Airport comments for the World
Comments 15,312 to 15,361 of 15,877
Rockcliffe Flying Club visit, 25-27 August 2007
The Rockcliffe Flying Club from Ottawa to PEI on the weekend of 25-27 August 2007. I expect that everyone will be planning to land here at YYG.
Taxi
The airport is a short taxi ride north of downtown Charlottetown -- it's been a few years, but I don't remember it being too expensive.
Rates and fees
Here's the schedule of rates and fees for the airport:
Long Runways
During the summer, the density altitude is over 10,000 ft and the runways are extra long - I made the mistake of landing on 17 and had to taxi two miles to the FBO.
Lots of executive jets and charters fly in here during the ski season. During the summer, there is less traffic and rates are better at the FBO.
Friendly FBO
Landed here in the Husky just to take a break and stretch my legs. Didn't buy fuel or souvenirs, but the staff made me feel welcome. Lent me the courtesy car to have a look at the downtown. The FBO manager and I sat on the porch and discussed flying and life in general.
There is a crosswind runway here, it is grass/gravel and hard to see. Actually, it is easier to see here on Google Earth than in the afternoon sunlight.
9927 Ft Elevation
North America's highest airport - land here, buy the Tee shirt, get the certificate. Check the weather before you proceed, the mountains on both sides of the valley here exceed 14,000 Ft.
A Nice GA-Friendly Airport
A nice GA-friendly airport with a steady stream of visiting and local traffic, and competent tower controllers and a reasonable set of IFR approaches for those endless summer stretches when the coastal stratus covers everything within 25 miles of the coast. Lots of training flights in the pattern and around the area due to the Japan Airlines ab initio training facility there and the other local FBO's. The airport restaurant "Jonesy's" is fairly famous, but I'm not sure why -- it's really just a rather average steak house. But hey, it's a steak house right next to the ramp, so it's a lot better than nothing.
Transient parking on the main ramp is usually easy for small GA aircraft, but when the nearby Sears Point raceway is hosting a big event, or there's something else in the area (a wine fly-in :-)), parking can be very difficult. Call ahead and ask...
One thing to remember here is that although it's "Napa" airport, it's actually quite some distance from the main vineyards and wineries you think of when you hear "Napa Valley" -- and some wineries are probably quite a long drive away in a rental car through really heavy traffic; if your winery is actually in Sonoma County, you're probably better off with Healdsburg airport. But this is still the main Napa Valley airport, and it's a good place to start...
Lodging
Stay at the Riu Funana all inclusive resort. All meals and booze are included in the room price. It's a beautiful place and only one of two places I would stay at Sal. The rest of the island is barren and primitive...like Mars.
Good FBO but cheaper self-serve fuel (Texaco)
There is a small self-serve fuel stand at the western end of the ramp. I needed to get a car, hotel, washrooms, etc so I taxied to the Flowers FBO. It was late and they were a little disorganized because of an airshow that weekend, but they came and towed my taildragger to a better spot after I unloaded my gear. They gave me their well-published 40 cent discount on the fuel, so it was competitive with the self-serve fuel.
Dulmes Field
The Dulmes Family has sold this property. The new owner does not have aviation interests. I do not know if the runway is useable.
Not currently in use
While this airport isn't officially closed, it hasn't been used since 1995, and has been controlled by the Israeli Defense Force since 2001. The airport has two ICAO codes: OJJR for Jordan (who originally controlled the territory), and LLJR for Israel.
Lodgings
Parking at the Sheltair got me a big hotel discount.
re: A better, but less interesting place
XingR: Kai Tak is in the system now:
Closed in 1998
This airport closed in 1998 and was replaced by the new Hong Kong Intl (HKG). Because it was close to skyscrapers and hills, pilots had to do an irregular approach to runway 13, turning just before a hill covered in a checkered pattern, hence the name "checkerboard approach". Here's a video of a 747 following the approach, taken from the checkered hillside:
Druxy's on site
There is a Druxy's (deli chain) in the FBO. The food isn't too bad, standard deli stuff like smoked meat sandwiches, bagels, and salads. Not gourmet, but it's better than Subway, and it's easy if you're stopping at Buttonville.
