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Thread: Best GA airport to visit - and why?

  1. #21
    steveinindy's Avatar
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    Steve, when I refer to the buyer of Ft. Collins airport, ( not Loveland) as a slimy developer, I think I am being pretty accurate, based on my being a customer and visitor to that airport since 1983 when I started going there for service.

    When one of the owners was killed, sadly in the accident, there were other lessor owners, I think, though I am not sure about this.
    Ah. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle since I was just reporting what my uncle told me and he used to fly through there all the time visiting his family in the area (he lived down in Marana, AZ).
    Unfortunately in science what you believe is irrelevant.

    "I'm an old-fashioned Southern Gentleman. Which means I can be a cast-iron son-of-a-***** when I want to be."- Robert A. Heinlein.



  2. #22
    steveinindy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by aerobull View Post
    the best for me "castellon" in Spain.

    Sun, beach and "paella".
    http://www.aeroclubcastellon.com/

    We have a winner. Wow...time to show that to my fiancee and see if we can go there on our honeymoon!
    Unfortunately in science what you believe is irrelevant.

    "I'm an old-fashioned Southern Gentleman. Which means I can be a cast-iron son-of-a-***** when I want to be."- Robert A. Heinlein.



  3. #23

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    What? You haven't locked her in yet, Steve?
    The opinions and statements of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.

  4. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by Frank Giger View Post
    What? You haven't locked her in yet, Steve?
    We have pretty much everything set except the honeymoon. We are trying to toss around a few options. Suggestions are welcomed. LOL

    Also, if anyone is up for a "missing man" formation pass over the ceremony, I would like to talk to you. LOL
    Unfortunately in science what you believe is irrelevant.

    "I'm an old-fashioned Southern Gentleman. Which means I can be a cast-iron son-of-a-***** when I want to be."- Robert A. Heinlein.



  5. #25

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    I've got a couple of favorites. When I was stationed in Texas, I often volunteered for a run down to San Antonio once a week in a trainer. I always took a Flight Surgeon along because they need their 4 hours of stick time every month too. There was a pretty much deserted airfield halfway called Brownwood, (KBWD). The WW2 vintage hangar was jam packed with P-51s, Canadian Sabers and P-38s. The P-51s still had their central American markings (and central American mud caked on) One white P-38 had "Scatterbrained kid" on the nose. There were pictures from the set of Battle of Britain in the lobby. One of Lefty Gardiner dressed like Adolph Galand. The door was always open and it was always deserted. KBWD was always a hit with the Flight Surgeons.

    Later, I enjoyed stopping at the terminal building at New Orleans Lakefront (KNEW). It was impressive Art Decco with murals done by WPA. There was a decent restraunt off the terminal and I got away with parking in the US Customs hot spot. I usualy stopped at MillionAir across runway 09/27. Those gals had a great attitude despite getting the FBO wiped out by a hurricane.

    I was always going into New.Orleans. International (KMSY) It replaced KNEW with the airlines after WW2 when Richard Moisant donated his stock yards in Kenner so that the town could build a new airport. The ID stands for "Moisant Stock Yards." Its now named after Lois Armstrong. I once refered to it in a hurried moment as Don King International, but approach cleared me in without comment. Years ago the 2 FBOs on the west ramp were General Aviation and Transit Aviation. General Avn had snooze rooms. Both had crawfish in season. My passengers liked me taking them into Transit because the mgr recruited his customer service reps right off Bourbon St. They all fit a profile. Blonde, 6 ft tall, amazingly attractive and dumb as a box of rocks. However they were all world class dancers. Or so they said.They didn't seem to dress down all that much when they worked at the airport. I guess they headed for the "quarter" when their airport shift was over. Eventualy they moved both FBOs to the new North ramp. Transit was sold to Signature and General became Atlantic. They both still have cookies and the Saints still fly out of there.

    Its fairly routine now compared to going in there during Katrina. The controllers are first class.

  6. #26

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    You always forget a few. A few years ago I was on an overly complex charter that required me to shut down at Wink, Texas for a few hours. Neat field. Once a B-29 training field, There was only a one man, one dog FBO. He built ultralights and could dish you up chili and a burger. He had 100LL and JetA. Roy Orbinson is the towns favorite son and there is a big blow out every June. I always liked Rockland, Maine for the scenery. My Champ took me there a lot.

  7. #27

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    Forgot Old Rhinebeck Aerdorome.

  8. #28

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    Houma, Louisiana (HUM). Home of Charlie Hammonds Air Service. If you like FBO's with a lot of history and character, this is it. Some of the coolest aviation photos ever shot hanging on the walls. I guess people today would believe they are all photoshopped, like the pic from Apollo 8 of the earth as they came around the backside of the moon, signed by Borman, Lovell and Anders. Charlie Hammonds taught Corky Fornoff how to fly, and at one time ran an airline from his humble FBO. Son Ricky was USN Top Gun and in the movie of the same name flying the F-5 "Mig" call sign Ricky 'Organ' Hammonds.

    While the airport is nothing special now, KLFT and the "old" Paul Fournet FBO would take a close second. Revis Sirmon and Paul owned the P-38 named "Scatterbrain Kid" N38LL, named after Revis' WWII P-38. The airplane crashed during landing at the LFT airport in 1974, killing the pilot, George Harper. The wreckage was dismantled and stored for several yrs then in the early '80's it was taken to San Marcos, TX and reincarnated into "Scatterbrain Kid II." In 1994 the plane crashed at the 1994 Breckenridge, TX airshow. It's now belongs to Paul Allen's Flying Heritage Collection in WA and hopefully is being restored. Bob, one day you may get to see it again.

  9. #29

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    Wink

    Quote Originally Posted by steveinindy View Post
    We have a winner. Wow...time to show that to my fiancee and see if we can go there on our honeymoon!
    Hello steveinindy

    If you come from honeymoon to Spain and Portugal ... I recommend you and interesting places to impress your wife.
    beaches, mountains, food, historic cities ....


    saludos

  10. #30

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    Marty, you just brought back the memories. I worked out of KHUM for years. Knew Charlie but not his son. I do remember the day Ricky made several low passes in an F-14 (in AB) and then departed verticaly. All done safely and to the highest standards. I recall Hammonds Air Lines. He used a Chieftan. One of his pilots came to work for my outfit after he shut it down. Charlie was the go to guy for a float check out at his SP base on the ICW.

    I met Corky a few times. He would put on spur of the moment airshows in the BD5J on sundays before the tower was built. Fournet's at KLFT was a frequent stop for me and I liked the many pictures of P-38s on the wall. The big NASA shot is an eye catcher.

    Another favorite was Flying Tiger field in Paris, TX. We were cruising through the area 5 or 6 months ago and deviated and let down to take a look. Looks deserted compared to years ago. The P-51, F4F, B-17, FG-1 and all the Catch 22 B-25s that were parked on the west ridge are gone. The Martin 404 is still parked blocking the RW. I guess the Rev is no longer with us. Lots of good memories there.

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