• Welcome aboard HomebuiltAirplanes.com, your destination for connecting with a thriving community of more than 10,000 active members, all passionate about home-built aviation. Dive into our comprehensive repository of knowledge, exchange technical insights, arrange get-togethers, and trade aircrafts/parts with like-minded enthusiasts. Unearth a wide-ranging collection of general and kit plane aviation subjects, enriched with engaging imagery, in-depth technical manuals, and rare archives.

    For a nominal fee of $99.99/year or $12.99/month, you can immerse yourself in this dynamic community and unparalleled treasure-trove of aviation knowledge.

    Embark on your journey now!

    Click Here to Become a Premium Member and Experience Homebuilt Airplanes to the Fullest!

anyone have experience with Agua Caliente airport?

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Jan 27, 2012
Messages
1,508
Location
Glendale, CA
Hello All,

I am considering flying to L54 Agua Caliente airport and curious if those that have experience flying in here can answer a few questions. I plan to fly in on 02/18 to visit the hot springs with my wife for her birthday, weather permitting. I will fly a C172N out of KVNY.

Anyhow, there are a few Youtube videos of the pattern and such as well as the Chart supplement/AFD info, but I still have a few questions. Never can be too prepared.

The Chart Supplement suggests landing runway 29 and taking off Runway 11. Even if there is a mild tailwind. This is due to the large mountain located 2500' off the runway 11 markings. Also one you tube video states no go around options and its a one way in (29) and one way out (11) for this airport which seems like disinformation. So below are my questions.


  • Seems landing runway 11 is doable keeping it in tight. Anyone make the decision to land Runway 11 due to the tailwind on 29 being too much? If so any issues.
  • Anyone take off on 29 in a C172? I know DA is an issue here but hopefully in February it will not be as much an issue and there will only be 2 of us on board and 2/3 fuel. Could I take off on 29 and skew right to climb out and avoid the hill? AFD says its a 5:1 slope to clear the mountain and is this slope taken from the end of the runway or midway?
  • Another suggestion is get AWOS on L08 which is 18 miles north of L54. I will overfly the sock for sure to verify, but curious how accurate this weather is in regards to L54? I will also monitor the frequency to see if anyone else are in the pattern as an indication of landing direction. Interestingly enough not a single person overflew the sock in the you tube videos... odd.
  • Anyone fly here from KVNY in the winter/spring and can give insight on the turbulence once I enter the mountains heading toward Julian VOR and beyond to L54?
  • Anyone ever fly in to visit the hot springs? If so are they worth it for an afternoon trip? Since its a holiday I need to verify they will be open.

My goal with this flight is to get the wife to see the utility of an airplane with the hopes she is on board with weekend adventures and my buying a cheap to operate airplane. Likely a straight tail 172/175 or experimental high wing. To tall for a 120/140/150.

Open to any and all suggestions. Also open to other interesting airports to get the wife on board with flying. Since I rent the Chicken Strip is out and I need more experience before going there anyhow.

Best regards,

Marc
 
Back
Top