Kutztown PA - Informal Gathering

[Rob Schaffer]

Kutztown PA - Sept 17 --> NOW WITH PHOTOS

The status of Kutztown PA (N31) is bleak,.. unkown what will / may happen after the FBO Auction on September 6th. So,.. if weather is good and the runway is open,.. time for dinner!

I have an opening in my calendar where I can get a rental and don't have to worry about a sitter for my daughters, so... better add it to my log-book while I still can. Note = $5 parking most likely won't apply anymore.

September 17th 2008 - N31 Kutztown Airport 5 or 5:30 PM for some dinner or dessert.

NAME........PLANE............HOME BASE
Rob......C172 - 53569.......KLOM (Right Seat open... I have the plane from 4-7:30)

 

[GMascelli]

September 17th 2008 - N31 Kutztown Airport 5 or 5:30 PM for some dinner or dessert.

NAME.............PLANE............HOME BASE
Rob...............C172 - 53569.......KLOM (Right seat open)
Gary&Mary.....PA28.....28679......KILG (just a 'maybe' at this point)

 

[Nav8tor]

September 17th 2008 - N31 Kutztown Airport 5 or 5:30 PM for some dinner or dessert.

NAME.............PLANE............HOME BASE
Rob...............C172 - 53569.......KLOM (Right seat open)
Gary&Mary.....PA28.....28679......KILG (just a 'maybe' at this point)
Lee..............Not sure...............KLOM/N10 (also a maybe, depending on aircraft availablity)

 

[flyersfan31]

I'll be feeding the Mouse's voracious appetite for cash in Orlando....

 

[Rob Schaffer]

so does that mean we can all try out your plane J/K,... I'm planning to take my daughter's there next year... have a good trip.

September 17th 2008 - N31 Kutztown Airport 5 or 5:30 PM for some dinner or dessert.

NAME.............PLANE............HOME BASE
Rob + Lee......C172 - 53569.......KLOM
Gary&Mary.....PA28....28679......KILG (just a 'maybe' at this point)

 

[OtisAir]

Beth and I will be down yonder in Williamsburg Virginia so we'll be thinking about ya'll. Wish we could make it. Ya'll have fun!

 

[Rob Schaffer]

BUMP,... .from page 2. Right seat is now open again if anyone is interested from the local area....

This comming Wednesday is the plan so far. If weather doesn't cooperate, maybe we can reschedule sometime soon but as renter that's sometimes tricky.


September 17th 2008 - N31 Kutztown Airport 5 or 5:30 PM for some dinner or dessert.

NAME.............PLANE............HOME BASE
Rob..............C172 - 53569.......KLOM (Right Seat Available 4-7:30pm)
Gary&Mary.....PA28....28679......KILG (just a 'maybe' at this point)

 

[Erice]

I have a flight lesson in the 172RG at Queen City just before this, and Kutztown is right on my way home, so this is perfect for me!

September 17th 2008 - N31 Kutztown Airport 5 or 5:30 PM for some dinner or dessert.

NAME.............PLANE............HOME BASE
Rob + Lee......C172 - 53569......KLOM (Right Seat Available 4-7:30pm)
Gary&Mary.....PA28....28679......KILG (just a 'maybe' at this point)
Eric..............Honda Accord.......JVU
________
sc2 replays

 

[GMascelli]

NAME.............PLANE............HOME BASE
Rob + Lee......C172 - 53569......KLOM (Right Seat Available 4-7:30pm)
Gary.............PA28....28679......KILG
Eric..............Honda Accord.......JVU

 

[Rob Schaffer]

Well, a BIG Thanks to all those that attended tonight. It was a great night to be flying and we all took advantage of it to meet up at Kutztown.

Bob Ciotti and I left from Wings, and with some time to spare we decided to climb out and head to Hazelton to get a >50nm flight in for my XC time building. As we climbed out, the sky was very clear to the south looking at Philadelphia, but a haze layer began around 2400 and continued upwards. We climbed up to 6500 and leveled off, getting a great view of the haze boundary on our way to HZL. With Allentown providing FF, we saw the city out to our right as we crossed over the East Texas VOR.

Winds were calm at HZL, so I opted to fly out crosswind for RY 10 and come around for a T&G and so we could stay on our way back to Kutztown and try to get there before Gary, but knowing we would be slightly later than originally thought,... hoping Eric doesn't mind.

We made good groundspeed coming back, with the light tailwind helping at 4300 feet most of the way. Winds were pretty calm again, but the windsock was looking like 35 was preferred, even though a guy took off 17 about when we crossed Blue Mountain. No sign of him, we called intentions and entered an extended downwind for RY 35. My first time at Kutztown, but I watched an approach on YouTube the other day, and knew about the Quarry pile. I kept it close to the pile, and even closer to the top of the corn, ask Bob and made a nice landing pretty short on 35. The runway gives some funny illusions as you fly around the airport, but it wasn't to bad.

Taxied and parked in the grass, and Eric met us as we shut-down. After a minute, some guy in a white and red Archer flew directly over the field!! I quick grabbed my handheld and gave it to Bob,.. "Hey Gary, your going right passed us!" Gary acknowledged and began his turn to downwind about the same time. We ran up the slight hill and I was able to get a few photos of Gary landing (I have two others if you want them Gary).