Smile, you're on candid camera!
This is your best chance to end up on airliners.net! Just remember that everyone at the Sunset Beach Bar is listening to your transmissions so put on your best "pilot voice" and don't mess up those radio calls!
plane crash
a very dangerous place for joyflights never go there
Not open to public
This airport is in an ideal location, right in the middle of metro Toronto near the end of a subway line, but unfortunately it's not normally open to the public. It's a former military field, long used by Bombardier for flight testing. The closest public airports are Buttonville (YKZ) to the northeast, City Centre (YTZ) to the south (right by downtown), and the very busy and expensive Pearson (YYZ) to the west. Oshawa (YOO) and Brampton (CNC3) can also be useful for the extreme ends of Toronto.
Fees and fuel costs
On Saturday 4 August 2007, at Flite Line Services:
Landing fee (airport): CA $7.00 + tax
Parking: CA $8.14/night + tax
100LL: CA $1.47/litre + tax
Tax is 7% GST. Flite Line collects the landing fee on behalf of the airport, so you have to pay it no matter where you park. Flite Line has a ramp fee that it waives when you take fuel, but you still have to pay the first night's parking.
Best airport for Blue Jays baseball
This airport is a short walk from Skydome (now the Rogers Centre), where the Toronto Blue Jays play -- you could probably watch a bit of a game from your plane on short final when the roof's open (check out the satellite picture).
re: Car rental
Don't worry about the car rental hours (see my previous comment). National was happy to leave the keys and contract for me at the Flite Line FBO, so my arrival time didn't matter. Flite Line itself rents Hertz, but they'll handle keys for the other companies as well.
Busy
This is a busy GA airport. Arriving on Saturday morning on a nice VFR day, tower sent me several miles on a downwind -- all the way over the city -- and then turned me number 4 for landing. Be ready to get off the runway quickly so that you don't hold up other traffic. My past two visits were during the week, when it wasn't quite so busy.
Car rental
Hertz rents out of Buttonville, and the rates are reasonable (make sure you use your COPA or AOPA discount if you have one). After hours is no problem -- I called earlier then arrived Sunday night long after the desk was closed, and my contract and keys were waiting for me at the FBO with no fuss. Renting a car is the only realistic way into Toronto from Buttonville, but it's easy since the airport is right beside the 404, which turns into the Don Valley Parkway and leads straight into downtown Toronto. Outside of rush hour, you can expect to be downtown in about 25 minutes. I still prefer City Centre (YTZ) for downtown, since it's in walking distance, but Buttonville is better for the 905 area code or anywhere else you might need to drive.
Don't plan on landing here!!!
Georger Farms Airport no longer exists. It was a private grass airfield that was removed in 2001.
Randy Georger
Effectively a 1-way strip
100 mile house's runway has a favourable gradient for landing eastbound and taking off westbound. This combined with a big hill to the east makes it effectively a 1-way strip. Watch out for your density altitude as the hot summer days can reach > 30 degrees C regularly. If your runway length is tight, you can begin your takeoff roll on the ramp as only a very slight turn is required from there to line up with the runway. The airport itself is quite scenic, and it's close to the town - either a medium-length walk or a very short cab ride.
Nice little airport
Beloeil is a fly-in community where people live in the second story of hangars, and park their planes and cars on the ground floor. It's very easy to spot from the air as all the hangars have red roofs. There's not much in the way of publicly available tie downs, but there is room to park, and theres a TON of GA aircraft that are permanently based here to avoid the CYHU landing fee.
Nice little airport
Nice little strip. There's a fairly large grass parking area just north of the field that's coned off. It's close to the road, but I didn't see any tie-downs. There's also private hangars off the west end of the runway. The runway is in decent shape, but there's often lots of gulls sitting (and crapping!) on it.
Normally closed
This airport is PPR, and as a military aerodrome is normally closed to civilian traffic. The Air Cadets do sometimes run glider ops out of here though.
