Beyond Proficient: Flying to Catalina Island 

In 1969 and 70 I was in the US Army flying out of Crissy Army Airfield at the Presidio of San Francisco. We flew up and down the coast of California all the time, in U-8 twin-engine Beechcraft, U-1A single-engine Otters and helicopters. But in doing so, we never flew over to Catalina Island. I wanted to, but we couldn't get our Commanding Officer to authorize the side trip. Thanks for sharing this great video...

Catalina is definitely a good place to train new pilots. But for any pilot training in Southern California, be sure to add Big Bear (L35) for the mountain flying experience, and Fallbrook (L18) for the shorter (2000 foot) runway experience to truly reinforce good habits.

Why did you guys stop doing the accident case studies? There was a lot of information in those. Could you please start those up again

Takes guts to post this as a CFI because everyone is going to nit-pick it to death. I give props for climbing to 6,500 for safety even though it's such a short flight from TOA. I see lots of people crossing at 2,000. Not too smart! Hopefully Soyla can make it from FA to FO at Delta. That would be a great story.

... and the video taught me what is a P-VASI ! Thank you !

Congrats Solya, just awesome to see, you will be a great Captain. Also kudos to the instructor. As a student at Burbank airport in the 1990s, I did this exact same flight with my instructor, mostly as a break from the training so we could learn and do something fun. So cool to see others doing this. Now after all these years flying, I still look back on trips to Catalina and realize it really is like no other place I have flown. One thing not mentioned is that there is a high spot in the runway is in the middle, which really makes it look like you are running out of runway before you get airborne. You can see it in the video.

As a CFI teaching out of KRAL, KAVX was one of my favorite destinations for dual x/c with student pilots (who were generally rewarded with a buffalo burger during our brief stopover.) Number two on the list of outstanding SoCal teaching destinations was Big Bear (L35) for the density altitude experience (and, sometimes, brunch.)

Wow! This brings back some memories. I attended Catalina Island School in 71 - 72. I usually flew over on the seaplanes that landed in Avalon harbor, but did land once at the airport in this video. I'd love to try now as a student pilot. Great job, ladies! Thanks for the video.

Tricky approach - and an even more challenging departure with the sun in your face, and knowing there’s a cliff waiting for you somewhere beyond the glare. Shoutout to the producer on his/her crouching skills to stay out of the shot. ;-)

So nice to watch an inspiring aviation video … I always watch analysis vids after things go wrong! Thank God for competent instructors like this young lady. Beautiful landing BTW

I received initial training here in SoCal at 4 FBO's and at least a dozen instructors. Health, working full time and financial issues set me back and I never got my ticket but I sure had a great time learning and seeing the country side. Now retired maybe it's time to rekindle the fire. I always appreciated AOPA and ASI's influence. It's good to see the discussions that developed here as it can only be for the betterment of all, instructors and students alike.

Awesome video! This is great instruction for those who are considering flying to Catalina. I own N660SP aka "Captain America". I'm so glad you all used my plane. I've made the trip to Catalina a lot. Now I'll show new passengers this video before they go.

Love Catalina, had no idea how tricky it was to fly there. Awesome video!

I've flown to Catalina at least 75 times over the past 2 years. People try to make it hard due to the airport altitude of 1600 feet and having to fly 30 minutes over water to get there. I'll clue you in, if you have your basic radio communication skills down and you can fly the plane strait and level, you will have no problems. In my opinion Alicia makes it seem much harder than it actually is! That's a good thing. I'd rather have a CFI that makes you think and plan for the unexpected than one that is looking at their phone while the student is flying the airplane. Attention to detail will save your life and maybe someone else as well. I like this video, pilot training is always a challenge. Good work.

Great landing! Wish my instruction included a trip to Catalina. Nice to see women in the aviation industry as well. Good luck with your future flying.

I love her story. Sometimes in life what you should do is right in front of you yet you can’t see it until someone points it out.

You can't overemphasize the power of distractions. Good job !

Thank y'all for posting this video.

Amazing idea for a series! Real people telling their love story with aviation. All the best with flight training, Soyla; it is so worth it! Even after PPL, I still take a CFI for some of my more adventurous destination flying before taking friends or family - great confidence builder. P.s That Skyhawk is the perfect bird...modern, but with steam gauges.

flew over just after HS in a Grumman Goose piloted by our family friend only 22 at the time. when he was in grade 7 he told all of us he was going to be a pilot. his grades weren't that great, but his DESIRE trumped so many of his barriers. when we dropped over the airfield he was "reading" the waving windy grassed and taking in all kinds of information. my respect for him went way, way up after that ride. 1972

Many years ago I was a passenger in a small aircraft that landed on that runway. Possibly 40 years ago. I understand the runway was recently rebuilt. Great video...

New concrete runway looks great! It was a much needed improvement over the old asphalt surface.

Great vid! Got to fly there once in the 90's. Right seat passenger. Out of Montgomery field, San Diego. Piper Archer. Closest thing to a carrier landing as I'll ever get. Cheers!

