Better coast for GA?

kaiser

kaiser

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The pilot formerly known as Cool Beard Guy
I’m in the process of a job change which may result in a move. Among other places where I am more familiar, the new gig could take me away from the best coast (Chicago) to either the greater NYC metroplex or San Francisco. I’ve been allowed to make GA a big part about this decision by my better half.

What’s GA like in these areas? I’ve heard about them killing 100LL at RHV. What are the quirks of which I need to be aware? I’ve been watching weather mostly lately and know icing won’t be as much a part of my life in SF as NY. Any thoughts on number of flyable days? Is there a difference in club/partnership availability? I’ll likely purchase soonish so I’ll want a gap plane. I’m sure hangars are scarce everywhere (as they are here), but what other considerations should be a factor in this decision?

ok… FIGHT!
 
Jim's list of places I don't want to live:
1)San Francisco
2)Los Angeles
3)New York
4)Chicago
5)Peoria :D

Good luck. I'd guess the west coast is a better environment for flying, but they'll ban it sooner than New York. If I had a skill like yours that's in demand literally everywhere, I'd pick where I want to live first, then find a job.

Better yet, consult. Then you can buy a tbm and legitimately call it a business expense.
 
Jim K said:
If I had a skill like yours that's in demand literally everywhere, I'd pick where I want to live first, then find a job.
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I’m certainly trying! A few opportunities will allow me to stay or move nearby (Dallas). Chicago's market for my skill set is softer right now than many other metros. Hence my wanting to ask the braintrust if I should focus more in one area vs another.

I’d totally go for consulting if I was any good at selling. More so if it would allow me access to personal kerosene burners. Alas, here we are, slumming it in the piston world.. haha
 
Knowing what I know and having lived in both areas (and currently living on So California), I would take NYC area first. My opinion has has to do more with the overall cost of living not just the general aviation climate.

kyleb said:
This is gonna rival the East Coast vs West Coast rap wars.
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Are you referring to the immortal words form the poet Tim Dog?
 
There’s lots of GA spots in the NY/NJ area. Depending on the need to be in the city vs commuting intermittently. You can live in Northern or central NJ or even PA. There is a lot of great GA in these areas without the west coast cost.
I vote east coast.
 
Having flown both in the Bay Area and around DC, the weather and views are better in the Bay Area, but once on the ground things are better on the east coast. Lots of GA options and NY approach is really good at working everyone in.
 
Unit74 said:
Do you like low IFR, ice, freezing rain, and snow?
Or, do you want to fly all year at 72 degrees?
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Once the engines have started, it’s the same temp in the left sear regardless, no? :D (but point taken haha)

benyflyguy said:
There’s lots of GA spots in the NY/NJ area. Depending on the need to be in the city vs commuting intermittently. You can live in Northern or central NJ or even PA. There is a lot of great GA in these areas without the west coast cost.
I vote east coast.
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Well - I won’t be in either city. Definitely waayyyy in the boonies. I don’t like sharing walls with neighbors anymore. Say, 1.5-2 hr commute to the office (into each city center). I was trying to avoid listing airports to try and get a good independent view. But let’s say SF near HWD, LVK, TCY, CCR, VCB or NY near BDR, DXR, SWF, CDW, MMU, SMQ, 39N? I purposely skipped TEB and HPN under the assumption they are just inaccessible to us little people?

Ventucky Red said:
I would take NYC area first. My opinion has has to do more with the overall cost of living not just the general aviation climate.
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I’m not completely thrilled by the HCOL. The cheaper I can live, the more can be routed to plane activities.
 
Jim K said:
Jim's list of places I don't want to live:
1)San Francisco
2)Los Angeles
3)New York
4)Chicago
5)Peoria :D

Good luck. I'd guess the west coast is a better environment for flying, but they'll ban it sooner than New York. If I had a skill like yours that's in demand literally everywhere, I'd pick where I want to live first, then find a job.

Better yet, consult. Then you can buy a tbm and legitimately call it a business expense.
Click to expand...
Jerk
 
Not really unless you are flying something that eats kerosene. A fair bit of the weather on the east coast down right sucks for VFR fliers in the winter. On the left coast you might break a sweat preflighting. Stark contrast between them. If flying is a high priority, SanFran no matter how bad that place sucks is your obvious choice. If you can stomach the sociopolitical climate and the wealth redistribution scheme they call taxes, you will love the many things to do with a plane. If you lean right or center, take the Gulf Coast advise and head south young blood.
 
