Cafe Sophie KGAI

Dave Anderson said:
How difficult is KGAI to get into?
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Flying wise or radio wise ?

Standard SFRA operations. It's non-towered and both patterns are on the same side, so listen to which runway is in use. Just don't be 'that guy' who does a 10 mile straight in opposite to the currently used runway.
 
weilke said:
Flying wise or radio wise ?

Standard SFRA operations. It's non-towered and both patterns are on the same side, so listen to which runway is in use. Just don't be 'that guy' who does a 10 mile straight in opposite to the currently used runway.
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And just assume that the local flight school will be using whatever runway they want regardless of the calm wind runway mandate (and the only one with an inst approach) being 14. Nothing like breaking out at 800' on the approach and finding the local puppy mill has decided to fly in the pattern anyway and is using the wrong runway.

Between the flights school with a preponderance of foreign students with associated radio challenges and the mix of GA and business jets and the handoff from Potomac usually being in close it's pretty much a goat rope of an airport to fly in and out of.
 
Pugs said:
And just assume that the local flight school will be using whatever runway they want regardless of the calm wind runway mandate (and the only one with an inst approach) being 14. Nothing like breaking out at 800' on the approach and finding the local puppy mill has decided to fly in the pattern anyway and is using the wrong runway.

Between the flights school with a preponderance of foreign students with associated radio challenges and the mix of GA and business jets and the handoff from Potomac usually being in close it's pretty much a goat rope of an airport to fly in and out of.
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So when you going to fly it with me Pugs?
 
GAI is not too bad. It gets busy on good flying days, but the SFRA is rather straight forward. I stopped in for lunch and to pick up my wife not too long ago.
 
IIRC there’s a line of trees or bushes on one side of the runway so crosswinds are minimized right before touchdown which might be useful some day.

well, for non poa pilots anyway. I mean poa pilots are all good to gusting 30 knot xwind right?
 
Randomskylane said:
IIRC there’s a line of trees or bushes on one side of the runway so crosswinds are minimized right before touchdown which might be useful some day.
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Actually, all that row of trees with a stiff westerly crosswind generates a nasty rolling turbulence that hits you just before touchdown. Many KGAI pilots would not mind if those trees acquired a case of chainsaw disease. However, the county is ruled by the Lorax, so that's not gonna happen.

well, for non poa pilots anyway. I mean poa pilots are all good to gusting 30 knot xwind right?
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I'll take a nonturbulent 15kt crosswind component over something bumpy and broken up any day.
 
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weilke said:
Actually, all that row of trees generates with a stiff westerly crosswind is a nasty rolling turbulence that hits you just before touchdown. Many KGAI pilots would not mind if those trees acquired a case of chainsaw disease. However, the county is ruled by the Lorax, so that's not gonna happen.
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Besides. Where would the deer hide right before they dash out in the front of you? :D
 
Pugs said:
Besides. Where would the deer hide right before they dash out in the front of you? :D
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Deer, the holy cow of Monkey county. What would we do without deer, or with any fewer of them. You know they are 'nature' and stuff.
 
Did the GPS to 14 have circling minimums years ago? On the current plate I noticed circling is not listed. I thought I remembered doing a right circle to 32.
 
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