Tips for Flying at Reid Hillview

Many times pilots unfamilliar with operations at Reid Hillview have the opportunity to participate in SAR/SAREX and DR operations at the airport. Here are some do's and dont's about flying at Reid Hillview, some of them are common sense but ...

1. There are both tower abd ground control frequencies in use at all times that the control tower is open: generally 7 AM to 10 PM daily. You must use both in order to operate at this field. Ground is 121.65 and tower is 119.8 for runway 31R/13L and 126.1 for runway 31L/13R. ATIS is 125.2.
2. When getting ready to depart your parking space, you MUST receive ground control permission BEFOREbeginning your taxi: All areas outside the parking spots are movement areas controlled by the tower.
3. If you are departing toward the SW, West, NW, or North, you are going to encounter San Jose Class 'C' airspace. This said, you are going to have to establish radio contac with either SJC tower or Bay Approach for permission to go in those directions. The easiest way to facilitate this is to inform the RHV tower of your intentions and they will get you a squawk code and pass you off to SJC or Bay at the appropriate time.
4. If you are making a downwind departure off of 31L, you have a fairly narrow space between RHV and SJC: the 101 freeway is the boundry. Do not cross that freeway without permission to enter San Jose's class 'C' airspace.
5. If you are departing straight out from either 31 runways, you will need to avoid the school which is just across the airport boundry: off 31L turn slightly left, and off 31R turn slightly right. Also note that SJC class 'C' airspace begins at the freeway to you front taking off on either 31 runways.
6. Unless instructed otherwise by the tower, exit the reunway at the first available taxiway and taxi past the hold bars. If you stop short of the hold bars the entire aircraft is inside the runway environment and the tower can not allow arrivals or departure. The airfield is fairly tight as far as closeness of taxiways and runways and it is VERY easy to have your tail still in the runway environment when you exit the runway and contact ground. Most likely to be clear of the runway you will have to taxi well into taxiway 2.
7. The transient parking area is very close to taxiway 'D' and it can be very tempting to taxi directly to parking. Don't forget to cantact ground first.
8. If you have any questions, give ground a call and they will be glad to guide you. Another option is to call the tower at 408-272-0800.