Preferred Flight Procedures – San Carlos Airport
Help minimize your impact by flying our voluntary noise abatement procedures.
San Carlos Airport
RUNWAY 30 OPERATIONS
Fly straight out, parallel Highway 101 for 2.75 NM. until abeam the Hillsdale Mall (37° 32.72’N 122° 17.32’W). Begin left turn to a southwesterly heading. Remain clear of the SFO Class B Airspace.
Fly straight out until just past the diamond-shaped waterway, then turn right crosswind, follow the Belmont Slough out towards the Bay. Avoid overflying homes on either side of the Belmont Slough. For obstacle avoidance and to avoid inbound traffic, keep KNBR radio tower off to your right.
Fly straight out until just past the diamond-shaped waterway, then turn right downwind. At midfield, turn left towards Coyote Hills. Use caution for aircraft inbound from Coyote Hills.
Fly straight out until just past the diamond-shaped waterway, then turn right downwind. Continue downwind until abeam Woodside Road, then turn right toward southwest.
Aircraft arriving from the west should expect to arrive via overhead the Air Traffic Control Tower at or above 1,200’ MSL and enter the downwind as advised.
Inbound from the east over Coyote Hills, expect to arrive via the Cement Plant (VPWFR).
Inbound from the Northeast, expect to arrive via the KNBR radio tower. Keep KNBR off your right side and enter the downwind as advised. Use caution for aircraft departing SQL via the Oracle Departure ¾ mile north of the KNBR radio tower.
RUNWAY 12 OPERATIONS
All aircraft departing Runway 12 should turn left 20° to a heading of 100° as soon as safe for noise abatement.
Turn left to 100°. Continue upwind until abeam Woodside Road, turn right toward southwest.
Inbound from the east over Coyote Hills, expect to arrive via the Cement Plant (VPWFR).
Inbound from the Northeast, expect to arrive via the KNBR radio tower. Keep KNBR off your right side and enter the downwind as advised. Use caution for aircraft departing SQL via the Oracle Departure ¾ mile north of the KNBR radio tower.
Aircraft arriving from the west should expect to arrive via overhead the Air Traffic Control Tower at or above 1,200’ MSL and enter the downwind as advised.
From the vicinity of Woodside VOR (OSI), proceed towards SLAC (VPSLA). Remain at or above 1,000’ MSL until passing Kaiser Hospital. Expect a straight-in approach to Runway 30 or a left downwind for Runway 12.
ROTORCRAFT OPERATIONS
- Rotorcraft use left traffic Runway 30. TPA 800’ MSL. Delay crosswind turn until reaching TPA. Fly parallel to Highway 101 and remain east of all residential areas.
- PATTERN WORK – VOLUNTARY ADHERENCE REQUESTED
- We ask for your cooperation in not performing touch-and-go or full stop taxi-back operations when the Air Traffic Control Tower is closed.
- For videos depicting these procedures, visit preferred flight procedure videos.
Fly straight out until just past the diamond-shaped waterway. Reduce power/RPM as soon as safe. Delay downwind turn until reaching 800’ MSL.
Turn left to 100° as soon as safe. Turn left crosswind as soon as traffic permits.
We ask for your cooperation in not performing touch and go or full stop taxi-back operations earlier than 8:00 a.m. or later than two (2) hours after sunset.
We ask for your cooperation in not performing touch and go or full stop taxi-back operations earlier than 9:30 a.m. or later than 6:00 p.m.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For a brochure depicting these procedures, visit:
