What should I expect for an unannounced GA visit for touch-n-gos at San Jose?
I have flown several times to SJC for touch and goes. I have always been on the weekends, and probably in the afternoons. It is a lot of fun, especially because the runways are so long for a small plane. I think I’ve been three times, and each time they have accommodated me on 30L. The wind is almost always favoring the 30 runways, and I don’t remember ever being cleared for 30R.

They will occasionally make you circle briefly before entering the C. They will also sometimes make you extend for a pretty long pattern to the SE if they have a big fella cleared for 30R. All the big commercial jets seem to be sent to 30R, and it is small GA jets that use 30L.

I have only done touch and goes, as I wanted to get out of the way quickly. But I get the impression that the tower is happy to accommodate as long as they’re not too busy. My instructor told me that they sometimes will say ‘no’ if they are busy, especially during the morning push, but I have no experience of that.

Have fun! There’s a beautiful 787 that is often at the terminal, keep an eye out for it!