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Ideas for Aviation friendly communities or Air Parks???

The Texas hill country is a pretty area, but is getting ever more expensive and touristy. Every little Luchenbach-like town has its lineup of locally imported knick-knack shops and wine bistros. The fate of many nice areas, it seems.

There are some quite nice high dollar airparks down there, mostly paved.
 
What are the names of the best airparks in the hill country area?
Want to check them out.
Thanks,
John
 
Here are two of the best: Silver Wings (TS36) and Tierra Linda (60TE). There are others, but not sure they have lots or homes for sale.
 
I called a couple realtors in the Texas Hill Country area and they said that they are being buried by California people moving there. Thus the huge price increases. Unfortunately they may change the way that area votes.
There are already big swaths of Texas that have that problem.

Cub Builder: There is a guy who shows up here in Homer for the last couple of years, driving Cessna-Blow-Sucks over to the beach for bear viewing. He was talking about Arkansas as well this year. I wonder how the humidity would nail my wife. And me for that matter. I am a born and raised Alaskan who burst into flames at 70 degrees.... When I went to central America with Uncle Sam, I thought I was gonna drop over dead. I liked Saudi and Iraq better than Panama. ( or Florida )

Wyoming has no income tax, low property taxes and tends to be pretty conservative. But winters are worse than Alaska, there are no trees and no lakes.
 
The part about skipping the Pan Handle just made me spit Ice Tea all over my keyboard.

It would be nice to find somebody or some place I could teach float-flying during a good chunk of the year. I am a good tail-wheel instructor, but an even better on floats.

I could be known as the old guy down the road who teaches floats...
 
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I like the rock formations around the Canyon Texas area. I think that counts as Panhandle
 
Cub Builder: There is a guy who shows up here in Homer for the last couple of years, driving Cessna-Blow-Sucks over to the beach for bear viewing. He was talking about Arkansas as well this year. I wonder how the humidity would nail my wife. And me for that matter. I am a born and raised Alaskan who burst into flames at 70 degrees.... When I went to central America with Uncle Sam, I thought I was gonna drop over dead. I liked Saudi and Iraq better than Panama. ( or Florida )

Wyoming has no income tax, low property taxes and tends to be pretty conservative. But winters are worse than Alaska, there are no trees and no lakes.

I moved here after 32 years in the dry cool air of the mountains of northern NM. The summer humidity here makes the air thick enough to slice and serve on a plate at times. But that's why we have A/C in the house and cars. ;-) It's nothing compared to the heat and humidity in Central America. Been there. What I like is the long autumn, mild winter, and long spring. Summer is hot and humid, but most days I can climb a couple of thousand feet and open the doors on the Cub and it's pretty comfortable. Politically speaking, Arkansas is very conservative. We're in the Bible belt here where the blue laws still exist, so no alcohol sales on Sundays and most restaurants stay closed on Sundays. That in itself should keep the Californians away. :p

-Cub Builder
 
The part about skipping the Pan Handle just made me spit Ice Tea all over my keyboard.

It would be nice to find somebody or some place I could teach float-flying during a good chunk of the year. I am a good tail-wheel instructor, but an even better on floats.

I could be known as the old guy down the road who teaches floats...
I’m obliged to put in a plug for Tennessee. You mentioned being the old guy who teaches floats: Tennessee boasts a number of TVA reservoirs in the eastern half, and float operations are permitted. It would be possible to live on a reservoir and keep your plane at your house, so you don’t have to be at an Airpark.

Knoxville is surrounded by TVA reservoirs. I’ve found Knoxville to be just right - the right size, the right options for eating out, the right proximity to lakes and mountains, and the right sales taxes (around 7%). Also, Tennessee has no income tax.

But if you prefer an Airpark setting, there are many to choose from. I’ve bought a lot at Big South Fork Air Park, and look forward to building my retirement home there. We picked BSFAP because it looks like a conventional neighborhood rather than a housing development in the midst of a bunch of steel buildings. Regrettably, it is not on a lake.

