How to plan transportation from a small airport

steviedeviant

steviedeviant

Pre-takeoff checklist
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StevieD
Hello all,

So I am a new GA pilot and just starting to plan a few short trips to get use to my new freedom. I have a question that I wanted to see if you all could help that I know it easy.

One trip that I would like to plan is a trip from KBHM to KPIM, which would be a good flight for me to "go somewhere" rather than driving. Each year my wife and I drive to Callaway Gardens to see their Chirstmas lights. My question is this: How do you all arrange for travel at the airfields you are flying? I mean, I realize that there may be a courtesy car, which I have never used since I haven't taken any real trips yet. Just wondering, in general, how many of you deal with transportation once you get to the place you are going. My specific example may be a bad once since it is a small town, but I am sure some of you have flown to small towns too!

Thanks,
Stephen
 
Hi Stephan,

I usually do these when traveling away from home:

Step 1 - call the FBO and see what they have available for courtesy cars on the date you're traveling. Ask about any fees as well (ramp, landing, etc).

Step 2 - airnav.com usually has links or other information like nearby hotels and rental cars for the airport your heading to. I see PIM has Enterprise listed.

http://airnav.com/airport/KPIM

Hope that helps.

Cheers,
Brian
 
If nothing is listed, call the airport manager or whoever is listed on airnav. I had a member of the airport board come out and give me a ride to town. Plenty of exceedingly nice people in aviation.
 
Oh yeah, I have flown into small towns before. I have reserved rental cars in advance too...
http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=87865

You have received good advice above Stephen. Go to Airnav, get the phone number for the airport and call them. Do not trust a rental car reservation done outside of directly through the FBO.
 
FWIW

I've found that if dealing with Enterprise and coordinating a drop-off at the airport's FBO...

ALWAYS talk with the local office, NEVER try to do it through the national 800 reservation line.

You'll bat 900 with local offices, about 125 using the nationwide reservation system.
 
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The secret is to call ahead,get local info from the FBO,also if you can speak to the local rental car office. You don't want to get there and have no transportation available. Also if staying at a hotel,if they have van service ,check to make sure it's available 24/7.
 
All the above. I don't know if you're staying overnight at one of Callaway's hotels or not. If so they provide transportation. Seeing the Christmas display I believe will require a car as it's a "drive thru" experience. So call the FBO or Callaway Resort and see what they say. Probably have to make rental car arrangements or maybe Callaway has a tram or similar that does the "drive thru".

Just looked at Airnav.com and all the FBO and resort phone numbers are there. Just type in KPIM.
 
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pretty much what everyone has said so far, call em up.

but also don't forget the wealth of knowledge on PoA.....you can post here asking if anyone is familiar with wherever you're thinking of going and a lot of times you'll get the inside scoop.

also if you're going to a specific restaurant (or hotel if extended stay), it might be worth calling them up and saying something like "we'll be flying into KPIM, can you make any suggestions how we'd get to your place from there" and you never know, they may just offer to pick you up or have some kind of shuttle. when I flew my parents into X01 in the everglades, the fine folks at My Havana Cafe picked us up and dropped us off. way cool!
 
Uber may be a transportation option as well. Although they often don't serve smaller communities, it is worth checking.
 
KPIM is a nice little airport with an excellent FBO. Met some friends there for lunch recently, used the courtesy car for the short drive into town. Callaway has a shuttle, but I've heard they now charge for it (at least if you're only going for lunch; it may be comped if you stay a night or two--ask when you make your reservation).

Have fun, and enjoy spreading your wings!
 
Yes, call ahead, plan ahead. Yet, in all our flying Jeanene and I have never done so (because we seldom knew where we would spend the night), yet every airport had a way to get to a hotel, and most had a car we could use.
 
If you stay at a really cool hotel, they will have a courtesy car for you to use during your stay.

Unfortunately, I know of only one hotel in the country that has one.
:)
 
timwinters said:
FWIW

I've found that if dealing with Enterprise and coordinating a drop-off at the airport's FBO...

ALWAYS talk with the local office, NEVER try to do it through the national 800 reservation line.

You'll bat 900 with local offices, about 125 using the nationwide reservation system.
Click to expand...


Yes! Man, have I learned that lesson :lol: I always phone the FBO and ask for the local number of whichever agency I want to use that way you know for sure.

Also if there are two airports near the small town with the car rental agency make sure you spell out exactly which airport. I've had a car delivered to the wrong airport before. Best to have the actual address of the FBO on hand to make absolutely sure it goes to the right place.
 
I've never had a problem renting a vehicle through Enterprise, but I've always dealt with the local agents. It's pretty standard practice for them to leave the keys at the office or FBO. But certainly, if you can make the arrangements through the FBO that would be preferable.
 
