Traveled with Tim to Ontario, Southern California for his freshmen orientation at UCI.
Decided to use Cable airport in Upland since it's the nearest GA airport in Ontario. Unlike the larger Ontario International Airport,
Cable has
cheaper overnight parking fee ($5) and fuel prices, not as busy, and known to be GA friendly. The Enterprise rental office
was just a mile away from the airport and picked us up from the airport.
The flight from Napa to Cable took 3 hours with the Piper Archer II. Weather was
clear VFR; crossed Gorman at 9,500'.
The airport is sandwiched between high terrain to the north, and the Ontario and Brackett airspaces to the south.
I called the airport before the flight and was advised that the typical wind favors landing from left downwind runway 24,
and preferred approach is by following the foothills to the north of the airport (without hitting Mt. Baldy) then turn south
crossing midfield, then turn left downwind runway 24 (without entering the Ontario airspace). And that's how I approached Cable.
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The overnight parking was about 300' west of the terminal; for transient day only parking, the parking area was in front of the restaurant. |
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The overnight parking area slopes. In addition to the chain tie downs, they provided wheel choke. |
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Cable tetrahedron in front to terminal building; typical landing favors left downwind runway 24; below the tetrahedron were signs directing where to parks. |
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The Cable terminal building. |
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The General Store. When I went in to check it out, they were playing classic nostalgic music. They were selling some aviation supplies, clothing,snack items and classic aviation themed paintings. |
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Foothills Aircraft Sales; didn't get a chance to checkout the inventory. |
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Manic Mike Cafe |
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Cable is non-towered airport; so, this is not a control tower. Below is an observation lounge. |
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Other view of the terminal building. |
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A very important feature in any GA airport after a long cross country --- clean, accessible restrooms; located next to the outside vehicle parking lot. |
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Note that the office is not in the terminal building but next the the Foothill Aircraft Sales building. Above is the pathway to the airport office; this is where you pay the overnight parking fee. |
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Maniac Mike's outside patio seating seemed popular with their guests when the weather is nice. |
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Inside Maniac Mike --- classic aviation themed. |
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Food, service and prices were good --- no complaints. |
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On the flight back at 8,500' above Hwy. 210 overlooking the very flat LA basin on the left... |
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... and the threatening San Gabriel Mountains to the right. |
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Overlooking Pyramid Lake along Hwy. 5. |
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Approaching the Carquinez Strait and starting descend to Napa. |