So, now the crew is here, and we all got aquainted before going inside.
Gary is working on his Instrument, Eric on his Comm, I'm enjoying flying, and we got Bob back in the air,... so onto the diner for a bite to eat.

 

[Rob Schaffer]

Inside, we talked about the status of the airport. Actually, tonight there was a meeting at the restaurant to discuss the status and possible future. Apparently the aiport is owned by the same guy who owns the diner. Even though they closed the FBO, stopped fuel service, and are in jeopardy, the AOPA representative was there and there is now discussion of getting the airport zoned as an airport and not industrial or something else (can't remember what it may be now). There was also a skydiving organization representing there as an interested party to help have services at the airport,.. but I don't know much else. Eric may be able to chime in as he provided some good information (being a worker there before it closed) and I believe he stayed for the meeting.

We all had an enjoyable dinner, talking about the flights we have made, where we are in our training and the difficulties of the IR Written and checkride. We talked about some of the upcoming NE Flyers events, and before we knew it, it was almost 7:10. Time to get going, it was getting dark quick and there wasn't much of a Moon available tonight (Gary found out more about this fact later).

So, we said our goodbyes, and soon we were out at the planes beginning our runup. The sky was great, and the colors vivid. The photo doesn't do much justice. We departed and climbed out to the South. Gary and I chatted on the Air-to-Air for a minute before going separate ways. It was dark,.. and a nice smooth evening to be up flying. Shortly after, we were in the pattern for Wings and made a pretty good landing in the dark. After shooting the breeze for a little, Bob and I parted, and I called Gary. Sounds like he had a good flight back too, and everyone was down safely.

Good to see everyone!

 

[Rob Schaffer]

Oh,.. also was able to try the NAV feature of my A-23 Nav/Com Handheld. We were able to pick up the radial from East Texas on the way south to N31, then switch it to CDI mode and it locked on that radial and showed the deviations increasing as we stayed on our course to N31. Seems like it will work well if ever needed. I was at 3500 I think at that point too.

 

[dmccormack]

Nice pics, Rob!

It's hard to beat September in Pennsylvania...

 

[Gary]

Rob:

Nice write-up!! Glad you all had a good time, the weather was really quite nice. Hopefully, the airport can be saved, hate to see another one end up a housing development. Sorry we couldn't make it - just too much stuff to be done elsewhere.

Gary

 

[GMascelli]

Great pictures Rob!

Yes, I almost missed the airport. I think this was a carryover from my first PPL XC. I missed the same airport as my checkpoint. I had the East Texas VOR dialed in (234* radial, can't remember) as the needle moved to center I knew I was there just didn’t see it. Off my left side just behind the wing, I started to circle to enter the downwind for 35 and Bob came on and said you missed us or it or something. I started to laugh and (I know I won't live that one down) entered the pattern.

Nice airport and a great little diner. Let's hope it all stays there. They had a very good turnout for the airport meeting, that's a good sign. As always the time with friends when flying is too short. It was great to catch up with Rob, Bob and meet Eric. We all saddled up for home and I followed Rob and Bob out to runway 17. We were both off and heading south. The high wingers turned southeast and I stayed on my 180* heading. Did I mention how dark it got? Whew, it was dark out there. Great ride home as I picked out the airport beacons for MQS and OQN.

I made my call to ILG tower and was instructed straight in runway one nine, report 4 mile final. No problem, I pass by the Rollins building and have Wilmington off to my left. The twin bridges are in view but no runway in that big black hole where the airport should be. I could not even see the airport beacon. At five out I call and ask for lights since I have no runway (or airport) in sight. The tower lights the place up, it looked great and I was aligned as I should be now on short final. I ask them to bring the light back down and made a nice landing needing to add power to make it to the first right turn on to Kilo. When I did taxi clear of one nine I then asked the tower if anyone else has complained about not seeing the beacon. He said yes and another pilot based at ILG said if I didn’t ask for the lights to be brought up he would have flown over the airport too. At least it wasn't just me.

 

[Erice]

Yes, it was a great little gathering. Thanks, Rob, for getting this together. I enjoyed meeting Bob and Gary, too.

Rob, you asked for a little report on the ASN meeting: It just so happened that our trip to the diner coincided with the Airport Support Network meeting on saving Kutztown airport. There were probably 40 or so people who turned out for that gathering. They basically gave reports on how it had worked in the past with other successful outcomes, particularly the Brandywine airport story (KOQN). One idea that they are floating around is to sell "shares" of new hangar construction. If they sell 50 shares of hangars at $40,000 apiece, the idea is that they can purchase the property, build the hangars, and have enough revenue to run the airport. I may not have the exact figures right, but that is the gist of it. The Brandywine airport was in a similar situation to Kutztown--ready to close. They did something like this, and it was a huge success. They say airport shares at OQN are worth around $100,000 now. So it can be done!

Kutztown is still open as an airport, and will stay open as long as it can. We all know that once an airport closes, there is very little chance of it ever opening as an airport again. And new airports opening are almost unheard of these days. So I really hope this will work out.

I'll keep my eyes open for another POA gathering that I can attend.

Arrrrrr!
________
marijuana vaporizer

 

[Rob Schaffer]

Thanks for the update. Too Little To late for the FBO and school though, that's still a shame. Glad to meet you.

In a few weeks I'm hoping to take my parents for a fall folliage flight,.. might swing back into here and have a meal at the diner with them.