Eagle, CO

[Wagondriver]

If you take your plane there, eastern Utah has some wonderful backcountry flying that is doable almost all year. Too warm for me in the summer, but fall and winter are great, spring can have mud.

 

[Ed Haywood]

Just spent my first night in my new place. My view with coffee this morning:



Would be summer of 2025 at the earliest before I brought the plane out here. Have decided I have no interest in winter flying.

 

[Low Level Flyer]

I was in 10th from 1994-97 at Carson, and 01-03 in Germany.

Congrats on the house purchase and good luck with the future airplane purchase. Great looking view! FYI, we were at Carson at the same time. I was with 4th ID and 3rd ACR from 94-97.

 

[MDunlevie]

Ed come down to the airport on the north side, that's where local GA is. We're building a biplane in the former HAATS hangar and a group of us are there most Saturdays, burgers on the second Saturday. You can talk to locals and someone may have space in their hangar to add you in.

 

[Ed Haywood]

Ed come down to the airport on the north side, that's where local GA is. We're building a biplane in the former HAATS hangar and a group of us are there most Saturdays, burgers on the second Saturday. You can talk to locals and someone may have space in their hangar to add you in.

Awesome, will do!! What time is a good time to show up?

 

[MDunlevie]

Awesome, will do!! What time is a good time to show up?

Most Saturdays between 10:30 and 3:30. Getting in the gate will require one of us to know you're there so ping me when you'll be there so we can get you in.

 

[Ed Haywood]

Most Saturdays between 10:30 and 3:30. Getting in the gate will require one of us to know you're there so ping me when you'll be there so we can get you in.

This Saturday would probably work well for me.

 

[Ed Haywood]

Starting to think about getting the plane to CO sometime this late summer or fall. Initially I think I would just take it out for a few weeks, and use my condo as a base of operations for a few exploratory flights to Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, etc. I don't want to be away from my family for too long, given our current situation (grief).

I've been trying to research tie down costs at Eagle. Anyone know the transient prices? I found something about a landing fee of $3 per 1K pounds for aircraft over 12.5K MGW. But can't find anything about how much Signature will soak me.

I recall hail being a big threat in the summer on the front range. What about in the mountains?

 

[murphey]

Starting to think about getting the plane to CO sometime this late summer or fall. Initially I think I would just take it out for a few weeks, and use my condo as a base of operations for a few exploratory flights to Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, etc. I don't want to be away from my family for too long, given our current situation (grief).

I've been trying to research tie down costs at Eagle. Anyone know the transient prices? I found something about a landing fee of $3 per 1K pounds for aircraft over 12.5K MGW. But can't find anything about how much Signature will soak me.

I recall hail being a big threat in the summer on the front range. What about in the mountains?

Just a reminder...CPA mountain class is already being scheduled....classes in June, Aug & Sept.

Don't know about hail in the mountains, but one year I was driving to LA in June, and went thru a snowstorm along Vail-Eagle I-70.

 

[Wagondriver]

Hail not an issue at Eagle, even when there is hail it is small.

Before it was signature, I was a base customer. I had a year contract, it was $515/month. But, that was a few years ago and before it was bought out. There are private hangars on the north side that may have space, but I'd doubt its much cheaper. I'd guess that availability is quite limited. Also have to get an airport badge to access the north side, last time I was there the badge was a PIA and definitely not free.

Last time I put it in a hangar there was 5 years ago.

People I worked for would put the Falcon 900 in a hangar over New Years week, 3 day minimum, $1200/day, reserve it a year in advance.

 

[Ed Haywood]

Just a reminder...CPA mountain class is already being scheduled....classes in June, Aug & Sept.

Saw your post. That's what got me thinking about it. I could fly out from here, do the CPA class, then head to my condo and take a couple of adventure flights to places like Jackson Hole and Moab.

