San Martin (E16) Airport

Pilot101

Pre-Flight
Joined
Nov 7, 2015
Messages
34
Display Name

Display name:
Pilot101
Is there a remote fueling station at San Martin Airport? If so can you all please provide some local intel for that airport?

THANKS!!!
 
Outsourcing all of your cross country flight planning to others? Airnav, and a phone call.
AirNav is your friend.

AirNav: E16 - San Martin Airport

Airport Services
Fuel available: 100LL JET-A
100LL:SELF-FUELING FACILITY AVAILABLE 24/7.
Beat me to it. I also suggest a phone to call the fbo rather than start threads for each airport you may visit on a cross country.
 
>Outsourcing all of your cross country flight planning to others? Airnav, and a phone call.

Hmmm. I am not "outsourcing" anything...I was simply trying to ask for help from fellow aviators... I'm certain you have asked a question or two in your life that others mays already know everything about and my guess is that you would have liked a polite and kind answer.

Yes I see that self serve fueling is available 24 hours a day. Perhaps I should have been more precise with my question...more like "where on the field is the remote self serve fueling station and is it near the transient parking"
 
at least the second post with 'remote fueling station'. I don't know what that is, but I'm guessing just self serve. is that what they call it in europe or canada or something?

also, are you a brand new ppl? just asking.........

"the internet" is your friend, as many others have already pointed out. I often use google earth to look for the fuel farm. I would have guessed this could be it, being in the general aviation ramp (in the top left of this pic):

upload_2021-10-6_21-48-18.png

but the closer I look I think this may be it, all the way at the other end:

upload_2021-10-6_21-48-50.png

upload_2021-10-6_21-48-59.png

that def looks like fuel tanks and a fuel sign.
 
at least the second post with 'remote fueling station'. I don't know what that is, but I'm guessing just self serve.
Maybe instead of guessing you could ask people familiar with the field. If only there was someplace to do that...:rolleyes:

It's right by the north gate/FBO and close to the transient parking area.

Nauga,
in the rear view mirror
 
at least the second post with 'remote fueling station'. I don't know what that is, but I'm guessing just self serve. is that what they call it in europe or canada or something?

also, are you a brand new ppl? just asking.........

"the internet" is your friend, as many others have already pointed out. I often use google earth to look for the fuel farm. I would have guessed this could be it, being in the general aviation ramp (in the top left of this pic):

View attachment 100729

but the closer I look I think this may be it, all the way at the other end:

View attachment 100730

View attachment 100731

that def looks like fuel tanks and a fuel sign.
A better perspective might help.
upload_2021-10-6_19-9-47.png
 
Apologies if I was harsh. I deal with people all day that prior to attempting to solve there own problems just give up. My biggest thing lately is we as a society have forgotten what a phone is and it's original intended use.

AOPA site shows where the FBO is. Airnav tells you they have self serve.

https://www.aopa.org/destinations/airports/E16/details
 
Last edited:
>also, are you a brand new ppl? just asking.........

No. I learned to fly in 1986 and I started flying professionally in 1989 however I have not done any VFR flying to small GA airports in a long while so I greatly appreciate your help as I learn...

Throughout my career I have always said "It is better to ask questions and appear to be stupid than to not to and actually be". I guess I am practicing what I preach...

I really do appreciate the help...THANKS!!!
 
See, I personally fall under the latter of "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt."
 
We do live in an interesting transition period in technology...

I do have a phone and I can certainly use it however some times I am on a very different time zone and if I picked up the phone in my time zone and called it would not be very fruitful. Additionally, this is "social media" and it would not be exceptionally helpful if people only used the phone. Prior to the post I did search "E16" and "San Martin" but nothing came up...now that this thread exists someone who has a similar question in the future could find their answer...24/7

There is so much to learn in aviation so 24/7 forums like this...where aviators who like to share their knowledge and are helpful is such a blessing...think of how amazing it is to have people scattered all around the world willing to "pay it forward" and/or "pay it back" to help "some guy" who they will most likely never meet...On forums where I am knowledgeable and where I can help I have spend countless hours researching information to help "some guy" and "some guy" has done the same for me...countless times.

When I learned to fly the telephones were connected to the wall and the only such place for flying advice was the airport coffee shop.

Thankfully there is "some guy" named "Pilawt" who is the kind of person who likes to share, help, and encourage thought...if only there were more "guys" like that in cyberspace...
 
Is there a remote fueling station at San Martin Airport? If so can you all please provide some local intel for that airport?

THANKS!!!

San Martin has recently resurfaced runways and taxiways. Prevailing wind is runway 32. Weather is typically clear with very occasional valley fog which burns off by 10am local or so when occurring.

No ramp fees for day parking. Small overnight fee for the FBO ramp off the end of rwy 14. I use the term “FBO” loosely since fuel is controlled by the county, local flight school TradeWinds Aviation runs the offices, and another outfit runs the main hangar. Overnight parking on the rwy 32 side is like $10 or $12 on the honor system. It really only monitored on Wednesdays and last time I was there the overnight fees box was removed.

Night landings are pretty easy as airport is easy to find with pilot controlled lighting and just enough other scattered local lighting to get a good ground proximity.

Hope that helps.
 
Last edited:
>Hope that helps.

Thanks NorticDave...most helpful!!!
 
Is there a remote fueling station at San Martin Airport? If so can you all please provide some local intel for that airport?

THANKS!!!
I too am curious to know what remote fueling means. Remote from what?

timeline may matter,,, the airport owner has said they'll stop selling 100LL January 1st, but 100UL may not be available until 2Q22.

Paul
 
Yeah, I've asked questions here and gotten the "Sigh -do a search" response. I do call the FBO's at new airports, search and dig, etc. But there are times when there are things to learn from others - nuances that I'm not even aware of. At work I dig facts and analysis for a living - Competitive Intelligence and Market Research. I've learned from experience that asking other people questions and engaging in conversations is very rich. Lot of things get missed if we "go it alone" all the time.

