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david's airport comments

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Comments 1 to 50 by david:

Thu, 03 Jul 2008
re: Not cheap, but OK service
 

I was back and Hanscom yesterday, and was charged the $14 ramp fee for a 4-hour stay as well -- it doesn't have to be overnight. Gas was a bit over $7.00/gallon.

Wed, 02 Jul 2008
re: Heliport
 

Thanks for the link -- I've updated the heliport using the information in it.

Tue, 01 Jul 2008
Lindbergh's departure point
 

The airport that used to be located here was Charles Lindbergh's departure point for his transatlantic flight. It closed in 1951, and is now the Roosevelt Field Shopping Mall.

Sat, 28 Jun 2008
re: departed aircraft
 

According to Wikipedia, Air Philippines, Cebu Pacific, and Philippine Airlines offer flights between Bacolod City and Manila, while Cebu Pacific and PAL Express offer flights between Bacolod City and Cebu.

Fri, 20 Jun 2008
Now the Ontario Police College
 

This air base closed after World War II, and the grounds eventually became the Ontario Police College. The old BCATP triangular runway pattern is still clearly visible.

Wed, 18 Jun 2008
Spotted behind Maxville fair grounds
 

I was at the highland games in Maxville a few years ago, when I suddenly saw a Mooney take off from behind the trees on the north side of the fair grounds. When I peeked, I found a private, unlisted grass strip with a few airplanes. I don't know if the field is still operational.

Tue, 17 Jun 2008
Chinese-operated airport
 

China operates this airport to try to assert a claim over the disputed Paracel Islands.

Tue, 17 Jun 2008
World's highest airport
 

At an elevation of 14,219 feet AMSL, this is the world's highest airport with scheduled airline service, nearly 1,000 feet higher than El Alto Airport (SLLP) in Bolivia.

Mon, 16 Jun 2008
re: Airport now PPR.
 

Thanks for checking, Blake -- I'm glad that my fears were unfounded. Maybe the PPR is just an insurance thing, in case someone lands without checking runway conditions and tears off a strut.

Mon, 16 Jun 2008
re: Airport now PPR.
 

Blake: that might be bad news about the change in ownership. I wonder if they're planning to close the airport and build a development.

Sun, 15 Jun 2008
re: A little run down.
 

Thanks for the info, Blake. Until recently, at least, there was an active flying school here:

http://www.fnti.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=PagEd&file=index&topic_id=0&page_id=1

Sun, 15 Jun 2008
Easy airport
 

I visited Schiphol for the second time in 2006. It was simple, fast, and well-organized, with virtually no waiting time for customs. Easy and inexpensive to get into Amsterdam (or to other parts of Holland) by rail. Coming from North America, you're far better connecting here than Heathrow for visiting the continent.

Thu, 05 Jun 2008
Opened in 1999
 

This airport opened in 1999, taking over scheduled passenger service (and the IATA identifier COK) from Willingdon Island (VOCC).

Thu, 05 Jun 2008
Former COK
 

This airport also served as Cochin's main civil airport until Cochin International (VOCI) took over in the mid 1990s, and also took over the COK IATA code.

Mon, 02 Jun 2008
Closed January 2008
 

This airport closed January 2008, replaced by the new Bacolod-Silay City International Airport, which took over its IATA and ICAO airport codes.

Mon, 02 Jun 2008
Opened January 2008
 

This airport opened in January 2008, replacing the old Bacolod Domestic Airport, which had the same ICAO and IATA identifiers.

Fri, 30 May 2008
re: Change of designator
 

For the identifier, I'm sticking with Wikipedia and using LEPA as the primary one. The Wikipedia article also mentions that Son San Joan Airport is the previous name. I have the other code and the older name in keywords, so that they'll still show up for searches.

Fri, 30 May 2008
re: Change of designator
 

Thanks for the corrections, bru25l. We actually had two copies of this airport in the database, one under LESJ and one under LEPA. I removed the old copy and updated the proper one to show that it's a major airport.

Thu, 29 May 2008
Contact info for Bex
 

An anonymous OurAirports visitor who wanted to book a sightseeing flight from Bex airport sent in this information:

"Just in case you ever want to know the number for Bex Airport, it's 024 463 24 40, and when you call that, they give another number: 078 607 97 22 and when you ring that, there's a message that he's flying and he'll get back to me ..."

