Favorite Neighboring Airports

[AngelFuree]

Ok...since I've been doing the paired up training w/ my students, I've had the chance to actually stop by some FBOs in our neighboring airports.

So far, my favorite ones are the following:
1) Crookston - Cutest dog in the world that likes to be petted by everyone. He/she/it is an attention #####. (taildragger173 should know, I saw him there last time, actually )
2) Hillsboro - Cleanest FBO I've been to, very cozy and courtesy van available even when unattended. The keys are in a binder. I signed the guestbook, so if you guys ever go there, you'll see my name.
3) Grafton - Coolest cat in the world.

The worst so far:
WARREN! That thing is nasty. What a nasty FBO. The bathrooms are just NASTY.

Anyone else have any feedback? I'd be interested in hearing some stuff.

[sdfcvoh]

From the Tucson area:

Safford (SAD). Go for the sunset. Just do it. Always a couple folks happy to offer up a spare chair or two to shoot the breeze in front of a hangar, too. Nice FBO office with clean restrooms.

Nogales (OLS). Very nice terminal. Sometimes it can be a bit crowded, but its clean, I hear they have good food (always smells nice), and the employees are very nice.

Ryan Airfield (RYN). The place I call home. Sure - say what you will about IATA and a busy traffic pattern, but we've got Todd's restaurant. Get the Pancakes just to try all the homemade special syrups!

I've been to about every other airport within 200 miles, and most have been unremarkable - but nice. The only "bad" experience I had was at Buckeye (BXK). It just felt like I wasn't welcome when I stopped in for a quick break one day, and some water.

[TXaviator]

yeah but the guy at Warren has that killer T-28 and will let ya check it out if you stop and he's around.

[taildragger173]

Angel,
There are actually two dogs at the CKN airport. Foxy and Misty. Misty is the big German Shepard and Foxy is the small golden brown (I dont know the breed off of the top of my head) dog. Its fun doing briefings with students and have Misty run up and lick you in the face.

[UAL747400]

I have yet to actually go into any of the other FBOs around here. I think the only place I've actually stopped and gotten out of the airplane in this area is at warren and that was on my standardization flight. There's just not enough time during a regular lesson to get out and do anything. I do try to stop and get out on cross country flights though, just for my own sanity. I feel kinda silly going on a cross country and not at least stopping at one of the airports. That's kinda the whole point.

[roundout]

i had a student need to take a dump one day so we landed at grafton. the guys in the airport were astonished that a sioux airplane actually taxiied in and human beings got out. they even talked to us.

coffee was terrible but the phone worked and the toilet was clean...before my student went in.

[TheShocker]

Originally Posted by roundout

i had a student need to take a dump one day so we landed at grafton. the guys in the airport were astonished that a sioux airplane actually taxiied in and human beings got out. they even talked to us.

coffee was terrible but the phone worked and the toilet was clean...before my student went in.

I have done a pit stop at Warren before! I have heard a story recently, that someone didn't take the necessary pit stop and well you figure out the rest. I wouldn't want to clean that aircraft

[Stinger]

Last year I was doing my night cross country and my instructor had to stop at Detroit Lakes for a quick stop. We just stopped on one of the parking areas and he got out and went to the bathroom and jumped right back in.

[JaceTheAce]

Has anyone visited Red Lake Falls airport and its lovely fly-infested crew room/bathroom? It literally has thousands of dead flies on the tables, chairs, floor, and everything else horizontal. Not to mention the thousands already flying around. I did a pit stop in the Piper Arrow at that place... nice little airport regardless of the flies.

[TXaviator]

Originally Posted by JaceTheAce

Has anyone visited Red Lake Falls airport and its lovely fly-infested crew room/bathroom? It literally has thousands of dead flies on the tables, chairs, floor, and everything else horizontal. Not to mention the thousands already flying around. I did a pit stop in the Piper Arrow at that place... nice little airport regardless of the flies.

why not just pee in the river like everyone else in that town?? though, just inhaling fumes off that river probably puts your BAC over the legal limit....

[RyosukeFC]

Crookston: nice FBO, with aforementioned dogs, comfortable lobby, soda machine. If you see the owner, Lowell he's a cool guy. Also peek at the crop dusters they usually have in their MX hangar.. those things are huge

Grafton: nice kitty, bathrooms

Larimore: no facilities

Hillsboro: like mentioned above car available (but where are you going to drive, burger king?), also clean bathrooms

Fertile: no facilities

Thief River Falls: have to walk to terminal for bathrooms. They have a variety of old airplane carcasses the tech college uses for its MX program

Fosston: boring - has bathroom

Rosseau: has bathroom inside small building

Pembina: no facilities, border patrol pulled up, parked and proceeded to stare me down as I got back in the plane and left. kinda weird

Warroad: cozy FBO, old cop car for a courtesy car

Bemidji: nice FBO, not sure if they have a car though, I stopped there late at night.

Warren: has bathroom, the crop duster guy is cool to talk to; haven't seen that T-28 yet

West Fargo: i actually drove here in my car out of curiosity.. pretty basic, has a building with a sofa, guest book, etc. don't remember about bathrooms. But then again why land there when so close to KFAR?

