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Ideas for Aviation friendly communities or Air Parks???

Alex Clark

Registered User
Life Long Alaskan
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???
 
As a mechanic, I sometimes hated living on an airpark. It was very easy for someone to beat on the door on Sunday morning with a rough mag when they wanted to fly out to breakfast or something...I always helped them, but it sure wasn't in my plans for starting a day off. On the other hand, I loved having neighbors dropping by the shop all the time! It was a pretty close little community, with some very interesting members! We only had one guy that was a jerk, so everyone else had a lot of fun together, with the common tie of aviation. I made some good friends there. There's an airport community just a few miles from me now (Cabin Creek in Montana) and they seem to do pretty well.
John
 
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???

Glad I’m not the only one in this predicament! How’s your new ride?
 
How’s your new ride?

Apparently it is the reason I must now do any she dreams-up for the rest of my life.
 

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Do it, we live on big lake, drive out every year in our Newmar 40 footer. Spend half the winter bombing around the USA seeing friends. AND almost 4 mouths in Mesa AZ, swing into Las Vegas for a few shows. And the head back home. We love the pool and I play pickle ball every day! The wife of yours is on to something. I could not change now if i wanted to. But always return to Alaska, it's our home. Scott
 
Alex
That is a sweet ride!!! I have been following your posts, great choice!! When you find the right place let me know!! I was just down in NV and looking around Vegas. Sounds like a bit of wind in the spring in that area. Anyone up by Reno?
DENNY
 
My wife was looking at southern Arizona near Fort Waccuha ( Sierra Vista ) and parts of Texas. I do not think that being that close to the border is such a good idea.
I would prefer parts of Utah and Idaho. But she refused to consider Idaho or Washington state for some reason. I think that 10,000 people in one town is too many.
She is from Europe so we disagree on that subject. I could get by as long as I could drive her someplace within a couple-three hours.
 
Ft Huachuca


My wife was looking at southern Arizona near Fort Waccuha ( Sierra Vista ) and parts of Texas. I do not think that being that close to the border is such a good idea.
I would prefer parts of Utah and Idaho. But she refused to consider Idaho or Washington state for some reason. I think that 10,000 people in one town is too many.
She is from Europe so we disagree on that subject. I could get by as long as I could drive her someplace within a couple-three hours.
 
Lots of places in S. Texas ought to be able to fit your bill, sounds like you need a spring recon trip.

Rent a fair sized hanger at a sleepy airport, buy an RV then fly down and have a warm winter traveling about by plane or RV and then you’ve got a place to secure the RV and a daily drive during the off season when it’s too hot to breathe down there.
 
My wife was looking at southern Arizona near Fort Waccuha ( Sierra Vista ) and parts of Texas. I do not think that being that close to the border is such a good idea.

Ft. Huachuca is a nice place and lots of history in the area. I just returned from the area last month. I lived there for a few years back in the early-mid 90's (stationed there) and really liked the area. Unfortunately it has really grown. I kept my 172 at Ft. Huachuca and then stored it down at Douglas, AZ when we were shipped overseas for an extended time.

The area does have it's "border crossing issues", but I think anyplace close to the border has similar issues.

The flying community is extremely small. Definitely not an area with lots of planes or social events geared towards aviation.

My daughter and her family live there. If you have any particular questions about the area, send me a PM and maybe I can help.

I have been looking for a southwest area to go in the winters also. We have looked at several airparks and so far I like Az, New Mexico and central Texas.
 
Visit your target areas in the months you expect to spend there. Leaving winter to find winter will disappoint. Been there, done that.

Aging snowbirds need to be in easy reach of medical care. 3 hours from a city won't be as attractive when you need a good medical center. Or entertainment, restaurants, retail, etc.

Pay attention to taxes. A mile or two can make a big difference.

Grandchildren change everything.
 
This is a really great subject. So many things to consider. For me it goes something like this: Weather, weather, WEATHER, taxes, friendly airports (no fences), horse friendly, ?, ?. My wife and I stopped in Wickenberg Az. for a couple of hours this winter and on the surface it seemed to be some of those things.

