Straight-In Arrival KSQL local VFR procedures
Not for navigation. Verify against the official sources linked below before flight.
vfr arrival 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.
From Woodside VOR toward SLAC, at or above 1,000' MSL until past Kaiser Hospital, then straight-in 30 or left downwind 12.
The route
- 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
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 From the vicinity of the Woodside VOR (OSI) Woodside VOR (OSI) The VOR on the ridge southwest of the field at 2,178 ft, 7.3 NM out on about the 179 radial from San Carlos. satellite Apple Maps street view coordinate: FAA Aeronautical Information Services, NAVAID System dataset
- 2 Proceed toward SLAC (VPSLA) SLAC (VPSLA) A charted FAA VFR waypoint over the Stanford Linear Accelerator: a dead-straight two-mile line running east-west under the hills west of Stanford. There is nothing else shaped like it anywhere on the Peninsula. A charted FAA VFR waypoint. satellite Apple Maps street view coordinate: FAA NASR 28-day subscription, FIX_BASE (cycle 01_Oct_2026) — a charted FAA VFR waypoint
- 3 At or above 1,000 MSL until passing Kaiser Hospital Kaiser Hospital, Redwood City The Kaiser Permanente medical centre in Redwood City, inland of US-101 and 1.8 NM southeast of the field. The Straight-In Arrival holds 1,000 ft MSL until past it. satellite Apple Maps street view coordinate: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- 4 Straight-in RWY 30, or left downwind for RWY 12 RWY 30 threshold (southeast end) The southeast end — departure end for RWY 12, threshold for RWY 30, and where a straight-in to 30 crosses. Runway heading 123 magnetic / 138 true for 12. satellite Apple Maps coordinate: FAA airport record (NASR), surveyed runway threshold
8.6 NM over 4 route points. Bearings are magnetic, converted from true at each leg's midpoint through the WMM 2025 model this site ships (12.7°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
- Arriving 12 or 30 — either runway "Expect a straight-in approach to Runway 30 or a left downwind for Runway 12"
Source text, verbatim
ARRIVALS — Straight-In Arrival 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.
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