Comments 2,526 to 2,566 of 2,566
Close In
One of the nation's better airports for the passenger, even though it's cramped and shows its age. Get right on the Metro, or if you're Pentagon-bound the hotels around the Puzzle Palace all have free 5 minute shuttles.
Not so much fun for aircrews because of the extensive security procedures and the "interesting" approach into 19.
Designed by Committe
There's an old joke about an animal looking like it was designed by a committee. If the animal were an airport it would be Dulles. Dulles is the "poster child" that proves letting government agencies and retired generals named "Bozo" is a bad thing. When I was traveling extensively for the US government there was a secret "caste' system that we insiders knew. If a government traveler was allowed to buy his/her air tickets into Washington National (DCA) s/he was "somebody". All others were forced to fly into Dulles.
I was here the first time for a scheduled two-hour stop here the night of 4 October 1965, so I've been a customer for a while now. Those clumsy, swaying "people movers" that go between the terminals used to drive right out the the aircraft and pick-up/drop off at the aircraft door. back in the design phase the "committee" decided that since most delays seemed to happen at the gate, they would eliminate the gate. Hmmmm. Dulles now has taxi-up gates like every other intelligent airport, but they had to keep those automotive dinosaurs around for something, government property after all.
When you die after holding high office one of the disadvantages (aside from being dead. that is) is that they will likely name something after you, and being deceased you will have little choice in the matter. People today may not realize that John Foster Dulles was a heck of a lot better Secretary of State than Dulles is an airport.
Love It/Hate It All In A Day
This is one of those airports that can provide an object less on how to do it or how not. The ground transportation is set up nicely, few other American cities have high speed rail right in the terminal (heck, few other American cities even have high speed rail ... better to whine about the price of energy than to change anything for the better), but the walks are looooong, the concourses are narrow and dark ... it's utilitarian but hardly appealing.
Found out here one day how long it takes to change the fuel control on #3 engine of a DC-10 ... 4+20 as I watched the whole thing from the concourse window ... guess Delta didn't need the gate. They did still get me home that night, though, so I won't complain.
Only lasted 38 years
Took of from here in the evening of 4 October, 1965 to do a little tour with the USAF. Didn't know it would last 38 years.
Nice little airport
I grew up around this airport, so it holds a special place in my heart. These days, its a nice little airport with a nice long runway. I hear the cafe is quite good for a home cooked meal.
Wisconsin Aviation - My FBO
This is the FBO I train out of. Great facility, and great instructors. Highly recommend the restaurant located inside as well.
Fun grass strip.
Nice farm strip. Drop in to watch the Sky Ranch Flyers fly R/C. If one of the Hahns is around, you might get a golf-cart tour of the few gopher holes on the field.
Cool!
No big deal flying into here. Just be on top of things. Cheap landing fees and very accomodating FBO
Expensive fuel, great staff, and Rich_B is based here
Expensive fuel, great staff, and Rich_B is based here
Cheap fuel!
Chrap fuel!
Ralph Fox is based here!
Use ILM Aero when you are here!
re: Alexis Park Inn
I've never been to the airport, but I remember Jay well from the aviation Usenet groups -- he seems like a good guy, and I'm glad to hear that the hotel is still working out well.
Alexis Park Inn
Nice aviation themed hotel. Say hi to Jay!
Food
Good diner
Food
Home of the monster tenderloin
Fun!
20 foot wide runway.
Sporty's
Free hotdogs.
Chik 'Fil-A
The mall North of airport has a Chik 'Fil-A. Yum.
Look out below
Lots of skydiving here.
Great Atlanta Alternative
Fulton County (or Charlie Brown as the locals call it) is a great alternative to Peachtree Dekalb (PDK) on the other side of town. It's home to Home Depot's corporate fleet as well as the former BellSouth fleet. Coca-Cola also has a large presence here as well. There is a fair amount of flight training at the field and it's also home of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket Flying Club.
Home sweet home
.
Flight school and aircraft rental
Maui Aviators has instructors and aircraft for rent. It's an beautiful area to fly over, you can visit some of the smaller islands this way.
Mind the gap!
There's a pretty good dropoff (for the midwest) at the end of 03. With the trees there, the winds can get squirrelly while on final to 21. Not a bad idea to land just a little long on 21.
The turf runway is underused, but decent.
My aviation birthplace.
I did my Private Pilot training here.
Home base
Nice airport though it would be nicer with a restaurant on site.
Easy Manhattan Access
Yes, the FBO will drive you to the LIRR station, and it's only an hour or so into Penn Station. Allows you to ease into the craziness of NYC. And who can resist taking a picture of the "Hicksville, USA" sign when the train stops there???
If I recall, the landing fee was something ridiculously low. $2 US or so.
Great Airport for Visiting Manhattan
We have flown to Teterboro the past few years on our annual trip to Manhattan. While we feel out of place landing in our four-seat plane surrounded by business jets, it's very convenient to get into NYC.
