Recommended Places to fly in the Midwest

Marz7490

Pre-Flight
Joined
Sep 10, 2015
Messages
42
Location
Chicago
Display Name

Display name:
TheChicagoPilot
Where do you guys like to fly in the Midwest? I'm based in Chicago, currently knocking out time towards my commercial and want to check out as many cool places as possible!

Some places I haven't been yet that are on the list:
KSBM - Sheboygan, WI
KSJX - Beaver Island, MI
KMCD - Mackinac Island, MI
3W2 - Put In Bay, OH

Interested in hearing any and all recommendations!
 
KFRH French Lick Indiana. They will come pick you up and take you to the resort - pretty GA friendly. Neat place to visit.
 
I've been to all of them except KSBM, all great destinations. Mackinac Island is unique, Put-in Bay can be crowded and rowdy, Beaver Island is kinda remote and somewhat scenic. Re: Beaver, depending on how you plan to get around there you might want to consider 6Y8 (Welke) instead. KSJX is larger and has a longer runway (and at least one IAP) but it is way out in the boonies. I took my (road) bicycle and did not enjoy the long-ish ride on gravel roads to get to town. 6Y8 is much closer.

Also consider Kelleys Island in Lake Erie (89D), not far from PIB. Much quieter and less touristy.
 
It depends what you want to do at the destination. We have been to Beaver Island and Put in Bay and both islands are really nice their very own way.

If you want to have a nice burger, you may want to consider Pellston (KPLN) and try the restaurant in the airport. You can Fly over Mackinaw Bridge and Mackinac Island Proof to landing in Pellston. Or you fly to Muskegon (KMKG), rent a car and drive to the Silver Dune Nationalpark. Needless to say that there are multiple nice restaurants in the Muskegon area as well... :) Along the entire Michigan West Coast there are nice little airports. If you have a folding bike you could nothing will hold you to have a nice day at the beach.

Have fun and post some pictures!! :D
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the responses everyone! I'll definitely be checking some of these out in the coming weeks. Pellston sounds like a good one!
 
KEAU- Eau Claire, WI the Leinenkugel brewery is just a few miles north of the field in Chippewa Falls, you can get a free tour and they give out free samples at the end. I used to live there but no more... I think they have a crew car.

KDLL- The WI Dells. There's a free shuttle to the indian casino, I believe you can also get free shuttles to some of the other resorts/hotels. That entire area is full of attractions.

KALN Alton, IL- Nice restaurant on the field, they have good pizza and burgers. I was just there today.
KHAE Hannibal, MO- If you are into Mark Twain or caves or 1800s America there's all kinds of stuff there. I'm based at KUIN which is right next to it.
 
Rattlesnake Island Airport - 58OH

Make sure there are no golfers or lama on the field.
 
Where do you guys like to fly in the Midwest? I'm based in Chicago, currently knocking out time towards my commercial and want to check out as many cool places as possible!

Some places I haven't been yet that are on the list:
KSBM - Sheboygan, WI
KSJX - Beaver Island, MI
KMCD - Mackinac Island, MI
3W2 - Put In Bay, OH

Interested in hearing any and all recommendations!

I've been to all these but KSBM, and they are nice...but what is at KSBM?

Oh, and don't forget the Airzoo at AZO
 

Been to KEYE and loved Ricks! Will be back soon!

KEAU- Eau Claire, WI the Leinenkugel brewery is just a few miles north of the field in Chippewa Falls, you can get a free tour and they give out free samples at the end. I used to live there but no more... I think they have a crew car.

KDLL- The WI Dells. There's a free shuttle to the indian casino, I believe you can also get free shuttles to some of the other resorts/hotels. That entire area is full of attractions.

KALN Alton, IL- Nice restaurant on the field, they have good pizza and burgers. I was just there today.
KHAE Hannibal, MO- If you are into Mark Twain or caves or 1800s America there's all kinds of stuff there. I'm based at KUIN which is right next to it.

Might have to do an overnight at Eau Claire or the Dells, both sound like a great spot.

I'll be sure to check out Alton, someone else has recommended I go there.

Grimes Field I74, Urbana Ohio. They have a museum where they are restoring a B-17 and an on airport Cafe http://www.champaignaviationmuseum.org/

Right nearby is 1WF, in Troy Ohio. Another museum, this time WACO. There's a flyin this weekend. http://www.wacoairmuseum.org/index.html

Cheers

I74 sounds awesome, closeup to a B-17? I'm in!

Rattlesnake Island Airport - 58OH

Make sure there are no golfers or lama on the field.

Golf is right up my alley!

I've been to all these but KSBM, and they are nice...but what is at KSBM?

