Michigan/Ohio/Indiana pilots (social)

W

wayne47

Filing Flight Plan
Joined
May 1, 2011
Messages
6
Location
Rochester Hills, MI
Display Name
Mike Wayne
Home Airfield
KPTK
I got my ticket with the famous Mary Carpenter out of KPTK early this year. Since then, I have been flying the wife around to various spots, mostly for dinner, grabbing a plane for the evening around 16:30. I was thinking that it would be nice to meet with some other pilots in this general area, possibly some of us flying to a common destination where the restaurant will shuttle us or having one pilot fly to another pilot's location where the local would provide a ride and provide suggestions in the area. While this seems like an obvious need to me, my searching of the net yields nobody doing this.
 
I'm aware of two Saturday breakfast groups at PTK. One flies to breakfast.
The other is mostly homebuilders that don't fly to breakfast. I irregularly join
both. That's all I'll say in a public forum.

-doug
[email protected]
 
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There is going to be a really nice POA get together at a little strip in the UP that might fit the bill. The name of the place is Pickett Grooms field, aka 6Y9. You should be able to come up with it pretty quick.

Oh, and welcome to POA.
 
Hi Mike,

Welcome to POA! Are you based at PTK or one of the other nearby fields? I'm based at VLL, not far at all from you!

I'd be interested in doing some burger runs if we can get a group together. There are a couple good restaurants I know of that shuttle pilots (Mon Ami at KPCW and Hermann's at KCAD come to mind) and there are several more that are either easy walking distance from the field, or a short drive in a courtesy car.

The best close-by lunch or dinner run is probably 3DA (Flushing/Dalton Field) where you can park on the grass by the runway and choose between a decent diner and a solid Italian/American family restaurant just down the street. Be careful though, the available landing distance is under 2000 feet.

Airport Restaurant and Spirits at KJXN (on field) is very nice too and there is a good on-field diner at 61D. Bravo just down the street from KAZO is really excellent.

And there's probably lots more in OH and IN.
 
Sent a private message to rainsux & azure.
6Y9 is pretty far for a one day round trip flight starting late afternoon. I'm thinking that a 150 mile radius is a good number for now.
I've been browsing POA for over a year and am based on KPTK. We've been to most places azure mentions (gotta check out Hermann's) plus:
OWX - Red Pig
RMY - Schuler's Restaurant
KMOP - Soaring Eagle
Schuler's and Mon Ami are our current favorites.

We are willing to meet with other pilots who fly in to KPTK or KVLL (used to live in Troy) or fly to other towns.

Feel free to PM me here if you have any interest, I'll try to stay on top of things.
 
re: CAD

Hermann's is very good for lunch or dinner.
Blue Heron for breakfast - doubt they will shuttle
 
There's the Crosswind Cafe at Owosso (KRNP). They are open weekends for breakfast and lunch. Nothing special but always several pilots there and we always have good conversation.
I'm at KOZW
 
wayne47 said:
Sent a private message to rainsux & azure.
6Y9 is pretty far for a one day round trip flight starting late afternoon. I'm thinking that a 150 mile radius is a good number for now.
I've been browsing POA for over a year and am based on KPTK. We've been to most places azure mentions (gotta check out Hermann's) plus:
OWX - Red Pig
RMY - Schuler's Restaurant
KMOP - Soaring Eagle
Schuler's and Mon Ami are our current favorites.

We are willing to meet with other pilots who fly in to KPTK or KVLL (used to live in Troy) or fly to other towns.

Feel free to PM me here if you have any interest, I'll try to stay on top of things.
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Try out Clare municipal 48D, take the courtesy car to town. The Cops and Doughnuts store has some of the best doughnuts ever. Their Long Johns weigh about a 1/2 pound each and the Apple Fritters are the size of Dinner plates. Then you can stop at Jay's for some good Gun and outdoor sports shopping.

