Article on unusual paved public use airports in Arizona.

PeterNSteinmetz

PeterNSteinmetz

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PeterNSteinmetz
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Back in 2016 after completing my private pilot's certificate, for fun I had targeted landing on all paved public use airports in Airzona.

Having completed this quest, I recently wrote an article for the Arizona Pilots Association newsletter about some of the more unusual airports. Thought you might enjoy it.

https://azpilots.org/images/newsletters/2019/apanewsletter2019-11november.pdf
 
Good article. And that's a nice newsletter. I have never seen it before but will have to look for it now.

Jon
 
Thanks all for the kind remarks. If you like the Arizona Pilots newsletter, one might consider joining. The APA has done a lot of good work for Arizona pilots, like re-opening the Grapevine airstrip (though it is closed tomorrow) and also has a number of fun fly-outs each year.
 
PeterNSteinmetz said:
Thanks all for the kind remarks. If you like the Arizona Pilots newsletter, one might consider joining. The APA has done a lot of good work for Arizona pilots, like re-opening the Grapevine airstrip (though it is closed tomorrow) and also has a number of fun fly-outs each year.
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I'll probably end up joining before too long. My wife and I just moved back from Germany and we settled in Phoenix, where she's originally from.
 
Sluggo63 said:
I'll probably end up joining before too long. My wife and I just moved back from Germany and we settled in Phoenix, where she's originally from.
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Thanks - just joined. What airport would you suggest for training close to mid-town and one that is not Sky Harbor and has less traffic. Glendale?
 
PeterNSteinmetz said:
Thanks all for the kind remarks. If you like the Arizona Pilots newsletter, one might consider joining. The APA has done a lot of good work for Arizona pilots, like re-opening the Grapevine airstrip (though it is closed tomorrow) and also has a number of fun fly-outs each year.
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Great article.
 
Kal Ma said:
Thanks - just joined. What airport would you suggest for training close to mid-town and one that is not Sky Harbor and has less traffic. Glendale?
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I'm really not the one to ask since I haven't started flying out here yet, but I have been starting the plane search fro something to buy. If you're in mid-town (like I am), it looks like everything is about 30 minutes away. Just from what I've seen, I might focus more on Glendale. It looks like it's pretty sleepy. All the other airports around look like they are full of training schools for the foreign airports. I've heard that they're relatively busy, which is fine, but it seems like at Glendale you might be able to start up and get off the ground pretty quickly instead of waiting in a queue of student pilots waiting to take off.

I believe there are two flight schools out at Glendale.
 
Kal Ma said:
Thanks - just joined. What airport would you suggest for training close to mid-town and one that is not Sky Harbor and has less traffic. Glendale?
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I live in downtown PHX and base my airplane at Goodyear. I’d recommend Goodyear or Glendale.

BTW - this isn’t the Kal Ma at Portland on The Park, is it?
 
Kal Ma said:
Thanks - just joined. What airport would you suggest for training close to mid-town and one that is not Sky Harbor and has less traffic. Glendale?
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I have not done training at Glendale, but agree that when I have been there the air traffic has been much more reasonable.

I was just looking at the map and it seems Chandler, KCHD, is about equidistant. The school there Chandler Aviation Service is quite good and I can hook you up with some independent instructors there as well there. Of course, you could also be one of my early students if you want as I am just finishing up my powered CFI ;-)

You might want to drive to the different ones in the morning if that is when you will be training to see what the traffic is like.

I would be remiss if I did not ask what kind of flight training you are looking to start with? And note the advantages, even if eventually going on to powered flight, of starting in gliders. Flying gliders really does teach one how a set of wings and controls handles in the air without a lot of other complexities. Most people feel this training makes for better piloting. The training obtained can then be used as the basis for adding on powered flight at a later time. If you want to explore that option, to the SW of town is Arizona Soaring, one of the premier training spots in the US.
 
Sluggo63 said:
I'm really not the one to ask since I haven't started flying out here yet, but I have been starting the plane search fro something to buy. If you're in mid-town (like I am), it looks like everything is about 30 minutes away. Just from what I've seen, I might focus more on Glendale. It looks like it's pretty sleepy. All the other airports around look like they are full of training schools for the foreign airports. I've heard that they're relatively busy, which is fine, but it seems like at Glendale you might be able to start up and get off the ground pretty quickly instead of waiting in a queue of student pilots waiting to take off.

I believe there are two flight schools out at Glendale.
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Thanks - you are right about equidistant. Deer Valley, Mesa, Glendale all about 22 mi so Glendale (just north of the LA-Phx vector) might be good as well as Deer Valley. A friend of mine has his airplanes up there. Flagstaff airport FBO says no training pilots allowed up there when I called
Pilawt said:
I live in downtown PHX and base my airplane at Goodyear. I’d recommend Goodyear or Glendale.

BTW - this isn’t the Kal Ma at Portland on The Park, is it?
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You got it - is this Larry?
 
Kal Ma said:
Thanks - you are right about equidistant. Deer Valley, Mesa, Glendale all about 22 mi so Glendale (just north of the LA-Phx vector) might be good as well as Deer Valley. A friend of mine has his airplanes up there. Flagstaff airport FBO says no training pilots allowed up there when I called

You got it - is this Larry?
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Sorry Jeff - can you send me a note via FB messenger: I have a couple of questions for you.
 
44A.... had my first emergency landing there.

4th solo, first one out of the pattern. CFIAPIAOwner installed the single shaft dual mag that morning and forgot to tie the lower nut.

Literally nothing. Not even a road to it.

Although they just finished paving 54AZ today, do you need to add that to your list!
 
PeterNSteinmetz said:
I will do that. Almost landed one day last year when Yuma. Now I will definitely have to! Thanks.
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You should definitely check it out. It’s a bright spot for GA. New hangars being built and lots of improvements to the facilities. I was just there yesterday.
 
Tarheelpilot said:
You should definitely check it out. It’s a bright spot for GA. New hangars being built and lots of improvements to the facilities. I was just there yesterday.
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Is 54AZ public use? Or do we need permission to land there?
 
PeterNSteinmetz said:
Is 54AZ public use? Or do we need permission to land there?
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Technically it’s PPR, and there’s a form online, scratch that, their website’s down. It’s essentially open to the public. Check in with Sherm when you land and say hello. Sherm’s the unofficial official airport manager and was Charles’ right hand for years. Eric, the son of the founder, is running the place now and is a hell of a guy.

Watch for the cell tower just west of the threshold and departing to the north can be fun if it’s windy, as the field sits on a Mesa.

300’ AGL TPA to keep out of NYL’s Delta. Was lots of fun doing my primary training there. Guess that’s why I feel at home now in the Maule.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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