I think Hotrod and I are at one of the better airports around but the weather sucks and Washington is a pit tax wise and it's not going to get better.
 
Check out Stellar Airpark, Chandler, AZ ( P19 )

probably too crowded for you. However.... great winter time flying activities. Lots of things nearby. The area between PHX and TUS has lots of small strips with lots going on... weekend breakfasts, camping, on and on.... Great Restaurants all around and great thrift stores for shopping... that’s where my wife likes to shop.
 
PHP:
[QUOTE]skywagon8a

    Looks nice Alex, What's under the hood? What floats go with it?[/QUOTE]

P-Ponk O-520.
The floats are only EDO 2960s to go with the Kenmore weight STC. The floats have seen better days and the weather here is too cold for stripper to work outside. A set of PK-3000s would be dreamy.
 

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Stewart B

We live in Homer, ( the town that I grew up around) and we have a hospital. But they will kill you before curing you, so we all have standing orders to speed 75 miles north to the Hospital between Soldotna and Kenai.
 
Wait until you look at rural property in the lower 48. You'd be lucky to find a vet, let alone a cardiologist or neurologist.

Arizona has great weather but you'd better like looking at brown. I was in Chandler all last week. It sure was nice to get back to south central Texas and see green. And to top it off we're having a banner year for blue bonnets here. There are a lot of great places in this country. Finding what suits you takes traveling and trying a few places on.
 
Guy near me had a winter home in Prescott, Arizona, bragged about it all the time. never been there but have always wondered what its like.
 
The floats are only EDO 2960s to go with the Kenmore weight STC. A set of PK-3000s would be dreamy.
Nothing wrong with 2960s when you learn their little special technique. I've won take off contests with 2960s against PK 3000s. Not by a lot, but did win.
 
Alex,

I live in SW Michigan and really like it. I live on a fantastic grass strip community with 12 houses on it, in fact there is one for sale which is VERY rare. Great medical, great GA flying, floats wheels and skis. That being said, we do have a winter and that may not be to your wife liking but we sure do have great spring, summer and stunning fall season.

Kurt
displaced Alaskan
 
Hi Alex, there is lots of room here in Northern NY and lots of flying. Fulton County has the most PVT. Airports in the state, 8 strips w/in 5 miles that I know of. Of course the wx isn't all the warm, looking forward to getting home to Seldovia to warm up.
 
Skywagon. I have flown 2960s. But like the flat tops of the pks. I like to fish from the floats. Plus I do like the way the pks step turn. .... one thing I noticed about some counties in Texas was the property taxes were pretty high. The monthly tax on a 250,000 house was downright painful in some counties.
 
A 180J on EDOs is a very good float plane. If you want to feel better about your floats? Get a quote for Aerocets.

My Texas property taxes are high but the facilities and maintanance standards are high. In my community I’d say we get what we pay for. It’s hard to complain about that. If you want cheap taxes? Buy a big parcel in the country, lease the land to a local to run cattle on, get an ag exemption from taxes, and mow a strip on your own land. I’ve considered that myself and may still move to that, but that life comes with it’s own set of problems and expenses. Expecially if you’re a snowbird.
 
.... My wife and I stopped in Wickenberg Az. for a couple of hours this winter and on the surface it seemed to be some of those things.
I think Hotrod and I are at one of the better airports around but the weather sucks and Washington is a pit tax wise and it's not going to get better.

Some of the folks from the next airport over (Diamond Point) winter in Wickenberg.
They seem to like it.
But dunno if they're on an airpark or live in town, or even if they all take their airplanes with them every winter.

A guy at my own airport has a hangar at Pahrump NV.
He started out just wintering there, but as time goes buy he seems to go down earlier and come back later.
Great pilot community there from what I hear.
 
Alex, notice how everyone is taking part in this? Whatever you find make sure it has a lot of bedrooms. Were all coming with.
 
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