Sinistar
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Brad
Edit: Please see @champ driver 's post # 4 for an excellent backstory on the building and location!
I think this one opened a few months ago. On Saturday it was St.Patrick's day which also happens to be our Anniversary
Our old 182 is green and white and downtown St.Paul seemed fitting! We were able to get a transition through the Bravo (my first time!) but I'll keep this to a review of the restaurant and relevant airport info.
I believe the restaurant is in what was once the old terminal building. It even looks like the old tower may have been there? The building is on the north end of the airport east of the approach to runway 14 (a huge runway!). You can park right in front and from what I can tell it could probably fit 10 planes in that area with room to spill over to each side as well.
I would be a bit careful about the boundary between the movement and non-movement area. It is just a yellow line. At many other Delta's (this airport does have a tower) the movement area boundary seems more official and obvious.
After you park, you walk through a waist high gate and into the door in the center of the building. There is a nice lobby and the restaurant is on the right side. There are nice windows in the restaurant so you can see the parked planes as well as other airport activity. If the restaurant is busy you might not get a seat near the windows.
Since we were there on the weekend it was brunch. I think the brunch lasts until 4pm so if you are the type who wants eggs or french toast for lunch you are in business! My wife, daughter and myself each had a different cheeseburger. My daughter is 9 and probably ate 1/3 of hers and was full. My wife knocked out half and I just barely finished mine. Excellent burgers. Think around $14 which includes fries. They will continue to refill your soft drinks. I guess the bar there is quite awesome...didn't go there. I was surprised for a place like this not have more lemonade options. So probably just a Coke or Pepsi selection for soft drinks.
Service was awesome! You will have very nice silverware, cloth napkins and I liked that the chairs were solid and comfortable. It was very clean and surprisingly well sound insulated. We could just barely hear the Cardinal right in front starting up his engine and idling.
They have a gated off area right in front outside where people can walk out and look at the planes - nice idea! With that old tower up above I am wondering if there is a way to go up there. You could get a heck of picture of your plane from above!
As I understand they will also open up a patio on the east end once the wx is nicer so you could even sit outside after you fly in.
I did not see a self serve anywhere so if you need fuel you will either need to taxi over to one of the FBO's or call their fuel truck over while you eat. 100LL is pretty spendy at this field. I did not see any ladder's laying around so if you are in a high wing and want to stick your tanks before leaving...BYOL I also didn't see any chocks available. Its more a restaurant than a FBO so not dinging them on this stuff - just giving you the info.
My single complaint is that they did not have the Minnesota Passport stamp. Since the FBO's are way over on the west side of the field it would have been a major PITA to get the stamp.
For those that have been to the downtown St.Paul airport it is a home base for 3M business jets and the guard Blackhawks. We were probably there 90min and saw 2 biz jets take off and one black hawk lift off. You probably won't see the helicopters up close. If R14 is in use you'll have a good chance at seeing planes much closer.
I had been to this airport twice during training. I think my first CFI wanted me to understand just how much is going on to get in and out of there...a lot! It is under the 2300 shelf of the bravo and right near the 3000 shelf so it could be easy to clip the 2300 shelf when approaching and descending from the south, east or north.
The tower can setup flight following and we asked for a Bravo transition on the way out. Radar services were given but we did not get the bravo entry on the way back. I believe if your outbound heading is anything other than due west they will vector you around instead. Be prepared to hear several traffic callouts as Flemming, Lakeville and Flying cloud are around the south side. And Lake Elmo, Anoka and Crystal traffic will be factors going around the other way.
There was a lot of traffic up in the area. At one time we counted over 40 planes via UAT and TIS-B. We are not ADS-B out equipped so there were surely even more.
I had never landed at this airport from the North. Was so weird to be flying right over the capitol building (sweet view!). This airport has a way of confusing people with the 3 runways, especially R13 and R14 which almost start at the same place. And there is one right handed pattern in there too. Also, it is the only airport I have been to so far that has a pattern altitude that is 1200agl. This airport sits down low by the river.
Since there are parades for St.Patrick's day in St.Paul I was suspecting a TFR. I called Leido's twice and nothing. However, as we get to summer there will be several for the Twins Stadium and other events so be cautious.
