San Francisco Bay Tour Photos

[JaceTheAce]

I know it's been awhile since I've done this flight but I figured I'd post them anyway. Last January AngelFuree, my Dad, and I took a Cessna 172 to do the San Francisco Bay Tour. We had a great lunch at Half Moon Bay Brewing Company. We flew over the Golden Gate Bridge 3 times.

Bay Bridge and Treasure Island:


San Francisco:


Alcatraz:




Flying over the Golden Gate Bridge:






Looking north up HWY 101:

[JaceTheAce]

Looking South:


Golden Gate Park... I didn't realize how large it was:




Right downwind for RWY 30, looking west towards the Pacific Ocean:


Half Moon Bay:


Isn't California beautiful?

[JaceTheAce]

Partial remains of Crissy Field...an old Army Airfield. San Francisco's first airport:




Bay Bridge:




Sunset with Golden Gate Bridge in the distance:




Part of Sacramento at night:

[SkyCougar]

Those are stunning photos Jace! Thanks for sharing!

I never get tired of the sunsets and sunrises over the bay. I love it here.

[EineBeBoP]

Beautiful, man.

Where did you depart from originally? And how hard is it to fly around getting views like that? All the class B is above you there?

[bLizZuE]

nice photos

[MusketeerMan]

Nice pics!! I did that same route twice in the past few months..starting at KSAC and eating at KHAF. The first time we were cleared through the Bravo, the 2nd time they denied us, so we stayed below. A GPS def. comes in handy on that flight! It's neat now to see the progress of the new Bay Bridge.

[JaceTheAce]

Originally Posted by EineBeBoP

Beautiful, man.

Where did you depart from originally? And how hard is it to fly around getting views like that? All the class B is above you there?

I departed out of Cameron Park, CA (O61). It was very easy actually - you don't even need to enter Class B, just stay under it.

[JaceTheAce]

Originally Posted by MusketeerMan

Nice pics!! I did that same route twice in the past few months..starting at KSAC and eating at KHAF. The first time we were cleared through the Bravo, the 2nd time they denied us, so we stayed below. A GPS def. comes in handy on that flight! It's neat now to see the progress of the new Bay Bridge.

Oh yes, the GPS really helped us to determine the Class B dimensions as the SF one changes quite a bit.

[aerospacepilot]

I come from San Carlos so I pretty much either need to get a Bravo clearence, fly over the ocean below 1,500ft , or take the long way around over Oakland.

I have done that flight probably 5 times in the last year, and every time I have been cleared through the Bravo. I have never heard of anyone getting denied. On a day when the winds at SFO are less than 20kts, and they are departing off the 1's and landing on the 28's (most of the year), it is no big deal to let VFR transition north/south. You just have to stay west of highway 101. The SF tower controllers have been awesome!

Oh, and I don't use a GPS. You just need the VFR terminal chart and a DME. Whenever you would want to do the bay tour, the weather is usually clear enough that you can see for tens of miles. You just need a little situational awareness (like crossing this highway or this bridge below this altitude to stay out of Bravo)

[MusketeerMan]

Originally Posted by aerospacepilot

I have done that flight probably 5 times in the last year, and every time I have been cleared through the Bravo. I have never heard of anyone getting denied. On a day when the winds at SFO are less than 20kts, and they are departing off the 1's and landing on the 28's (most of the year), it is no big deal to let VFR transition north/south.

You have now!! I was denied the last time I requested to transition through. The winds at KHAF were 310 @ 22G32...so, that my have played a factor!!

[aerospacepilot]

Coming from Stockton to Half Moon Bay is a little tougher.
When I fly Stockton to San Carlos, I stay below the bravo. It is a tough area because even when you are below the bravo, you are crossing over San Carlos, Hayward, and right through the Oakland final approach. The first time I had a DC-10 zoom by me while I was in that airspace convinced me to get flight following whenever I cut east/west from SQL to sunol. Going SQL-SCK, I have never gotten a Bravo clearence because it is bad enough they have to keep the Oakland traffic at 4,000 for us. If you go into the bravo, not only are you really conflicting with Oakland traffic, but now you are in the SF traffic on the Modesto 2 arrival. Stay below the bravo when you want to fly SCK-HAF.

The reason I brought up the 20kt wind thing was because of SF traffic flow. For me, coming from San Carlos to downtown SF, I fly along 101, then cross over the 28's on the way to downtown SF. It is not a big deal because traffic usually departs the 1's and lands on the 28's. When wind is over 20kts (happens a lot in summer, during the afternoon when the fog rolls in), they have to depart and land ALL traffic on the 28's. So crossing the 28's becomes critical, and sometimes they will not let VFR traffic transition north/south.

Did I clear that up? I guess what I meant to say is I have never heard of anyone getting denied a north/south transition through SFO. In your case, you were transitioning east/west right throught the final approach for SFO and OAK. To be honest, that is the exact opposite. I rarely hear of anyone getting that clearence. It is all about traffic flow. Controllers will let you in the bravo if it makes sense (keeping VFR and IFR airlines separated).

[SkyCougar]

Hey you Silicon Valley geek - read your PM's!

[caliginousface]

WTF! So another JCer comes to the bay area but doesn't tell anyone. WHATEVER.


KHAF is my lover.

[TheAlchemist]

Nisssss pics

[jordan747_400]

Great pictures! I would love to do that flight eventually!

[SierraPilot123]

Great photos!!! Thanks for sharing.

One note. The photo you have of as "the old crissy field airfield" is actually "Marina Green". It is a recreational area, where we play soccer, flag football, etc. I great place to hang out on the weekends. It is located a bit east of the old air field.

The old Crissy Field airfield is further West next to the Golden Gate. It is still a large field for events. Here is where it is located. It looks pretty much the same today, except it is nice green grass.