Airport info
I'd recommend calling ahead to COPA flight 53 which is based here for the latest update on conditions. When I was there the Air Cadets were running glider ops off of runway 17/35, which is still in very good shape. The other two runways have deteriorated significantly with lots of cracks and grass, and small loose rocks scattered over the surface. Most of the ramp is much worse, with many areas that have loose nails, broken glass and gravel lying around. The flying club is located at the N-W corner of the field, tie downs are available there, and the ramp is cleaner there too. Also remember that the closest fuel is at Tyendinaga, or Kingston if you want it for cheaper. Picton is an extremely scenic airport though, and thoroughly underused so you'll have no problems parking or anything.
Wigram
Actually, just remembered that I made a number of dual flights from Wigram in an RNZAF Airtrainer way back in 1982, but they were all dual, so don't really count.
Taupo
First time here was in Oct 05 in CNY with BSC. Can't remember who landed - might have been me?
Wanganui
Did some touch and gos here in a CT-4E dual flight in 2004
Ohakea
First time here was when going for a dual flight in a CT-4E in 2004
Wigram
First landing here late 2006 - precautionary landing after experiencing a total electrical failure.
Hokitika
First visit in ZK-CUY on a pre-PPL cross country from Christchurch
Glentanner
Winter 05 in an Archer
Oamaru
Touch and go in ZK-RBn 31 Dec 05
Timaru NZTU
I first landed here in ZK-RBN on 31 Dec 05.
Challenging Approach/Landing
This was the first time landing at an aiport with a "shorter" runway (~2500'). The worst landing I've ever done (almost a 90 degree crosswind). Obsticals on both end of the runways (trees) so be careful on those hot/humid days.
Approach for 27 flies right over my friends cottage.
This is in Syria not Turkey
Syrian land not Turkey. The Stolen Sanjak
Landing Fee
It is a small world - I stopped in Rockliffe today for a burger and started talking to someone. It turned out that Roland is the President & CFI of Eagle Flight Centre in Sudbury. He told me that what I was charged in Sudbury was the terminal parking fee, but there is no landing fee. He said that if we visit, we should park at his Flight Centre, he does not charge a parking fee. He welcomes visitors, his 100LL is cheaper than the main FBO and he will sell fuel to transients.
Finally, if you know of any flight instructors looking for work, he needs instructors at his schools in Sudbury and Timmons for both wheels and floats.
Medugorje Mostar Airport
Mostar airport is the closest destination to Medugorje. I was travelling from Ireland to Mostar (via Zagreb). It takes me only 30 minutes from Mostar Airport to Medugorje.
I was travel via Split before, but it takes me more than 3.5 hours. Mostar Airport is much more better solution.
Radio Comms
This is a message to the instructors at Cooking Lake: Teach your students how to use the radio properly! Quit yammering on the ATF all damn day. Other people use that frequency, you know!
Nice grass
Seasonal Air Cadet Glider Ops here. Nice place and great people.
Fuel Thumbs Up
Swan Aero=goodness
RIP
RIP PEACE AIR
Nice Scenery
Lot's of hot women in Calgary. Most of them are married, but that's okay! I'm cool with that. I can keep a secret.
The jet fuel tastes funny in Calgary.
Car rental
National and Avis rent through the public terminal, while Hertz rents through the Flite Line FBO. It was hard to get a car on the August Civic Holiday weekend -- Hertz and Avis had nothing available, and I had to guarantee a car (which is unusual) through National.
For an economy car, National charged $40/day before taxes+fees including the COPA discount. It's worth noting that the opening hours are unusual, so plan your arrival carefully (for example, National is closed from 12pm-2pm on Saturday).
FBOs
There are two FBOs on the field:
Flite Line: http://www.fliteline.ca/ (off taxiway B, if I recall correctly)
Waterloo-Wellington Flight Centre: http://www.wwflightcentre.com/ (end of taxiway C)
Flite Line usually has the cheaper gas.
Old photo
π Tue, 14 Aug 2007
β Anonymous Flyer at Eugene Airport, United States
The crosswind runway is closed and there is now a parallel runway. -Tom W