Bay City 3CM --Kryziaks Restuarant is about 2 miles away. If you call them they will pick you up. The owner is a pilot. Their lunch buffet is very good and reasonably priced.

Gladwin GDW has a courtesy car and several Mom and Pop stores in town. The Peppermill has a good selection of fresh pies but is definitely not a fancy place.

Houghton Lake Heights 5Y2 is a grass strip that is plenty long. Coyles Restuarant is about a 1 block walk from the north end of the runway

Barb
 
And I almost forgot: Mio (51M) has a great breakfast stop virtually on the field. This used to be a grass strip, but they paved the runway a year or two ago.
 
Forgot to mention Clare County(Harrison) 80D There is a small restuarant on the airport, Yvonne's Aeroport Inn. Good food and now that they are smokeless you can even breath in there.
 
Note that I was not asking for places to fly, I was asking for people to meet with after flying (or them flying to meet us).
 
wayne47 said:
Note that I was not asking for places to fly, I was asking for people to meet with after flying (or them flying to meet us).
Click to expand...

Pick a place, pick a date, post it and call it a fly-in and see if anyone shows up.
 
azure said:
Hi Mike,

Welcome to POA! Are you based at PTK or one of the other nearby fields? I'm based at VLL, not far at all from you!

I'd be interested in doing some burger runs if we can get a group together. There are a couple good restaurants I know of that shuttle pilots (Mon Ami at KPCW and Hermann's at KCAD come to mind) and there are several more that are either easy walking distance from the field, or a short drive in a courtesy car.

The best close-by lunch or dinner run is probably 3DA (Flushing/Dalton Field) where you can park on the grass by the runway and choose between a decent diner and a solid Italian/American family restaurant just down the street. Be careful though, the available landing distance is under 2000 feet.

Airport Restaurant and Spirits at KJXN (on field) is very nice too and there is a good on-field diner at 61D. Bravo just down the street from KAZO is really excellent.

And there's probably lots more in OH and IN.
Click to expand...
The Italian is the best. Been going there for years.
 
wayne47 said:
Note that I was not asking for places to fly, I was asking for people to meet with after flying (or them flying to meet us).
Click to expand...
Hi Mike
This Sunday there is a cook out at DCT aviation at PTK. I will be the cook, its from 12-3 pm. Illya welcomes all GA pilots to his FBO, he wants everyone to drop by for coffee or just to visit. There are many very good people in the T hangers, some go out of there way to be social and there are some that are just anti social. I tend to stay away from the last group. Myself I belong to the Lands O Lakes flying club based at PTK and also fly a Lance for a friend. Im around the airport a lot since I live only a couple miles to the east and my duties on the board of the club. A lot of mornings I start off with coffee at DCT.

Mike
 
Missa said:
Pick a place, pick a date, post it and call it a fly-in and see if anyone shows up.
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Hi Missa, I was out at the West end of the airport the other day and saw Geno's cross. Still miss that smile and flying with him,may he rest in peace.

Mike
 
flykelley said:
Hi Mike
This Sunday there is a cook out at DCT aviation at PTK. I will be the cook, its from 12-3 pm.

Mike
Click to expand...

I'm guessing I missed this, did not manage to check it often enough.

Seems like nobody in SE Michigan region wants to meet for dinner. Odd.
 
wayne47 said:
I'm guessing I missed this, did not manage to check it often enough.

Seems like nobody in SE Michigan region wants to meet for dinner. Odd.
Click to expand...
It was can called due to weather, its going to be this sunday at DCT from 12-3 pm. Ill be by the grill.

Mike
 
flykelley said:
Hi Missa, I was out at the West end of the airport the other day and saw Geno's cross. Still miss that smile and flying with him,may he rest in peace.

Mike
Click to expand...

I still miss the laugh coming from the back seat. Haven't been out to PTK in a very long time...
 
Missa said:
I still miss the laugh coming from the back seat. Haven't been out to PTK in a very long time...
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Hi Missa
Not much has changed, lots of empty hangers though. Last count was over 100 empty hangers.

Mike
 
I'm in NWOhio. So the Port Clinton one would be awesome. I never think to look in this category. Subscribing to thread now. :)

I say you put a destination in flight following and those that can show up will. I won't go to KPTK ever again but that's not for this forum.
 
I know that you aren't necessarily looking for destinations, but I have to throw this in: Right across the street from my airport (KEYE-- Eagle Creek Airport in Indy) is a pretty nice restaurant, Rick's Boatyard Cafe (you could certainly take a date there and not be embarrassed, but it isn't too upscale such that you feel uncomfortable in casual clothes) that sits on the Eagle Creek Reservoir, with great views of the reservoir, and the sailboats on it. It faces to the west, so you can watch the sunset. You do not need any crew car-- it is right across a fairly non-busy road, directly across from the FBO, a 60 second walk and you are there. http://rickscafeboatyard.com/indianapolis-home.html

KEYE has a nice long, wide run way that's in great shape, and the FBO is nice enough. http://www.eagle-creek.com/ (Ignore the pictures of the Naples Jet Center)

If people have any interest in ever meeting up there, I would be happy to do so, and bring my better half.
 
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wayne47 said:
I'm guessing I missed this, did not manage to check it often enough.

Seems like nobody in SE Michigan region wants to meet for dinner. Odd.
Click to expand...

Perhaps if you hang out here for awhile and get to know folks, that would change. As it is, I can fly to most any airport and have stranger-pilots to talk to without having to arrange a meetup ...
 
JoeSelch said:
Perhaps if you hang out here for awhile and get to know folks, that would change. As it is, I can fly to most any airport and have stranger-pilots to talk to without having to arrange a meetup ...
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That's just because they are all wondering how you just had lunch a the resturatunt 10 miles away without the crew car...
 
One Short said:
Try out Clare municipal 48D, take the courtesy car to town. The Cops and Doughnuts store has some of the best doughnuts ever. Their Long Johns weigh about a 1/2 pound each and the Apple Fritters are the size of Dinner plates. Then you can stop at Jay's for some good Gun and outdoor sports shopping.

Barb
Click to expand...

Cops and Doughnuts has the best doughnuts and coffee in the world!!! Great suggestion, Barb.
 
JoeSelch said:
Perhaps if you hang out here for awhile and get to know folks, that would change. As it is, I can fly to most any airport and have stranger-pilots to talk to without having to arrange a meetup ...
Click to expand...

Really? How?

In the dozen or so XC flights I've made, there's usually not a single person to be seen, let alone talk to. Saw a crop duster down in Ottawa, OH but he was busy working and crossed paths with another pilot who was arriving at Mon Ami in Port Clinton as we were leaving but most airports seem pretty deserted once I get to the ramp.

Thanks for the info on KEYE - 213 miles gonna be rough to do round trip in an evening but we'll keep it in mind.

I'll try to drop by DCT this Sunday afternoon. Thanks for the info.
 
I dunno. Maybe it's just that I tend to hit rush hour at the few airports that actually have on-field (or readily accessible) pilot attractions.

Sorry, I probably shouldn't be responding in this thread.
When I want to socialize with pilots, I go where pilots are.
When I want to see my pilot friends, we arrange to meet.
Sometimes, these groups come to overlap, with pilots becoming friends.
I guess I'm not understanding your dilemma.


wayne47 said:
Really? How?

In the dozen or so XC flights I've made, there's usually not a single person to be seen, let alone talk to. Saw a crop duster down in Ottawa, OH but he was busy working and crossed paths with another pilot who was arriving at Mon Ami in Port Clinton as we were leaving but most airports seem pretty deserted once I get to the ramp.

Thanks for the info on KEYE - 213 miles gonna be rough to do round trip in an evening but we'll keep it in mind.

I'll try to drop by DCT this Sunday afternoon. Thanks for the info.
Click to expand...
 
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