SkyHog
Touchdown! Greaser!
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2005
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- 18,431
- Location
- Castle Rock, CO
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Everything Offends Me
Santa Fe Municipal Airport (KSAF)
If you ask non New Mexican people about cities in New Mexico, they are likely to know of 2 cities: Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Albuquerque, because of Buggs Bunny and his infamous wrong turn, and Santa Fe, because it is the capitol of this great state.
Santa Fe has become a haven for older people who like arts and cultural stuff. It still has a night life, and its actually a good night life, but the bread and butter of Santa Fe is the museums and performing arts displays. I'll touch on those a little bit later, but first, the airport.
Santa Fe Municipal Airport is easy to pick out, because of its odd runway layout. All of the runways meet at a point, making an asterisk shape that sticks out in the middle of the desert and mountains. Two of the runways are black, while the other one is brown. At one point in the past, I had heard an ATIS message that reminded folks that the runway in use was brown, not black. That was a funny message.
Regardless of which way you approach Santa Fe, North, South, East or West, there are mountains you must cross to get there. They are not difficult to navigate, but at times, the winds can get pretty rowdy. As you near the airport, the winds are generally calmer than they are as you come in over the mountains.
Santa Fe Municipal Airport is only one of only five towered airports, and only one of four class D areas. The controllers are always nice and willing to accomodate GA, even though the airport does have airline services. The taxiways and runways are very straightforward and easy to figure out as well.
The Santa Fe Jet Center is my preferred FBO of choice at this airport. Million Air is more concerned with their jet crowd to be worried about a plane that only drinks 100LL, and the people seem to always be in a hurry to get you off their ramp. The fuel prices at Santa Fe Jet Center are outlandish though: $4.37/gallon when I arrived, and yes, I did need fuel.
If you are in the mood for a good musem while in town, I would strongly suggest the Georgia O'Keefe Museum. It is no where near the airport, but a courtesy car is available at the Santa Fe Jet Center, and the museum is worth visiting.
If you want to do some gambling, The Downs at Santa Fe may be the place for you. It is pretty close to the airport, and has slot machines, table games, and horse racing. It is pretty close to the best gambling places in New Mexico, next to the Santa Ana Casino in Bernalillo (quite a bit south, Albuquerque has a better choice of airports for that casino).
To the northwest of the airport is some pretty nasty Restricted airspace, but its easy to avoid if you just don't go northwest. That is the infamous Los Alamos National Labs, where if you followed the news a few years ago, the name Wen Ho Lee has some meaning to you.
The only bit of unpublished advice I can give is to avoid walking near the terminal building. There is a yellow line painted on the ground, so its easy to see, but they don't mess around with people violating this area on foot. I haven't done it, but I've been warned by locals!
I almost forgot the crowning jewel of Santa Fe - unfortunately, I didn't get a picture. I'll have to plan another trip up just to get a picture of this. In the warbirds hangar right next to Million Air is an exact replica of Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Electra. It is absolutely stunning. I almost cried.
So - Santa Fe is a fun city with lots to do, and the airport is located fairly close to the downtown area. Whoever designed this city and airport combo did a great job, and I heartily suggest visiting this airport someday. Just fuel up elsewhere, unless you like getting raked for very expensive fuel.
SANTA FE MUNICIPAL QUICK FACTS:
Airport Elevation: 6348 Ft
Runways 2/20: 8342'x150ft, Asphalt in OK Condition
Runways 15/33: 6307'x150ft, Asphalt in OK Condition
Runways 10/28: 6300'x75ft, Asphalt in Great Condition
Tower: 119.5
Ground: 121.7
ATIS: 128.55
UNICOM: 122.95
Nick's NOTAMS: Do not walk through the TSA Terminal Area.
PHOTOS:
1) Approach to runway 20
2) Jemez Mountains to the West
3) Old Santa Fe Jet Center Hangar
4) The tower and beacon beyond the plane, about to depart at night.
If you ask non New Mexican people about cities in New Mexico, they are likely to know of 2 cities: Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Albuquerque, because of Buggs Bunny and his infamous wrong turn, and Santa Fe, because it is the capitol of this great state.
Santa Fe has become a haven for older people who like arts and cultural stuff. It still has a night life, and its actually a good night life, but the bread and butter of Santa Fe is the museums and performing arts displays. I'll touch on those a little bit later, but first, the airport.
Santa Fe Municipal Airport is easy to pick out, because of its odd runway layout. All of the runways meet at a point, making an asterisk shape that sticks out in the middle of the desert and mountains. Two of the runways are black, while the other one is brown. At one point in the past, I had heard an ATIS message that reminded folks that the runway in use was brown, not black. That was a funny message.
Regardless of which way you approach Santa Fe, North, South, East or West, there are mountains you must cross to get there. They are not difficult to navigate, but at times, the winds can get pretty rowdy. As you near the airport, the winds are generally calmer than they are as you come in over the mountains.
Santa Fe Municipal Airport is only one of only five towered airports, and only one of four class D areas. The controllers are always nice and willing to accomodate GA, even though the airport does have airline services. The taxiways and runways are very straightforward and easy to figure out as well.
The Santa Fe Jet Center is my preferred FBO of choice at this airport. Million Air is more concerned with their jet crowd to be worried about a plane that only drinks 100LL, and the people seem to always be in a hurry to get you off their ramp. The fuel prices at Santa Fe Jet Center are outlandish though: $4.37/gallon when I arrived, and yes, I did need fuel.
If you are in the mood for a good musem while in town, I would strongly suggest the Georgia O'Keefe Museum. It is no where near the airport, but a courtesy car is available at the Santa Fe Jet Center, and the museum is worth visiting.
If you want to do some gambling, The Downs at Santa Fe may be the place for you. It is pretty close to the airport, and has slot machines, table games, and horse racing. It is pretty close to the best gambling places in New Mexico, next to the Santa Ana Casino in Bernalillo (quite a bit south, Albuquerque has a better choice of airports for that casino).
To the northwest of the airport is some pretty nasty Restricted airspace, but its easy to avoid if you just don't go northwest. That is the infamous Los Alamos National Labs, where if you followed the news a few years ago, the name Wen Ho Lee has some meaning to you.
The only bit of unpublished advice I can give is to avoid walking near the terminal building. There is a yellow line painted on the ground, so its easy to see, but they don't mess around with people violating this area on foot. I haven't done it, but I've been warned by locals!
I almost forgot the crowning jewel of Santa Fe - unfortunately, I didn't get a picture. I'll have to plan another trip up just to get a picture of this. In the warbirds hangar right next to Million Air is an exact replica of Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Electra. It is absolutely stunning. I almost cried.
So - Santa Fe is a fun city with lots to do, and the airport is located fairly close to the downtown area. Whoever designed this city and airport combo did a great job, and I heartily suggest visiting this airport someday. Just fuel up elsewhere, unless you like getting raked for very expensive fuel.
SANTA FE MUNICIPAL QUICK FACTS:
Airport Elevation: 6348 Ft
Runways 2/20: 8342'x150ft, Asphalt in OK Condition
Runways 15/33: 6307'x150ft, Asphalt in OK Condition
Runways 10/28: 6300'x75ft, Asphalt in Great Condition
Tower: 119.5
Ground: 121.7
ATIS: 128.55
UNICOM: 122.95
Nick's NOTAMS: Do not walk through the TSA Terminal Area.
PHOTOS:
1) Approach to runway 20
2) Jemez Mountains to the West
3) Old Santa Fe Jet Center Hangar
4) The tower and beacon beyond the plane, about to depart at night.
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