The staff, from the ground crew to the desk people are universally kind and attentive (even the customs officers were friendly!!!). They make us feel like royalty. My kids love the toiletries in the women's bathroom.
It's only a 30-minute cab/car ride to Manhattan (depending on time of day and where in the city you are headed).
Just had to get this one in while it is still on the map
One of the airports I visited on my solo cross-country training flights. I note thta it is now NOTAMed permanently closed so I guess it will be off the map soon. The approach into runway 29 at night, past the arprtment houses and condos wwas "interesting".
My Fourth Airport
The forth airport I ever landed an airplane at ... long before I was a licensed pilot but flying with my surrogate father, Eddie Gorski. (too bad we don't have away to add "fallen flags", the airports of our youth now gone forever ... who remembers Towaco and Totowa-Wayne?) Among many other things Eddie was the manager of Teterboro from the mid-30's until WWII forced all General Aviation operations west of the Delaware River. If you zoom in you'll see a large building at the northwest corner of Malcolm and Industrial Ave's ... this is the site of what was in my youth the "Bendix hangar", named for the owner of Teterboro for many years, the Bendix Corp. but originally the site of Tony Fokker's US manufacturing facility. The Borough of Teterbor in which the airport sits in had a population of 25 in the last US census and was known as the Borough of Bendix during the years 1937 through 1943. A fascinating place. If you fly in there take the time to visit the NJ Aviation Museum and Hall of Fame just east of the field.
Where it all began
As a boy I lived across the street from this airport and it's part of my earliest memories. I "hung out" there nearly every free moment from the time I was 6 years old or so until I left for the USAF in 1965. Got my private there in 1964. Lincoln Park is notable as the long-time business interest of Ed and Jue Gorski (see NJ Aviation Hall of Fame). Other CFI's there who helped shape my life were Johnnie Schump, Charlie Stephan, Lenny Landers, Tony Farrell and William (Wild Bill) Fedishen. Still an active and well-run little operation, close in to the NY Metro area.
re: Disneyland?
I think Long Beach (LGB) has better facilities, but I'm not sure of the costs. I have a friend who did flight training there a while ago, so it at least used to be GA-friendly, but things might have changed.
Disneyland?
I'm interested whether this is the best GA airport for a day trip to Disneyland. Comments?
Fort
I've overflown this airport, and the historic fort is clearly visible from the air at 8,000 ft.
Ground Transportation
The FBO will give you a lift to the Long Island Railroad station in Farmingdale (a couple of miles away), and you can take a train right to Penn Station in Manhattan for a few dollars.
Good G.A. airport for Boston
This is a good airport for visiting Boston. It's outside of the security zone (no prop locks or security fees), is reasonably inexpensive, and is near two commuter rail lines (the FBO will often give you a lift to the station for free).
Ground Transportation
The best way into Manhattan is just to take a NYC cab. It's a pretty fast and reasonably cheap ride in if traffic permits.
Ground Transportation
You can take the BART (light commuter rail) directly into downtown San Francisco, Oakland, Berkley, etc. for a few dollars. Don't bother renting a car unless you need to drive around the burbs.
Ground transportation
The Atlanta subway, MARTA, goes directly from the airport to downtown -- it's fast, cheap (a couple of bucks, I think), and easy.
U.S. Customs
This is a useful airport for clearing U.S. customs flying from Canada on a private aircraft (esp. from Ottawa or Montreal). They require only an hour notice, and if you're delayed, you can always land across the river in Cornwall, Canada, and call them to reschedule. (315) 769-3091. If you book the day before, it's a good idea to call just before you take off and remind them. Customs will usually meet you at the main terminal.
FAX number for the Form 178 is (315) 769-3146. The customs office is open 24/7, but due to staffing limitations, they can't go to the airport to meet planes on their midnight shift (12am-8am local time).
U.S. Customs
Customs is pretty easygoing about arrival times (since they're always on the field), but they'll meet you only at Jet or Atlantic, not at the other FBOs.
A Home on the Prarie
🔗 Wed, 18 Jul 2007
— @XingR at Rantoul National Aviation Center - Frank Elliot field, United States
I first flew in here as a pax in December 1965. This was one of the USAF's finest Technical Training Centers. Went to my first USAF tech school here, became a technical classroom instructor and worked in the school for a while (training ran 24 hours a day at the time, 4 six hour shifts, LBJ was serious about getting bombs on target).
I went back to Chanute someyears later and became a computer geek, back when core memory was a significant step up from drum memory, which was the main memory (and system timing) for the early-day full task mission flight simulators. That was about the time that my technical life seemed to start accelerating at an ever increasing rate.
Since it was probably the best equipped tech training facility the USAF in its infinite wisdom selected Chanute to be closed in a down-sizing move. The people of Rantoul have done a marvelous job converting the former base property to useful functions.