Wine Country Fly-in
OK, here are the arrival recommendations. I have several attachments that went out with the direct email to participants, so let me know if you need any of that.
Wine Country Fly-in / Napa County Airport Arrival Instructions
ATIS: 124.05
Tower: 118.7 (operates from 0700 – 2000) otherwise CTAF
Ground: 121.7
Runway 18R/36L (5,931 feet)
Runway 18L/36R (2,500 feet)
Runway 24/06 (5007 feet)
Coming From the Northwest:
Santa Rosa VOR (STS) V-108 to Scaggs Island VOR (SGD) then direct to Napa County Airport (KAPC) about 4.4 NM from SGD to KAPC. ATIS is 124.05, Tower is 118.7, and ground is 121.7.
Most of the time, either runways 18L and 18R or sometimes runway 24 is in operation. From the VOR you would make right traffic for 18R or left traffic for 24.
Coming From the North
V-87 until you get past POPES intersection, then just fly down the Napa Valley direct to KAPC. ATIS is 124.05, Tower is 118.7, and ground is 121.7.
If runways 18R and 18L are in operation expect a straight in to either. Keep in mind that both are over hills north of the airport, especially setting up for a straight in on 18L, so keep your eyes open. If you are more comfortable with the pattern, stay west of the airport and either enter downwind or on base.
From the Northeast through Southeast
You will notice on the chart that there are two alert areas from northeast through southeast just to the east of Napa County Airport. These areas serve the Travis Air Force Base area and encompass their Class D airspace as well. Frequencies for flight following through their area are 119.9 (south) and 126.6 (north). They are very helpful with flight following; however, watch your position as you near Napa (KAPC). The KAPC Class D extends right to the edge of the Travis Alert Area and they (Travis) do not hand off to Napa County Airport. You have to cancel flight following and leave time to contact Napa Tower prior to entering their Class D. It helps to get the ATIS while still talking with Travis Approach.
If you are coming in this way either stay north of the Travis Alert Area or talk with them. They seem to appreciate you staying clear of their Class D airspace, so I usually go around the north side of that. Their traffic pattern is usually, but not always on the south side of the runways, so the north side is usually pretty clear.
If coming in more from the southeast, you might want to skirt their area entirely on the south side. If you head to Concord VOR (CCR) and then take the 270 radial out for 8 or so nm a right turn puts you towards the airport and you avoid both the Travis Alert Area and the SFO Class B.
If runways 18R and 18L are in operation expect a left downwind to 18L (2,500 feet long). If 24 is in operation, expect a “report two mile left base” clearance.
ATIS is 124.05, Tower is 118.7, and ground is 121.7.
From the Southeast through Southwest
SFO Class B airspace. Normally, getting a clearance through while VFR might be unlikely. You can skirt it to the east but watch the area between San Jose and Livermore as the space is heavy with approaches into Oakland. You can usually do well to the west and they will have you stay west of SFO, but you will need clearance through Class B on that side unless you are scraping the ground or more offshore than most single engine flyers are comfortable with. If you can get through on that side the views are great!
If coming around the west side you will wind up near SGD VOR so follow suggestions for Northwest above. If on the east side, you will be near the same as the Southeast suggestions above.
ATIS is 124.05, Tower is 118.7, and ground is 121.7.
From the West
I’m assuming if you are coming from the west you either already know the way or are flying something large enough that I don’t need to give you any hints.
Let’s talk Weather
This time of year we often get morning stratus. Sometimes, although not usually, it lasts into early afternoon. Today (9/11) it was clear from early morning. A week ago it was not clearing off until noon.
If you fly in after noon and plan on departing after noon, you probably will have a nice VFR trip. If your arrival is planned for earlier, keep an eye on the METARS for KAPC to see how it is unfolding. Unfortunately, we do not have TAFs for guidance, I wish we did. TAF’s exist for KOAK, KSTS, and KSUU in the immediate area. On a day with stratus, the KOAK’s TAF might be the best predictor for the time the stratus will clear. The KOAK conditions are similar to KAPC, while KSUU is often clear when we are not, and KSTS can clear earlier or later depending on local conditions.
Several good alternates exist if you have to wait out a few hours. These include Vacaville, Livermore, Concord. If you need someone to come and get you, Concord is best followed by Vacaville. Livermore gets out nearly an hour drive each way.
There is always a chance that we could get early rains. In that event, conditions can vary from acceptable VFR underneath to not much fun IFR, although tougher IFR conditions are usually not an issue until into December through early March. I’ll be watching weather as the weekend approaches and generally, there would be several days warning about IFR conditions other than the coastal stratus.
Parking At KAPC
We are going to be parking on the South Ramp. I’m attaching a pdf file of the airport diagram. The South Ramp is marked and we will be occupying the first few rows of open parking to the west of the shade hangers.
When contacting ground ask to taxi to the South Ramp. They may assume that you know the way, so don’t be shy about asking for specific directions.
Arriving at the South Ramp, you will be a bit of a walk back to Bridgeford Flying Service. That is the likely contact for your rental car. Just cut through the hanger area to the north and you will get there. Don’t carry your bags. Get the car and then get a gate code to drive back out and get your stuff.
If you let me know an expected arrival time, I will try to be there to get you parked, transported and organized. If you want to get fuel prior to parking, the self-serve fuel is on the main ramp to the north of the terminal building. Once you are fueled you can taxi to the south ramp without contacting ground as long as you do not leave the ramp area. If you want to taxi on Alpha, you must talk with them. You can also push the aircraft into adjacent parking and arrange your rental car prior to the taxi to the south ramp too.
I think that single engine parking is $5 per night.
