Flying into KLSV

[alekspeterson]

I've been practicing lately with Flite Advantage's T6 Texan II and have interest in trying some VFR departure/arrivals between military bases within the ZLA. Any advice on departing from KRIV (March Air Reserve Base) and landing at Nellis? Specifically wondering about the Nellis arrival, since the only published VFR transition routes through KLAS Class Bravo I see are for landing at KVGT (North Las Vegas). Since Nellis technically shares the center portion of LAS class bravo, should I just plan on using flyways and/or staying beneath class bravo on the east side until being handed off to Nellis tower and cleared to enter bravo? Is flying VFR into Nellis silly in general? I'm just dipping a toe into instrument training right now so not ready to try any IFR yet. Any thoughts appreciated!

[Keith Smith]

Hi Aleks,

Unlike the civlian bases, we don't have detailed procedures for the military fields in ZLA. We added rudiementary support for LSV almost entirely for beta testing with DCS when they added the NTTR airspace. The VFR arrival experience at LSV on PE might be quite different than IRL, we just don't know. Our knowledge of the types of fields you're after is better in other areas, but those aren't available to the public.

What I'd suggest instead would be to work through the CAT Ratings. Those are well supported and will build a solid foundation for VFR flying in and out of civilian fields.

[alekspeterson]

Thanks Keith. That makes sense. I wouldn't have expected it to mirror any IRL experience with Nellis, but I guess just feels strange flying the T6 between civilian fields. The areas you mention that aren't available to the public...I've seen [them] is that what you're referring to? I'm actually an AF pilot select waiting on my training date, so it's cool to see those guys online.

And yes, love the CAT program. I've gone through 10/11 of the ratings and learned a lot, mostly by making mistakes.

[Keith Smith]

No worries. The T-6 goes to civvy fields a lot on XC's, and at those fields, it's business as usual, just like any other civilian turboprop for the most part. So, it's a good skill to have. Each base has unique procedures for locally-based aircraft. The comms are totally specific to the base. Case in point, local IFR out of one of the fields involves you squawking a code based on your projected wheels up time for that hour rather than ATC assigning it to you.

With all that in mind, if you'd like to try it, feel free, as long as you're ok with the fact that it'll be a generic Class Bravo VFR arrival as opposed to whatever they actually do at LSV. Just as well, because if we DID have that data, and we used it, then you'd be lost unless you had the pubs as well

[alekspeterson]

Interesting. Yeah, maybe I'll give it a shot just for the generic bravo experience, if nothing else just to suit my fancy Thanks for the help!