Austin, TX - looking for info

JoeSelch

JoeSelch

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JoeSelch
Looks like I'm going to be moving to Austin, TX in the near future (as soon as I can take care of work and housing issues).

Wondering if anyone can give me the scoop on GA in the Austin area.

I'll be living on the south side (I-35 and Oltorf).
Looking for a friendly field to call home (for me and my plane).

So far, I've been considering San Marcos and Lockhart; but, I know nothing about either of these places. Looks like there are lots of paved private strips in the area, but very few public.
 
Austin is surely the largest city with only one airport, and it's a tragedy. When the Austin Bergstrom International Airport (formerly Bergstrom AFB ) was opened as a civil airport (1999, IIRC), the long-extant airport, Mueller, which is a close-in field, was closed. Although there was some impetus to keep Mueller open in a smaller form (heavily favored by the state government aviation operations), the City of Austin, with strong support from developer$ and NIMBYs, prevailed in closing the airport. One key reason given was that Austin still had Austin Executive (formerly Tim's Airpark) on the north end to serve GA.

To the shock of many, Executive was sold, closed and redeveloped shortly after Mueller's closure.

The Texas legislature has actually passed legislation calling for a new GA airport for central Texas, but an appropriate location has not yet been identified (at least, not publicly). It was me, I'd look east.

In the meantime, living where you'll be, AUS (the big airport) is still the best bet, as it's not really far at all from Oltorf & I35 (are you a Fed?), provided you can find a place to hangar it. For whatever it is worth, although AUS is a big air carrier field, the controllers are very GA-friendly.

If you don't want AUS (or cannot find anyplace to put the plane there), San Marcos is a huge field, begging for traffic. If you can stand the drive to the plane (and mustn't we all?), you'll like San Marcos.

There are other options, but I have to go home now, so I'll let Lisa (Ausrere) jump in here and provide additional information ,as well as poking holes in my ramblings as required.

Welcome to Texas- it is a great place for aviation, and central Texas is fat with day-trip opportunities.
 
No holes to poke. That information is right on. I've flown out of Bergstrom (AUS) and Lockhart (50R). The controllers at AUS were very GA friendly, but I don't own a plane, so I'm not sure how expensive it is to park one there. They can't seem to keep a decent flight training shop there though! (sorry, sore subject with me :rolleyes:) Lockhart is a nice small GA airport that I'm partial too, but it could be because I was a cop in Lockhart many moons ago.:D

San Marcos is a big GA airport, and it'll be straight down I-35 from where you'll be. Traffic is not as bad south of Austin as it is north. You'll be about 30 miles from either Lockhart or San Marcos so it's really a toss up as far as travel time to either of those. The other GA airport we have nearby is Georgetown (GTU). Lots of GA and training traffic there. It'll also be about 30 miles from you, but I avoid I-35 from Austin to Georgetown like the plague, so I don't know much about it.

Let me know if I can help gather intel or help the move in any other way. And welcome to Austin!
 
Let me know how you like moving from midwest to Texas. If all goes as planned, my wife and I are planning on moving somewhere in that direction (as job availability allows, of course) after graduation within the next year or so.
 
Thanks for the info and quick responses.

I figure both San Marcos and Lockhart are equivalent to my current drive to the airport, so not a big deal. (Of course, I'd love to be closer!)

Did a little poking around about Bergstrom - found an AOPA article regarding the exorbitant insurance requirements for hangar tenants. Also learned that the hangars are operated by Signature. If it's true, I really don't care to be mixed up in it. But, will inquire anyway, since it'd be incredibly convenient and I don't mind a busy field.
 
I just moved from San Antonio....

The comments about Austin are on the mark. The controllers are great (and less busy than San Antonio, which covers Randolph and Lackland, both of which run AF training).

Were it my money, I'd probably look at San Marcos first, then Lockhart, and AUS last of all. It's a pain in the neck to get into the GA area of AUS - entrance from the south side of the field. HYI has an ILS & the runways were recently refurbished.... and there are multiple runways.

Hangars will likely be hard to find at any of the fields. The closing of Muller and Exec pushed the folks that had hangars there to other fields, and the area between Austin and San Antonio continues to grow. I know that New Braunfels had no hangars about 18 months ago, likewise most of the airports on the north side of San Antonio.
 
I have landed at Taylor field NNE of town and it was a pleasant respite from kaus.
 
I read somewhere that Ron Henriksen (Houston businessman who built and opened Houston Executive Airport - TME) is getting ready to open another airport near Austin. Ah, here it is:

http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/BirdsNestAirportReborn_196262-1.html

I don't have much experience with any of the airports mentioned, seeing as how I've only sat right seat for a touch & go at HYI once, but I can speak to the day trip comment... Brenham (11R) is a short hop away, and has one of the best airport restaurants I've been to. Also, EAA Chapter 1347 at La Grange (3T5) has a BBQ the first Saturday of every month, with very tasty BBQ at $7/plate.

Chris- come on in, the water is fine. Texas is still accepting new residents and it's a great place to be :).
 
