Southern California Pilots - VFR Flight Planning for Solo Cross Country

[bassque]

All,

Was looking for a little help here.   I'm planning my final solo-cross country from Long Beach to Apple Valley. (KLGB, SLI, PDZ, V442, APV).   I have the route and everything planned out but I'm struggling with the correct altitude as I've never been up that way and pass the San Gabriel Mountains or through the San Bernardino passes.   In looking at the sectional, I see peaks along the route at 8900 but it looks like 7500 would be save along V442.  Perhaps 8500 on the return.   Looking to see if anyone has made this run before.   Any help would be appreciated.   Flight Following will most defiantly be used.

Thanks,
Jeff

[Flying Pig]

All,

Was looking for a little help here.   I'm planning my final solo-cross country from Long Beach to Apple Valley. (KLGB, SLI, PDZ, V442, APV).   I have the route and everything planned out but I'm struggling with the correct altitude as I've never been up that way and pass the San Gabriel Mountains or through the San Bernardino passes.   In looking at the sectional, I see peaks along the route at 8900 but it looks like 7500 would be save along V442.  Perhaps 8500 on the return.   Looking to see if anyone has made this run before.   Any help would be appreciated.   Flight Following will most defiantly be used.

Thanks,
Jeff

Flight following is more effective if you aren't defiant. . Of all the typos I've read that was the best

[Garibaldi]

Defiantly must mean DEFINITELY. I've seen it done too many times to count. I try not to make fun, but it's hard not to sometimes.

But, possessing absolutely ZERO knowledge of this subject at hand, I have nothing to say but good luck, clear skies.

[SunDog]

As you can tell, this isn't much of a pilot's or aviation forum. You might shop around for other forums, non-CAP.  I flew from Norton AFB (San Berdoo) up there a long, long time ago.  Seem to recall those altitudes as being in the ball park.

Ask around at your home-drome, for local knowledge, minimum altitude for ATC radio reception, etc. Watch your DA's, and assume the airplane's performance may fall short of the POH numbers.

Don't know what you're flying, but there is a cessna172club.com forum that is a much better source than here for that aircraft. Or, really, anything to do with actually flying. . .

[JeffDG]

Looking at the Low Altitude Enroute Chart for that area (L4) shows that V442 has has an MOA (minimum operating altitude) of 9,000 and a MOCA (Minimum Obstruction Clearance Altitude) of 8,000.

So, 8,500 should get you through safely, as you'll have IFR obstruction clearance above 8,000 (2,000' withing 4nm of course), but you may have some communications drops, including you may lose reception of the VORs as you're below MOA.

[Al Sayre]

Why not ask your instructor what he thinks?  Part of being a good pilot is "aeronautical decision making", which includes using all available resources and asking for help when you need it. ( A bunch of crusty olde guys on the interwebz really doesn't qualify as a reliable source in most cases.)  Your instructor may even be testing you to see if you are mature enough to know when to ask for help.  As JeffDG said, in a case like this, looking at a low altitude enroute chart (IFR chart) can provide you with the minimum safe altitudes along the airways if you are using them, and you instructor can show you how to read it if you aren't sure.

[Mustang]

Quickly checking an IFR Low Enroute chart tells me that the minimum enroute altitude on V442 between PDZ and APLES is 9000 ft (or 8000 for terrain clearance only, adequate nav signal reception not assured). So the lowest appropriate VFR altitude is gonna 9500 ft NE-bound, 8500 ft SW-bound.

Easier: get yourself to Rialto, then navigate via pilotage (follow I-15) through El Cajon Pass. 

[PHall]

Quickly checking an IFR Low Enroute chart tells me that the minimum enroute altitude on V442 between PDZ and APLES is 9000 ft (or 8000 for terrain clearance only, adequate nav signal reception not assured). So the lowest appropriate VFR altitude is gonna 9500 ft NE-bound, 8500 ft SW-bound.

Easier: get yourself to Rialto, then navigate via pilotage (follow I-15) through El Cajon Pass.

And watch out for the power lines and hang gliders!!!  I've seen hang gliders at 8500 FT more then once!

[bassque]

Thanks everyone!  Much appreciated.  Turns out yes, my instructor was testing me.   I posted on a few forums and called some friends trying to use all resources.  I did go 9500 out there and 8500 back without any issues.   It was a hot day up there so performance of the aircraft (172SP) was a little sluggish.   I thought about using pilotage up the pass but I really wanted to get used to using the VORs and DMEs.   

Thanks again!   Safe flights everyone!

Jeff