Parts of Tennessee will remind you of Alaska in that some folks “throw out a lot of stuff, but they don’t throw it very far” (with a tip o’ the hat to MTV). Think Alaska yards with kudzu.

Tennessee summers are hot and humid June through August. Winters are very mild - only a few snow falls in our area. The autumn and spring colors are amazing. Eastern Tennessee has “mountains” that make for a very pleasant skyline. My retirement plan is to spend about seven months of the year in TN and the balance in AK.
 
I would be fine with having the plane on a lake near or at my house. Or even a place next to or near an old grass or gravel strip with a couple old guys working out of an old Quonset hut doing annuals. I like turning wrenches as well.
I only have a few years left to enjoy flying before time is up...
 
I would be fine with having the plane on a lake near or at my house. Or even a place next to or near an old grass or gravel strip with a couple old guys working out of an old Quonset hut doing annuals. I like turning wrenches as well.
I only have a few years left to enjoy flying before time is up...

Alex, I right there with ya! Old injuries catching up with me quite quickly! Not sure how many years I might have left to be able to fly.

I will also mention that I look at a couple of places east of Frankston, TX, Aero Estates T25. Not a bad place and water access. Have a friend/acquinatance that has a place there. Might be a little humid, but not Florida panhandle, summer time humid.
 
I have been looking at Lake Property houses on the Trullia website for a year now. Texas, Oklahoma, and recently Arkansas and Tennessee.
I see lots of docks and boat ramps in the photos, including other houses around the lakes.

BUT,,,, I never see any floatplanes tied up anywhere. In fact I often see boats jacked up out of the water. Seldom in the water.


Do a lot of those lakes have some sort of weird rules about the boat having to be out of the water while not in use ???


I have heard that in some states you can land on a lake but not water-taxi a floatplane for some bizarre reason.
 
The TVA allows floatplanes on its reservoirs. There are planes based on the lakes, but they are not as numerous as boats.
 
There is a floatplane operation (training and flightseeing) in Knoxville. He lifts his plane on a device similar to a boat lift because the water level varies widely..... like 5 or 6 ft. Getting the plane out of the water means he doesn't have to babysit it when they lower the lake level.

Of course part of the reason you don't see any floatplanes is because there aren't very many in this part of the world. Oddly, one of the government wildlife agencies has a couple of Top Cubs on amphibs in TN. I don't know what they do with them.

I have similar dreams about summers in AK and winter somewhere a bit less harsh. Knoxville is high on my list but... don't get caught by surprise by the "use" tax. If you bring your airplane you get to pay 7% of the value for the privilege of registering it in TN. It's a "sales and use" tax.... so if you buy another one, you get to pay another 7%. If you can prove you paid sales tax when you bought it they'll give you a break by reducing your tax by the amount you paid in another state. I've heard of people keeping their airplane registered in another state.......

The local sales taxes add up too... most places in TN the total state and local sales tax together is 9.7%. You don't really notice it until you make a big purchase. And your LLC gets to pay an excise tax... so no income tax but there are taxes.

Not trying to discourage you from TN... Knoxville is a nice town with lots of places you can land a floatplane nearby. You can fly year round, there's scenic beauty, tree covered mountains ..... there's a lot to like.
 
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Here’s a new airpark being constructed in Eastern New Mexico at Ute Lake. Maybe 100 miles West of Amarillo. Pretty secluded, big lake, nice golf course, couple hrs drive to ski resorts. High desert, mesa country. The strip is all but on the lake. Hot but no humidity. Winters can suck but it’s only for short periods. I landed on the strip last summer after it had been grubbed of brush. The developer has a tige boat dealership and used to own a Maule......it’s not a populated area. More momma cows around the lake than people

https://www.qcsunonline.com/story/2019/05/22/news/proposed-air-park-plat-meets-approval/20046.html
 
Tony’s right. Not many trees and what few are there lean to the east from the wind. The breeze, however, is what makes it bearable during the summer heat.
 