Asking about fuel, and you learn about the prevailing winds - didn't even think to ask that. Oh, by the way - there's a lot to be said about just having a conversation - even if it is typing on a key board - to connect with others. We do have a "topics that don't deserve its own thread".

I fear the art of conversation is being lost, and pushed back by the "Sigh - do a search".
 
...I fear the art of conversation is being lost, and pushed back by the "Sigh - do a search".

something about teaching a man to fish........not to mention we know c e r t a i n p e o p l e almost never do any self learning and instead throw tons of very basic questions to the group that can easily be answered on their own, or have already been answered.

people not only educated the user on doing searches, several of us actually did the search for the OP to show him how it's done. so while you choose to interpret it as harsh, now the user has another tool to use going forward. this is done for several reasons, but in a perfect world the next guy that comes along wondering about finding "remote fueling" (which still hasn't been explained by the OP) can, you guessed it, s e a r c h PoA and find several threads that will answer that question. all by his big boy self, too!
 
Ha, i thought i was cranky. you people must be loads of fun at parties, "excuse me, where's the bathroom? - let me show you how to look it up on the floor plan." I can guess who on here doesn't get invited to many parties, lol.

I will use San Martin as a place to knock out some landings if i haven't flown for a while. You'll get some chatty Cathy's on the radio from time to time like any other non-towered airport. Depending on direction, normal bumps over the east hills as you would probably expect. people sometimes confuse anderson (reservoir) and coyote lakes when reporting. Depending on what you are doing, watsonville is a nice alternative with a nice restaurant on the field and gives you a reason to pop over to the coast.
 
Ha, i thought i was cranky. you people must be loads of fun at parties, "excuse me, where's the bathroom? - let me show you how to look it up on the floor plan." I can guess who on here doesn't get invited to many parties, lol.

I will use San Martin as a place to knock out some landings if i haven't flown for a while. You'll get some chatty Cathy's on the radio from time to time like any other non-towered airport. Depending on direction, normal bumps over the east hills as you would probably expect. people sometimes confuse anderson (reservoir) and coyote lakes when reporting. Depending on what you are doing, watsonville is a nice alternative with a nice restaurant on the field and gives you a reason to pop over to the coast.
Part of it is starting 2 of the same threads for different airports. 3 if you count the MOA question.
 
AirNav does NOT tell you if self service fuel is available. It just fuel is available.
Ex: KPOU has no self serve fuel.
 
Part of it is starting 2 of the same threads for different airports. 3 if you count the MOA question.

From your previous post you say its ok to call someone to talk to them but not ok to communicate via internet based community forum. By that logic, should we go back to communicating via carrier pigeon? or stone tablets?

As for your previous suggestion to use AOPA or airnav, I agree those are useful. I do not agree that they are always correct and it can be worthwhile to call the airport manager, local fbo or communicate with pilots with local knowledge.
 
AirNav does NOT tell you if self service fuel is available. It just fuel is available.
Ex: KPOU has no self serve fuel.
Sure it does. It says FS and Jet A. FS= Full service. It leaves out self serve as self serve isn't available.

Now, I will say my base has self serve. But the last I checked a month or so ago the pumps were inop.
 
From your previous post you say its ok to call someone to talk to them but not ok to communicate via internet based community forum. By that logic, should we go back to communicating via carrier pigeon? or stone tablets?

As for your previous suggestion to use AOPA or airnav, I agree those are useful. I do not agree that they are always correct and it can be worthwhile to call the airport manager, local fbo or communicate with pilots with local knowledge.
My point was we (I'm guilty of this myself) default to asking questions on easily found information rather than trying to find the information ourselves. We forget how to use a phone. Girl in our office would rather email why our order didn't show up 3 days in a row rather than just call our sales rep.
 
But the last I checked a month or so ago the pumps were inop.

Which is why this place is so helpful - info like this isn’t going to be up to date / on line.
 
I flew to E16 and the SS fuel pit is located remotely on the far NW corner of the north ramp as seen on this picture that was posted earlier.

Also on this picture you can see that the transient parking is located directly south of the fuel pit... you can see the two transient parking spaces next to the row of trees and the paint is not green and the existing paint is so weathered that the word "transient" is hardly visible...especially when dark.

I could not find the usual pay here box however someone left an invoice on the tie down and the user fill in how many nights at $12.50 per night. The only way to pay is with something called a "paper check" and I have to put it in an "envelope" and send it by "US mail"...This feels just like 1986 when I was learning to fly at this airport...

upload_2021-10-6_21-48-50-png.100730
 
Last edited:
boy that image sure does look familiar.

No kidding. That was the location of the spot where I was nearly killed by a criminally rusty pilot during an aborted Flight Review.

South_County.jpg

When did they start calling South County "San Martin?" I'll bet most folks still call it South County on the CTAF...
 
I wonder how much taxpayer Dollars went into fixing the airport name based on the opinion of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors.

Their opinion is that "South County" is ambiguous and doesn't reflect its location. There's an example of completely backwards thinking, similar to their rabid support for closing RHV airport. It's a political decision, not a practical one.

"South County" clearly describes the airport's location to me, but I am familiar with the area.

"Staff recommends changing the name of South County Airport because the term “South County” is somewhat generic and thus does not provide a meaningful sense of the airport’s location to anyone unfamiliar with the County of Santa Clara. Changing the name of the airport to San Martin Airport would reflect its location in the unincorporated San Martin area of the County, thus providing the airport with a name that better fits its geographic identity."

I wonder if anyone is confused about the location of South Valley Regional Airport (U42) based on its name?
 
Back
Top