If you have to go into NYC, then that will limit the airports you can park your plane. You'll have to be OK with a tie down but they available. I hear there's a year+ waiting list for even tie down in and around SF. Also, for $3M you can buy a shoebox for a home but that much 20min outside NYC will buy you a 2 shoe boxes worth!
 
kaiser said:
Once the engines have started, it’s the same temp in the left sear regardless, no? :D (but point taken haha)


Well - I won’t be in either city. Definitely waayyyy in the boonies. I don’t like sharing walls with neighbors anymore. Say, 1.5-2 hr commute to the office (into each city center). I was trying to avoid listing airports to try and get a good independent view. But let’s say SF near HWD, LVK, TCY, CCR, VCB or NY near BDR, DXR, SWF, CDW, MMU, SMQ, 39N? I purposely skipped TEB and HPN under the assumption they are just inaccessible to us little people?


I’m not completely thrilled by the HCOL. The cheaper I can live, the more can be routed to plane activities.
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That type of commute gets you to all kinds of regionals. If boonie way of life you seek look no further then the poconos. Got KMPO there. Nice field.
 
If you want to get into back country off airport flying, the West Coast has a lot more areas you can fly/play/land on. Lots of BLM land helps with that.

If you want to be a pavement pounder, I can't help, all my time is desert southwest and TX gulf coast.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
 
I'd go east coast. You can go more places since the big rocks aren't in the way.
 
Out of those two, I’d choose Dallas. My NY flying experience was asinine on arrival (“you want lower, try that on the next controller”), departure (clearance with 10 waypoints and a pile of victors) and a nastygram from the airport about a noise violation after midnight, never mind the RJ that landed after me. I am sure the $150 parking fee was an accident so won’t hold it against them. SFO will have fog and hangar issues and costs. Dallas is dry, hot, and has plenty of fun to be had. Plus, it’s got some great PoA’rs.
 
Do you have to have a physical 5 day a week presence? If not, then NYC, BUT live way out in the Lehigh Valley (ABE area). GA friendly area, you can still buy a house with a yard and not spend 7 figures, PA taxes a little less than NY/NJ. The drive on 78 to EWR area isn't bad at all, then train the rest of the way to the city as needed. Also good access to Philly from the LV as well.
 
I'm in Colorado, but grew up on the East Coast (and don't ever plan to return, nor would I live in California without a three-fold increase in my allowance). There seems a LOT of value (time and comfort) and justification for GA travel in the ultra-high road traffic area of Atlanta to Boston. Imagine trying to drive from NYC area anywhere anytime near a holiday weekend!
The West Coast has similar issues, especially near the major cities of California, Oregon, or Washington. But I'd speculate it's more pervasive and larger distances on the East Coast?
 
masloki said:
…Dallas is dry…
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Huh? Abilene is dry, but it’s not Houston levels of humidity and the region anchors the southern end of Tornado Alley.

Depending on where the’ll have to go in the metroplex, he could live east near Tyler, north nearly to Oklahoma, west to Mineral Wells and south to Waco.
 
I strongly recommend east coast. I mean it sucks, but unfortunately the west coast is full.
 
This question is kind of like "which of these two crackheads should I date?" I'd check taxes in both locations, and remember that if you work, or stand to close to, NYC you have to pay not only NY state income tax, but to the city itself. Rent in NYC is goofy, worse if you make it $/ft2 or $/quality of life. So more money may not really mean more money. Some will commute 2 hrs or more to avoid living there.

Weather? Ernest Gann called NY's Hudson River valley the worst flying weather in the world. Which for a normal pilot might not be a thing, but among other things he flew CBI theater.
 
Raised in Illinois and migrated West almost 30years ago.

SoCal and NorCal are both very GA friendly. You have great and diverse destinations all within a short flight from anywhere.

turbos truly make it easier to enjoy more fun places.

California is also far better for motorcycles than many other places.
 
Different strokes for different folks - I love both SF and NYC. I’ve semi-retired to the Hudson Valley and think it’s pretty great for GA - lots of small airports and a plane makes it easy to tour the whole northeast. Winter sucks but if you are from Chicago then you know about that. One advantage of NY/CT/NJ is that when you do need to travel to the city, you can grab a train. Driving from Tracy or Sacramento into SF seems like a nightmare.

edit: btw, in our area you might look at MGJ or DXR. Avoid SWF unless you like paying landing fees & Signature.
 
I would say go to the coast that will give you the best standard of living. Housing in both area are most likely high. Look at state taxes and such to determine how far your money would go.
 
I have worked in SF some, and lived on the east coast the super majority of my life.
On the east coast, if you are willing to have a 1.5 hour commute, you can pick some areas of PA or DE; near rail lines. You then have access to job markets from DC, Baltimore, Philli, NY. Basically every major city on the east coast except Boston. The cost of living is significantly cheaper than CA.
Flying in New England is not nearly as big a winter issue as many others state; you generally only need a one day window and most trips are doable. The little flying I have done out in CA, we had significant issues with the marine layer, and getting a clearance to take off. I hope that was more the exception than the rule, BWTHDIK I do not live there.

However, from a weather perspective, I know my wife would prefer CA hands down. I know I would prefer the east coast where we actually get four seasons and do not have drought issues that keep getting worse.

Tim
 
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