I've always been kind of indifferent about instructors but this time I have to say I am so impressed! At first I thought she needed to be quiet and let her student fly but as they neared final I became so trusting if her voice. I don't know if I said that right but what an amazing instructor! Very impressed with the student as well, It is very good to see the women in aviation especially a Mexican American, I bet there are so few! Great job ladies!

2:57 3rd passenger in form of an Ant makes a cameo

Man I miss the old pot hole ridden asphalt....not. One of my favorite get away airports.

please keep doing accident case studies

I enjoyed a number of flights there in C-172s and C-152s from Fallbrook Airpark. I enjoyed the "drop off" on the ocean side of the island. I took quite a number of my friends there, including my future wife.

"you really have to fight off the distractions that can occur in a beautiful place like this" *takes out iPhone and reaches across the sightline of pilot flying to take pictures*

Excellent video as always, if you are an aviator or just like aviation you should definitely check all Air Safety Institute Videos... you won’t regret, not even one.

Love the tail cam placement.

Love it !! great video and safety tips

Ow Nice to see the runway has been rebuilt ! Some time ago we had to land on the left side of rwy22 to avoid the holes

This instructor is coaching the student quite a bit, for a check ride ready student there should be more autonomy. The student should be able to join the circuit.

Great video, and great series. I agree with Craig Morton - it's pretty brave to post a training video. The two comments I have (in the spirit of adding more value to those watching this for instructional purposes) are: 1) When I've flown into plateau runways (Catalina, Sedona, the old St. George airport, etc., - I've flown into each and have more than 1700 hours in my 182) I always chose 20 degrees of flaps so that I'm still getting more lift than drag in the event of a downdraft on short final. And choosing to land long on 3,000' of runway is a good decision at AVX and others where length is not too much of an issue. I will say that landing a little long can be scary at Catalina because of the dome effect there and no being able to see the end of the runway. 2) More in response to some of the comments below, carrying a PFD is absolutely a safety issue, but also a legal one (as the IP points out in this flight.) I've flown into Catalina twice. The first time was just a scenic flight from San Diego with some friends. The second time was to run the Catalina marathon, which starts in Two Harbors and ends in Avalon. On that second trip, we were leaving the next morning and had the opportunity to take off in the midst of a marine layer. The first and only zero-zero takeoff I've ever done. Of course, with the marine layer, I was out of it at about 200' AGL. Again, great video. Thanks for sharing your flight.

Seeing the video of the approach is really helpful; I’ve been told by many pilots about the skidmarks at the midpoint on the runway because pilots think they’re at the end of the runway, even though there’s another 2000 feet over the crest, and that was very obvious in this video. Since I haven’t flown there but it’s on my list, this is very helpful. Thanks!

Flown in-to AVX many times in the late 80s and 90s. Always a fun experience. Now - try-out Big Bear! High altitude.

Great video. I have heard that the take off/landing at Catalina is 'interesting'. Great fun to see it from the pilots view. Love the scenic shots of the island as well, picked a perfect day for it!

Here in the Philippines I fly with a life vest on as PIC. My longest leg was 5.5hrs over nothing but water in a C172M GS was 48kts. Missionary pilot life

Wonderful flight. Great views. Nice informational video. And some talented pilots. I'm not in aviation so even a learner is talented to me.

Amazing haha, i'll fly there one day, it seems so nice

Very cool video. Thanks

Keep em coming

Great video. Loved it. Loved the Instructors demeanor!

Great video, and really good instruction. Really enjoyed it!

Not knocking on the video, but here is a thought: probably best to wear any life vest if possible. Definitely the inflatable kind. They are in a fixed gear, if they had to ditch they likely will flip. Would be very difficult to retrieve any safety device if you flipped and are flooding. Granted some vests would make it difficult to adjust controls, but inflatable vests would work. Just a thought.

I do a box climb to 3000 ft above Torrance before heading out over the water so I ensure I can glide back to land. I also file a flight plan AND use flight following. I carry a waterproof PLB. And recently I bought a flare gun.

Well done! I'm going to do this in a few years. 👍

I got my license in 1970 at Rose Aviation at Hawthorne. Always wanted to go to Catalina. Rose said we needed a check out with a instructor before you could fly there. Before I got a chance to get checked out, a commercial pilot rented her Arrow and headed to Catalina. They said that the engine blew mid channel and barely made it back. From then on Rose said the only way you could go to Catalina was with a instructor(all times) and you had to go high enough that you were within gliding distance of land. She said around 9,000' minimum .

Wow they did a wonderful job repaving the runway

Zamperini Field is home to the Western Museum of Flight, worth a visit to see the YF17 (Hornet prototype) and YF23 and other Northrop Grumman history. :)

great video! doing instruction at kcma so this is very interesting!

Great! I hope I'll get to fly there someday.

How did you record such crystal clear audio over the intercom!?

Very nice!!! I wish I could learn to fly someday!!!

Very nice video. Keep up the good work and come join us in the flight decks of the airlines. I would consider having the life vests on, over water. Thank you for the very enjoyable video.

This was fun. Thanks Soyla! Im glad you took a camera crew and shared your flight. Do you have your own youtube channel?

Great video!

