Longer Term NYC Airport?

Cogito

Cogito

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Cogito
I've flown into Linden, Lincoln Park, Old Bridge, Monmouth Exec. Teterboro, and Republic on different short trips to the NYC area. Now we're going to be staying on the upper west side of manhattan anywhere from a few months to 2 years.

Does anyone use Westchester (HPN?) to get to NYC?

I'm thinking Republic (FRG) will end up being the easiest/ most cost effective field for this longer stay. Any opinions or recommendations for tie-downs at FRG or other fields? (I assume hangars around NYC will be prohibitively expensive.)

If FRG is indeed the place, anyone with a pirep re: Echo, Alpha, or Yankee Ramps?

Thanks, as always, for the help.
 
FRG is prob cheapest, last I checked Sheltair had tie downs for $200/month


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Worked out of the FRG airport for a few days, seems easy and I didn't have much taxi time, I'd go with Alpha, they treated me very well, even set up a hose and stuff in the back so I could wash my plane down each day. Good folks.
 
I fly out of FRG, but I'd guess from the Upper West Side, HPN or CDW will be much quicker to get to. The Long Island Expressway can be a nightmare in the summer, and from the west side of Manhattan, you might be adding 20-30mins right there. From the Upper West Side to CDW, it's a quick hop over the George Washington Bridge, and to HPN, a quick trip (usually) up the Henry Hudson, Cross-County Parkway, Hutchinson and 684. Quicker than it sounds.

If you plan on taking public transit out to the airport every time, though, perhaps that will influence things differently. Also, not sure of prices of HPN or CDW vs FRG, but driving to FRG can really be awful.
 
Stay on the Alpha side, much easier getting out on a busy day.
 
Mike I said:
I fly out of FRG, but I'd guess from the Upper West Side, HPN or CDW will be much quicker to get to. The Long Island Expressway can be a nightmare in the summer, and from the west side of Manhattan, you might be adding 20-30mins right there. From the Upper West Side to CDW, it's a quick hop over the George Washington Bridge, and to HPN, a quick trip (usually) up the Henry Hudson, Cross-County Parkway, Hutchinson and 684. Quicker than it sounds.

If you plan on taking public transit out to the airport every time, though, perhaps that will influence things differently. Also, not sure of prices of HPN or CDW vs FRG, but driving to FRG can really be awful.
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I should have noted: we won't have a car in the city. Public transport, Lyft, etc. for us.
 
Cogito said:
I should have noted: we won't have a car in the city. Public transport, Lyft, etc. for us.
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FRG's less bad by train. There's always the last-mile problem, and at the Farmingdale LIRR station there are almost always taxis waiting. The buses out to NJ are also relatively quick because of dedicated bus lanes on some of the thoroughfares.

I'd recommend with most of these to try and take public transit 90% of the way unless it's odd hours, as it'll probably be quicker than taking an Uber/Lyft/Taxi from Manhattan.
 
That's why you want FRG. Penn station is west side. LiRR to FRG.

Sheltair always dropped me to the train...


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LiRR is awesome. I love getting a hot dog and beer in the basement. Painless way to travel also.
 
FRG Echo ramp is controlled by the state, so cheaper than at one of the FBO's. it is nice over there. Alpha ramp is sort of the projects of the airport. Pavement is crap, plenty of old abandoned planes that haven't been touched in years. I do not know if that is controlled by sheltair or the state. As far as I know, there is a wait list for every area on the field to get parking. But in your situation FRG is the best bet.
 
When I lived in UWS (102nd/CPW), it took me just under 2 hours door to door from my place to KFRG. From Midtown (59th/Columbus) it was 1.5 hours. Needed to time the trains obviously. It's not bad at all.
Farmingdale has a nice bar 2 minutes from the train station, so if you have to wait for an hr, it's not too bad.
 
gsengle said:
That's why you want FRG. Penn station is west side. LiRR to FRG.

Sheltair always dropped me to the train...


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That's about a two hour ride.
 
gsengle said:
Yep, welcome to flying and living in Manhattan... (I moved)


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I grew up on Long Island, left 27 years ago, can never imagine moving back there.
 
I did as well. It depends on taxi or if you wait for FBO driver. W66 to Sheltair. 1.5-2 hours...


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You may do better going to NJ like CDW (expensive) or Old Bridge.
 
gsengle said:
I did as well. It depends on taxi or if you wait for FBO driver. W66 to Sheltair. 1.5-2 hours...


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I always either got an Uber or called a cab 5 minutes away on the LIRR, it's a 10 minute drive. 1:10 realistically from Penn, time the train right and it's 1:30 from Columbus Circle. 2 hours from 102.
 
drotto said:
You may do better going to NJ like CDW (expensive) or Old Bridge.
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Lack of mass transit though, unless you have a secret way of going


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gsengle said:
Lack of mass transit though, unless you have a secret way of going


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From the CDW airport website. So Caldwell may be a good option. Looks like it would take about 40 minutes.

