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LAX Special Flight Rules area

LAX Corridor

The complete details are on the LAX Terminal Chart. Its not a big problem to make the transition either way. N-S you maintain 3500'MSL starting over about SMO. Squawk 1201 and monitor and make position reports on 128.55. The precise route is off a radial of SMO VOR. That will take you over the control tower between the N and S rwy complexes (basically mid-field). Once south of KLAX there are some chunks of airspace from SUR-025 and the Class B along the shoreline is 050-100 so you have to pay attention.

Enjoy the view
 
Really easy

This is really easy. Follow the rules on the tca chart. There is no controller helping you but self report position, watch altitude and fly south. If you read the chart, they want you on a SMO radial, but the west and east boundaries are pretty wide.

If there is a stadium TFR active, watch the east boundary and altitude.

I prefer to fly the miniroute northbound and southbound at 2500 feet If you use the mini route, you will be talking to LAX tower and wont have to worry about TFRs since you will be legal to enter. With the miniroute, you will first need to talk to Santa Monica tower southbound, of Hawthorne tower northbound.

The Special Flight Rules area does not need any conversations with Hawthorne, LAX, or Torrance tower; just follow the instructions.

Both are easy peesey, dont fear the reaper.
 
The LAX SFRA is flown off the 132 radial of SMO. I program it as SMO - VPLSR in the GPS and it works out nicely.

-Marc
 
You might find the Coastal Route easier, but I am assuming you're flying from CMA. Climb and at 5500 going south on the LAX 323 to the LAX VOR and maintain 6500 from the Vincent Thomas Bridge to the LAX VOR, going North on the LAX 123.


TAC map will have the frequencies you need, 134.2 from the North and west of San Diego Freeway at low altitude 10,000 ft or less.
 
Couldn’t be further from the truth

Not in my recent experience. I also haven't had luck getting the mini route lately. I hope the OP's results are better than mine though! So my cautious advice would be to make the mini route "Plan A", but definitely have a "Plan B" in the hip pocket. This isn't the kind of airspace where a non-local pilot can be told "mini route is closed" and not have an alternate route already figured out. It can get messy in a hurry.
 
Mini route vs vfr corridor

Not in my recent experience. I also haven't had luck getting the mini route lately. I hope the OP's results are better than mine though! So my cautious advice would be to make the mini route "Plan A", but definitely have a "Plan B" in the hip pocket. This isn't the kind of airspace where a non-local pilot can be told "mini route is closed" and not have an alternate route already figured out. It can get messy in a hurry.

So the vfr corridor is available anytime. For the mini route right over the tower at 2500, I always had to coordinate with santa monica or hawthorne tower per the instructions on the TCA chart. I have never been denied that miniroute transition, but that is just me. I would be curious in the details why a mini route request was denied.
 
Mini Route

Do not count on the mini route being available. Over the last 6 months I am batting 0 for 6. The usual reason given by either SMO or TOA ATCT is lack of staffing at LAX Tower. Before COVID it was available about 50% of the time I requested so maybe there is a staffing shortage at LAX tower. I talked to AOPA about it to see if they could get some answers from the FAA but got nowhere with that.
 
Mini Route

It's a year later now. Curious if people have been able to get a mini-route transition recently? Flying norcal to HHR and trying to pick the best way in.

Plan B is to fly the costal route and ask to dive in.
 
Nope

My hangar mates say they still can not get the mini route out of hawthorne. If you go on flightaware i think you will see very few departures going over lax at 2500’.
 
Just get VFR flight following as you approach LAX airspace. ATC will ask you how you want to transition the Bravo. If you say the Special Flight Rules corridor, they will tell you when to squawk 1201 and then you just follow the procedure (altitude, heading, frequency and speed). If I want to stay higher, then ask for the Coliseum, Coastal or Hollywood Park Routes. I've always been given them when asked for.
 

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Mini Route

I've tried three times over the last two months - via SoCal Approach with Flight Following as well as on departures from KHHR without success. Similar story to above - staffing. Flying the mini-route out of KHHR was really nice...
 
dropping in to Hawthorne

Well, I didn't find it fun last time.... The controller was not happy and said, "where did you come from!!!!"
The altitude loss needed is a sporty ride though. Just find it interesting that no controller is talking to you while in the "tube" over LAX.
If CNN tells the public that little planes are right over them without "control" they are going to vector us to PHX for the transition. Well, maybe not....
 
Just get VFR flight following as you approach LAX airspace. ATC will ask you how you want to transition the Bravo. If you say the Special Flight Rules corridor, they will tell you when to squawk 1201 and then you just follow the procedure (altitude, heading, frequency and speed). If I want to stay higher, then ask for the Coliseum, Coastal or Hollywood Park Routes. I've always been given them when asked for.

Bruce, if taking the costal route, will ATC give you a vector to break off the costal route and dive down to Hawthorne, or do you end up having to exit the side of the bravo shelf and come back around?
 
Personally I never count on ATC for what I’d like to do. Going down, I think the vfr corridor at 3500’ is your best option. You may need a wide downwind to get down to pattern altitude. (Assuming wind favors landing to the west). As plan B I’d keep to the east of Burbank’s airspace, up against the hills, head for the Rose Bowl. Try to get below 3k by then (might need a 360), then head south, descending before the airspace limits to below 2.5k then below 2k, then turn west on an 8 mile final for Hawthorn. For returning, you’ll need to circle to climb to 4500’ for the vfr corridor northbound. Because of that I might return via plan B.
Lots of vfr traffic, keep your eyes out.
 
Bruce, if taking the costal route, will ATC give you a vector to break off the costal route and dive down to Hawthorne, or do you end up having to exit the side of the bravo shelf and come back around?

The Coastal Route keeps you up inside the Bravo. ATC is expecting you to stay on the route from entrance to exit. If you want to get into HHR from the North, then the VFR special flight rules corridor is the way to go. I've flown up from San Diego to Santa Monica many times using the corridor at 4,500' and easily made the drop down into SMO.
 
HHR entry

When I was based at HHR we exited and headed to alondra park to report inbound. It is triangle in shape, can’t miss it
 
Now

When I was based at HHR we exited and headed to alondra park to report inbound. It is triangle in shape, can’t miss it

Me too. But now i just call as soon as I clear lax (imperial highway) and usually get “report abeam”. Pull power and descend. Couldnt be easier in a spam can.
I rarely use Alondra Park anymore.
 
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