Oh, and don't forget the Airzoo at AZO

Went to AirZoo earlier this summer, awesome trip with some relatives.
 
Niagara Falls (KIAG) might also be an option. They do have a courtesy car. :)
 
Then there's Charlevoix, MI KCVX. They have courtesy bikes for an easy ride into town.
 
RL Jones Airport in Tulsa, OK. Fun city. Great FBO in Christiansen
 
Hutchinson, KS with the Cosmosphere museum. Only privately owned US Spacecraft is there (Mercury capsule that they helped fund the salvage)
 
Ottawa, il has a decent restaurant on field, and they keep throwing people out of planes above the field, so you can watch them land.

KMKC Kansas City great location and an easy ride to great BBQ.
 
KOSC - Oscoda-Wurtsmith is an interesting destination when flying around Michigan. Visited there this fall and taxied around all the old 747's sitting around the property. Warning - you feel extremely small in a 172 next to those planes! The runway is huge 11,800 x 200 so land long if coming in on 06. They also have a museum on the field, but it was closed the day I visited.
 
That does sound interesting FP. Had a great time exploring Lake Michigan's seashore and the UP this summer. Everyone we met along the way was super friendly - it was amazing how genuinely pleasant people were.
 
I flew this northern Michigan sightseeing route for a quick Saturday - Sunday trip back in September. The upper peninsula fall foliage was magical going low and slow in a 172. This might give some of you an idea for a future trip. The only airport not labeled below is KMCD - Mackinac Island Airport.
IMG_2851.JPG


Flying over the Mackinac Bridge on Sunday Morning:
IMG_2847.JPG


Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore:
IMG_2852.JPG

Fall foliage was in full swing on the upper peninsula:
IMG_2848.JPG

IMG_2850.JPG

The Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan:
IMG_2849.JPG


Just a few of the many planes sitting around KOSC:
IMG_2853.JPG
 
FP, your photos bring back memories, especially the one of the Big Mac. Thanks.

BTW, my avatar picture was taken over the same area, but at higher altitude and from the opposite direction. The Bridge is visible in the original picture, before I shrunk it down to make it fit.
 
Close to Chicagoland is C59 - Lake Lawn Resort. Golf course, restaurant, resort, water rentals all across the street.
 
We saw some snowy owls at Oscoda airport once. It was an impressive sight for us - the owls were less impressed...

It looks like a really nice tour you made. We love flying the UP. :)
 
Close to Chicagoland is C59 - Lake Lawn Resort. Golf course, restaurant, resort, water rentals all across the street.
Any news on the status of the runway? Back in the day this was a very popular fly-in destination for pilots all around the Great Lakes, but even then (2005-ish) the runway was not in good shape. Then the resort closed, though I heard it reopened a few years ago and is in business again. (?) The latest Remarks in the A/FD say "Runway 18/36 numerous large cracks & vegetation growing through pavement entire length." (There is also an entry on FF that says "ots indefinitely" with no indication of what it refers to; I'm guessing it is probably the NDB.)

Personally with no recent report on runway conditions I would not try to land there.
 
Any news on the status of the runway? Back in the day this was a very popular fly-in destination for pilots all around the Great Lakes, but even then (2005-ish) the runway was not in good shape. Then the resort closed, though I heard it reopened a few years ago and is in business again. (?) The latest Remarks in the A/FD say "Runway 18/36 numerous large cracks & vegetation growing through pavement entire length." (There is also an entry on FF that says "ots indefinitely" with no indication of what it refers to; I'm guessing it is probably the NDB.)

Personally with no recent report on runway conditions I would not try to land there.


I called the resort to see if the airport is open. The women at the desk said they have people flying in to use the facilities on a regular basis. She said after a heavy snow, it takes them a while to get the runway cleared. She also mentioned that they'll sometimes use the runway for overflow parking. I guess when they have big weekends like the kite festival, they have people park on the runway.
 
I called the resort to see if the airport is open. The women at the desk said they have people flying in to use the facilities on a regular basis. She said after a heavy snow, it takes them a while to get the runway cleared. She also mentioned that they'll sometimes use the runway for overflow parking. I guess when they have big weekends like the kite festival, they have people park on the runway.
That's great to hear! Makes me wish I lived closer, many good memories associated with the place. I hope they stay in business for a long time.
 
Nice pictures, good spots mentioned above. A few others would be Rochelle, IL south of Rockford, 'Flight Deck' restaurant. Then the Jet Room at MSN.

A bit further north, KARV then visit Minocqua, WI.
 
Here is a video my buddy put together of the northern Michigan trip we did back in October. This was a great little weekend trip that offered a lot of different things to see and good places to stop along the way. You can reference my post above for still pictures of the trip.

 
Back
Top