We'll definitely go again. Our daughter took this picture out front:
I think this one opened a few months ago. On Saturday it was St.Patrick's day which also happens to be our Anniversary
Our old 182 is green and white and downtown St.Paul seemed fitting! We were able to get a transition through the Bravo (my first time!) but I'll keep this to a review of the restaurant and relevant airport info.I believe the restaurant is in what was once the old terminal building. It even looks like the old tower may have been there? The building is on the north end of the airport east of the approach to runway 14 (a huge runway!). You can park right in front and from what I can tell it could probably fit 10 planes in that area with room to spill over to each side as well.
I would be a bit careful about the boundary between the movement and non-movement area. It is just a yellow line. At many other Delta's (this airport does have a tower) the movement area boundary seems more official and obvious.
After you park, you walk through a waist high gate and into the door in the center of the building. There is a nice lobby and the restaurant is on the right side. There are nice windows in the restaurant so you can see the parked planes as well as other airport activity. If the restaurant is busy you might not get a seat near the windows.
Since we were there on the weekend it was brunch. I think the brunch lasts until 4pm so if you are the type who wants eggs or french toast for lunch you are in business! My wife, daughter and myself each had a different cheeseburger. My daughter is 9 and probably ate 1/3 of hers and was full. My wife knocked out half and I just barely finished mine. Excellent burgers. Think around $14 which includes fries. They will continue to refill your soft drinks. I guess the bar there is quite awesome...didn't go there. I was surprised for a place like this not have more lemonade options. So probably just a Coke or Pepsi selection for soft drinks.
Service was awesome! You will have very nice silverware, cloth napkins and I liked that the chairs were solid and comfortable. It was very clean and surprisingly well sound insulated. We could just barely hear the Cardinal right in front starting up his engine and idling.
They have a gated off area right in front outside where people can walk out and look at the planes - nice idea! With that old tower up above I am wondering if there is a way to go up there. You could get a heck of picture of your plane from above!
As I understand they will also open up a patio on the east end once the wx is nicer so you could even sit outside after you fly in.
I did not see a self serve anywhere so if you need fuel you will either need to taxi over to one of the FBO's or call their fuel truck over while you eat. 100LL is pretty spendy at this field. I did not see any ladder's laying around so if you are in a high wing and want to stick your tanks before leaving...BYOL
I also didn't see any chocks available. Its more a restaurant than a FBO so not dinging them on this stuff - just giving you the info.My single complaint is that they did not have the Minnesota Passport stamp. Since the FBO's are way over on the west side of the field it would have been a major PITA to get the stamp.
For those that have been to the downtown St.Paul airport it is a home base for 3M business jets and the guard Blackhawks. We were probably there 90min and saw 2 biz jets take off and one black hawk lift off. You probably won't see the helicopters up close. If R14 is in use you'll have a good chance at seeing planes much closer.
I had been to this airport twice during training. I think my first CFI wanted me to understand just how much is going on to get in and out of there...a lot! It is under the 2300 shelf of the bravo and right near the 3000 shelf so it could be easy to clip the 2300 shelf when approaching and descending from the south, east or north.
The tower can setup flight following and we asked for a Bravo transition on the way out. Radar services were given but we did not get the bravo entry on the way back. I believe if your outbound heading is anything other than due west they will vector you around instead. Be prepared to hear several traffic callouts as Flemming, Lakeville and Flying cloud are around the south side. And Lake Elmo, Anoka and Crystal traffic will be factors going around the other way.
There was a lot of traffic up in the area. At one time we counted over 40 planes via UAT and TIS-B. We are not ADS-B out equipped so there were surely even more.
I had never landed at this airport from the North. Was so weird to be flying right over the capitol building (sweet view!). This airport has a way of confusing people with the 3 runways, especially R13 and R14 which almost start at the same place. And there is one right handed pattern in there too. Also, it is the only airport I have been to so far that has a pattern altitude that is 1200agl. This airport sits down low by the river.
Since there are parades for St.Patrick's day in St.Paul I was suspecting a TFR. I called Leido's twice and nothing. However, as we get to summer there will be several for the Twins Stadium and other events so be cautious.
We'll definitely go again. Our daughter took this picture out front:
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