I guess its nearly every pilot's dream...

FastEddieB

FastEddieB

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Oct 14, 2013
Messages
11,865
Location
Lenoir City, TN/Mineral Bluff, GA
Display Name
Fast Eddie B
Home Airfield
Big T Airport (80TN)
...to live on their very own runway!

A while back, Karen and I began a search for some land near Knoxville, that we could use as a base of operations closer to her son and daughter-in-law and our grandkids. I even posted here at the beginning after we had looked at one property:

https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/threads/property-in-e-tn-knoxville-area.94793/

Long story short, we were lucky to find some property for sale adjacent to an existing runway, and yesterday we closed on just over 3 acres adjacent to the runway at "Big T" airport (80TN), north of Lenoir City, TN:

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You may recall I took a little video of me flying into there for the first time:


Anyway, right now its just raw land. The plan is to clear/level some portion of it for a driveway, bring in power, water and cable, and make a spot for our travel trailer and a shed for yard tools and the like. Fence in a yard so when we drive up to camp we can bring our 4 dogs. Clear room for a few tiedown spots - that sort of thing. Eventually a hangar with an efficiency apt, then long-term maybe build a proper house.

No intention of moving any time in the near future - N GA will still be home for now. But eventually it might be nice being closer to the kids and grandkids as we get older - we'll just have to see.

Oh, and Karen brought the champagne!


BTW, there are still several 5-acre lots available - let me know if you'd like the realtor's contact info.
 
Uh oh just showed wife your post, the wheels are turning... PM me the price if you don't mind. Are those lots adjacent to yours on the same side, the other side, or both?
 
Wow, what a cool adventure/opportunity. Thanks for sharing!

Maybe someday I'll have a hangar home at an airpark. :)
 
Cool. Lenior City is turning into West knoxville so property values in that area should only go up. New shopping center going in iirc ( similar to turkey creek in knox) Small town feel and 20 min from the "big" city. I like the area. Welcome!
 
Congrats, Eddie! Can't wait to hear more about the place and your plans. Of course, you'll have to buy a few more motorcycles to keep at the new place... :)
 
Gotta ask..... Who has rights to use the airstrip? Just cuz its there, doesn't mean you can use it. Shows private.
 
Unit74 said:
Gotta ask..... Who has rights to use the airstrip? Just cuz its there, doesn't mean you can use it. Shows private.
Click to expand...

He will be living there, owns his property there, so he will be using it. That's all that really matters. Does that mean you can use it? No, unless you have permission. That's why they're labeled private.
 
mscard88 said:
He will be living there, owns his property there, so he will be using it. That's all that really matters. Does that mean you can use it? No, unless you have permission. That's why they're labeled private.
Click to expand...


He said he bought adjacent to the the runway, not into an airpark. Just because I bought land adjacent to a pasture doesn't mean I can run my cattle on someone else's land.
 
He also mentioned installing a taxiway and a couple of tiedowns. I don't think he'd do that just to look at his planes. You're making this too hard. Why would he purchase property adjacent to a landing strip.
 
I've seen dumber **** happen. Like one guy bought " lake front property" only to find out the entire lake was owned by a private Corp. and no docks, no boats, no shoreline improvements and no fishing were in place. Basically, he bought beachfront property with no beach access.

I would hope he performed due diligence, but nothing can be assumed.
 
Unit74 said:
Gotta ask..... Who has rights to use the airstrip? Just cuz its there, doesn't mean you can use it. Shows private.
Click to expand...

Recorded with the deed is a separate runway agreement, granting us use of it.

Pertinent is the seller agrees to keep it as a runway for 20 years. And we agree to help in the runway maintenance - mainly mowing, but also repair. We grant an easement across a defined portion of our property for the purchasers of the four 5-acre lots to access the runway. And a bunch of smaller items - no commercial use, no structures within 25' of the runway, that sort of thing.

So, yes, all that was considered.
 
Congratulations. Have fun "trailer trashin" and getting that hangar built. You're gonna need more champagne. Shed, hangar, house, more airplanes.......
 
FastEddieB said:
Recorded with the deed is a separate runway agreement, granting us use of it.

Pertinent is the seller agrees to keep it as a runway for 20 years. And we agree to help in the runway maintenance - mainly mowing, but also repair. We grant an easement across a defined portion of our property for the purchasers of the four 5-acre lots to access the runway. And a bunch of smaller items - no commercial use, no structures within 25' of the runway, that sort of thing.

So, yes, all that was considered.
Click to expand...
That's coo. Trade some mower time for use of the strip. Lots of fly in parks we looked into we had to pay for maint AND volunteer time for mowing, filling pot holes, etc.
 
I hope it works out for ya mon! Keep us posted!
 
Jealous! Wish there was something like that (and lush and green) in the SouthWest. Congratulations!:):cheers:
 
Very nice Eddie, I'm in Juneau now but will be traveling to Lenior City to visit my dad first part of October. Maybe we can hook up. I will PM you.

Take Care
Bill Burgett
 
Fast Eddie, you suck! Which is code for, I'm extremely jealous, and congratulations on something awesome.
 
Heck I don't need to buy a lot then, I'll just rent one of those from ya!
 
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