you a named transition if there is one out of Santa Monica for VFR departures.
    Good luck.

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