Greg is a Platinum CSIP - Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilot - which means that he is factory trained and regularly audited by Cirrus to … read more
My First Landing at SFO in a Cirrus
General Aviation is alive and well at San Francisco International Airport. Usually to be avoided because of the $237 in fees for landing and parking, and because it’s a very busy Class Bravo airport… I had the opportunity recently to land a Cirrus there.
The reason was charter. A customer was in a hurry and needed to be picked up at a smaller regional airport. The end of his business day didn’t coincide with regional airline departures (only two per day), and it was too far to drive in Bay Area traffic. He needed to catch a commercial flight in a few hours. No problem, we’ll fly!
The process was straightforward, however the controllers appreciated me flying a faster than usual final approach. It took some work to get slowed down…but with the runway being more than two miles long, it wasn’t a problem. Once off Runway 28R, it was a quick taxi to Signature Flight Support SFO. It’s just like landing in Vegas (KLAS) but with the fees I mentioned earlier. (Vegas doesn’t have the hefty landing fee.)
It was very interesting leaving as well. Hold short of taxiway Charlie for the Airbus 380 (Lufthansa). I then was to follow that one (staying very, very far back so as to not let its engine blast get me inadvertently airborne!) and I was #5 for departure.
When it was my turn, I got a downwind departure toward San Carlos. Overall, a piece of cake and very fun!
Imagine getting to SFO without Bay Area traffic jams and no parking cost, hassles, or wasted time. In your Cirrus!
San Francisco Bay Tour Delights Visiting Pilots
The San Francisco area, when seen on a clear day from a small airplane, is one of the greatest sights in the country. Local pilots love to fly the “bay tour” and pilots from around the world inquire with me about how to fly it.
When I am contacted about arranging a flight lesson for a holder of a foreign pilot certificate, I am usually asked about license requirements, which aircraft would we use, at which airport would we meet, and the costs.
There’s no short answer. Everyone’s situation and desires are different. It depends on the airplane you want to fly, the airport you want to depart from, the length and route of your “tour” (e.g. fly over the Golden Gate Bridge, down the coast, over downtown San Francisco, etc.), and basically how much time and money you want to spend.
I have access to Cessna 172, Diamond DA40, and Cirrus SR20 and SR22 aircraft through local flight schools/clubs, and the prices for those rentals vary.
My time is billed hourly for all air and ground time. I can come pick you up at the closest airport to you if you’re willing to pay for the engine and instructor time. Remember, even though the sights are amazing and you can snap some pictures, this is an instructional flight and you will be in the pilot seat – logging dual instruction time on the flight.
So if you’re planning to visit San Francisco and would like to do some flying, feel free to contact me and we’ll put together the perfect plan for your visit.
Fly safe,
Greg
Five Good Reasons to Say Yes to a Business Aircraft
I liked this article in AOPA Magazine so much I wanted to reprint it here. Find out how business aircraft can help you and your business: either flying it yourself, or using a charter company for occasional trips.
You don’t have to be a Fortune 500 company or multinational corporation to benefit from using a general aviation aircraft in pursuit of business. In fact, thousands of entrepreneurs and small companies currently use GA aircraft and gain a competitive advantage. Why not you? Buying an aircraft for your business makes sense. Read on to see why.
Read the whole story on AOPA here.
For more information about chartering an airplane for your next business trip, or to find out how to take the first steps in learning to become a pilot yourself, contact Greg.
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