"Public transportation to the airport is also available from the Port Authority Building in NYC on 42nd Street via the Lakeland Bus Company."

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Personally from the UWS, I'd go with Caldwell (CDW), Morristown (MMU) or Lincoln Park (N07). I used to live on 85th and Columbus and based out of Lincoln Park because that was the only semi close airport I could get a hangar. I did have a car and it was about 45min door to door during regular traffic. Rush hour could easily add 15+ minutes though but at least you have options (3 different ways to get to GWB as well as the option to take the Lincoln Tunnel if the bridge is really bad).

Now that I no longer live there (but still visit 10-15 times a year) I fly into KTEB and take an uber.
 
gsengle said:
Lack of mass transit though, unless you have a secret way of going


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You can get within a couple miles of 3N6 by bus from NYC. There's a pretty big stop at the RT-9/union hill road intersection (Marlboro). Either a 5 minute uber ride from there or a short bike ride. There might be a closer stop, but that's the one I know.

I'd probably choose Lincoln Park or Linden though. Much closer.
 
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In my defense Uber didn't exist when I was tackling this problem from Manhattan...


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The other question is if you are OK with tie down or do you want a hanger. Hangers in Northern NJ are in very short supply, and usually have a waiting list. Tie downs are availible but even those can be very expensive especially at CDW.

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HPN is not bad to the city. Train service not far away (not walking distance, but a fairly short ride). But it does have a $$$ignature FBO and lots of corporate traffic.

FRG is also a ride to the rails, probably close to the same time as HPN. I'm partial to Metro North vs LIRR, but it depends on whether Penn Station is closer than Grand Central, 125th street, or one of the other Metro North stops in the city.
 
The problem is that HPN is to my knowledge by far the most expensive airport in the metro area


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RudyP said:
I used to live on 85th and Columbus
.
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Prohibition used to be one of my favorite hangout bars. And the unlimited Sangria nights at Calle Ocho... Damn I miss that city!
My wife used to teach in a school 2 blocks from 85/Columbus.
 
avongil said:
LiRR is awesome. I love getting a hot dog and beer in the basement. Painless way to travel also.
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I think you are the first and only person to ever say the "LIRR" and "awesome" in the same sentence! :). I use them to commute to work everyday and believe me they are literally the worst customer service product ever. On time for them means "on our time" and they can only brag that they gurantee same day arrivals! Sorry just could not resist the opportunity to take a shot at the worst run service in the area.
 
jspilot said:
I think you are the first and only person to ever say the "LIRR" and "awesome" in the same sentence! :). I use them to commute to work everyday and believe me they are literally the worst customer service product ever. On time for them means "on our time" and they can only brag that they gurantee same day arrivals! Sorry just could not resist the opportunity to take a shot at the worst run service in the area.
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Well, she wouldn't call them "awesome", but my wife uses them for her daily commute to work (Valley Stream to Penn) and she says it's pretty good. In her experience, they are mostly on time. She gives the LIRR a 9 out of 10.

Occasionally (a few times a year), we go into Manhattan via the LIRR to shop, take in a Broadway play or jazz concert and my experience is the same.
I'm not doubting your experience though, YMMV.
 
jspilot said:
I think you are the first and only person to ever say the "LIRR" and "awesome" in the same sentence! :). I use them to commute to work everyday and believe me they are literally the worst customer service product ever. On time for them means "on our time" and they can only brag that they gurantee same day arrivals! Sorry just could not resist the opportunity to take a shot at the worst run service in the area.
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Ha! You haven't ridden SEPTA....
 
jspilot said:
I think you are the first and only person to ever say the "LIRR" and "awesome" in the same sentence! :). I use them to commute to work everyday and believe me they are literally the worst customer service product ever. On time for them means "on our time" and they can only brag that they gurantee same day arrivals! Sorry just could not resist the opportunity to take a shot at the worst run service in the area.
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Well, In all honesty I always rode it off peak when I was consulting around there. The times I came home peak times, it was like a sardine can. A few wise beer purchases at the station before departure made a huge difference at times.
 
gsengle said:
The problem is that HPN is to my knowledge by far the most expensive airport in the metro area


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I would have guessed TEB, but who knows.
 
wsuffa said:
I would have guessed TEB, but who knows.
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For mere mortals TEB, LGA, JFK and EWR are off the table. But seriously wouldn't shock me if fees are higher at HPN than TEB...


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gsengle said:
For mere mortals TEB, LGA, JFK and EWR are off the table. But seriously wouldn't shock me if fees are higher at HPN than TEB..
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Depends on the FBO, I presume. $$$iganture tends to be more expensive, Millionair less so. Don't know about the others. Pretty much everything within a reasonable distance of NYC is going to cost a lot of money.
 
I think TEB is slightly more expensive than HPN. I've been to both many times but it hasn't been on my dime:)
 
jordane93 said:
I think TEB is slightly more expensive than HPN. I've been to both many times but it hasn't been on my dime:)
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I just remember a $25 ramp fee just to pick up a passenger at HPN... in a light single, no parking. And this was a while ago.


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