Houston airports info??

Jeanie

Jeanie

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Alpine, TX
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Jeanie
My newly minted PP Dr. In the mooney M20F needs to go to Houston. I suggested Sugarland he asked about Hobby. I told him I'd ask if it's GA friendly. From what I see of the diagram it's pretty spread out and complex to what he has done to date.. It will be good experience for him ( and me- he asked me to go with) but I am loathe to go into an airport and be pushed around as a little guy.

There are various FBOs... Wilson Air had the least expensive fuel as listed on airnav.

Any suggestions?

Also, here is a dumb question... There is a D in a square on the diagram in the upper left hand corner under the freqs. What does that mean?
 
Due to the size of Houston, his ultimate destination can play into what airport he wants to use. Where does he need to go?
 
The galleria :). That's where wife wants to go. In future he will need to pick someone up at IAH who is flying in from India.

So, he will likely go into Hooks for that trip.
 
For Galleria, best airport is Andrau. But it was closed and turned into a Neighborhood and golf course years ago. :-(

So, real best choice is West Houston KIWS, at which you find excellent service and easy access, especially when coming from the west (As I assume any friend of yours is likely to do).

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Edit:

Jeanie: the airport you referenced, and the city which owns it, is "Sugar Land," not "Sugarland." Two words, as in Land of Sugar, home to the Imperial Sugar Refining Company.

And, when you say it, say, "Sugar (pause) Land," not "Sugarlin" like many try to do.

Ok?
 
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Thanks Spike. Yes, we will be coming in from Ft. Stockton! Land of not much traffic but lots of wind.
 
For the galleria (wet side) go with KTME, Houston Executive.

15 min Straight shot east on I-10 and you're there.

It's also on the edge of the Bravo, so easier to deal with for his first longer XC.

Hobby would be okay, but your back tracking through lots of traffic to reach the shopping zone.
 
Jeanie said:
Thanks Spike. Yes, we will be coming in from Ft. Stockton! Land of not much traffic but lots of wind.
Click to expand...

You'll still have to contend with a fair quantum f traffic, but as long as you don't try to arrive at morning rush, you should be able to do IWS to Galleria in thirty minutes or thereabouts.

I miss Houston, even now these many many many years since I moved away. I feel very old.
 
I didn't know you had lived in Houston. I went to my freshman year at UH long ago but really haven't been back except to drive thru on my way elsewhere.
 
SCCutler said:
You'll still have to contend with a fair quantum f traffic, but as long as you don't try to arrive at morning rush, you should be able to do IWS to Galleria in thirty minutes or thereabouts.

I miss Houston, even now these many many many years since I moved away. I feel very old.
Click to expand...


I've never missed Houston. I did time there, 7 years. Fortunately the last 5 years was in a job that required lots of traveling, so I was gone most summers.
 
The "D" seems to be related to declared distance info: http://www.progaviation.com/articles/CP Mysteries D 509.pdf

Google was my friend 'cause I'd never seen the "D" before.

As for Houston, I've been flying into EFD. Good service and 'spensive gas. I might try IWS next trip since I've more-or-less settled on staying in the Galleria area rather than downtown.
 
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For the Galleria, KIWS or KSGR. I'd use Sugar Land - better facilities and straight shot up 59 to the Galleria. Ground traffic either way. KTME is nice, but no real reason to stop that far out of town and hassle with Katy traffic both ways.

For the KIAH trip, Hooks is good if you want to avoid going directly into KIAH.
 
Jeez... Just fly into Hobby.. there are at least 4 FBO's there that will be glad to take your money to refuel you, and either get you a cab or a rental car.

Its not bad. Seriously. There used to be a flight school based out of there for the longest time, so the controllers are used to GA, including students.

Go see the 1940 Air Museum while you are there.

Sugarland or West Houston would be my alternates for that mission.

I've also flown GA into IAH. Once. Not during the push. There would be a landing fee/ramp fee of maybe $25 tops but you are right down the street (courtesy car/van ride) from the terminals and thats still cheaper than flying to Hooks, getting a car, driving 20-30 mins each way and all that nonsense. There's nothing wrong with Hooks, but if your mission is to get someone from IAH, then fly into IAH and minimize the turnaround.

Edit to add: I've lived here since 79... this is my back yard.
 
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My... impression... is that I-10 works better than Southwest Freeway (US59) most of the time, but I could be wrongly-wrong. All else equal, I'd choose either IWS or SGR over Hobby when arriving from the west, simply because of flying time and lack of complication.

SGR has a tower, but I have never, ever experienced anything remotely like a delay there. The FBO, while owned by the city, has always given me exceptional service-- just top-notch.
 
Sugarland sucks ass, I highly recommend not using it for single engine piston operations. They have crew cars, but only for corporate registered aircraft -- so they don't think I'm responsible enough to drive their cars since I own my own plane. Also the two rental agencies on the field never have but the most expensive car available, and the service is slow.

Location is pretty good though I did the first half of my training there. I'd strongly suggest KIWS, good people, great service, nice airport.

Barring that I'm with the guy that says fly into KHOU. I know it's a little freaky, but they don't care and it's an experience.

For the record I was born in Houston in 78 and lived there until this past April.
 
SCCutler said:
For Galleria, best airport is Andrau. But it was closed and turned into a Neighborhood and golf course years ago. :-(

So, real best choice is West Houston KIWS, at which you find excellent service and easy access, especially when coming from the west (As I assume any friend of yours is likely to do).

---

Edit:

Jeanie: the airport you referenced, and the city which owns it, is "Sugar Land," not "Sugarland." Two words, as in Land of Sugar, home to the Imperial Sugar Refining Company.

And, when you say it, say, "Sugar (pause) Land," not "Sugarlin" like many try to do.

Ok?
Click to expand...

When I lived in San Antonio, we had a divisional office in the Galleria area (West Loop South). I used Sugar Land - it was convenient and the ride over to Galleria was quick and easy. IMHO, better than Hobby. Rental cars on-site, easy in-out (excepting if it were IFR conditions and you had to wait for a break in the HOU departure traffic to fit in to the outbound procedure). Frankly, I really like Sugar Land.

Hobby is about as GA friendly as you'll find for a big airport. I did have trouble there with rental cars - the FBO failed to call Enterprise to let 'em know the car was returned, prompting a call to me 4 days later from the big E asking where their car was. Fuel will probably be cheaper at SGR.

Oh, and Spike - perhaps you haven't heard: Sugar Land is considering selling the naming rights to the city to Sugardaddie.com, in which case it would be renamed "Sugardaddie".... :D:D (and yes, that's true... http://www.wtop.com/681/3228348/SugarDaddie-site-wants-rename-Texas-city-after-itself )
 
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