Fri, 23 May 2008
Landing fee for transient aircraft
 

The Clark Regional Airport's board has voted to levy a landing fee on all transient aircraft -- the story says it will be about $25 (!!), but does not mention if different fees will apply to different sizes of planes:

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080523/NEWS02/805230474

Thu, 22 May 2008
Runway overrun and closure
 

A cargo Boeing 727 overran the runway on Friday 16 May 2008 and ended up with its nose in a Lagoon. The airport -- the only one serving the island -- was still closed as of Thursday 22 May 2008.

http://www.cdnn.info/news/travel/t080521.html

Wed, 21 May 2008
New airport
 

This is a newly-built airport which opened in 2007, to replace nearby Tappahannock Municipal Airport (W79).

Wed, 21 May 2008
Closed in 2007
 

This airport closed in 2007, when it was replaced by newly-built Tappahannock-Essex County Airport (KXSA).

Mon, 19 May 2008
IFR clearance
 

Plattsburgh is uncontrolled, but for an IFR clearance before taking offyou can call Burlington Clearance Delivery on 121.7 MHz.

Mon, 19 May 2008
Fees and cookies
 

I came into the airport on a diversion to get out of icing. For a piston single, Sheltair collects a $7.50 landing fee and a $4.50 parking fee on behalf of Clinton County (the airport owner), and they can't be waived (the parking fee was for a one-hour stop). On the bright side, they gave me a fuel discount that amounted to over $12, which is pretty-much the same as waiving the fee.

The FBO staff is extremely friendly -- asked if I needed a ride into town, drove me to and from my plane, and had free bakery-quality chocolate cookies ready and waiting. If you don't object to the fees (which aren't the FBO's fault), it's a nice place to stop.

Sat, 17 May 2008
Taxi to Boston
 

The cost for a cab into Boston (Back Bay) was $55 + tolls (none on our route); however, we had to wait about 40 minutes for the cab after North Atlantic called it, so it would be a good idea to radio them before you land (123.3 MHz) and ask them to order it for you. Make sure you have the street address of your destination, because the cabbies may be relying on their GPS to navigate.

Another alternative is to take a short cab ride to Beverly Depot and catch an MBTA train into Boston, for about $8-10.

Fri, 16 May 2008
Free parking; fuel
 

There is free parking here by the control tower. Alternatively, you can park on the other side of the field at North Atlantic for $5/day (piston single).

North Atlantic makes three trips a day with their truck to fuel planes in this area, so you can still get fuel without taxiing across, as long as you plane is there long enough.

For a piston single, quoted over the phone 2008-05-16:

Landing fee: none

Handling fee: $10 (waived with fuel purchase)

Parking: $5/night

Note that there is also free parking under the control tower on the east side of the field, if you prefer.

Thu, 15 May 2008
Customs fee dispute
 

The airport currently pays the government $1,000 per visit for customs services. It owes $95,000 to the federal government in back fees and is unable or unwilling to pay:

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2008/05/15/qc-tremblantairport0515.html

Mon, 12 May 2008
FBO and airport fees
 

I think this is the only FBO at Capital City Airport. They've blocked comments on AirNav, but here's what I got from a phone call today for a light piston aircraft:

Facility fee: $25.00 (waived with 5 gallon fuel purchase).

Ramp fee: $15.00

Landing fee: $8.00 (she wasn't sure about the exact amount)

It doesn't make sense for a quick fuel or lunch stop. Nearby Harrisburg International (KMDT) also has the landing fee, but not the ramp fee at the FBO.

Mon, 12 May 2008
Landing fee
 

The airport has an $8 landing fee for light piston aircraft, but the FBO has reasonably good gas prices ($5.20/gallon on 12 May 2008).

Mon, 12 May 2008
Flying in as pilot
 

I came to Dulles for the first time as pilot yesterday. The ADIZ was a total non-issue when I was IFR (just like any IFR flight). Potomoc approach and Dulles tower were friendly and co-operative, fitting me into the jet traffic in bad weather without any delays and giving me the runway I asked for. It was about a 3-minute taxi to Signature. They had a follow-me van waiting on their apron, and then a shuttle to take me about 50 meters to the FBO (in the rain). I waited 8 minutes for a Washington Flyer taxi to arrive from the terminal. All prices as quoted in a previous message -- cheap for a big airport (except for the fuel, of course).

Fees and costs from Atlantic Aviation (phone 607-644-1062) for a single-engine piston aircraft, 2008-05-11:

Landing fee: $0

Ramp fee: $10 (waived with fuel purchase)

Parking: $10/night

Hangar: $75/night

100LL: $6.12/gallon

Binghamton is a Customs User Fee airport. I haven't called to find out what the fee is, but you can clear in Syracuse, Watertown, or Alexandria Bay for free coming from Canada.

