Broward County FL - Mac Ivor airstrip

[ateamer]

Long shot here, but it is anyone familiar with Mac Ivor Airport (FL65)? We're moving to Florida (wife's decision, I'd rather stay in CA - with all its faults, it's home) and I will be looking for a place to fly out of. Living on an airpark is my dream, but she wants to be close to her family, so we'll likely wind up in Broward.

A few months ago, we took a look at a vacant lot on Mac Ivor & Friends Airstrip in Southwest Ranches. Grass strip, just a few homes, tall trees close to the edge of the runway and I noted that the homes are all on built-up raised areas. We talked with a resident who said that the only active pilots left there are in an ultralight and a helo. He also said that after three days of rain, the strip is half-flooded.

Anyone here flown in there or have knowledge of the airstrip? I'd like an honest assessment from someone who's been in and out of there, or who at least can tell me what the real deal with it is.

Thanks!

 

[kurttruk]

I understand wanting to be by family but you will eventually move north to Palm beach / Martin county like everyone else in Broward. I cant help with Mac Ivor & Friends Airstrip in Southwest Ranches and flooding. However if you want peace of mind I would look north of Broward.

 

[MooneyDriver78]

If you own a airplane then you could live on west coast or as mentioned further north and be able to be there in an hour. Opens up a bunch of other airparks.

 

[ateamer]

Trust me, if I had my druthers, we'd be far from Broward. Mrs. ateamer has stayed here with me for the last 24 years when she wanted to be elsewhere, so I guess it's now my turn to compromise. My career has ended and the next phase is starting.

 

[Art VanDelay]

I am very familiar with Broward county Florida. I've lived here about 17 years now. I have NEVER heard of the airport you're mentioning and nothing comes up under FL65 ??? We have KPMP, KFXE, KFLL and KHWO. Oh almost forgot also DTN1 which is a helipad downtown. Unless I'm missing something that's about it.

 

[N659HB]

I am very familiar with Broward county Florida. I've lived here about 17 years now. I have NEVER heard of the airport you're mentioning and nothing comes up under FL65 ??? We have KPMP, KFXE, KFLL and KHWO. Oh almost forgot also DTN1 which is a helipad downtown. Unless I'm missing something that's about it.

Try SkyVector. It comes up there. It's 2500'x50'.

 

[Art VanDelay]

Try SkyVector. It comes up there. It's 2500'x50'.

What does Skyvector use for a database "Abandoned Airfields" ? That explains why I don't use Skyvector ! There's houses in that spot now - in every direction.

 

[N659HB]

What does Skyvector use for a database "Abandoned Airfields" ? That explains why I don't use Skyvector ! There's houses in that spot now - in every direction.

Hey, you asked if it really existed! Check the Google maps link. There's bare ground visible from the satellite image.

Personally, I would not want to be based there.

 

[Art VanDelay]

Hey, you asked if it really existed! Check the Google maps link. There's bare ground visible from the satellite image.

Personally, I would not want to be based there.

I did ask if it really existed and quite apparently it does not. Even if private it would still appear on the sectional. And if it had been significant enough it would still appear on the sectional with an X thru the aerodrome circle.

 

[ateamer]

It does exist - I've been there (by car). Foreflight shows it as FL65, but apparently thr FAA no longer does.

 

[creweite]

I am based at KHWO and flying west I pass over it. Single grass runway with HV transmission line nearby. In over thirty years I have never seen an aircraft there! I suggest contacting the Florida Aero Club as from memory I believe one of the members in the HWO chapter had a connection there in some way.
A nearby search on my EFB used to bring up contact information and location, but it is no longer on the sectional or in the nearby search.

 

[Art VanDelay]

It does exist - I've been there (by car). Foreflight shows it as FL65, but apparently thr FAA no longer does.

Yeah and so does Chicago's Meigs Field and Denver's Stapleton - you just ain't gonna be flying any kind of airplane in or out legally any time soon. So for the intended purpose you had planned it's not going to work.

If it has to be Broward County I would recommend KPMP first. There really isn't anything out on the far western fringes anymore unless you go up to Palm Beach County or down to Dade.

 

[ateamer]

Yeah and so does Chicago's Meigs Field and Denver's Stapleton - you just ain't gonna be flying any kind of airplane in or out legally any time soon. So for the intended purpose you had planned it's not going to work.

If it has to be Broward County I would recommend KPMP first. There really isn't anything out on the far western fringes anymore unless you go up to Palm Beach County or down to Dade.

Right after visiting the airstrip and talking to the pilot who uses it, we went to the Southwest Ranches and spoke with the city planning department. He (yep, small town, one-man planning department) said that it's zone for use as an airport with residences on it, and always will be.

He explained why the FAA delisted it, but I don't remember what the process was. It might have had to do with not filing updated paperwork or something along those lines.

HWO will be the closest airport to us. It looks quite different from my current home, WVI. No experimentals that I have seen flying in or out, several busy flight schools (good for me as a hopefully soon-to-be CFI who will be seeking employment), but does it have the usual pilots hanging out at their hangars hiding from their wives or lazing around an FBO lobby?

I'm retired and am always happy to put miles on the Harley, so it won't cause much heartburn to have a 20 mile ride to the field if somewhere else is a better fit. (Note that the tower is no problem for me at all.)

 

[Art VanDelay]

Probably because they're only one more noise complaint away or incident from being shut down. Seriously, what's to stop someone from building a tower or a McMansion right at the end of the property line ? If you're hanging your hat on doing a lot of flying out of there I'd think again.

What's your insurance company gonna say when you tell them "I'm on an airport but it's not really an airport it's kind of a field that used to be an airport......ahhhhh" ?

 

[ateamer]

Probably because they're only one more noise complaint away or incident from being shut down. Seriously, what's to stop someone from building a tower or a McMansion right at the end of the property line ? If you're hanging your hat on doing a lot of flying out of there I'd think again.

What's your insurance company gonna say when you tell them "I'm on an airport but it's not really an airport it's kind of a field that used to be an airport......ahhhhh" ?

Yep, those thoughts did come up. All it takes is three votes (city council majority) to amend the city charter. Which probably would happen because I aim to be flying at least three days a week. A busier airpark or a public airport would be better for me.