Eagle-Vail airport-a bit of humor

murphey

murphey

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Eagle-Vail airport is actually in Gypsum, CO, 37 miles west of Vail. I stopped in this past Friday on my way back from a meeting in Utah, needed to stretch the legs, get gas, pick up 2 doz croissants for the Saturday meeting. Can't claim I landed there. The cheapest airplane I saw in the GA area was a lone Cirrus, everything else were jets. Why was I not surprised?

But this isn't the amusing part.

The west edge of the airport, and pretty much the runway itself, butts up against the parking lot of....






Costco.

Even more surprising, the prices for everything, including unleaded, were the same as the prices at the store near my house in Aurora (a 'burb of Denver).
 
I visit that Costco every 2 weeks in the winter.

The ramp at Eagle is quite discouraging. Until I make a pal with a hangar on the GA side, looks like taking my plane to CO is not in the cards.
 
Costco is just the camel's nose under the tent; McHousing will soon spring up inside the pattern, shortly followed by the noise complaints.
 
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Ed Haywood said:
Not likely, not there.
Click to expand...

I dunno, looking at the latest Google Earth image from 2023, there looks to be some type of development going on just SE of the field, and already residential off the west end of the field.
 
On Google Earth, if you go back to 10/2011, you can see the old runway with 3 X's on it. I used it several times back in the day and Mountain Flying Service was the FBO. It was on the north side of the airport. A woman that worked there went by Mountain Woman if I remember right, she was a hoot. Anyone else remember those days?
 
Ed Haywood said:
I visit that Costco every 2 weeks in the winter.

The ramp at Eagle is quite discouraging. Until I make a pal with a hangar on the GA side, looks like taking my plane to CO is not in the cards.
Click to expand...
Ed, put your plane at GWS. Just be on your short field toes.
 
I forgot, yes that is the best option. Short fields are very much not a problem in my plane.
 
Ed Haywood said:
Not likely, not there.
Click to expand...
Already has, and that was a couple years ago. Lots of development at the west end over by the dollar store. As well as development on the SE corner.

Costco is on the east side of the airport, right under final for 25.

GWS is not really a "short" runway, but it does intimidate many. When I was there I'd land in the grass on the east side, north end, that way i could just turn off at my hangar. But, GWS does not have available hangar space and probably about the end of the year the corrugated T hangars at the sound end will be torn down for the new road project. I suspect the airport will be closed for the construction of the road, but everyone keeps saying the airport wont close.

Its too bad, its a cool airport. But, that whole area has gone to hell.
 
Wagondriver said:
Already has, and that was a couple years ago. Lots of development at the west end over by the dollar store. As well as development on the SE corner.

Costco is on the east side of the airport, right under final for 25.
Click to expand...

My point is that airport isn't going anywhere. The region is far too dependent on it, and that's the only viable spot for a hundred miles. Anyone who moves to Gypsum knows what they are getting into.
 
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