Kite Shoreline Lake in Mountain View

[TomAUSTRIA]

Hey dudes,

this is probably the dumbest question ever asked on the Interweb but I can't resist: Has anyone of you ever dared to kite Shoreline Lake?

1.) Is it too gusty to actually kite it?
2.) How illegal is it on a scale from 1 to 10 (1 = nobody cares, 10 = death penalty)?

tom

[Loscocco]

try it
video tape it
post it
let us know

"Hey Ya'll watch this!"

[elli]

Once I just opened a kite to replace a bridle (no intentions to fly) when I was with some friends. Someone from the park immediately showed up and asked what is going on and made sure I am not going to put it in the air.

So they are very aware.

Anyway its gusty and you are walking on goose poop.

[kitecrazy]

There is windsurfing on the lake.
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=37.4 ... 6&t=h&z=19

[average_male]

I say do it, I am sure those folks don't own that lake; after you kite that lake, give Foster City Ryan's park a go...

Party on dude.

[knyfe]

yeah tape it ...

I think this is a no kite fly zone due to the airport around the corner. But try it.

While just browsing around with google maps, why not parking on Terminal BLVD and take a bike out to one of the ponds? Street view just shows a car gate with a pedestrian passage.

terminal BLVD

May be also worth a try. But I guess birds sanctuary ...

G

[average_male]

there isn't a no kite zone near there, in fact, at the main entrance to the lake there is a designated kite park, stunt kites, buggy kites, single line high-flying kites. don't let the local water sport business people stop you from making your dreams come true... kite that lake dude

[knyfe]

there isn't a no kite zone near there, in fact, at the main entrance to the lake there is a designated kite park, stunt kites, buggy kites, single line high-flying kites. don't let the local water sport business people stop you from making your dreams come true... kite that lake dude

Yes thats how they manage to keep kites out every where else. Kites allowed only there. If you check google earth you see that the lake is straight on the PA airport landing strip. Miles way but that was always the justification.

G

[average_male]

I just spoke with a co-worker who also stated the same thing about PA airport, how low are those plane flying over there? and who controls that lake? the local business? if so, since when does a business have control over public parks? is it a public park? confusing.... ?ø?

[mfremont]

It's been more than a few years since I regularly flew out of PAO, so I dug out the old charts and did a little net research to refresh my memory. And come to think of it, I do remember catching glimpses of the windsurfers while landing at PAO.

It looks like the lake is actually under the airspace controlled by Moffett Tower, but the PAO tower has an agreement to use the airspace up to the Amphitheater for its normal traffic pattern. On a busy day they often need the room to provide enough separation, and if it's really busy PAO will get permission from Moffett to extend as far has the big airship hangar.

What this means is that on a typical busy day with W or NW winds, traffic landing at PAO and arriving from the west will typically be flying downwind parallel to the 101, then make a left turn somewhere between the dump and the Amphitheater. Altitude will probably be around 800 feet and descending with a brief moment of of wings level before making another left turn to line up with the runway. That said, someone could always be dragging it in a bit low.

If you zoom out a bit on the google map link above, you can see the runways for both airports. The Amphitheater's white tent stands out well, too.

To give some perspective, the lake is about the same distance to the PAO runway as Coyote Pt is to the approach end of 28L at SFO.

Does this mean it's legal? I don't really know. I seem to remember reading something on on ikitesurf back in Feb or Mar about the FAA Letter of Agreement they have in place to allow kiting near the major airport on Maui, but I don't know how close the runway they are there.