Oracle Departure KSQL local VFR procedures
Not for navigation. Verify against the official sources linked below before flight.
vfr departure Airport sponsor published verified 2026-08-27 (43 d ago)
Published by the airport sponsor; voluntary unless ATC assigns it. If ATC assigns this route to you in Class B, C or D airspace, that assignment is an ATC instruction and compliance is required (14 CFR 91.123) — and “unable” remains available to the pilot in command.
Runway 30: straight out past the diamond-shaped waterway, right crosswind, follow the Belmont Slough toward the Bay with KNBR tower off the right.
The route
- 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 the KNBR radio tower off to your right
Where it actually is
North up. The sponsor names these landmarks and publishes no coordinate for any of them — everything positioned here is derived, and each coordinate's provenance is listed with its point below. Dashed markers are depicted: this site's reading of the written route, not published fixes.
- 1 Depart RWY 30, straight out RWY 12 threshold (northwest end) The northwest end of the single 2,621 ft runway — the departure end for RWY 30 and the threshold for RWY 12. Runway heading 303 magnetic / 318 true for 30. satellite Apple Maps coordinate: FAA airport record (NASR), surveyed runway threshold
- 2 Just past the waterway, turn right crosswind Depicted as a plain 0.6 NM on the upwind. The brochure times this turn off the 'diamond-shaped waterway', which could not be matched to any mapped water body -- see the airport note. satellite Apple Maps
- 3 Follow the Belmont Slough out toward the Bay Belmont Slough A broad tidal slough winding northeast from Redwood Shores out into the Bay. Houses line both banks near the landward end, which is exactly what the Oracle Departure asks you not to overfly. Avoid overflying the homes on either bank. satellite Apple Maps street view coordinate: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Keep the KNBR tower off to your right KNBR radio tower An AM broadcast mast array standing out on the bay margin about 2.3 NM north of the field, in open marsh with nothing tall near it. Guyed steel, lit at night. Keep it off your right on the Oracle Departure and on the KNBR Arrival. Obstacle avoidance, and it keeps you off the inbound KNBR arrivals. satellite Apple Maps street view coordinate: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) (two man_made=mast, midpoint of the array)
2.0 NM over 3 route points. Bearings are magnetic, converted from true at each leg's midpoint through the WMM 2025 model this site ships (12.8°E here). Shoreline, water, highways and runways © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Class B/C/D boundaries: FAA Aeronautical Information Services.
Put it in the GPS
Route points become a route; reference points ship as waypoints only — a GPS that sequences you to a do-not-overfly marker has it backwards.
- GPX route
ForeFlight (GPX 1.1
rte), most tablet apps - user_waypoints.csv ForeFlight user waypoints — this procedure only
- Garmin FPL
Garmin Pilot, or the
\FPLfolder of a GTN/GNS card - KML Google Earth
- All KSQL landmarks every curated point at this field, in one ForeFlight file
When it applies
- Departing 30 Published under the "RUNWAY 30 DEPARTURES" heading
Source text, verbatim
RUNWAY 30 DEPARTURES — Oracle Departure 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 RadioTower off to your right.
The text above is the published source wording and is authoritative over any summary on this page.
Sources
- County of San Mateo — San Carlos Airport Voluntary Noise Abatement Procedures brochure County of San Mateo Airports · retrieved 2026-08-27