IFR holding in VFR Phoenix

[garf12]

Seems like LAS is the worst. Almost everytime I go in there (riding in the back) we hold for like 30 minutes. Then have a line of about an hour to take off. That place is a freaking mad house.

 

[AZaviator]

Do you fly the white ones with the blue stripe? If so, can't you cancel and go in VFR, or is that only allowed in the lances?

If you cancel your IFR and go VFR, you will still have to hold. In most cases, you will have to hold even longer while the IFR traffic thins out a bit. Believe me, I've tried it!

 

[flyinloki]

Yah PHX tracon kinda blows. I was there once 2 years ago in June. Attempted to get an IFR clearance 2 days in a row out of Deer Valley (DVT) perfect sunny VFR day but I was trying to get my student experience. We were on a IFR cross-country from Carabondale, IL. Well we sat on the ground at DVT for almost 40 minutes!! THis is a gorgeous day. Chicago ATC doesn't have this problem and I don't think new york does either and they are a hell of alot busier than PHX. Don't really get it. Any other airport and your out in like 5 minutes tops. But phoneix tracon makes you wait for 40 minutes to get out of a freakin Towered airport which that is what DVT IS!! My god. What a pain in the arse.

 

[TDTURBO]

This is the first thread I saw, I just returned from SDL an hour ago from Chicago, I went in IFR last week and all I have to say is, I am GLAD I LIVE IN CHICAGO!

If there is a hell on earth, it is Phoenix, it is a horrible God Forsaken cesspool of heat, ATC incompetence, overpriced everything. I will never understand why people would purposely move to, what should be, a nuclear test site.

I am too tired from the 8.5 hr trip back but I will be glad to go into more detail tomorrow.

I have to go to SDL regularly for business, so I don't have a choice, I would take snow anyday over 118 degree, no green, cactus everywhere, hideous traffic, cameras that automatically send you a ticket at various intersections, undrinkable water, and on and on and on. Time for bed, sorry if anybody got offended but that place is just wrong.

 

[Wiggums]

I think you guys are a little hard on the Phoenix TRACON. Phoenix only has one airport served by the airlines. Phoenix is also the 6th largest city in US. All the cites larger then Phoenix excluding Philly have multiple airports. In fact, PHX used to be the busiest two runway airport in the nation until the third runway was built. Now what they really need is a fourth runway.

The problem with DVT/SDL is that there are some pretty good mountians between the TRACON's radar site and the two northern airports. TRACON cannot see you until you climb above 3500' MSL. To make matters worse, without good radar coverage the airports are so close together that only one departure can be released from either airport at a time. To top it off DVT is the third busiest GA airport in the nation. Westbound IFR departures off DVT are even more screwed because you need a release from both the Phoenix Approach and Luke Approach before departing.

Phoenix TRACON and the tower controls at SDL/DVT do a great job with what they have. My advice, take advantage of the great weather and depart VFR. Use the opportunity to learn about composite flight plans.

 

[pilatus96]

WELL I'M GLAD I LIVE IN PHOENIX. Actually <10 min from SDL. I don't love the heat but I'll take it anyday over the cold. And yeah, the photo radar sucks.

 

[Wiggums]

no green

Hey, that's not true. At Sky Harbor they paint the concrete between the taxiways green so you know where to not taxi.

 

[Wiggums]

And yeah, the photo radar sucks.

Take your photo radar tickets and throw them away. Under Arizona law they cannot serve you via first class mail.

 

[sqwkvfr]

WELL I'M GLAD I LIVE IN PHOENIX. Actually <10 min from SDL. I don't love the heat but I'll take it anyday over the cold. And yeah, the photo radar sucks.

AMEH, Brother! I dig the heat...I've NEVER had to shovel my way from my front door to my driveway just so I can get to my freaking car at 0500.

I spent 28 years on the frozen tundra of South Dakota, and I've got a lot of catching up to do, heat-wise...so I'll take it.

Evidently we're not the only ones that like it...I live in Chandler and it's growing by 1000 people every month and the valley is consistantly one of the top two fastest-growing major metropolitan areas in the country.

 

[sqwkvfr]

If you cancel your IFR and go VFR, you will still have to hold. In most cases, you will have to hold even longer while the IFR traffic thins out a bit. Believe me, I've tried it!

Yeah, I figured you would have, I just didn't know if it was allowed.

I've got a buddy moving up in that company and he's told me that he's gone VFR into (I think it was) Kingman, but he was in the Lance at the time.