Years ago I lived in Alpine WY, in fact worked for the contractor who built the runway. I kept a calendar weather diary that winter. Due to the "lake effect" from Palisades Reservoir, It snowed some each day for 119 days. They didn't even plow any of the roads except the store/ post office parking lots and the state highway. We just used snow machines all winter. Great when you're 20 something.

I think Alex wanted to get out of the cold and snow?
 
So first I’m a pilot and second I’m a Broker in Washington State. If you are looking for sunshine and less snow then you have a narrow area in Washington that you can look. But the other then that the state is great flying and fun to see. Are you looking closer to Seattle or do you wan to be closer to Spokane? Just use me as a resource no obligation to use me has a realtor!

Sincerely

Alex Jobe
ATP Multi
Comm Heli, Comm SEL, SES and Glider
and a darn Realtor

AJ Cruiser,
I have heard the San Juan Islands are a unique and special place both for weather and scenery. I haven’t explored anymore that the satellite view on Google maps and Zillow listings. I’m open to recommendations near any large town.
I am an ATP And fly for a living so in general I will be working from whatever airport would be close by.
 
It seems if one is willing to accept the living in two places throughout the course of the year; there are many amazing places that have two or three great seasons.
At this point I am trying to find the best of both worlds ... or seasons.

I was in Alpine, WY and loved the area. I can’t say enough about the area however; I am concerned the winters would be too much to handle.

So far this is what I’ve discovered. I am looking for a tax friendly state with fishing, hunting and flying that is similar to Minnesota, but has a bit more seclusion and scenery. I should also mention that I’m looking for a state that is more conservative politically. That’s just my preference.
I am not excited to move east to TN, love to visit its just on the wrong side of the Mississippi River.
I like the western part of the US the most.
Phoenix, AZ was just too hot for year-round living and my wife wants green grass.
I like the thought of TX, but the high costs related to real estate make it a tough choice.
Currently looking at Hot Springs/Spearfish SD next. I am open to more input.


Sent from my iPad using SuperCub.Org
 
Oklahoma Airpark

Once again my bride of many years is pestering me to move out of Alaska at least in the winter months. She craves warmth and a swimming pool.
Everyday (twice a day) she has a new list of potential homes and towns. Her ideas of nice places to live are not the same as mine.
So.... I might as well get myself into the process before I get stuck in someplace terrible.

Are there certain states or areas that are NOT aviation friendly that should be avoided ???
How about areas that are more likely to have aviation activities, fly-ins and such???
How about air parks or community runways??? Are there down-sides to those?

Any ideas???




Please consider Mulberry Hill Airpark (6OK9) just east of STillwater Oklahoma. Usually have an ad in Barnstormers under Oklahoma airport property. Our lots are $25,000 and You could stay busy here with taildragger instruction. There is a lake within 215 miles they used to instruct on and then there are lots of lakes within 50 miles. Grand, keystone etc. Monte 405-747-4634
 
There is a lake within 215 miles they used to instruct on

A bit of a cross country to get to that lake...

I am sorta in the same boat as T-bone.

1. Looking for better winters than Alaska.
2. Prefer smaller towns of 10,000 or less.
3. Conservative area.
4. Aviation friendly.
5. Tax friendly.
 
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A bit of a cross country to get to that lake...

I am sorta in the same boat as T-bone.

1. Looking for better winters than Alaska.
2. Prefer smaller towns of 10,000 or less.
3. Conservative area.
4. Aviation friendly.
5. Tax friendly.
That is a tall order Alex. We discuss this regularly when my wife says that she wants to move. When I ask where, she can not come up with an answer.
You should add:
6. Close or nearby to quality medical facilities.
 
And then.... there’s GRANDKIDS. we go south to northern NY in the winter to be near them. Can you say winter and the ever present taxes and lib-tards . I don’t recommend it if your not there to see family. If they move I’ll never go back. Wife won’t let me go south of Albany, said I don’t get along with people well enough and just get pissed when treated rude. Can’t understand it, don’t have a problem in Alaska,lol.good luck on your hunt Alex, guess you just got to pick and go.
 
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