Had a spare day to go flying when on a business trip to Las Vegas. Not been there before. As with most places in the US, plenty of options to choose from. Being in the middle of the desert, there’s a few amazing attractions within reach (Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam etc.) but not a lot else. So ideal for a short trip rather than a long flying holiday there.
How else would you know where you were without a (smaller) Eiffel Tower to navigate by?
And the indoor canal/plaza at the Venetian is quite something (upstairs, 2nd floor, entirely inside including the false sky)
Overlooking Boulder City airport and Lake Mead (to east of Las Vegas)
Hoover Dam from the air
The strip (Main McCarron airport is really close by on top left of photo). Bellagio fountains in semi-circular lake/pond in the middle of the shot – really spectacular from the ground.
Longer trip writeup on my blog
Thanks. I read the longer and enjoyed it. Just one minor point: there is no such thing as diffierences training in the FAA system, and unless the instructor happens to also be an EASA FI, he can’t sign off an (EASA) differences training for you. But I guess you merely intended an informal “familiarisation” with a type that was new to you.
What were the prices like for both aircraft and instructor?
Nice reading! I almost did the same thing in April.
Did my IFP test at Cactus aviation but never had the time to do any informal “IFR diffierences training”, which i would like to do before any IFR flying over there. I know there no such thing, but i would prefer doing some IFR hours in the FAA system with an instructor before going solo (will do it next time).
My main goal was a VFR trip to Grand Canyon West via Hoover Dam. Unfortunately they did not have any airplanes available but i found a PA32 at http://www.monarchsky.com instead. Still i think it is pretty good prices if you fly longer distances, but not short ones because of the Hobbs system. Payed $170 to Avemco for insurance in total (After refund if cancelled within 6 months).
Comparing prices with the air tours available from Vegas to Grand Canyon, my trip was competitive :)
Jonas
The Cactus website is a bit out of date and doesn’t include prices anymore. The school has a new owner, new staff and has merged with the helicopter school (Helios). The fleet is expanding (maybe 8-10 and now includes an Arrow, Warrior, Cessna etc.) and quite a few new instructors. I don’t have their list to hand but prices were in the order of $150/hour (Hobbs) for the aircraft and $55/hour for the instructors (Hobbs time plus 30 mins). There was also an Elite desktop simulator (ATD) priced at $99/hour including CFII.
Perhaps my use of the term differences training was a slightly inappropriate. I don’t believe the EASA system mandates any formal differences training or sign off to fly a different type of SEP aircraft – I am legal to fly any non-tailwheel, non pressurised, non high performance type (I have variable prop, retractable differences sign off but not tailwheel) as long as an insurance company agrees. But it makes good sense to have some guidance and familiarisation when trying out something new. I’ve flown C172s a few times now, and felt that being approved to rent it solo (i.e. passing the school’s own checkride) was a good sign.
Comparing prices with the air tours available from Vegas to Grand Canyon, my trip was competitive :)
Helicopter tour from Las Vegas is advertised at $349 + $49 per person. Or double if you weigh over 300lbs because you have to buy two seats ;)
But only about $200 if you drove out to the Canyon airport first.
Given that it’s about an hour each way flight time in a fixed wing, I think you could justify that. You just wouldn’t be able to fly into the Canyon itself. Given the choice, I preferred to make a couple of shorter local flights as you saw.
You just wouldn’t be able to fly into the Canyon itself.
Nor are the tour operators, at least not legally. Only exception is flying into/out of Marble Canyon airport (L41).
PS: Had to try out the new drag-and-drop image feature. Here’s one crossing the Canyon at the Zuni corridor.PPS: which doesn’t seem to work……
I flew there in 2008 when I followed the G1000 training at WestAir.
I liked the aviation museum at the Grand Canyon Intl with the Eisenhower’s Constellation in front of it. You do not pay anything if you arrive by air.
(wehoo, drag and drop worked :) )
OK, so let’s try this again:
Wooohooooo – it works! Anyway, that’s the Grand Canyon seen from the Zuni corridor.
