New Private Pilot's First Flight

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ColeThePilot

Filing Flight Plan
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Sep 18, 2014
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ColeThePilot
Hey everyone! First post here, and my first full day as a private pilot. B)

Yesterday I passed my checkride, and while I'm still career oriented, I of course want to share the wonderful experience of flying with my friends and family in the mean time.

I'm looking into some really cool places to visit in my state, and I'm finding the task of figuring out tying down, fees, and services a bit daunting. My cross country flight training mainly consisted of stop and goes, or touch and goes at my destination fields...without getting much experience with ramp operations at unfamiliar airports. Normally I'd give the FBO a call, and communicate via UNICOM as I arrived...but I was considering visiting a non towered field without any FBOs.

I know I could always give the airport a call, but would there be any other way a pilot would know where...or who to pay tie down fees to, or where to politely tie down at?
 
Welcome. Check Air Nav or Foreflight and call airport manager
 
Cole, I was in the same boat as you when I got my PPL. I think I got out of the plane exactly once during my PPL training, and that was on my first solo XC. I remember getting out and standing around, try to attract as many women as possible on a 100 degree day in Modesto, standing by the coke machine. I wanted to dazzle them harrowing tales of my 60nm flight (seemed like a big deal at the time!)

Zero ***ks given by anyone at all, as it turns out :)

The point is, once I got my ppl, I knew very little about airport ops. Now I've been lucky enough to travel through most of the east coast and some of the midwest. I only call airports if I am shopping between multiple FBO's for multi-day stay where the fees would add up.

For smaller non-towered airports, or for fuel stops, I don't call at all. Just show up and work it out. Try not to be anxious about it. Use your best judgement and it'll generally work itself out when you get there.
 
I have been a pilot for a year and only been charged by the airport notorious for charging people. Have not encountered any fees at any uncontrolled fields.

I suspect it is very rare.
 
welcome and congrats. you can refer to airnav for info. not all FBOs allow info to be posted.
its always fun to just fly in to a new field.also go to a few airports with diners on field .you can learn a lot from other pilots.
 
Welcome aboard and congratulations. You may also find many answers from the search tab. We all really enjoy answering questions on just about any topic. Some on here seem to know something about every subject;). After my PP in 2008, there was still so much to learn. I do call any airport I am planning on traveling to for a fuel stop or destination, no matter the size. I had someone show me the credit card pumps. Weather is by far the most challenging of any long xc trips and something I study often. When you take passengers, take 1 gallon ziplocks, paper towels, water, snacks, chewing gum, crystallized ginger and toilet paper. Check out your destination airport area using satellite view or "aerial map" on Foreflight. If going to a larger airport I will listen to LiveATC if available. Call ahead for rental car or arrange other ground transportation as most airports are not where you usually plan on going. Have fun seeing the beautiful sights and enjoy POA.
 
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Thank you guys! I had visited AirNav already. I haven't checked ForeFlight yet though...still downloading it after updating my iPad earlier today.

The airport has a PDF you can download that explains the different services there. It says there's a $15 one day tie down fee in the transient area. I pictured tying down, and seeing some guy walk out to the ramp with his hands up in the air because I took his super elite spot, or worse...coming back after lunch and not seeing the airplane parked there any longer!

I guess there isn't any shame in calling the number the website provides.
 
RV10flyer said:
You may also find many answers from the search tab.
Click to expand...

I start all my searches about unfamiliar airports on AirNav then go right to the search bar above and search POA for the airport identifier. Lots of info already on other pilots that have been there, done that!
 
Congrats dude, now go buzz something.
 
Cole, you are a Pilot now, buy a leather jacket and aviator sunglasses. When you get out of the airplane walk around like you are Tom Cruise in Top Gun.:D You park anywhere you want to because you are a Pilot!!!

ColeThePilot said:
Thank you guys! I had visited AirNav already. I haven't checked ForeFlight yet though...still downloading it after updating my iPad earlier today.

The airport has a PDF you can download that explains the different services there. It says there's a $15 one day tie down fee in the transient area. I pictured tying down, and seeing some guy walk out to the ramp with his hands up in the air because I took his super elite spot, or worse...coming back after lunch and not seeing the airplane parked there any longer!

I guess there isn't any shame in calling the number the website provides.
Click to expand...
 
Congrats Cole.

Most small GA airports don't charge for tie-down unless you stay overnight. Many of them waive the fee if you buy fuel. If I am going to need fuel, I usually call ahead to make sure there isn't a problem with the fueling system and fuel is available. For example, the self serve fuel at my airport is out of service right now. If you got there on a weekend after the line guys go home (5:00 p.m. on weekends), the call back fee would have to be paid as well as the fuel. It never hurts to spend a few minutes on the phone and check.
 
Well, depending where you are, you can call a PoA fly-in and see who pops up. There has been a NorCal thread for a few years. Sometimes local FBOs have fly out groups or meet ups; there is a very active group in San Carlos, for instance.

For non towered airports, it's a lot more easygoing than you are thinking. If there is no FBO, odds are, you just park anywhere out of the way. If there is an FBO, call them.

Even for towered airports -- and in some cases rather busy ones -- calling the FBO will give you the 411. You can land at Oakland, park at one of the two FBOs, check out the air museum, and be on your way, all for free. No good eats at the north field, though. The one thing you probably can't do is park at the airline terminal, though for smaller airports, an FBO may be real close.
 
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