Fergus Falls: had to pee really bad on the way back from Sioux Falls once, so the FBO at FFM was a lifesaver. I think they also have an old Crown Vic courtesy car

Jamestown: FBO has bathrooms, vending machines

Park Rapids: Nice FBO, decent airport

Duluth: Cool airport. seems like there's alot going on there. Northwest MX is there, Air National Guard too I believe. Plenty to look at. FBO is nice.

Bismarck: haven't gotten out there, but hear they have a courtesy car

[AngelFuree]

Originally Posted by RyosukeFC

Crookston: nice FBO, with aforementioned dogs, comfortable lobby, soda machine. If you see the owner, Lowell he's a cool guy. Also peek at the crop dusters they usually have in their MX hangar.. those things are huge

Grafton: nice kitty, bathrooms

Larimore: no facilities

Hillsboro: like mentioned above car available (but where are you going to drive, burger king?), also clean bathrooms

Fertile: no facilities

Thief River Falls: have to walk to terminal for bathrooms. They have a variety of old airplane carcasses the tech college uses for its MX program

Fosston: boring - has bathroom

Rosseau: has bathroom inside small building

Pembina: no facilities, border patrol pulled up, parked and proceeded to stare me down as I got back in the plane and left. kinda weird

Warroad: cozy FBO, old cop car for a courtesy car

Bemidji: nice FBO, not sure if they have a car though, I stopped there late at night.

Warren: has bathroom, the crop duster guy is cool to talk to; haven't seen that T-28 yet

West Fargo: i actually drove here in my car out of curiosity.. pretty basic, has a building with a sofa, guest book, etc. don't remember about bathrooms. But then again why land there when so close to KFAR?

Fergus Falls: had to pee really bad on the way back from Sioux Falls once, so the FBO at FFM was a lifesaver. I think they also have an old Crown Vic courtesy car

Jamestown: FBO has bathrooms, vending machines

Park Rapids: Nice FBO, decent airport

Duluth: Cool airport. seems like there's alot going on there. Northwest MX is there, Air National Guard too I believe. Plenty to look at. FBO is nice.

Bismarck: haven't gotten out there, but hear they have a courtesy car

Whoa, you've been to a lot of airports around here...probably more than most others have. Thanks for the write-up. I'll be sure to check some of those out.

[Screaming_Emu]

I liked scarimore. I dont think I stopped at a single FBO at any of the airports nearby during my training there.

[TXaviator]

Originally Posted by Screaming_Emu

I liked scarimore. I dont think I stopped at a single FBO at any of the airports nearby during my training there.

yeah not sure whats so scary about that place. nice quirky/challenging/interesting strip.

[BuickCFI]

Originally Posted by TXaviator

yeah not sure whats so scary about that place. nice quirky/challenging/interesting strip.

look at the north end of the runway next time you are there. you can see where the tree line used to be. it was there when i started UND in 2002. hence it was a real short field/max performance climb to make it out safely and the name Scarimore

[BuickCFI]

I miss Foxy, Misty, Lowell, Mary-Ann, and Wes. might have to go pay a visit some day

[taildragger173]

Originally Posted by BuickCFI

I miss Foxy, Misty, Lowell, Mary-Ann, and Wes. might have to go pay a visit some day

What about Patches?

[Screaming_Emu]

Originally Posted by BuickCFI

look at the north end of the runway next time you are there. you can see where the tree line used to be. it was there when i started UND in 2002. hence it was a real short field/max performance climb to make it out safely and the name Scarimore

Yeah, that was a good time. I liked it because you could actually see your 'obstacle'. I think the hard thing about practicing short field landings over an obstacle is just picturing something that isn't there.

[XcalibeR]

Originally Posted by Screaming_Emu

Yeah, that was a good time. I liked it because you could actually see your 'obstacle'. I think the hard thing about practicing short field landings over an obstacle is just picturing something that isn't there.

I can agree with that, but if you're smart you can still get some visual cues in there. If you're landing 12 at Warren, you have those 60-70 ft trees right off the right side, you can tell your student that those are their obstacle, if they're lower than those at the threshold then they hit them. Granted they're not right in front of the runway, but they're better than the dead trees on 17L.

[BuickCFI]

Originally Posted by taildragger173

What about Patches?

yeah, i do miss being able to go fly patches for 0.3-0.5 between students

[TXaviator]

Originally Posted by Screaming_Emu

Yeah, that was a good time. I liked it because you could actually see your 'obstacle'. I think the hard thing about practicing short field landings over an obstacle is just picturing something that isn't there.

yeah i mean i can do imaginary obstacle landings all day but it would be nice and a good experience to actually HAVE an obstacle to clear (obviously while making safe/good decisions about GA or continuing landing)

[MFT1Air]

Jasper, TX (KJAS) was probably the most interesting visit I've ever had at an FBO. Here I am in Jasper, TX at twilight with a dead battery. The airport is a couple of miles away from the city. No help, no support. The FBO lounge is clean, well lit and a nice place to relax.

I called the manager around 9pm, and not being a mechanic, he drives out to offer assistance. For Jasper, TX. . .he truly was a very nice guy. . .quite different. . .and I do mean quite different from the locals. A really nice guy.

He helped me jump start my plane and provided me with a flashlight to fly back. (Mine broke)

Truly a nice guy and nice FBO.