Wish the dates coincided with Oshkosh. Would be awesome to fly from WI to CO, do the training, then go to Eagle for a few weeks. Roundtrip FL to WI followed by rountrip FL to CO a few weeks later will be grueling.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Have decided I have no interest in winter flying.

Give it a shot before you decide against it. I love winter flying, as long as I can preflight in a hangar! (My hangar in WI isn't heated, but it's the wind you really need to cut down on.)

Winter flying gives you fantastic performance, fantastic visibility, and if the wind doesn't blow too hard, air that's smooth as glass. Yes, there's a lot of days you can't fly in winter, but when you can, it's great.

 

[murphey]

Give it a shot before you decide against it. I love winter flying, as long as I can preflight in a hangar! (My hangar in WI isn't heated, but it's the wind you really need to cut down on.)

Winter flying gives you fantastic performance, fantastic visibility, and if the wind doesn't blow too hard, air that's smooth as glass. Yes, there's a lot of days you can't fly in winter, but when you can, it's great.

Mountains are different but on the east side of the Rockies, winter is the BEST time to fly! Summer - bleah...this week Denver will hit 100. Rare, but it happens. With days in the 90s, forget it. No, I'm not going to get up at the crack of dawn just to fly. I despise hot, miserable summer in my flying convection oven masquerading as a cherokee. Annual scheduled for July, every year.

Winter winds around here are very mild unless it's a snow storm. But you're not going to fly in that anyway. If there's no wind, and the sun is shining, the temp isn't an issue. I've shoveled snow in ski pants and a t-shirt in 0F temps, felt like it was 60. Ski pants only because the snow was 3-4 ft deep. Winter flying in Colorado - boots, heavy jacket, warm pants to preflight. Take off the jacket (but keep it handy) before takeoff but by the time you're at 2000 AGL its 70 inside and below zero outside.

 

[midlifeflyer]

Mountains are different but on the east side of the Rockies, winter is the BEST time to fly! Summer - bleah...this week Denver will hit 100. Rare, but it happens. With days in the 90s, forget it. No, I'm not going to get up at the crack of dawn just to fly. I despise hot, miserable summer in my flying convection oven masquerading as a cherokee. Annual scheduled for July, every year.

Winter winds around here are very mild unless it's a snow storm. But you're not going to fly in that anyway. If there's no wind, and the sun is shining, the temp isn't an issue. I've shoveled snow in ski pants and a t-shirt in 0F temps, felt like it was 60. Ski pants only because the snow was 3-4 ft deep. Winter flying in Colorado - boots, heavy jacket, warm pants to preflight. Take off the jacket (but keep it handy) before takeoff but by the time you're at 2000 AGL its 70 inside and below zero outside.

Don’t give away the secret of Denver winters! It will get even more crowded.

 

[bbchien]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Glenwood Springs. There IS an airport there.....

 

[Ed Haywood]

Give it a shot before you decide against it. I love winter flying

I should have been more specific. I have no interest in winter MOUNTAIN flying, for several reasons:

1. I watched the weather patterns in Avon closely this past winter. It looks too unpredictable. Visibility in the valleys in snow can go to zero quickly.

2. There are too many other things to do. I can be on a ski slope or skin track in 10 minutes.

3. Logistics of getting the plane out there and storing it in winter are more complicated and expensive. Outdoor tie down at Eagle in the winter does NOT sound appealing, and transient hangars are thousands of dollars a night during ski season.

Maybe once I have plenty of summer experience under my belt, I'll give winter a go. But for now, winter in the CO mountains is for skiing.

 

[murphey]

I should have been more specific. I have no interest in winter MOUNTAIN flying, for several reasons:

1. I watched the weather patterns in Avon closely this past winter. It looks too unpredictable. Visibility in the valleys in snow can go to zero quickly.

2. There are too many other things to do. I can be on a ski slope or skin track in 10 minutes.

3. Logistics of getting the plane out there and storing it in winter are more complicated and expensive. Outdoor tie down at Eagle in the winter does NOT sound appealing, and transient hangars are thousands of dollars a night during ski season.

