Best U.S. cities for recreational aviation?

[cluttonfred]

I live and work overseas, but someday I intend to retire back in the USA. My family connections to any one place are not that strong, so sometimes I wonder where I might settle down to pursue homebuilding, restoring vintage planes, maybe even coming up with my own designs for plans or kits. What are some places that would combine good flying weather, EAA chapter(s) of various sorts, lots of little airports, some aviation industry in the area, and, of course, are otherwise nice places to live?

[1600vw]

How long is someday?
Not being connected to one spot I myself have been going over this. I really do not like the area I am in and would like to move. So I started looking as you are doing. For around 800 bucks I have a hangar, 2 bedroom home with everything paid, I mean everything I do nothing for yard care, snow removal, garbage pick up all covered and lets not forget utilities all paid. Not sure I can find this anywhere else.
We have one more spot for someone into aviation. You must LOVE aviation to live her, for the residents is about 30' from a helli pad. But for a 4 bedroom place and hangar just feet away not a bad deal for the right person. Everything paid as my place as long as you are not waste full, great place to live, whom wants to come aboard. 4000' sod strip one of the best I have seen, I have heard this a lot from other pilots whom have landed here, and a Helli pad.
Contact me for info if interested.

We are also looking to start a training center, we are working on this, also a service center for not only EAB's but for GA. This would be great for a retired A&P whom would like to make a little extra dough working on airplanes in the spare time. We have an A&P IA whom is starting this service center or wanting to start it, The owner of the airpark is all for it, I offered up any and all help I can give.

Cheap place to live and make some extra cash to boot. I love it.

One big problem I can not solve....Its located in Illinois... I must say since I found this place....Illinois is a little easier to take.

Who wants to join us?

[1600vw]

The airpark on the right of the pic midway up, or off my wing to the right.

[cluttonfred]

Interesting 1600vw, I won't really be eligible for at least five years, but I'd be interested to see what you get for your money.

[CarlOrton]

General DFW area. More airports of any shape and size, several aviation museums, always a fly-in of some type, no income taxes, excellent housing costs, no aircraft registration, and on and on.

SoCal might be a bit better but taxes and housing costs kill that deal for me.

[WLIU]

Are you specifically interesting in being close to a city?

I know people who live near St Louis, MO, and some who live in the Seattle area. St Louis is/was home to MacDonnell Douglas, which is now part of Boeing. And Seattle is the home of where Boeing originally made airplanes. Lots of EAA around both cities.

North Carolina has a lot of EAA and vintage aircraft. Nice weather almost year-round.

In California, the area east of San Francisco and Oakland is pretty aviation friendly. I have an acquaintance who lives at Camarillo's airpark. Lots of good flying weather, but you may or may not appreciate CA politics and costs.

A lot of folks like Florida, but the Space Coast area has been hit by the NASA down sizing. But my friends who live in airparks on both coasts like it.

What type of terrain do you like? NC and WA and CA have both mountains and access to the ocean. TX around Dallas has EAA and aviation industry but it is really really flat, as is the St Louis area.

Lots of choices.

Best of luck,

Wes
N78PS

[Bill Greenwood]

Florida has many airports, small and large and flight schools, av businesses, museums, military air bases, etc. Weather is often VFR, and decent in the winter, but can be awfully hot and muggy in summer.
There are fine and expensive places to live, as well as cheap ones in the less desirable areas.
Downside is that some areas have a lot of crime and while there are lot's of good folks there, the people in some areas are very backward, racist, and the worst of the south types. And bring your snake, skeeter, and gator repellant.
Plenty of good places to fly from or to, and lot's of EAA people, and of course the big EAA event, Sun N Fun at Lakeland every April. The timing is good, just after doing your tax return, you can go to Lakeland and relax.

[David Pavlich]

I'd agree with Bill. I used to live in the area of the Fly In. There's a lot to offer for GA in that area.

David

[pacerpilot]

The San Diego/SoCal area would be my first pick.

[1600vw]

The San Diego/SoCal area would be my first pick.

Myself I would love to move back to CA. But I believe the cost of just hangar rent in CA. would force me to live in my hangar with my airplane.

[CarlOrton]

But I believe the cost of just hangar rent in CA. would force me to live in my hangar with my airplane.
And the downside of that would be.....? ;-)

[rwanttaja]

Independence, Oregon is pretty good. Great EAA Chapter there.

Ron Wanttaja

[cluttonfred]

Myself I would love to move back to CA. But I believe the cost of just hangar rent in CA. would force me to live in my hangar with my airplane.

Well, if you can find an airport with through-the-fence access or a convenient farmer's field outside controlled airspace, you could keep this one at home or inconspicuously hangared in a 20' shipping container. I'm just saying.... ;-)

3414 3415

[1600vw]

Many have tried this approach to flying and find that after going out putting everything together then flying for an hr or so then taking everything back apart, that gets old real fast. The airplane I fly today lived its life in a trailer. They would do just as I said. Not only did it get old for the folks trying to do this, the airplane has the hangar rash to show for it.
The day I purchased her I swore I would never let her live in a trailer again.

[1600vw]

Check out that pic I posted of my wing and you wills see some of this hangar rash. Its on the aileron, the ratchet strap wore a spot on the paint. I kinda touched it up while doing some other repairs. Taking an airplane apart and keeping it in a trailer is not a good idea.

Imagine the rash it will get pulling her behind a car or truck like in the pic. Myself I would never do this, the pic looks cool but that's about it.

[Matt Gonitzke]

Taking an airplane apart and keeping it in a trailer is not a good idea.

