Dallas Airports

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Jul 8, 2011
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172
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Milford, KS
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Joshua Jones
Good Morning All;
My wife and I will be flying a 172 down to San Antonio this weekend from 3jc. I am wondering what airports are GA friendly in the Dallas area? We are going to stop Friday night to see some friends.
 
You mentioned Friday "evening" time frame. I would probably lean towards Arlington KGKY as the surface transportation Arlington to Irving is North/South not much "rush hour" traffic between those two points or surface congestion. Arlington airport is gen-av friendly. Grand Prarie also but runway is shorter. Addison and Love are physically closer to Irving but can get extremely busy with corporate turbine level aircraft.

Not knowing anything else, I would lean towards Arlington unless comfortable with a busier field with lots of corporate jet activity.

Just for FYI, most of your evening (4PM to 7PM) surface traffic flow out of Dallas is Northwest to Grapevine/Flower Mound/Southlake zones and North to Plano area.

Check TFR's, you have the one over Bush residence NE of Love Field (DAL) and some others that pop up due to sports games, etc in the area.
 
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Agree with Arlington.
Possibly Denton.

I live in Denton and work in Irving and it is not bad.
 
Grand Prairie (KGPM) is the closest to Irving. Dallas Executive (KRBD) works too. Both are very GA friendly.

Denton is also a good choice, but a longer drive.

FBO's to use are:
Aviator Air @ KGPM
Ambassador @ KRBD
Business Air @ KDTO
US Aviatioin @ KDTO
 
Coming from Kansas, be on flight following and ready to talk to our friendly controllers with "Regional Approach" Depending on flow in/out of DFW, you're likely to be routed around the major parts of the Bravo space and brought in from the southern side.

If you do operate on that side of town, be mindful of the large towers near KGYK, KGPM, and KRBD. See thumbnail and look east of Joe Pool Lake.
 

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I'm partial to Dallas Exec. :) And, it is GA friendly. Two FBOs - Ambassador and Jet Center. I park my bird with Ambassador and have never been down to Jet Center.

I've flown KOJC to KRBD a decent number of times. I've only been flying IFR recently so most prior times have been VFR. If flying FF they will hand you over to Approach and they will vector you. I've been asked to fly direct KDAL, then direct KRBD about 50% of the time. The other 50%, as Mike says, they boot you out to the east side shelf, flying vectors the entire way.
 
ssonixx said:
I've been asked to fly direct KDAL, then direct KRBD about 50% of the time. The other 50%, as Mike says, they boot you out to the east side shelf, flying vectors the entire way.
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Something I've noticed. If you can represent yourself over the radio that you on top of your game and an experienced pilot, you often get the more direct routings if traffic permits.

If you sound like a raw rookie, you get the longer tour of the suburbs.
 
Last year I flew into GPM to go to a Cowboys game. Cheaper gas than Arlington, new terminal w/ nice restaurant, and easy rental car pickup and drop-off. I was talking to Regional approach on FF but I was coming from the south, so wasn't trying to go thru the Bravo.
 
Coming from KS, and you'll send him south? hmmmmm.

I'd just chop drop stop at 52F, park on the west side and take 114 IN to town direct to Irving. Save hassle, time, effort, yakking with appr,lunch counter. Easy-peasy.
 
I am based at KFTW but if you are willing to drive 35min and your friends are on the north side of 183 then Mckinney is a fantastic field (TKI).
I pick up friends there often. Center and approach controllers are outstanding. I usually get direct over DFW at 3500 when transiting the bravo - just be short and pro on the comms as AA and LUV are bombing DAL and DFW. Flight following is all you need in the bravo- they are really helpful.
 
Grand Praire. The George Bush is easy driving. This isn't about flying, it's about driving. Your friends will want to kill you if they have to get you at one of these remote airports in heavy traffic.
 
Okay. So let's summarize where we are. So far, we have suggested the following airports:

ARLINGTON
GRAND PRAIRIE
ADDISON
LOVE FIELD
DENTON
FORT WORTH MEACHAM
MCKINNEY
NORTHWEST REGIONAL
DALLAS EXEC

Yeah , we got them all except for maybe Fort Worth Spinks, Hicks, and Lancaster.

I guess the summary is, they are all fine. Just pick one.

Ask a pilot for an opinion, you will get an opinion. Ask two pilots for their opinion, you will get two opinions and one argument.
 
DFW is the obvious choice anyway.
Wonder if they have courtesy cars...
 
Two very good airports and close to where you want to go.
Grand Prairie (KGPM) is the closest to Irving. Dallas Executive (KRBD) works too. Both are very GA friendly.
 
Based in mckinney TKI and they have done a great job redoing the fbo. Very friendly and great place to stop. Fuel prices also better than before
 
Storm said:
Based in mckinney TKI and they have done a great job redoing the fbo. Very friendly and great place to stop. Fuel prices also better than before
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Funny how that happens when the city takes over

(Howdy neighbor! Welcome to PoA!)
 
Grand Prairie, GPM, is my home airport when in Texas and while the runway is only 4000 x 75 it is long enough for a private jet so you should be good.

Little traffic at this airport compared to Arlington (GKY), which can be quite busy.

Be sure to stop in their awesome burger place (Mixed Up Burgers) if landing Monday through Saturday. The fries and onion rings are outstanding as well.

Chad Ferrell is the FBO owner (Aviator Air) and Barry Hoskins is the Manager.

Very friendly staff and taking the George Bush tollroad (161) north will get you into Irving in 15 mins. 161 is just a few blocks east of GPM.
 
Grand Prairie, GPM, is my home airport when in Texas and while the runway is only 4000 x 75 it is long enough for a private jet so you should be good.

Little traffic at this airport compared to Arlington (GKY), which can be quite busy.

Be sure to stop in their awesome burger place (Mixed Up Burgers) if landing Monday through Saturday. The fries and onion rings are outstanding as well.

Chad Ferrell is the FBO owner (Aviator Air) and Barry Hoskins is the Manager.

Very friendly staff and taking the George Bush tollroad (161) north will get you into Irving in 15 mins. 161 is just a few blocks east of GPM.
 
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