PIREPS on KCRG (Craig Muni) in Jacksonville, FL

I need to fly into KCRG and pick up someone Friday, 20 Jan, 2023 morning.

I see two FBOs, Sky Harbor and JAX Executive Jet Center.

Anybody with experience (good or bad) with either?

 

I use CRG as a waypoint when I fly to south FLA and as far as waypoints go, CRG is great! does that help?

 

I go to CRG once or twice a year. Always go to Craig Air Center which I believe ForeFlight is calling the Executive Jet Center.

Never had a bad experience.

 

Well heck, I’ve done touch and goes there.

 

I usually go to Sky Harbor just SW of the tower. Never had any issues. I grew up about 2 miles from the airport back in the 80s. Dad worked FSS there. A lot has changed.

 

I had bad experience with Craig air center but nothing but good experiences with sky harbor.

 

I use Sky Harbor. The FBOs at CRG don’t come close to the FBOs at SSI or TLH but the people are great. The airport is very busy with A LOT of training all day long in VFR conditions. Some days it feels like ORD or JFK!

 

I did the trip today and used Sky Harbor. Easy in, quick fuel, easy out. KCRG was hopping and had some taxiways closed so they were doing a good job of interspersed back taxis with it all. Kudos to the tower.

 

Side note:
The very first airshow flown by the Blue angles was flown at CRG.

 

Used to be a plaque as you walked into the old FSS building signifying the first show for the Blues. Not sure if it’s still there or not though.

 

Were they based at NAS-Jax at the time?

 

NAS JAX is the birth place of the Blues and you’ll read some reports (Wiki) that make it seem like the first show was there, but actually it was at Craig.

 

That's what I thought I remembered. I saw them fly there as a kid, and my mom says she remembers them being based there when she was a young girl. Her dad, as well as my dad and two of my uncles, worked there through the years. My dad and his older brother worked in the NARF (naval air rework facility) as a welder and a machinist, and one of my dad's younger brothers was an engineer on the base (facilities engineer, I think).

 

https://www.jaxhistory.org/jacksonvilles-blue-angels/

 

as I recall from reading Butch Voris' book, it was formed and based at NAS jax but it was secret while they were pulling it together, and they did most of the work figuring out the show at Navy's outlying fields... out in the middle of nowhere, few witnesses....
My house is very near where one of those outlying fields used to be...just walked my dog out to the middle of it just this morning. They are building a new neighborhood and I was looking out for practice bombs in the freshly dug up areas. Anyway, I'm not sure if the original Blues aver practiced at that field but I always imagine they did.

 

Where are you? I was raised in Wesconnett, on the west side of Jax.

 

I used to have a house not far from there a couple decades ago, near Fishwier Creek.
I'm in NE Saint Johns County now..... near the old Switzerland NOLF
http://www.airfields-freeman.com/fl/Airfields_FL_JaxSE.htm#switzerland