Destin (FL) Aiport Tower Nears Completion

I've heard Destin is pretty busy, and with Eglin right there, the procedures are a little unusual. The tower should make visiting a little less stressful.
 
I've heard Destin is pretty busy, and with Eglin right there, the procedures are a little unusual. The tower should make visiting a little less stressful.

Don't let your guard down because there is a tower. Frederick,MD was a zoo, less than a year after they got a contract tower they had a midair.
 
I've been in there a number of times. I can tell you that, after flying the uncontrolled airport routine, I nearly had a heart attack when I saw a tower out of the corner of my eye in the flare. I checked my frequencies about a hundred times before I realized it had not even been finished.
 
I've been in there a number of times. I can tell you that, after flying the uncontrolled airport routine, I nearly had a heart attack when I saw a tower out of the corner of my eye in the flare. I checked my frequencies about a hundred times before I realized it had not even been finished.

Now that's pretty funny!

I flew down there once on a weekday and I wasn't too busy, but still had a steady stream of traffic. I bet it's nuts on the weekend.
 
A number of years ago I was a CFI for the Eglin Aero club while I was a controller there. I used to take students to Destin for uncontrolled work. Seen and heard many memorable things in the pattern there. My favorite was on downwind while searching for the bonanza ahead we were following when a TBM (I believe) took the runway for departure awaiting the preceding traffic to clear the runway. At this point I pick the bo up turning a tight base for a short approach. He then made the announcement on the CTAF. The TBM said hey, we are on the runway about to depart (the preceding traffic was taking his time rolling to the end). The bo said don't depart I'm going to land over you. Needless to say the argument began and the TBM was rightly not happy at the prospect of the operation. The TBM was trapped on the runway as the point they entered was now blocked with the next aircraft in sequence and he picked up the bo visually and did the only thing he could....sit there while that guy landed. My student asked if this normal. My reply...nope, they need a tower here. Glad to hear they finally have one.
 
Hey Kevin, I was a controller at Eglin too (RAPCON, then tower on King hangar), 81-85, CFI at the aero club, and even did a little CFI'g at Destin. No where as busy as now, but Eglin was a lot busier back then.
 
I did my training at DTS, a tower will be interesting. Its certainly a unique airspace.

You have a good mix of corporate jets and turboprops mixed in with single engine VFR traffic that keeps it exciting. Prior to this, if you wanted to leave the pattern you had to get a code from Eglin approach and departed and got south of the coast line and then would call approach. If they keep that departure procedure it should remain pretty standard except that now the tower controls the pattern and can sequence aircraft better than everyone fighting for a spot (which was the real problem to begin with). I don't live in the area any more but have been watching this closely.
 
I still remember what it was like at St. Augustine (SGJ) before they got a tower. Talk about a zoo!! I used to avoid that place unless I absolutely positively needed to go in there. Now it's my airport of choice when I fly to Jacksonville.
 
A number of years ago I was a CFI for the Eglin Aero club while I was a controller there. I used to take students to Destin for uncontrolled work. Seen and heard many memorable things in the pattern there. My favorite was on downwind while searching for the bonanza ahead we were following when a TBM (I believe) took the runway for departure awaiting the preceding traffic to clear the runway. At this point I pick the bo up turning a tight base for a short approach. He then made the announcement on the CTAF. The TBM said hey, we are on the runway about to depart (the preceding traffic was taking his time rolling to the end). The bo said don't depart I'm going to land over you. Needless to say the argument began and the TBM was rightly not happy at the prospect of the operation. The TBM was trapped on the runway as the point they entered was now blocked with the next aircraft in sequence and he picked up the bo visually and did the only thing he could....sit there while that guy landed. My student asked if this normal. My reply...nope, they need a tower here. Glad to hear they finally have one.


A while back there was heated thread about position and hold ops at non-towered fields. Not sure where that thread is, but this post would probably be a good one to resurrect it.
 
this is pretty cool...we go to destin a lot and one of the reasons behind getting a plane is to travel there more often.
 
A while back there was heated thread about position and hold ops at non-towered fields. Not sure where that thread is, but this post would probably be a good one to resurrect it.

No such animal. There has to be someone to issue that instruction, and that person is called a controller. Which would require a control tower to be at the airport. Why argue about it, seems senseless but then again this is POA!
 
No such animal. There has to be someone to issue that instruction, and that person is called a controller. Which would require a control tower to be at the airport. Why argue about it, seems senseless but then again this is POA!

Dude!! Really?? :rolleyes2:
 
Dude!! Really?? :rolleyes2:

Exactly! I was replying to your post and don't see why someone would be arguing about position and hold at an uncontrolled airport. BTW I was a controller also.
 
Exactly! I was replying to your post and don't see why someone would be arguing about position and hold at an uncontrolled airport. BTW I was a controller also.

I was too.

If you think that people don't position and hold while waiting for traffic to clear off the runway at non-towered airports, you're downright delusional.
 
I was too.

If you think that people don't position and hold while waiting for traffic to clear off the runway at non-towered airports, you're downright delusional.

Oh I know pilots do that but I thought you were implying that it was the ATC position and hold. Misunderstood your post apparently.
 
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