Maybe once I have plenty of summer experience under my belt, I'll give winter a go. But for now, winter in the CO mountains is for skiing.

And this is why I live in Denver. Winter — Ski in the morning, golf or tennis in the afternoon, fly almost any time.

 

[midlifeflyer]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Glenwood Springs. There IS an airport there.....

...and a lovely one too. But I think, the combination of the canyon approach, the one-way-in-one-way-out traffic (which typicity means a blind approach until close to short final), the absence of good go-around options, the relatively short runway given the airport elevation, and the almost guaranteed downdraft just before the threshold. Make other choices a little more accessible and better for the uninitiated. Eagle is more accessible and has more services.

 

[4CornerFlyer]

I've been trying to research tie down costs at Eagle. Anyone know the transient prices? I found something about a landing fee of $3 per 1K pounds for aircraft over 12.5K MGW. But can't find anything about how much Signature will soak me.

Prepare to be ripped off at Signature EGE. For a piston single on arrival you will be soaked for a security fee of $8 and a so-called habitat fee of $56, neither of which can be waived. A $30 facility fee is waived with purchase of fuel; I believe 10 gallons is the minimum. If you stay overnight, add on a per night tie-down fee. It's been a while so I don't remember the exact amount and whether you get one night waived, but I don't believe it was under $30.
The Eagle Airport Authority does not impose any landing or other fees for a non-commercial single. All the above fees are by the FBO.
Vail Valley Jet Center would cost me $15 summer or $20 winter for the first 24 hours with fuel purchase. Things have changed.
Jon

 

[Ed Haywood]

Prepare to be ripped off at Signature EGE. For a piston single on arrival you will be soaked for a security fee of $8 and a so-called habitat fee of $56, neither of which can be waived. A $30 facility fee is waived with purchase of fuel; I believe 10 gallons is the minimum. If you stay overnight, add on a per night tie-down fee. It's been a while so I don't remember the exact amount and whether you get one night waived, but I don't believe it was under $30.
The Eagle Airport Authority does not impose any landing or other fees for a non-commercial single. All the above fees are by the FBO.
Vail Valley Jet Center would cost me $15 summer or $20 winter for the first 24 hours with fuel purchase. Things have changed.
Jon

Well, that is discouraging. Guess I'll be looking at Glenwood Springs and Rifle.

 

[murphey]

Well, that is discouraging. Guess I'll be looking at Glenwood Springs and Rifle.

Check out Kremmiling - 20V, officially McElroy. Closer to Vail, altho the road to Rifle is I-70 and kept in much better shape.

 

[Ed Haywood]

Check out Kremmiling - 20V, officially McElroy. Closer to Vail, altho the road to Rifle is I-70 and kept in much better shape.

Only issue is ground trans to/from. I've got a car in Avon, but for the first arrival and last departure I'll need an Uber or public transit. CO does a pretty good job of running busses along the I-70 corridor. There's a bus every hour from Eagle to Vail that stops a quarter mile from my condo. Kremmling to Avon would be a magical mystery tour.

 

[Ed Haywood]

...and a lovely one too. But I think, the combination of the canyon approach, the one-way-in-one-way-out traffic (which typicity means a blind approach until close to short final), the absence of good go-around options, the relatively short runway given the airport elevation, and the almost guaranteed downdraft just before the threshold.

I do not think I would find Glenwood Springs too difficult in my aircraft. Plus ground transport would be easy. I'll probably look closer at that option. I fit in better at small local strips versus the corporate scene.

Edit: just remembered I have a good buddy in Carbondale whose family has been in Aspen since the 1880's. His brother is a pilot. I'll bet he can get me connected.

 

[Ed Haywood]

Glenwood Springs ramp parking is 75 bucks a month. My kind of place. I think that is the plan.