Stingray Don said:
Uber may be a transportation option as well. Although they often don't serve smaller communities, it is worth checking.
Click to expand...

Checked, ain't gonna get an Uber in that neck of the woods. Closest will probably be Atlanta.
 
I have found in some small towns if there isn't a rental car company in town, the local used or new car dealer will rent you a car. Sometimes you may have to check in the near by town to find a car.
 
Scott@KTYR said:
I have found in some small towns if there isn't a rental car company in town, the local used or new car dealer will rent you a car. Sometimes you may have to check in the near by town to find a car.
Click to expand...

This is true when flying to 6Y9 fer shur.
 
While small places dont have formal cab service, every little hamlet has a 'dialysis van'. They have the paperwork to drive for hire and I have had luck getting one to get me from the airport to where I had to go for a reasonable price.
 
Welcome to POA Stevie. I can't add anything productive to what you have already been advised here, other than if you borrow a courtesy car, be sure to put fuel in it and don't keep it so long other pilots have to walk.

Enjoy the trip!
 
I just had my first experience with this a couple weeks ago. I'm based in Dallas and was flying to the small Texas town of Llano (KAQO) just northwest of Austin and arriving after the terminal closed. I looked online at the airport website and found a phone number for the courtesy car booking and called them up. I made plans of arriving at 8 and gave the lady my credit card information and whatnot and asked the questions of do I return it full, where will the keys be, is there a gate code for the airport etc. She then told me to call the airport manager the day of to make sure everything was set up for my arrival. I ended up having to push my flight from a Wednesday to Saturday due to weather so I called the courtesy car people again to let them know. Saturday morning I called the airport manager to confirm everything was set up, called the briefer, filed my flight plan and took off at 6pm. I arrived at 8 when it was dark, the terminal was closed, and no one was there. I got the keys to the #2 crown vic from the flyer box that we decided as the place to leave the keys, filled out some insurance paperwork, took the keys and left to go get the pictures at the state park my pledge class needed. When I got back I put the keys back in the flyer box, gassed up the plane and left back for Dallas.

All in all it was very smooth with small town Texas cordiality. I didn't see a single person but everything was set up through the phone. As long as you're nice everything should fall into place easily for you.
 
Always call the FBO and ask them to provide information and make arrangements. They are like the concierge at a hotel. Don't call the rental car company, taxi, or whatever unless there is no FBO or the FBO recommends that you do so. Tip well, and make sure the hotel or wherever you go knows that you used the local airport.
 
Wow!! I am learning really quick that the pilot community is very helpful. Being new to this, I almost didn't even ask because it was such a basic, but necessary, question. When training, you learn to fly and learn to pass the test, but now the real world stuff starts, like my plane can't drive down the road, so what do I so when I get there?. I appreciate all the feedback and looking forward to learning more from each of you.

Stevie D
 
steviedeviant said:
Wow!! I am learning really quick that the pilot community is very helpful. Being new to this, I almost didn't even ask because it was such a basic, but necessary, question. When training, you learn to fly and learn to pass the test, but now the real world stuff starts, like my plane can't drive down the road, so what do I so when I get there?. I appreciate all the feedback and looking forward to learning more from each of you.

Stevie D
Click to expand...
I know that there are reasons to go to small airports other than you have friends that live close by. but for me, I seldom go to any small airport that I don't have some one meeting me.
 
you could get a boosted board or a bike or something as long as it's within a few miles
 
I have been to KPIM several times in the past, unless it has changed, they didn't have much there, I am not even sure if they sold fuel the last time I was there. I would contact Enterprise about a rental car or land in LaGrange and drive over to Callaway Gardens. :D
I just looked it up on AirNav apparently they do have fuel and a courtesy car! :D
 
steviedeviant said:
Hello all,

So I am a new GA pilot and just starting to plan a few short trips to get use to my new freedom. I have a question that I wanted to see if you all could help that I know it easy.

One trip that I would like to plan is a trip from KBHM to KPIM, which would be a good flight for me to "go somewhere" rather than driving. Each year my wife and I drive to Callaway Gardens to see their Chirstmas lights. My question is this: How do you all arrange for travel at the airfields you are flying? I mean, I realize that there may be a courtesy car, which I have never used since I haven't taken any real trips yet. Just wondering, in general, how many of you deal with transportation once you get to the place you are going. My specific example may be a bad once since it is a small town, but I am sure some of you have flown to small towns too!

Thanks,
Stephen
Click to expand...

Most FBOs have drop off arrangements with most rental car companies, and can tell you which ones serve their market. I usually call ahead and get a rental if I need a car, or if not, a Razor scooter in the luggage is really handy, especially the electric ones now.
 
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