Mission: On short notice I have to fly down to the Phoenix area this week and visit a friend for a few days. My buddy broke up with the woman who was ruining his life for years, so it's kind of a guys trip down there to go do some outdoorsy stuff and help him enjoy life. I flew down there back in October (best flight I've ever had) so I think I have my route planned out OK. Request: I could use some help with logistics in Phoenix area. Last time I left the plane at KSDL because that's where he lives. Nice little airport but very expensive. Gas, hangar fee, you name it. Just expensive all around. Now I'm going to be there for a few days so I kind of want to avoid the crazy hangar fees. Can anyone recommend airports that have transient hangar space for visitors that might be less expensive, even if they're on the other side of town? I'm also hoping to get a rental car and I saw there a ton of options on Turo since they seem really reasonable in the PHX area compared to rental car prices, though I've never used that before. Does anyone have any PIREPs on that? Are people usually open to dropping the car off at an airport for you? I'll also be doing my due diligence by giving some places a call, but thought I'd consult the brain trust here to see if they have any recommendations. Thanks in advance for any and all help.
Maybe try Deer Park. SDL is expensive I’m sure. There is some great hiking in east of town, McDowell something Nature something. I love coming here, but only been in the jet with other people paying the bills.
It’s deer Valley not Deer Park. DVT. looks like cheapest 100ll is CHD Chandler Muni (delta) Any of these deltas can get you a car, try Go Rentals if the FBO won’t help.
Yeah, we're doing UTV'ing, hiking and mountain biking out at <something> ranch? I forget the name. I want to say its 15-20 minutes outside scottsdale. Deer Valley is one my friend told me to look at since it's not as fancy as Scottsdale (in his non aviation opinion) but still not far from him. It's a great area to visit, but yeah, getting eaten alive by $100+ per day for hangar storage and 8$+/gal gas... there's gotta be a better way. EDIT: And there's so many piston planes buzzing around phoenix, that tells me there's got to be options for flying/visiting/storing your plane that cater to the non-mega-millionaire class.
Are you dead set on a hangar? I don't have any experience renting a hangar in the Phoenix area, but I have had good experiences at KBXK and KGYR for staying on the ramp and have flown out of KCHD but with no real FBO/ramp experiences to report on. KCHD has a great restaurant on the field which might tip the scales for you.
I appreciate the PIREPs! Not dead set on a hangar but I do usually like to keep the plane out of the elements. Given the heat and sun intensity I would think at minimum a roof to block the sun would be necessary. I don't know how much dust and sand would matter over the course of a few days (since I don't have cowl plugs or any thing other than chocks and a pitot cover, and a Bruce's custom cover that came with the plane that i've never used).
Unfortunately it looks like I'll have to get a commercial ticket. I did my oil change in advance of the trip tomorrow, fired it up to go refuel so its set to go, and my alternator is giving me trouble for the first time ever. Not getting any power from it. Thank you though, I'll remember this for the next time I fly the arrow that direction.
How does it work for pickup usually? Do you have to Uber to someone's house to pick up their car, or are people OK with dropping the car off somewhere? The prices seem really reasonable, even for sportier cars that I normally wouldn't have a chance to drive.
Most of the time they’ll drop it wherever you want for an additional fee. Having hassled to get to the car a few times, I’ve concluded that it’s generally worth the cost to have it delivered.
The trip is happening after all thanks to that alternator fix. Just did the most flying I think I've done in one day. From Chicago to Odessa/Midland, TX. Stops in Fayetteville AR and Abilene TX!
Nicely done. That's a long day in a PA-28. I'm guessing 7-1/2 to 9 hours? Make sure you go around the restricted area on the way from TX to AZ. You don't want them to test a missile on you.
The question is will it be them testing a missile on me, or me testing new, experimental electronic counter measures and chaffes on them? Jkjk... I'm familiar with that wall of restricted space. Navigated it last year and only had to duck minimal ordinance from White Sands. My flight plan from here on out, wx permitting is... Midland to Las Cruces (follow the highway) to Tucson and then cut up to Phoenix.
ROUGH TURBULENCE, but made it! We just had that chat about when to fly at Va? I spent a lot of the day flying Va with those NM/AZ bumps. Couldn't get out until noon due to storms crossing near Midland.
From the time I crossed the New Mexico border all the way to Phoenix airspace. Maybe the absolute worst was about 30 miles east of Tuscon over the highway. The only thing that gave me some peace about my situation is the jets were all asking for different altitudes and center had to keep telling all of them that no one was having a good ride lol
Just returned home. Set another personal record: from KELP to KDPA in 1 day in the Arrow (going via KELP -> Odessa TX (KODO) -> Abilene VOR (ABI) to Bowie VOR (UKW) -> Springdale Arkansas (KASG) -> CSX (over St Louis Lambert field) to Adders VOR -> KDPA.. It was almost exactly the same route I took there. Started the day taking off from high DA KELP and having to climb to 11.5k to avoid torturous desert/southwest turbulence, to flying a circuitous route through central Texas to avoid storms, to getting rained on in Arkansas, to nothing but smooth sailing in between dissipating rain cells in Missouri/Illinois. The scenery changed a lot today... It may not be the fastest, but the Arrow can be a true, legitimate "cross country" plane if you want it to be! Some photos from the trip. I'll do a proper write up tomorrow. The beginning of a sunset over Arkansas on the way home... The last vestiges of the sunset tonight seen through a break in the clouds near St Louis. Let the night flying commence! The camera doesn't do these justice... I caught a view of them both headed towards El Paso (shrouded in clouds) and back home (clear day). I believe it's the south end of the "Guadalupe Mountains"? Anyone from the area can confirm? Mountain obscuration... And today on my way back home There's just GOT to be a more economical place to grow crops than near the 100+ F degree Texas/Mexico border. Summon one of these guys out of El Paso if you cross the border without talking-and-squawking Random photo I took downtown El Paso... Cruising around New Mexico
Oh and it was fun having this guy taxi behind me. Then, to my horror, pull up right beside me (26L @ KELP) take off right in front of me. Then they immediately cleared me for a takeoff with wake turbulence warning (I took off, and requested an immediate early turn out to avoid issues, which was a success). Never ate his turbulence! And these were just all over central Texas and Oklahoma. Thankfully, just as on the way in, these storms were like... completely stationary. Barely moving. Which made navigating around them pretty easy. The pockets of rain showers were more plentiful but all of them except the lightest showers were easily avoided.
