LAX Special Flight Rules area

[dabney]

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.

[cdeggz]

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.

[PilotjohnS]

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’.

[bruceh]

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.

[jeffk]

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...

[flightlogic]

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....

[cdeggz]

Originally Posted by bruceh

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?

[BobTurner]

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.

[cdeggz]

Thanks Bob!

[bruceh]

Originally Posted by cdeggz

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.