Private airport usage? (how-to)

EvilEagle

EvilEagle

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EvilEagle
I've got a trip planned with a friend of mine for some white water rafting. The closest public airport is about 30 miles from the rafting site but there are some private strips much closer. The only contact info listed for the owner is a phone number. It seems a bit rude for me to call him out of the blue. Anyone done this before? Better options? Or does anyone know anything about WV32?

Thanks!
 
EvilEagle said:
I've got a trip planned with a friend of mine for some white water rafting. The closest public airport is about 30 miles from the rafting site but there are some private strips much closer. The only contact info listed for the owner is a phone number. It seems a bit rude for me to call him out of the blue. Anyone done this before? Better options? Or does anyone know anything about WV32?

Thanks!
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I have had people call me out of the blue asking to land at my private airport. 2WY3... http://www.airnav.com/airport/2WY3..

I will chat with them for a few minutes.. if they seem up to speed and level headed I give them permission to land....
 
Whenever we contact the owner of a private airport, we always have a great chat and are given permission to land. We have been invited to dinner on occasion, too.
 
i did a little research on a private airport in the Keys and found out that for about a thousand a year they would let me land.

I have "heard" of a situation where someone landed at a private airport and wasn't given permission to leave and had to have the plane taken apart and carried out of there. That sounds a bit extreme but it does pay to research when you fly into a private strip.
 
EvilEagle said:
I've got a trip planned with a friend of mine for some white water rafting. The closest public airport is about 30 miles from the rafting site but there are some private strips much closer. The only contact info listed for the owner is a phone number. It seems a bit rude for me to call him out of the blue. Anyone done this before? Better options? Or does anyone know anything about WV32?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

As long as you bring an Eagle in there I don't think they'll have a problem,

....unless the owner was a Viper guy. :wink2:
 
EvilEagle said:
I've got a trip planned with a friend of mine for some white water rafting. The closest public airport is about 30 miles from the rafting site but there are some private strips much closer. The only contact info listed for the owner is a phone number. It seems a bit rude for me to call him out of the blue. Anyone done this before? Better options? Or does anyone know anything about WV32?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Why rude? I personally prefer email but if all there is is a phone number (I usually check for a website) that the way the manager of the airport has provided contact information. No more rude than calling a business listed in the Yellow Pages.
 
N801BH said:
I have had people call me out of the blue asking to land at my private airport. 2WY3... http://www.airnav.com/airport/2WY3..

I will chat with them for a few minutes.. if they seem up to speed and level headed I give them permission to land....
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Ditto. The phone number listed for our strip rings me. Usually it's a lawyer or real estate agent handling a property sale looking for the HOA, but occasionally it's someone asking about landing. Similar to the above poster, if they seem reasonable, I'll make them my guest.

Remember that most private strips are NOT businesses. While he list phone numbers for the benefit of the FAA, exercise a bit of etiquette when calling. Call like you were calling a private individual (which you are) even if it appears to be a corporate name.
 
I might even bring a small token of my appreciation along if given permission. ie t-shirt or such from the home drone.
 
Sometimes people call, sometimes they email, neither bothers me. Glad to have someone visit, that is why I built it.

For a trip like yours, it would be wise to make a little donation towards upkeep.
 
I call once in a while. The conversation is usually very nice. Mostly they ask if I'm insured, have at least x hours in and out of turf strips, and if I'm going to be staying for more than a few days. Have the right info ready when they ask, and it'll be no prob. If they don't answer, leave your number.
 
Several years ago I called this owner for a Gauley river trip I planned. I recall he called me back a few days later after I had already left, so I never flew in. If I recall, several years ago it was a public use strip. My guess is they probably made it private to minimize liability.

One thing you may want to do is offer to send/fax them a hold harmless letter, accepting that you are landing at your own risk. A small gift doesn't hurt either, or a contribution to their maintenance fund.
 
Brad Z said:
Several years ago I called this owner for a Gauley river trip I planned. I recall he called me back a few days later after I had already left, so I never flew in. If I recall, several years ago it was a public use strip. My guess is they probably made it private to minimize liability.

One thing you may want to do is offer to send/fax them a hold harmless letter, accepting that you are landing at your own risk. A small gift doesn't hurt either, or a contribution to their maintenance fund.
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Correction...it was WV59 I called, 4 miles away.
 
Thanks guys. I called and got permission.

I don't think I could get the Eagle stopped in 2950', getting it out of there would be no problem, getting it in and stopped (and refueled) would be the trick!
 
EvilEagle said:
Thanks guys. I called and got permission.

I don't think I could get the Eagle stopped in 2950', getting it out of there would be no problem, getting it in and stopped (and refueled) would be the trick!
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I am glad you got permission. I will maybe make a phone call next time a private strip looks better for my destination after your experience.
 
Warrior said:
I am glad you got permission. I will maybe make a phone call next time a private strip looks better for my destination after your experience.
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Trust me.... I bet 95% of the private airport owners would give permission to land at their strips.........

After all,, we are flying addicts too..;):yes:
 
EvilEagle said:
Thanks guys. I called and got permission.

I don't think I could get the Eagle stopped in 2950', getting it out of there would be no problem, getting it in and stopped (and refueled) would be the trick!
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I may have missed it in other posts but what is the Eagle? In most aircraft (at least singles) required landing distance is substantially shorter than takeoff distance in the same conditions.
 
midlifeflyer said:
I may have missed it in other posts but what is the Eagle? In most aircraft (at least singles) required landing distance is substantially shorter than takeoff distance in the same conditions.
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The airplane he flies for his day job....an F-15.
 
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