Sat, 10 May 2008
Fees
 

I believe that this is the only FBO left at Logan, an airport that hates GA more than any other public North American airport (thanks to Massport). I called Signature just to see how bad the fees are, and here's what I got for a two-night stay in a Piper Cherokee (note that not all of them are under Signature's control):

$33.00 landing fee

$166.60 parking (2 nights)

$48.40 GA fee (!!)

$56.00 security fee

$28.00 handling fee (waived with 7 gallons fuel purchase)

I didn't ask about a customs fee, but there's a steep one at Bedford/Hanscom (also run by Massport), so I expect there's one here as well. I think the security fee is for being poked, prodded, and metal-detected by the TSA, just like if you were flying on the airlines.

By comparison, if I flew my Cherokee into Washington/Dulles (another large airport affected by 9/11) and parked at the Signature there, I'd pay an $8.00 landing fee, $18.19/night parking, no customs fee, no security fee, no GA fee, and the same $28.00 handling fee (waived with 7 gallon fuel purchase).

Thu, 08 May 2008
Curfew
 

The airport authority is proposing a 10pm-6:59am curfew on most take-offs and landings at Bob Hope Airport:

http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2008/080508ca.html

Mon, 28 Apr 2008
One Six Right
 

The popular general aviation documentary "One Six Right" was shot at Van Nuys in 2005:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Six_Right

Thu, 24 Apr 2008
re: Attempt to ban large aircraft
 

The FAA has issued a cease-and-desist order to prevent the large-jet ban:

http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2008/080424ca.html

Wed, 23 Apr 2008
Schedule to close in May 2008
 

The Royal Navy has abandoned this field, and it is scheduled to close on 14 May 2008; however, the Lee Flying Association is challenging the closure.

Wed, 23 Apr 2008
Red Bull air race 2008
 

From 31 May to 1 June, the Red Bull Air Race is coming to Windsor and Detroit. It will take place along the Detroit River between the two cities, and there will be viewing stands on both the Canadian and U.S. sides of the river.

http://www.redbullairrace.com/

Wed, 23 Apr 2008
Red Bull air race 2008
 

From 31 May to 1 June, the Red Bull Air Race is coming to Windsor and Detroit. It will take place along the Detroit River between the two cities, and there will be viewing stands on both the Canadian and U.S. sides of the river.

http://www.redbullairrace.com/

Wed, 23 Apr 2008
re: Landing at EGXC
 

Jean-Paul:

You can find contact info for RAF Coningsby at their official web site:

http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafconingsby/

Tue, 22 Apr 2008
Reopened in 2006
 

Mogadishu's airport has been closed periodically because of fighting around the city. It last reopened in August 2006, and is still operational.

Fri, 18 Apr 2008
re: Is this plane stranded?
 

According to Wikipedia, the plane is a DC-8 that has been stranded since the eruption.

All the best,

David

Thu, 17 Apr 2008
Runway shortened by Lava
 

A 2002 volcanic eruption nearby sent a lava stream over the north portion of the runway. The south portion of 18/26 is still operational.

Thu, 17 Apr 2008
April 15 market crash
 

On 15 April 2008, a Hew Bora Airways DC-9 lost power to an engine during its takeoff roll, attempted to abort, and overran the end of the runway into a crowded market immediately to the south of the airport:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Hewa_Bora_Airways_crash

Wed, 16 Apr 2008
Norway's oldest airport
 

Kjeller opened in 1912. It's mostly military, with a large maintenance facility, but is also open to general aviation.

Tue, 15 Apr 2008
London Ashford Airport
 

This airport has been officially renamed to "London Ashford", which is a bit of a stretch, since it's 60 miles from Charing Cross. There are plans to expand it and bring in airline service, with lots of local opposition.

Mon, 07 Apr 2008
re: Don't depart IFR on a VFR day!
 

I had exactly the same experience at Republic in spring 2004, right down to sitting on the runway (as instructed by tower) and holding everyone else up. Same lesson -- if you can take a VFR departure out of a NY-area airport, do. It's the controller's error putting you on the runway before your clearance is ready, but why invite trouble in the first place?

Sun, 06 Apr 2008
Petition to save Lindsay Airport
 

Local government is considering whether to keep Lindsay Airport open or sell off the land to developers. Here's the online petition to keep the airport open:

http://lindsay.epetitions.net/

As you can see from the other comments, this is a popular airport with transient pilots.

Fri, 04 Apr 2008
re: Tom Price Airport
 

Thanks for the correction. It's hard to find AU airport info, and a lot of what I have is inaccurate -- I've fixed the lat/lon as you suggested.

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