Mackinac Island (KMCD)

FlylikeaGirl

FlylikeaGirl

Pre-Flight
Joined
Feb 11, 2012
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59
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Cincinnati, OH
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Tiffany
Hubs and I are planning to fly in for our anniversary at the end of June. Has anyone ever flown there? Any tips/tricks/things to know?

Thanks!

Tiffany
 
Yep. Can get a bit squirrelly on approach. Wind is almost always blowing up there. Put bicycles in the plane if they fit. Bring money for landing fee.
 
End of June? You may, possibly - see a mosquito. Maybe more than one.
 
docmirror said:
End of June? You may, possibly - see a mosquito. Maybe more than one.
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On the island they aren't that bad. I don't recall any actually. Now when you are on either of the peninsulas. Yeah, they can get thick.
 
No biggie to fly in there. Call ahead to make sure there is parking if it is busy season. There is no fuel there either. But the airport is nice, tie downs plentiful and the airport does charge you a fee. The horse taxis can be called up to take down the hill into town.

I was there last September after Labor Day and it was pretty dead. So IOW it was wonderful!!! BTW I heard that there is fudge available on the island, but I did not see it! NOPE NOT ONE STORE!!!
 
docmirror said:
End of June? You may, possibly - see a mosquito. Maybe more than one.
Click to expand...
:dunno: I sail up there mid July every year - don't recall any issues with mosquito - even at night in the harbor.

Weekends of July 14th and 21st will be real busy - may be hard to get a hotel. But the Pink Pony will be hopping...
 
ScottM said:
No biggie to fly in there. Call ahead to make sure there is parking if it is busy season. There is no fuel there either. But the airport is nice, tie downs plentiful and the airport does charge you a fee. The horse taxis can be called up to take down the hill into town.

I was there last September after Labor Day and it was pretty dead. So IOW it was wonderful!!! BTW I heard that there is fudge available on the island, but I did not see it! NOPE NOT ONE STORE!!!
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Not one store, but a hundred?;). The entire island smells like horse **** and fudge. Cool place though. I'm anxious to fly there some day.
 
Funniest thing I saw at Mackinac was a horse drawn wagon full of computers. That is a contradiction of technology. The horse drawn street sweeper is kinda intersting too.
 
I've been there a bunch of times as I live only 120 nm away. There are a number of hiking and biking trails. You can rent bikes or horses. It's about a 30 min hike from the airport to town or you can get a taxi. I'll be glad to answer any questions here or by pm.
 
June is good.
Don't do like I did and fly up around now when the birds are singing and the grass is growing...

Winter lasts a lot longer up there. There was snow piled up over our heads and there were only about 50 people on the Island. They use cars in the off season, too. Mostly snowmobiles.

I got shanghaied by snow squalls blowing across Lake Superior.

You have to be patient no matter how you get around. Stay in town at the Pontiac Lodge or at the Sunset Condos near the airport but even that is not really walking distance.

The Sunset Condos are more romantic.
 
Gary F said:
I've been there a bunch of times as I live only 120 nm away. There are a number of hiking and biking trails. You can rent bikes or horses. It's about a 30 min hike from the airport to town or you can get a taxi. I'll be glad to answer any questions here or by pm.
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Yep. And those hiking trails are where you'll find the mosquitoes, on warm summer days anyway. Lots of 'em.
 
83D, St. Ignace is 4.5 nms away on the mainland and a nice place for fuel. I think you can see it off to the right in the video on base & final.

Great place. After dark the horses are gone and it gets quite quiet and peaceful without cars everywhere.
 
ScottM said:
BTW

Click to expand...

Don't be doing that. Make a wider downwind.
They ask that you don't overfly the town.

NOISE ABATEMENT PROCEDURES: TRAFFIC PATTERN ALT 1900 FT MSL; CLIMB TO 1900 FT MSL BEFORE TURNING; AVOID FLIGHT OVER SHORE & TOWN; NO TOUCH & GO LANDINGS.
Click to expand...
 
My wife and I flew our Bonanza there in Sept 2010. Easy flying into despite the rain we were flying in at 2500' over the lake. On approach from east you will need to watch for moderate to severe turbulence. Funny thing that still cracks me up is when we were over the lake being bounced and shaken to death, I made a radio call stating I was 10 out inbound to land. I got a reply back from the airport saying I need to be aware of possible turbulence on approach. My wife and I looked at each other and said what the heck are we in now! Little did I know we WERE in MODERATE turbulence. By the time we were on short approach it got ugly quick. Holy cow did it get rough. The ol'V tail really got a workout that day.

And.... They did have fudge on almost every corner so that made almost worth it...

Paul


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I have flown there a number of times with my wife and daughters for long weekends. If you are concerned at all with being on a budget I would suggest staying in St. Ignace and just fly to the island every morning. Hotels are far cheaper in St. Ignace compared to the island and I saw it as just another chance to fly instead of having my plane sit there for a couple of days. St. Ignace is great and they have a 1980's Buick or Olds that they give you for free, if it hasn't been snagged, for as long as you want it.
 
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