That's how practically all gliders are stored. If done properly, it works just fine.

[1600vw]

That's how practically all gliders are stored. If done properly, it works just fine.

A lot of things are stored that way and it works great. But not so much for anything flying with an engine, even the small ultralights take a beating when stored this way.

If this worked everyone flying would be doing it...This does not work...ask anyone whom has tried...again gliders are an exception to the rule. As are PPC.

[Jeff Boatright]

A lot of things are stored that way and it works great. But not so much for anything flying with an engine, even the small ultralights take a beating when stored this way.

If this worked everyone flying would be doing it...This does not work...ask anyone whom has tried...again gliders are an exception to the rule. As are PPC.


I agree with 1600vw. I've seen a few folks over the years try to keep their planes in trailers or in sheds where wings, etc. are folded and unfolded for use. All of these ended up in significant hangar rash and every one of those people eventually figured out a solution that didn't require folding/unfolding.

I guess it would be reasonable to ask why sailplanes and powered parachutes are the exceptions to the rule.

[cluttonfred]

I hear you all about wing folding, but it certainly can work. This plane and pilot have been doing it off and on for 50 years!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6Q1yReILJc

[1600vw]

I hear you all about wing folding, but it certainly can work. This plane and pilot have been doing it off and on for 50 years!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6Q1yReILJc


That only took 1 min and 6 sec. No wonder he does this.

Notice it is a two man job and was more like 45 mins to an 1 hr. But we all know this, I am not telling anyone anything they did not already know. I would hate to go through this each time I wanted to fly for an hour or so.

Lets not forget with this method one must have friends to help.....if you are like me..I have no friends....Aviation is a one man sport or hobby in my world....

[Matt Gonitzke]

I guess it would be reasonable to ask why sailplanes and powered parachutes are the exceptions to the rule.

It works great when the trailer is designed properly. Gliders generally have rigging aids, dollies, etc. that when well thought-out, allow them to be assembled and disassembled quickly without damage, and even by one person in some cases. The same could be done for a powered plane, but aircraft, trailer, and rigging aids must be designed with this in mind.

There are also gliders that do get damaged every other time they come out of the trailer, but it's because the trailer is an awkward POS, not because it's in a trailer. Airplanes get damaged in a hangar full of other airplanes, too, you know...;)

[Bob Dingley]

I was on a waiting list for more than two years for my last hangar. There were many times that I could have shared space with a friend if only Beechcraft made her to fold up like a leatherman tool. The US Navy is closing in on a full century of specifying only aircraft with this feature.


Kitfox and Sonerai have been doing this (inexpensively) for years. There is an STC for wing fold for the Ercoupe. Stits designed the Playmate that folds up in about 30 seconds. Did I mention gliders? Sounds very reasonable to me.


Bob

[rwanttaja]

I guess it would be reasonable to ask why sailplanes and powered parachutes are the exceptions to the rule.

Two guesses, for me. First, glider flying is generally not an ad-hoc activity. I get off work, note the weather's nice, and decide to go to the airport for a bit of Fly Baby R&R. Total time at the airport is less than an hour, from arrival to putting the plane to bed. Don't see a glider owner doing this; generally, they devote a larger portion the day. Since they fly less often, they're moving the plane into and out of the trailer less often. They almost always *fly* longer than I do...but they move the plane out of and into the trailer once every couple of flight hours, vs. my 30-40 minutes per pull-out/insertion at my hangar with a big door.

The second point is related...one reason glider pilots don't generally fly on impulse is the external support required. They need a towplane, towplane pilot, and sometimes runners to help keep the wings up during the early part of the takeoff roll. Not only does this, again, reduce the ability to fly on the spur of the moment, but it means that you probably have a number of folks around who can help you extract your glider from its trailer without damage, and put it back in again.

Powered parachutes back up to a small, less-delicate bundle. A lot less potential for damage when dealing with a trailer.

Got a buddy with a Fourier RF-5 motorglider, who has to fold the wings to go in his hangar and has to keep them folded until he's clear of the hangar area. He rolls it out of the hangar, gets in, starts it, taxis down to the transient ramp, then shuts down the engine to climb out to unfold the wings. Still, a lot less hassle than trying to carefully slip it into a trailer.

Ron Wanttaja

[Frank Giger]

I'll have to make a pitch for central Alabama. Loads of airfields, low taxes, and varied terrain.

From mountains to the north to rolling fields of the wiregrass down to the coast, it can't be beat for lookie-loo aviation.

Employment is good, food is great, and people are friendly. Plus we rarely get the white stuff; I've done my cold weather living in Montana, and I much prefer the warmth.

[Jim Heffelfinger]

Myself I would love to move back to CA. But I believe the cost of just hangar rent in CA. would force me to live in my hangar with my airplane.

I am in the Sacramento area. I rent a T at a small private airport (L36) for $175/mo with vacancies. lass than a mile away at KMCC it would be $400, KDWA $300. It varies dramatically in just my little area. I like the central valley - lots of varied landscape to look at from the water focused delta to the rice fields, to the Sutter Butts popping up in the middle. Sierras just a few minutes away.

[1600vw]

I am in the Sacramento area. I rent a T at a small private airport (L36) for $175/mo with vacancies. lass than a mile away at KMCC it would be $400, KDWA $300. It varies dramatically in just my little area. I like the central valley - lots of varied landscape to look at from the water focused delta to the rice fields, to the Sutter Butts popping up in the middle. Sierras just a few minutes away.


I pay $45.00 a month for my hangar. 175 for a T hangar in your area is a good price. I thought it would have been double that.