Comments for Idaho, United States

Pilots can clear Canada Customs or US Customs at Eckharts, but for north bound flyers you have to call 1800CANPASS and give 2 hours notice. The grass runway is kept in good condition and there is an 800 ft strip of blacktop that is on quite a steep incline. The wind is generally out of the south, but the best landing, obstical wise is north bound on 33. Use 122.8 for Creston/Port Hill traffic. Remember that because the airport is in the US you will have to check in with US Customs even if you are north bound.

Gail died and the field has a pivot across it as well as overhead power.

Wonderful camp site - fine views - silent. Long walk into Hot Springs - all services there closed, but somewhat interesting no the less. Wonderful country to SW & SE - very much worth the ride.

The FAA uses 'ID80' for WEST VALLEY HOSPITAL, Caldwell, IA

Two airplanes have hit tractor trailers while on short final for RWY 16.

http://ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief2.asp?ev_id=20001208X08925&ntsbno=SEA97IA217&akey=1

I landed here at 8PM for fuel and a place to overnight. The FBO was closed, I could access the terminal but the TSA guy and the cleaners in the terminal had no idea where I could leave the aircraft. I tied down beside a Citation in front of the FBO, grabbed my stuff and used the terminal wifi to find a hotel. The Holiday Inn Express sent a car to pick me up. All of the local hotels advertised shuttle service and offer "corporate" pilot rates. The hotels and chain restaurants are all clustered in one section of town, I had no problems finding a restaurant that still served beer and a burger at 10PM. The hotel also provided a car to take me to the airport in the morning, something that a Holiday Inn Express doesn't normally do.

The next morning, the FBO staff were very friendly and quick. They moved my plane so the Citation could depart, but tied it down again just like I would do. I would go back there again if I return to explore the Snake River Canyon airstrips.

Forgot this:

Mid-July 2008, the grass & weeds were high enough in places to get green way up my prop -- which has 18" ground clearance. It's firm and not rough but probably not appropriate for wheel pants or low ground clearance.

All of the locals call this "Donnelly" and none I talked to know why the official name had been changed. Some didn't even know that it had been changed -- don't look at new charts very often, I guess.

Normal landings are to the North across the water.

All takeoffs are to the South across the water.

Fairly high trees on the North end but it's reasonable to land over them. Just make sure you can get down fairly soon beyond them.

Fairly short and high runway unless you have experience.

Power lines across the valley to the South.

We used 34 to land and 16 to take off.

Less than 100 yards from aircraft parking.

This visit was March 07.

Less expensive than McCall, but unreliable. Call first to verify that fuel is available.

Breakfast is back and good. Friendly folks with cabins available.

Bob Hoff (Idaho Falls Aeromark FBO and Aviat Husky dealer) family farm and private grass strip. If you are invited to visit, ask to see inside the hangar - Bob and his family have an amazing collection of classic aircraft, automobiles and motorcycles stored here. Not a static museum, most of their collection is in flying condition or is being restored to flying condition.

McCall Mountain and Canyon Flying School is at McCall Idaho.

See http://www.mountaincanyonflying.com/index.html

Operating an aircraft in mountain and canyon areas is not a do-it yourself project. This course specifically addresses flight into the heart of the Idaho back country, but the knowledge and techniques you study can be applied to any type of flying that you may do "off the beaten path".

Not to be missed by fans of the movie. Preston is the hometown of filmmaker Jared Hess, who filmed Napoleon Dynamite there. It has been called the "middle of nowhere" and that is an apt description. In Idaho, but just a few miles north of the Utah border. The mountains are still high and rugged (9,500 ft) but the valleys are wide in this part of Idaho and there are lots of farms.

I landed at Preston (U10) before noon and taxied in to the "terminal". The airport was at 4,700 ft elevation and it was very hot and dry. There was self-serve fuel. There was a little lounge and washrooms that reminded me of the old clubhouse at Rockliffe Flying Club - you use pliers to turn on the water! There was an unlocked courtesy car in the carport beside the terminal, but no ignition key for the vehicle. I looked all over for a key or someone who had a way to get into town. There was NOBODY around - I stayed there for 90 minutes, and no one came by. No cars drove by. I looked in several hangars, there were vehicles parked in front, but nobody there. So, since the temperatures were already climbing into the 95+, and the forecast was 108F for the afternoon, I grabbed a granola bar and a bottle of water out of my cooler and departed for Wyoming. A shame really, since I would have loved to drive into town to have a milkshake and look at Preston High School. Gosh!!

There is one narrow, curved grass runway at Elk City Idaho, designated as 14 and 35. Yes, it has a kink in the middle. It is shaped like a hockey stick, and it is narrow, with trees and brush on both sides.

About 100 metres into town, a sleepy but friendly little place that probably sees lots more activity during the Elk hunting season. Nice place to stop for breakfast or lunch when flying in the Idaho backcountry.

Runway elevation 5,000 feet but the mountains you fly over on downwind are 9,000 feet high! Beautifully maintained grass strip with first class camping facilities. This is a very popular fly-in campsite on summer weekends, the Maules, Super Cubs, Skywagons and other groups organise fly-ins here. JC is the first introduction to mountain flying for many folks. Go to McCall Idaho (KMYL) for advice before flying into JC, Big Creek or the other popular Idaho backcountry airstrips. I'll post some photos when I learn how.