Coast-to-Coast in the Mooney M20J

Leg 17 - 10/10/2021 - Catalina Island, CA (KAVX) to Las Vegas, NV (KVGT)

Leg Stats

• Time Enroute: 2.2 hrs
• Distance (direct): 231nm
• Distance (actual): 275nm
• Fuel Used: 27.3 gal

Las Vegas was expected to be an easy convenience stop. Convenience because it positioned us well for a further flight to Sedona, and also because it's a big city with lots of hotel options. Well, turns out I did not realize NBAA was going on at KHND that entire week, so of course KHND was NOTAM'd Closed except PPR. Oops. I couldn't get a hold of anyone at VGT the night before, so made a reservation at LAS with Atlantic (preparing to pay the alllll the feeeeees), but even they told us ATC sometimes decides LAS hits "capacity" for GA and just shuts the airport to GA arrivals unpredictably. They were nice enough about it, but said no guarantees we're getting in. Anyway, called VGT from Catalina and they told us they have a little room left and would get us in. So I canceled the LAS reservation and we made an easy VFR flight to VGT. LAS ATC vectored us very very uncomfortably close to the mountains west of Vegas, and it was a pretty crazy pattern entry to VGT with a runway switch at the last minute. VGT is busy as hell, and they parked us waaaaay on the far side of the airport, but we got in. We spent 2 nights in Vegas at the Flamingo and ran into our friend Rich, who happened to be attending NBAA. A hell of a windstorm/cold front came through the first night, but fortunately my airplane was chained down tight. I understand it did some damage, though. Katherine and I were walking back from the Aria (from dinner) to the Flamingo as it started coming through. A windstorm in Vegas is a scary thing at night, low visibility and howling winds (with lots of sand).

Trip Leg Navigation