Vegas IFR Run: Vectors, VOR Departure, & Nellis Overflight

Launching early on the day after Christmas, I was greeted with perfect winter flying weather—cool, crisp, and severe clear. Even in VFR conditions, filing IFR into the complex Las Vegas airspace makes negotiating traffic significantly easier.

Tracking south into the Las Vegas basin just north of Nellis Air Force Base.

Inbound Vectors & Arrival at KVGT

More than 30 miles out from the field, Vegas Approach broke me off my cleared route to thread me safely clear of incoming commercial airliner arrivals. They vectored me in from north of town, setting up a long left base entry to touchdown on Runway 12R at North Las Vegas (KVGT).

Climbing out of North Las Vegas (KVGT) off Runway 25.

Old-School Navigation on Departure

After fueling up and filing IFR for the return leg, ATC cleared me for the Northtown 5 departure off Runway 25. Although the GPS could have managed the procedure automatically, I decided to set up both VORs to fly the departure old-school using raw VOR needles. Working through the radial interceptions was a great exercise in procedural flying.

Aerial views over the valley as ATC vectored the flight northbound.

While ATC broke me off the procedure before I could overfly the international airport, the consolation prize was even better: direct vectors right over the top of the runways at Nellis Air Force Base before pointing the nose back toward Utah.