Best airport for Mesa, AZ daytrip?

[bruceh]

Next week 6/19, I'm taking my daughter to visit A. T. Still university for visiting about grad school there. It looks to be equidistant between KIWA and KFFZ.
The campus tour is probably going to take only an hour or two, so being able to use a courtesy car would be nice. Otherwise, I would rent a car. Do the FBO's arrange that, or are you on your own to call and get a car delivered?
I'm coming from the west, so either airport will involve some maneuvering around PHX class B. It also looks like it will be scorching hot. Any chance of parking in the shade at either airport?

 

[woxofswa]

Falcon Executive Aviation has rental cars on site. (Although Enterprise might deliver cheaper.). They also have some covered tie downs on their ramp. The class B is no big deal, you can either talk to them for clearance and guidance or just go north or south of the KPHX core at 2500 ft.

I'd pick FFZ, but I'm biased. If you'd rather be further south, I'd go to Chandler before I'd go to IWA.

 

[Toobuilder]

I make the trip into this area often and if you want to avoid the class B, pick VPGLX and P19 (Stellar) as waypoints going to FFZ. This allows a reasonable descent while staying under the Bravo, and Stellar is a typical position call prior to Falcon anyway. I have found the controllers at PHX to be protective of their B. Most of the time when I'm dropping into P19, they tell me to remain clear or vector me all over the place.

 

[Jaws]

I make the trip into this area often and if you want to avoid the class B, pick VPGLX and P19 (Stellar) as waypoints going to FFZ. This allows a reasonable descent while staying under the Bravo, and Stellar is a typical position call prior to Falcon anyway. I have found the controllers at PHX to be protective of their B. Most of the time when I'm dropping into P19, they tell me to remain clear or vector me all over the place.

Good advice...."Protective of their B" is being kind.

 

[bruceh]

Mission accomplished!

Thanks for the pirep's for Falcon Field. We got in and out of there easily today, even though the temps were hitting 112F! By far, the hottest weather I've ever flown in.

Our track out and back.

I love my autopilot!

The shaded parking was essential.

We were able to preflight and get ready without getting scalded. Did I mention it was HOT? Straight out departure on 22L and headed for home quickly. It took a while to get up to altitude and past the Bravo airspace. CHT's at times were pushing 425F, but once we got up to 8500' it was a nice 73F.