navoxrcmaairsp

When you review the Los Angeles Sectional chart for this area you will see the close proximity of 4 relatively busy airports. These airports are Camarillo, Oxnard, Point Mugu, and Santa Paula. It is common for pilots to mistake the location of one airport for another. If, for example, you are westbound from the Los Angeles area to OXR you would typically start looking for the airport as you pass Conejo Grade. Use caution though because CMA is directly in line with OXR and about 6 miles before OXR. On the other hand if you are aware that OXR is near the coastline don't mistake NTD for OXR which is ahead and to your left also on the coastline. Don't end up on short final for CMA or NTD while you are talking to OXR Tower. Frequently aircraft inbound to OXR from the west on a Visual Approach see CMA and end up in the wrong traffic pattern. If you are inbound from the east the CMA VOR (115.8) can be very useful in locating CMA and OXR airports. The CMA VOR is located on the north side of the CMA airport itself. If you are inbound to OXR you can cross the CMA VOR above two thousand and proceed outbound from the CMA VOR for about 5 miles on the CMA 247 radial and you will be on short final for Runway 25 at OXR. When flying in this area at night remember that NTD is a military airport and the beacon flashes are different from those at OXR and CMA. Unlike the single white and and single green flash at OXR and CMA, NTD will show a double white flash and a single green flash. (AIM 2-1-8b&c)

For navigation and planning purposes remember that the coastline in this area does not run north and south as the freeway signs might have you believe. The coastline runs more east / west in most cases except between the cities of Ventura and Port Hueneme. It is not until west of SBA at Point Conception where the coastline turns to a more northernly direction. The magnetic bearing from OXR to SBA is approximately 280 degrees, not 360 degrees as you might think. Keep this in mind when you give us your direction or state your heading. Be alert for numerous aircraft enroute to all four airports in the area including high speed military jets around NTD and air carrier aircraft inbound to OXR.

Due to the busy and conflicting flows of traffic in this area it is always a good practice to get advisories from NTD Approach when transitioning this area. At OXR there is a significant problem with pilots failing to report as instructed. One morning out of the first seven aircraft worked not one aircraft reported as instructed. This kind of inattention is extremely dangerous. If we do not know where you are we cannot separate you from other aircraft in the pattern. For those of you on an IFR approach, if you were not told or did not hear an instruction from Approach Control to contact the tower at the Outer Marker or FAF and you are now passing the fix, you need to ask if you can or should contact the tower. At OXR and CMA, like a number of towers, we only get an estimate of when you will be at the FAF. If you do not call we cannot sequence you and there may be a safety problem.

For those of you new to flying in the OXR and CMA area, during the summer months especially, we often get low clouds that will move onshore quickly and unexpectedly. This usually occurs in the late afternoon. Don't get caught out and then be surprised that the airport has gone below basic VFR. OXR and CMA now have ASOS equipment so after we close at night pilots can get an automated broadcast of what the equipment sensors are observing. Use caution however, there is no weather observer to ensure that automated observations are accurate.

While birds are a problem at all airports they are a greater problem here due to the proximity of the ocean.

Misconceptions:
Remember IFR aircraft do not have priority over VFR aircraft in the pattern. (AIM par 5-4-23)

Keep in mind that you do not show up as a "tagged" target on the CMA or OXR BRITE radar when you have been receiving VFR advisories from NTD. The BRITE radars have no secondary radar and therefore no data blocks or alphanumerics whatsoever. This means we don't know where you are or that you are even there at all. This area does not provide class "Charlie" service like some of you are used to in the LA Basin. NTD is not required to "handoff" VFR aircraft inbound to OXR or CMA. NTD advises OXR and CMA of inbound VFR aircraft on a workload permitting basis - and NTD never provides radar handoffs! When you are in Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) you have the full responsibility to see and avoid all traffic.