A beach picnic

deltafox

Pre-takeoff checklist
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deltafox
I'm looking for a place to fly along the east coast from New York to Northern Virginia, to spend the day at the beach and fly home. No rental car, no hotel, just cheap access to the beach. Any suggestions?
 
I'm looking for a place to fly along the east coast from New York to Northern Virginia, to spend the day at the beach and fly home. No rental car, no hotel, just cheap access to the beach. Any suggestions?

Ocean City NJ is easily walkable to the beach, think you might need beach tags, which the local roving beach patrol will sell you.

Not familiar with access from the NY airports.

Gary
 
Don't know what you're flying, but I've done day trips to KHSE, Billy Mitchell Field, Hatteras, NC, and I'm based at Pottstown Muni not too far from you.
Walk over the dunes from the airport, and you're on the beach.

Gary's suggestion is a good one, but that's a pretty short flight, but that may be all you're looking for. Nice little airport restaurant at O.C. also.
 
Don't know what you're flying, but I've done day trips to KHSE, Billy Mitchell Field, Hatteras, NC, and I'm based at Pottstown Muni not too far from you.
Walk over the dunes from the airport, and you're on the beach.

Gary's suggestion is a good one, but that's a pretty short flight, but that may be all you're looking for. Nice little airport restaurant at O.C. also.

Second vote for Billy Mitchell & it's companion at Ocracoke. Both literally on the beach.
 
Second vote for Billy Mitchell & it's companion at Ocracoke. Both literally on the beach.

I'll third that if you are willing to go a longer distance. Nicer beach at Billy Mitchell, no services or lodging (could hoof it over to a campground and a small store close by). Ocracoke has the town and lodging within walking distance, don't need a car, but IMHO the beach isn't as nice as the airport is right at an ORV entrance to the beach.

Gary
 
Don't know what you're flying, but I've done day trips to KHSE, Billy Mitchell Field, Hatteras, NC, and I'm based at Pottstown Muni not too far from you.
Walk over the dunes from the airport, and you're on the beach.

Gary's suggestion is a good one, but that's a pretty short flight, but that may be all you're looking for. Nice little airport restaurant at O.C. also.

Second vote for Billy Mitchell & it's companion at Ocracoke. Both literally on the beach.


But guys he wanted a beach from NY to NORTHERN VA. HSE and Ocracoke are in NC.
 
Just came back from the Outer Banks, loved it. Billy Mitchell is the kind of place I'm looking for, but at over 3 hours (for my PiperSport) my wife would not be amused. So far it looks like 26N is my best choice. Thanks for the help.
 
Ocean City NJ (26N) comes to my mind as the shortest walk from airplane to beach for a trip like that. Maybe the only walk to the beach.
 
But guys he wanted a beach from NY to NORTHERN VA. HSE and Ocracoke are in NC.


Understood. However, it doesn't hurt to offer other suggestions to perhaps broaden someones horizons. Now that I read "Piper Sport", that would chew up a lot of the day.
 
Another one, a little outside his parameters, is Katama (1B2) on Martha's Vineyard. It's a grass strip with a "ramp" area right across the street from the beach.
 
Montauk (MTP), Block Island (BID), OCNJ (26N), Tangier (TGI) come to mind.
 
Montauk (MTP), Block Island (BID), OCNJ (26N), Tangier (TGI) come to mind.
Not much of a beach on which to picnic on Tangier Island, but it's otherwise a nice half-day trip. OCNJ was already discussed -- good choice. The airport picture on AirNav makes MTP look good. Longer walk to the beach at BID based on that picture.
 
I didn't know about TGI, should be a great day trip in the fall. The other suggestions look good and all within 2 hrs. Thanks for the help.
 
I didn't know about TGI, should be a great day trip in the fall. The other suggestions look good and all within 2 hrs. Thanks for the help.

Not much of a beach on which to picnic on Tangier Island, but it's otherwise a nice half-day trip. OCNJ was already discussed -- good choice. The airport picture on AirNav makes MTP look good. Longer walk to the beach at BID based on that picture.

I disagree about Tangier. I think it would be a fantastic place for a beach picnic. The start of the beach is about three quarters of a mile from the airport parking, so it's a little bit of a walk, but it's a fantastic beach. Hardly anyone there and gorgeous. There's plenty of beach--about a mile and a half of it.
 
Don't know what you're flying, but I've done day trips to KHSE, Billy Mitchell Field, Hatteras, NC, and I'm based at Pottstown Muni not too far from you.
Walk over the dunes from the airport, and you're on the beach.

I'm curious what it's like to negotiate the Navy's patchwork of MOAs, Warning and Restricted Areas along the Outer Banks? Coming from Atlanta(FFC), I'd be passing right over Cherry Point NAS. Reading the stuff at http://www.cherrypointatc.com/ makes it sound like it could ruin your day...
 
I'm curious what it's like to negotiate the Navy's patchwork of MOAs, Warning and Restricted Areas along the Outer Banks? Coming from Atlanta(FFC), I'd be passing right over Cherry Point NAS. Reading the stuff at http://www.cherrypointatc.com/ makes it sound like it could ruin your day...


I've done it several times, and I think I hit all of them going to and from St. Simons Island, GA from the Philly area. Just call up the controlling authority in the proper frequency, and ask them if the area is "hot" or not. If it is hot stay out, if isn't ask for transition through.

I remember having to go around Cherry Point's, but was let though some others. NAS Norfolk called company traffic at my six o'clock. It was another Grumman. An F-14. :) Obviously some time ago as they were not yet retired.
 
"Company Traffic"...I love it. I used Flight Following to go down to KFFA last month without difficulty. Seemed like PAX was training a new controller as we got lots of repeat calls and clarifications from another more confident voice. I would not hesitate to do it again.
 
MTP is great however they have a landing fee $17 but provide transport to and from the beach.Privately owned nice people
 
Not much of a beach on which to picnic on Tangier Island, but it's otherwise a nice half-day trip. OCNJ was already discussed -- good choice. The airport picture on AirNav makes MTP look good. Longer walk to the beach at BID based on that picture.

For a picnic on the beach it's fine, particularily spring and fall.

If you taxi down to the old threshold of RWY 2, you can drop your stuff off and it's a short walk to the beach. Alternatively you can hire one of the golf cart ladies to drive you down.
 
I disagree about Tangier. I think it would be a fantastic place for a beach picnic. The start of the beach is about three quarters of a mile from the airport parking, so it's a little bit of a walk, but it's a fantastic beach. Hardly anyone there and gorgeous. There's plenty of beach--about a mile and a half of it.

I'm still training, but one of the first trips I hope to make is to TGI. I've never used the airport there, but Tangier island is an awesome, quaint little island with awesome seafood, and lots of shops. The beach is also nice.
 
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