Santa Monica Airport (KSMO) and around West LA

KSMO runway 21
 
The Fox Network Center
 
The Malibu Pier
 
The Getty Center near the Sepulveda Pass







Flight Planning at SkyVector.com

The Tehachapi Loop

Bouquet Reservoir
Gen. William J. Fox Field, Lancaster (WJF)
Willow Springs racetrack
The Tehachapi Loop

Flying to Tehachapi Airport and the Tehachapi Loop.  Went past the Bouquet Reservior, WJF, and the Willow Springs racetrack, and over the windmills.   I could see the typical fog layer that was covering the San Joaquin Valley ahead.   I made a quick pit stop at the little airport lounge at KTSP.   Microwaveable frozen foods like Burrito's and French Bread Pizzas, fridge stocked with sodas, all for very reasonable cost.  Internet and TV in the pilots lounge, very nice setup!  There are some restaurants a short walk from the airport, just down the street and through a residential neighborhood.  I Flew a few miles down the pass to the Tehachapi Loop beside highway 58. I lucked out a train was rounding the loop and decending the grade just as I flew over!  It takes 80 or more freight cars for it to go over itself.  On the way back I caught a shot of a KC-135 over the runway of Fox Field (WJF) Lancaster, didn't know it was in the photo till I looked real close at it.  Beautiful day, just be careful of the winds at KTSP. It's in a mountain pass and windmills tell the story of how it can get up there.

General Wm J Fox Airfield (WJF) Lancaster

 
 
Did a quick solo morning flight over to Fox field just to get myself more acquainted with the R model Cessna 172.  A beautiful airplane. Much nicer than the older 1970's era models I was training in with the beat up interiors.   Foxy's landing is the restaurant here at WJF.  A nice airport to have a picnic outside too.  Arriving from the south, checked in at the Bouquet Reservoir, the tower will ask you to check in on left downwind abeam the tower, for runway 24 Left.