Comments 51 to 100 of 145
Pilot
Day XC
Pilot
Grandpa's Field.
Frenchies Flying School
Does anyone remember Arthur Plante AKA "Frenchy"? I learned to fly at No. Perry in 1968 at Frenchie's Flying School. He had stories that would keep you enthralled for hours together with his wife Bea. He had a unique style of teaching and if you couldn't learn from him, then you weren't cut out to fly. I still have my solo shirt with the tail cut off! He came with me on the first flight after I overhauled my 1947 Talorcraft BC12D. He asked me if I had done all the work properly and I said, yes I had and he said, we will find out! He did loops and rolls and spins and then told me I did a good job, and all this with an A65 engine. Great memories.
Visited
Visited
Updated Airport Code
Now FIN since this fall.
Great on site cafe
A very good '$100.00 hamburger' destination!
Line service and fbo staff offers 'excellent customer service!
Friendly Airport
Feel welcome to stop by to visit Tony and Danny. You will be greeted with a "hello glad to see ya" attitude. They are both A&P mechanics in case you need help with repairs. They are making improvements to the 5200' grass strip. They are always happy to great new visitors and are always glad to see old and new friends. They usually have a cook out every 3rd Saturday of the month and, all are welcome. Chip in by bringing your favorite dish or just show up to chat with fellow pilots while enjoying a pot luck dinner. You want find a more friendly place.
Food
Two restaurants on the field, the Gin Mill is in the middle of the ramp and has better food.
Flight routes and Aircraft
Delta ( DL ) Only flies to ATL now not MEM. Also, They mainly fly 717's and the occasional Crj and MD88 out of VPS
re: World Class Airport
But Tampa, home of the first Landside/Airside Terminal Complex structure, a frequent Global Airport Efficiency Award winner, and recipient of a Second Best Airport in the World in an aging J.D. Powers & Assoc. customer satisfaction survey, takes the lion’s share of shout-outs
travel.cnn.com/explorations/life/10-most-loved-airports-981939
GREAT PRACTICE AIRPORT
DURING MY FIRST SOLO THIS WAS MI FIRST SOLO CC AIRPORT, TAKING OFF FROM 19 WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR ME BECAUSE THE TREES AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY LOOKED DOUBLE THE SIZE THAN WHAT THEY ACTUALLY WERE. MY FIRST SCARY EXPERIENCE.
GREAT PEOPLE
ON A FLIGHT TO (FA71) The Cedars Airfield MY SON GOT AIRSICK AND THREW UP ALL OVER THE AIRPLANE SO I HAD TO DEVIATE THE FLIGHT AND LAND IN CRYSTAL RIVER AIRPORT, A SMALL AIRPORT WITH PEOPLE THAT HAVE A GREAT HEART, THE GENTLEMAN THAT WAS AT THE FBO COUNTER JUST GAVE ME THE KEYS TO THE BACK OF THE BUILDING AND WITH A FRIENDLY TONE OF VOICE SAID TO "TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS BUDDY" WHICH MY SON QUICKLY ACCEPTED SINCE HE HAD TO THROW OUT HIS SHIRT, WELL AFTER BUYING FROM THEM A NEW SHIRT AND CLEANING MY RENTAL I FLEW BACK TO APOPKA.
VISITED DURING TRAINING
ORLANDO EXECUTIVE IS AN AIRPORT THAT IS STUDENT FRIENDLY, WHAT DO I MEAN BY THIS? SOME AIRPORTS THAT YOU VISIT AS A PILOT ARE NOT TO KEEN IN HELPING YOUNG INSPIRING OR NEW PILOTS AND THE TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS SCARE THE HELL OUT OF THEM, ORLANDO EXECUTIVE BEING A BUSY AIRPORT (AND ALL THE PROBLEMS THAT ACCOMPANIES THIS TRAFFIC) IS VERY EASY TO ENTER ITS AREA OF OPERATION FIRST TO THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS ON DUTY, THEY ARE ALL VERY PROFESSIONAL AND HELPFUL. THE PEOPLE IN SHOWALTER FBO ARE VERY PROFESSIONAL FRIENDLY AND ORIENTED TO HELP ANYONE.
Tampa Base
Great place to go but no fuel. Very smooth water and owner will allow free dockage and help with rental car.
Number on sectional wrong: 813-927-1691 is a better number
Great grass strip
Nicely groomed airfield
My home airport
Great training airport close to Miami
New Hangers Coming Soon to North Perry
Diversified Aviation is developing 103 new hangers at North Perry. For more information please contact Julie Whiteside at 954-776-1005 X200
custom checking bags on yourr way back from colombia
I go to colombia every month and I feel so bad when I came back because they have no respet for the travelers one thing is them doing they job as a custom officer and another thing they taking everything out bag put it all over the table them when they are done they tell you put it back in like if you work at the airport after giving me the face like if you dont do it I put you in jail. I think that no atraveler should be treat by a custom oficer unless is doing something wrong.
A charming location
Years ago, when I didn't know of the existence of this aerodrome, I was driving on Jog Road and suddenly I see an small single engine high-wing airplane approaching at 90 degrees from my direction, very close to the ground and dissapering behind some trees. Honestly I thought that was some kind of emergency-crash landing.
I made a totally illegal U-turn to check the situation. And wow!, to my surprise I see the aircraft, very confident, taxing around on a grassy landing strip.
Even up today, this aerodrome in the middle of a residential area, still looks like a cool oddity to me.