Now for timing. How is the weather in mid September? Good time to make a few day trips to Montana, Idaho, and Utah?

 

[murphey]

Glenwood Springs ramp parking is 75 bucks a month. My kind of place. I think that is the plan.

Now for timing. How is the weather in mid September? Good time to make a few day trips to Montana, Idaho, and Utah?

Gorgeous. Colorado Pilots Association runs the mountain class June, Aug & Sept. No July for the same reason th Cherokee gets the annual in July, I hate really hot weather and DA can really be a killer, in more ways than one. KAPA elevation is 5800, I’ve seen the sign at taxiway A read 9700. That’s on the ground.

Going south, I need to go over the Palmer divide, just a small E-W ridge that plays havoc with winter weather around here. I prefer to be at 9k but have done it at 8500. At 96 F, that’s 12,600 DA. My 180 hp engine is really 160hp out here, and that’s just the starting on the ground at “mile hi” Denver.

Welcome to Colorado. Good that you have a turbo.

 

[Ed Haywood]

Gorgeous. Colorado Pilots Association runs the mountain class June, Aug & Sept. No July for the same reason th Cherokee gets the annual in July, I hate really hot weather and DA can really be a killer, in more ways than one. KAPA elevation is 5800, I’ve seen the sign at taxiway A read 9700. That’s on the ground.

I might try to make the CPA class in September. What are the dates?

Alternatively, I might fly to Rifle or Glenwood Springs and then hire a local CFI to give me a mountain flying class. It looks like I can get there without serious mountain flying if I follow I-80 north around the mountains and then swing around and come in from the western slope.

Going south, I need to go over the Palmer divide, just a small E-W ridge that plays havoc with winter weather around here. I prefer to be at 9k but have done it at 8500. At 96 F, that’s 12,600 DA. My 180 hp engine is really 160hp out here, and that’s just the starting on the ground at “mile hi” Denver.

Yep, I've driven Denver to Co Springs many times in winter. Palmer ridge can be quite the surprise in a snowstorm. I flew over it once in the summer, was definitely an eye opener. It doesn't really look like much from the ground.

My aircraft is also 180hp. However, my gross weight is 600 pounds less than a 172 or PA28, so it climbs well. The only unknown for me is the effect of the aerobatic wing. The Decathlon wing is 4 feet shorter than a 172 and has a semi-symmetrical airfoil. Dunno how that translates into performance in thin air. The hershey bar warrior wing is 2 feet shorter than a Decathlon, so there's that.

 

[midlifeflyer]

Welcome to Colorado. Good that you have a turbo.

I have no idea of yours, @Ed Haywood, but please don't go thinking that a turbo is a replacement for mountain flight/density altitude competence.

I agree with @murphey. September in Colorado is awesome. Like pretty much everywhare, autumn is the best time to fly.

 

[murphey]

Colorado Pilots Mtn Course:

Mountain Flying in Colorado | CPA

Everything you need to know about mountain flying in Colorado: ground school, instructors, mountain passes, maps and safety resources from CPA.

coloradopilots.org

Lists the dates, the instructors, details about the many mountain passes (recommended vs which ones I'll get a call as Civil Air Patrol to go look for your crashed airplane)

Disclaimer....this is a 2 day activity. One day of ground, then a second day of flight. It might be more practical for you to find a local mtn instructor since you'll spend a lot of time in the Vail area.

 

[murphey]

Gorgeous. Colorado Pilots Association runs the mountain class June, Aug & Sept. No July for the same reason th Cherokee gets the annual in July, I hate really hot weather and DA can really be a killer, in more ways than one. KAPA elevation is 5800, I’ve seen the sign at taxiway A read 9700. That’s on the ground.

Going south, I need to go over the Palmer divide, just a small E-W ridge that plays havoc with winter weather around here. I prefer to be at 9k but have done it at 8500. At 96 F, that’s 12,600 DA. My 180 hp engine is really 160hp out here, and that’s just the starting on the ground at “mile hi” Denver.