5:06 totally agree with you

I tried to land here, did 3 missed, the uncontrolled radioed us and told us to go home. But this video shows a LOT more runway than there was back in the 1970s when I tried to land.

well done girls TOP GUN NEXT amazing landings

TRAINING ROCKS !

I work right next to Torrance airport and I see this plane everyday. I always called it the Texas Flag plane

Interesting approach. We used to do 22 straight in from KFUL depending upon winds. ... Ah, got the explanation at 6:31. And beware the hump!

nice video! excellent instruction and impressive student....but did you have the buffalo burgers at the airport - they're really good :)

Just curious, you stated floatation devices were required for that flight. I know it’s a good idea but why is it required? It’s less than 50 miles and less than 30 minutes. I’m always trying to learn so I thought I’d ask. Thanks.

Speaking of life jackets, it is important to remember to inflate it ONLY AFTER you get out of the aircraft should you have to use it. It would trap you in the aircraft especially once it starts taking on water....

I really like the camera angle on the tailplane. Could you talk about mount/camera you used, as well as the aerodynamic effects it would have mounted where it was? Any concerns with it coming loose and damaging the elevator?

Great video

future pilots in the making. you got to start somewhere. and quit doing should of would of could of. before life passes you by. follow you dreams. many happy flights in your future.

I've only been to Catalina twice and never flown in which is a big dream of mine. I grew up near Hawthorne just blocks away dreaming of flying. My High school Principal (Hawthorne high...retired in 1980) flew out of Torrance and was a Marine fighter pilot instructor there during WW2 and I love visiting Torrance airport. Oh how I wished I could be a pilot even though I have a 28% loss of hearing. Now I'm living in Oregon and flying around here seems more possible but I just don't have the funds to make it happen. Most I got was 24 hrs on tayorcraft and Cessna 150. Some day I'll return to Catalina in a airplane. Might be in a ultralight though which will better suit me with my handicap. Great video...wouldn't mind having the instructor teach me flying as well.

When I got my type rating in a DC-3, I had to shoot a landing at Catalina. My instructor wouldn't have it any other way.

The student pilot is a natural, it seems.

Ladies and gentlemen, Get your conservancy membership and land your heart away!!👍🤙

Anyone know a good spot nearby to get checked out and rent a C172 / 150?

Great job, Alicia and the AOPA ASI team! I thoroughly enjoyed it, especially after seeing all the Catalina Island pics. :D

Great video! Just wonder if a short field takeoff would be a good idea at this airport since there's this bending runway.

Great video! Been to Catalina Island many times and it's always fun when I get a chance to get out there. Seeing the new improved runway tho reminds me that I haven't been out there in awhile...I need to fix that soon! Great job!

i would not be able to resist the temptation to do a low transition down the runway, then dive along the moutainside. that would be so much fun.

It blows my mind how freaked out people get about landing and taking off Catalina. It’s windy, fly the airplane, up draft or down draft, fly the airplane. This instructor hardly knows more then the student. And why did she take the controls from her student after landing?????? Crap, let her taxi up there, how is she going to learn? In all reality the only skill it takes is no different then any other runway with asphalt, do a steep approach, get your speed down and put your tires down at the end of the approach end of the runway. Not complicated. One more thing, these newer asphalt jockey younger instructors have a thing for flying long 747 patterns and finals. While in the pattern, were they close enough to glide to the runway if they lost power? It didn’t seem so. Scary Catalina.

As a passenger, have gone to Catalina. Nice burger place at the rinway

No flaps for take off?

Great stuff! Looking forward to more from this series

Why would you not rely on the P-VASI glide slope light as was said ?

Let’s not forget about the 99s

“The fuckin Catalina wine mixer!”-Derek Huff.

Was the take off up hill, up the slope of the runway? We were taught to not take off up hill and only down hill.

WTG Soyla Flor!

there was quite a bit of unused runway behind during the approach...

Are the flotation devices required? §91.509 requires flotation devices for distances of 50 nm or greater only for Large and multi-engine turbine aircraft, from what I found in the FARs. Is there another section that states the requirement for small piston engines? I'm thinking of going to KAVX, myself, and I want to make sure I'm in compliance.

Why are they not wearing their life vests? If they lose an engine pilot would need to aviate no time to fiddle w vests.

Alicia, when my airline gave increased attention to stabilized approaches in the 1990’s, they gave us a list of trigger words that were suppose to get our attention. One was ‘looking good.’ Sure enough I realized, we only said that on marginal approaches. Lol

“The Fking Catalina Wine Mixer!”

Is this a boxcar instead of a cockpit ?

I really like the way they communicate to each other.

Very cool video. Nice to see such detailed and fun instruction. Question about the landing: why exchange controls on the rollout? As a Tailwheel pilot, that is the most critical time when landing. Just curious. Thanks!

For my 16th birthday I flew with my mom's friend to Catalina spent the rest of the day at Disneyland. Good Times😊

Shouldn't they be wearing the PFD's?

Why do you not have life vests on? Enough to be doing if you have an engine failure than faffing about trying to put one on.

She’s beautiful 😍