CDK - Cekar Key - FL
Still a challenging little strip with sea breezes. Town of Cedar key (shops, eateries, etc) is a bit depressed for past few years.
KSGJ - St Augustine Airport - FL
Nice Airport along Florida's East Coast - Florida Flyers very helpful with local flying information, tips. Enjoyed a coast line sightsee - views are fantastic.
KGNV - Gainesville - FL
An easy to locate airport, NE of City, North tip of Newnans Lake. Friendly controllers. Was able to use an available hanger over holidays free of charge (did buy fuel though).
Hidden Lake Airport community
The most friendly community of pilots on earth. Marcelle, for example is an exemplary neighbor, pilot, mentor and a fine human being. Everyone cares for everyone else and the place is like paradise on earth with abundant natural beauty and a great runway with facilities. All roads/taxiways are well maintained. IT IS UNIQUE. I am lucky to be a part of the community.....So safe, being gated with neighborhood watch....My privilege to be part of it....
Great Times
HT-18's proving grounds.
Cheap Fuel
Great Services
re: CTAF
Thank you for the update. I've distinguished the two on the pilot-info page now.
CTAF
Everyone should be aware that the CTAF for this airport is 122.8. The pilot controlled lights are on 122.9.
Always wanted a 10,000 at 180* from the HOT pad, eastern edg
Still feasible, but it could die if they keep building houses.
closed on sunday nights
This airport closed on Sunday nights to any traffic that does not reside there
Airport Closed
I have many fond memories of 3fd1. I soloed there. But it has closed many years ago.
Boca Chica
Worked there (1952-1955) in the tower as air traffic controller. Highway 1 went through the middle of the base then. It can still be seen in the map. Had 5 or 6 blimps then. Located between runways 31 & 25. Watched the transition from radial engines to jets. Used to request the jets to make a low pass down the runway when traffic was light. One woke everybody in the barracks across the road one Sunday morning.
Orlando Apopka Airport
This is my home airport. It's not too fancy, but it works.
GIF - Winter Haven - Excellent Flight School (Tailwheelsetc)
Awesome experience with primary training. Intense and very rewarding. Family like environment.
CHN - Wauchula - Night approach
Same night training flight - Moonless, cloudless. Arriving from the south, fire up the PCL, you can see this one from 10 nm out
X25 - Arcadia - Night is Dark
Landed here during night training - moonless, cloudless, landing RWY 5 the runway lights/environment just float is a sea of darkness - needless to say the first landing approach was high.
LEE - Leesburg - Helpful ATC
One of the many airports on my solo XC during ASEL - controllers very helpful even recognizing return flights.
CGC - Crystal River - DQ Stop
Flew into CGC for Solo-XC as part of ASEL. Easy to spot from SE.
Extra bonus - a Dairy Queen adjacent to field, great refreshment after baking in the sun for a few hours.
KPGD - Punta Gorda - Awesome Bay Views
Views of the bay towards the west are fantastic.
X07 - Lake Wales - Lots of Rubber on the RWY
Many tire marks from my primary training at Lake Wales.
A bit deserted but a good place for practice
CDK - Cedar Key - Gulf Front
Awesome little strip just off the water - spectacular views.
Watch the sea breezes.
Nice airport
Nice place, nice people.
Closing soon
This airport is closing soon, to be replaced by KECP. The scheduled airline service has already moved.
Replacing KPFN
This new airport has already replaced KPFN (Panama City-Bay County International Airport) for scheduled airline service, and will take over general aviation as well when KPFN closes.
Private airport
This is now a private airport owned by Aero Adventure (www.sea-plane.com). They manufacture amphib ultralights and will allow you to fly into their field for a tour and a test-ride. You will need to contact them first and sign a waiver.
Very accommodating
Very nice uncontrolled airport close in to downtown Tampa and in the Class Bravo. The FBO is very nice and helpful. They drove us to the Florida Aquarium and then picked us up at the end of our day. Can't beat that.
Great for training
This is a great airport for training in the Miami area. There are lots of choices from big to small, and heli, too. There are also some low-profile operations that do not advertise so ask around to find out what is there. The airspace is varied also. Class Delta adjoining and right under Class Bravo and uncontrolled X51 is only minutes away.
Super FBO
Banyan is one of the top FBO's in the country. They have a nice restaurant next to the ramp and an incredible pilot's shop. I found out about Banyan when I rented a plane from a fellow up at FXE. Then went there for breakfast a few weeks ago on a simulated instrument flight. Had to laff when they parked my somewhat tatty C-172M right in front and then guided this huge private jet (like the size of a regional jet) to park right next to us :)
Memories la la la
This is where I learned to fly many years ago. Don't know if I would go back there now. Landing fee and high ramp fees and high fuel to boot.
Be QUIET
This place has major noise issues and limitations. The old story of build an airport in the sticks then high-end homes go up around it. Flew here to visit a friend after taking up flying again; took three tries to get the plane down (high approach speed and C-172 floaaaat - luckily I had enough sense to go around twice). I had not flown in decades, did a long review, and rented a plane but still needed a lot more practice. I am about 40 - 50 hrs further along now and much better.
Don't get me wrong, tho. The FBO is very nice and the folks there are friendly!
Learned to fly here
🔗 Wed, 22 Apr 2015
— @Randallksparks at Miami Homestead General Aviation Airport, United States
Learned to fly here in 2013. Miami Gliders is a great place to get your pilot training.