Welcome to Colorado. Good that you have a turbo.

Arrggghhh! Too many mountain threads going right now. There's another thread with a T210, and that's my comments about the turbo. Density Altitude comments same no matter what single-engine aircraft you're flying unless it's a Pilatus or an F16.

 

[midlifeflyer]

Arrggghhh! Too many mountain threads going right now. There's another thread with a T210, and that's my comments about the turbo. Density Altitude comments same no matter what single-engine aircraft you're flying unless it's a Pilatus or an F16.

Looks like I got caught up in your 210 too, so I guess my last comment goes triple for a 180 HP normally aspirated anything. I still remember doing a simple local flight in a 172 with a transient who tried to kill us on the first departure from KAPA on a comfortably cool day.

 

[murphey]

Looks like I got caught up in your 210 too, so I guess my last comment goes triple for a 180 HP normally aspirated anything. I still remember doing a simple local flight in a 172 with a transient who tried to kill us on the first departure from KAPA on a comfortably cool day.

Let’s not forget about leaning at altitudes for all you flat landers.

 

[murphey]

Gorgeous. Colorado Pilots Association runs the mountain class June, Aug & Sept. No July for the same reason th Cherokee gets the annual in July, I hate really hot weather and DA can really be a killer, in more ways than one. KAPA elevation is 5800, I’ve seen the sign at taxiway A read 9700. That’s on the ground.

Going south, I need to go over the Palmer divide, just a small E-W ridge that plays havoc with winter weather around here. I prefer to be at 9k but have done it at 8500. At 96 F, that’s 12,600 DA. My 180 hp engine is really 160hp out here, and that’s just the starting on the ground at “mile hi” Denver.

Welcome to Colorado. Good that you have a turbo.

An update as of this timestamp, 12:30 MDT June 20. High winds everywhere, gusting in the 30s.
KAPA Centennial, CO ('burb of Denver) elevation 5885 MSL temp 93 F DA 9437 MSL
KLXV Leadville elev. 9934 MSL temp 72 F DA 12,618 MSL
DIA Denver Intl elev. 5507 MSL temp 94 F DA 8935 MSL 5 nm from KCFO

I'll update late with an afternoon reading.
----------------
Update 4:30 pm MDT, same high winds gusting in the 30s

KAPA Centennial elev. 5885 MSL temp 97 F DA 9770 MSL
KLXV Leadville elev. 9934 MSL temp 75 F DA 12,900 MSL
DIA Denver Intl elev. 5507 MSL temp 96 F DA 9300 MSL

 

[rockwoodrv9a]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Glenwood Springs. There IS an airport there.....

We used to live just outside of Glenwood Springs. What a great place to live. The hot springs pool is a really good memory. Our company rebuilt the Snowmass Ski area and built the Residence at Little Nell in Aspen. The GWS airport has some quirks and you need to be on your game to get in there and out. Coming in the river at the end of the runway cools the air so be ready with a little power to not drop too fast!

 

[Luigi]

GWS is a great little airport...winds can get pretty squirrely in the afternoon. Now 210 degrees at 15 gusting to 25
Aircraft Repair does good maintenance, Hector and Jeff are the A&P, IA's

 

[bbchien]

GWS is a great little airport...winds can get pretty squirrely in the afternoon. Now 210 degrees at 15 gusting to 25
Aircraft Repair does good maintenance, Hector and Jeff are the A&P, IA's

And they are accessable. I've used them.

Just do your short field approach, the runway slopes. but I can do it in a twin....you can do this in a Bo, in a T210, whatever.....

 

[Ed Haywood]

Ed come down to the airport on the north side, that's where local GA is. We're building a biplane in the former HAATS hangar and a group of us are there most Saturdays, burgers on the second Saturday. You can talk to locals and someone may have space in their hangar to add you in.

Is this still going on?