Oh, I almost forgot to mention - San Marcos is the site of two HUGE outlet malls, so if the wife wants to shop while you fly, it would be easy to drop her off there on your way to the airport...
 
Thanks for the additional information - I knew you folks would come through!

Looks like good news about Bird's Nest - I'll keep my eye on it (even though it is on the "wrong" side of town).

The move is still a ways off - many loose ends to tie up in Detroit first. But, it's never too early to investigate aviation!
Looking forward to some Texas BBQ.
 
Ah, yes, Rudy's is always soundly workmanlike barbecue, but if you are in Austin, it would be something close to sin not to recommend- to command- a visit to the Salt Lick, near Buda. You are also a quick drive from Llano, home of Cooper's.
 
SCCutler said:
Ah, yes, Rudy's is always soundly workmanlike barbecue, but if you are in Austin, it would be something close to sin not to recommend- to command- a visit to the Salt Lick, near Buda. You are also a quick drive from Llano, home of Cooper's.
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Mmmm.. Salt Lick. Good Stuff. It's actually in Driftwood, but that's not far from Buda. Can't go wrong there. I like Stubbs too. Lots of my friends like County Line. It's ok, but not my favorite. Of course Lockhart has it's fair share of great BBQ too...and they are closer to the airport!
 
It's good to know BBQ and distance to an airport are important key factors when choosing where to live. :D
 
ausrere said:
Mmmm.. Salt Lick. Good Stuff. It's actually in Driftwood, but that's not far from Buda. Can't go wrong there. I like Stubbs too. Lots of my friends like County Line. It's ok, but not my favorite. Of course Lockhart has it's fair share of great BBQ too...and they are closer to the airport!
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Yep, I knew it was near Buda, but was too lazy to look it up. That's me, yup.

As for Stubbs, yeah, it's pretty good, but I have never been all that nutso over it, maybe because it has become so hip and edgy and all that. I always liked CL, but haven't set foot in one for probably 15 years.

I am in mourning for the loss of Bert's Bar-b-q on 19th Street (now, MLK)- burned down recently, and I doubt that the city will allow Gary to rebuild it. Best beef ribs money could buy.

Which brings me back to Salt Lick. I am drooling now (for those who know me well, I should clarify: drooling more than usual).
 
Well, since we're comparing, in addition to Rudy's I'm a fan of Goode Company here in Houston, but the best BBQ I've had was made by my coworker who has his own competition BBQ team, the Bandito Kookers. Carl's BBQ isn't bad either, and they're just off the airport at Weiser (KEYQ). In fact, if you call them on UNICOM they'll come pick you up at your tie-down in their golf cart!
 
Uh-oh! I'm sensing a brewing BBQ war!
Although, Salt Lick seems like a well-backed recommendation. (And, coincidentally, it just turned up in an email I received today from someone I haven't seen in 14 years. To think I hadn't even heard of it until today...)

Frankly, I can't wait to try it all!
 
No war, none of these places I'd turn down!
 
Well, on the recommendations here, I'll be sure to try Salt Lick the next time I'm up in the Austin area... I don't recall ever seeing one in the Houston area.
 
t0r0nad0 said:
Well, on the recommendations here, I'll be sure to try Salt Lick the next time I'm up in the Austin area... I don't recall ever seeing one in the Houston area.
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PJ-

There is but one- it's worth the effort.
 
Well, I may have to experience this. My mother is visiting me in February and I was planning on taking her, my girlfriend, and my girlfriend's mother to San Marcos for shopping for the day (it will be an exercise in seeing how many shopping bags PJ can lug around an outlet mall), maybe we can make a side trip to Austin for Salt Lick before heading back home. What part of town is it in?
 
t0r0nad0 said:
Well, I may have to experience this. My mother is visiting me in February and I was planning on taking her, my girlfriend, and my girlfriend's mother to San Marcos for shopping for the day (it will be an exercise in seeing how many shopping bags PJ can lug around an outlet mall), maybe we can make a side trip to Austin for Salt Lick before heading back home. What part of town is it in?
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It's west of Buda at the intersection of FM1826 and 967. They have pretty good directions on the website from most of the major communities around here.
 
Actually, it turns out that my better half has been there before, so if we go, I should be all set!
 
I used to live in the Hill Country 10 minutes from the Salt Lick. I miss Austin, but the Salt Lick was one of the highlights. They've got great food, like others have already said, and a great atmosphere.

You have to check it out.

-Felix

PS: Hey, maybe we should have a Salt Lick fly-in :D
 
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Ooh, married at the Salt Lick. There's a union bound to thrive!
 
Salt Lick => excellent. But take cash, 'cause they don't take American Express (or Visa, or MasterCard).

Another place to try that's in Cowboy Country is Busbee's BBQ in Bandera. Great BBQ. If you go, check out the (very old) picture of a Stinson at the Flying L Ranch. On weekends, Bandera - and Busbee's - have lots and lots of bikers....
 
Hmmm... a Salt Lick fly-in, that might be a good idea you have there!
 
Driftwood is almost precisely equidistant from Austin and San Marcos. Hmmm...
 
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