rickair7777

Got to tell yourself something to rationalize the heat, humidity, and skeeters.

Actually I like parts of FL a lot, just like the climate in the west better, and I'd miss the mountains.

tommy2times

I lived in Compton when I was freelancing at KCPM. Close to LAX and family oriented neighborhood.

jpmizzou

+1 for San Diego Mission Bay Area. Look at Bay Park/Bay Ho neighborhoods just across I-5 from Pacific Beach. Can still find ocean views and only a short drive to Downtown, beaches, shopping areas. Public transportation access now too with the new trolly line running through the neighborhood. We’ve had our house there for 8 years and the neighborhood is definitely trending younger with more families moving in.

I’m curious if anyone from the group makes the commute to LAX from further north in the Santa Barbara/central coast area. I was just stationed up there at Vandenberg SFB before moving back to San Diego for my last tour in the Navy. Wife and I are debating on staying in SD or moving back north to the Santa Ynez/Solvang/Buellton area just over the mountains from Santa Barbara. Love our San Diego neighborhood, just debating if we want more of the small town country life for the kids to grow up in with the amenities of coastal California still available.

I’ve timed both drives for LAX and it seems to be 2:15 to 2:30 from the area up north and 1:45-2:00 from the house in San Diego with minimal to moderate traffic. Heavy traffic would add probably 1-1.5 hours to each I’m guessing. House in SD has bonus of being 10 minutes from the SAN airport.

rickair7777

I lived there back in the mil days, it's often overlooked but a nice low-key area.

To be safe during rush hour you'd need 4+ hours. The new freeway lanes in North County and also north of the OC will probably help that but we'll have to wait and see, however long that will be.

Also some crazy weekend traffic where you'd least expect it.

Skylarking

I drive from SD near downtown to LAX. Takes 2 hrs from my house to South parking lot for night departures and 2 1/2 hrs during rush hour. Need to plan another 30 min to take the shuttle to the terminal. I leave the house 3 hrs before report time if rush hour traffic is no factor or 4 hrs if traffic applies.
Also, consider reserve rules at your airline. I fly for AA which has no hard call out so I can sit SC and not sweat it. Lots of SD based AA pilots do the same. Not sure if other airlines would allow you to do this. If you live north of LA and have to cover ONT/SNA/SAN the drive could be tough. This is also an AA thing but does not apply with many other airlines.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

nene

I once had an emergent need to leave SD at 3pm to go to Oxnard (170 miles through LA). It took me over 8hrs and I never stopped (other than traffic) once. I literally could've walked up portions of 405 faster for miles. Oh, and I never once saw an "accident" save for the random car along the side of the freeways that had either broken down or run out of gas.

Gilligan13

I thought AA had a SAN base?

Skylarking

No SAN base per se, but SAN is one of the satellite bases for AA 73 pilots. If you’re a 73 line holder you can bid for SAN trips (they are hard to get for the first year or so). If you’re on 73 reserve you can be called out to cover SAN.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

rickair7777

If you live say North of LAX would you then have to drive to SAN? Or can you report to LAX?

Skylarking

For AA it could be either. 73 pilots cover LAX, SNA, and SAN. There are a tiny number of ONT trips too, I believe.

Bus pilots cover LAX, ONT, and a tiny number of SNA trips. No SAN trips for the bus.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk