Need advice from KSGJ pilots

[dee_jee]

I'm considering flight training at KSGJ (St. Augustine). Is this airport a good environment for a student pilot? I wonder, if there are any options for emergency or forced landings in case of engine failures on takeoff? There seem to be only swamps, trees and a highway (with a lot of power lines) on both ends of the main runway...

The KDAB-crash last monday made me think about this...

 

[Captain]

Don't worry about it. Flying is about risk management and in a single engine airplane there is some risk on just about every flight. I'd be more worried on the drive home that some car or truck going the other way breaks a steering rod and slams into me head on.

Personally, I'd take the Cessna 60 knots float into the swamp or tree tops over the 140 mph head on with another car. Plus flying is fun...as opposed to driving.

 

[JOhnH]

Don't worry about it. Flying is about risk management and in a single engine airplane there is some risk on just about every flight. I'd be more worried on the drive home that some car or truck going the other way breaks a steering rod and slams into me head on.

Personally, I'd take the Cessna 60 knots float into the swamp or tree tops over the 140 mph head on with another car. Plus flying is fun...as opposed to driving.

Dang! I agree with Captain.

But in answer to your question, I think SGJ is a great airport. My wife and I had to put our C172 down on a highway a little south of there a few years ago after a catastrophic engine failure. The crash at DAB was in a very highly populated area at night. And the plane was only about a week old. So you can never eliminate all risk. Just be careful on your drive to the airport and you will have taken the best precaution against an accident you can,.

 

[guardrail]

There are plenty of roads and open fields nearby. Also it's likely you will head south towards Flagler or north towards Craig to do lessons. The common practice area between SGJ and CRG has a private airport and highways all along the area.

There's also this very, very long sandy runway that runs north/south for the entire east coast of the state....

 

[frfly172]

SGJ is a great airport,with many other fun airports in the area. I wouldn't pick an airport because of the surrounding area.If you are worried about engine failure while training,you might want to re consider flight training.Patty Wagstaff flys out of SGJ.