For those who havn't been there, put it on your list. Like Smiley Creek in Idaho, it is almost too much of a good thing. Not only is the FBO on top of things and friendly, the Aero Inn is a 3 minute walk, with my room going for 37 bucks. A large grocery store with lots of other stuff also 3 minutes walk. The best steak house/bar in town is right across the street from the grocery store. A gas station for you mo gas types is right across from the motel. Of course on the Montague bike it took even less time then that! Priced right too, not all touristed up. I kind of hate to see one place with all that going on, with so many airports spread out in the middle of nowhere and everything hard to get to, the old Kalispell City airport is a gem, not to be confused with the sterile and remote (also controlled) "Glacier International", some miles out of town. Transport there into town is rent a car!

A paved strip, but the tiedowns were on the grass. From time to time the powers that be talk about shutting it down, what with the new airport they can't see the need..... as a result of a suggestion from a local I will be writing the city business office/chamber of commerce, and telling them how much it is appreciated and a detailed list of how much money I left there in my short trip. Point being, it's an asset to the community, and if I was president ALL airports would be like it! A great place to base out of while doing other exploring.

I had flown, for no reason other then my crane was in the shop and the weather was perfect, north from Inkom that day and ended up there overnight. The flight from Seeley Lake to Ferndale with 8 and 9 K ranges on each side was awesome, as was the early AM flight back south along Flathead Lake, some of the best scenary in Montana, and that's saying something. I forgot my camera, and my wallet. Luckily a spur of the moment stop at Henry's Lake Idaho, where a friend met me ( "I'm buying breakfast", I said, as I reached in my pack for my wallet and realized it was sitting in the hangar! Without missing a beat he whipped his wallet out and pulled a hundred and a fifty out and said "here, I got more if you need it". So the flight continued, 11 hrs in a day and half, wrapped up by yet another tour of the Little Lost River Valley, no landings though after leaving Kalispell as my tailwheel was flat, so non stop 5+ hrs. to my home strip, a wheel landing and tail up taxi to in front of the hangar. It's fun every now and then to NOT have a plan, just let it happen, no wallet no problem!!

wow! I'm impressed with all the flying you have been doing this year! i have tried to go to Blackfoot ID all year but something else comes up i still have not flown to my home town of West Yellowstone since i got my PPL and it only 1.4 hr flight i always complain about my speed but that Rans cruise about the same but i burn 10GPH i have gone to Kalispell and it is a nice flight. have you gotten those trophies from Three Forks on the wall yet

You have definitely been getting around this year!

I'll second your thoughts about Kalispell City airport. It was a nice hour hop when I lived up in Sandpoint, ID. It's really a fantastic destination.

Shoulda stopped by! I'm only about 25 miles west and south of S27.
They have a pretty vocal "local few" that always are crying about the city airport. None have lived there long, and all have very big mouths and will say anything to try to get it shut down. Unfortunately, it's not the best location anymore, and as much as I hate to say it, someday they'll probably win. I worked there 25 years ago, and it wasn't much different scenario back then. Glacier (FCA) is far from "new"... it's been there about as long, but they'd rather cater to the "jet set" and commercial operators.
At any rate, if ya ever get back up this way, drop in.... Hanson (PVT) on the Great Falls sectional.
John

God's country. Got my tailwheel endorsement out of S27, hitting all the grass strips around there.

No reason whatsoever to hit GPI unless you need an approach to get in.

Well - another reason to hit GPI is to do customs on the way in from Canada. But as soon as you're done that then take a 5 minute hop over to S27. Its a real airport.

I was there for 3 days in September waiting out weather, and the folks at Red Eagle Aviation were incredibly helpful. Lots of hotels practicaly on the flightline, the best steak dinners I have ever had anywhere (try Scotty's Bar), and the old town center is only a few minutes away on a folding bike (mine's a Bike Friday). The Red Eagle FBO has everything you need, and they can get a rental car delivered to the field if you want to drive through the park. It was a very comfortable and interesting few days, and I'll be back for sure.

The route south to the Snake river valley is amazing too. Its a straight shot down a bunch of vallys (Flathead, Bitterroot, Upper Salmon), with great scenery and lots of small town airports along the way.

pitman11 wrote:wow! I'm impressed with all the flying you have been doing this year! i have tried to go to Blackfoot ID all year but something else comes up i still have not flown to my home town of West Yellowstone since i got my PPL and it only 1.4 hr flight i always complain about my speed but that Rans cruise about the same but i burn 10GPH i have gone to Kalispell and it is a nice flight. have you gotten those trophies from Three Forks on the wall yet

Oh hell yeah, the next day!

hardtailjohn wrote:Shoulda stopped by! I'm only about 25 miles west and south of S27.
They have a pretty vocal "local few" that always are crying about the city airport. None have lived there long, and all have very big mouths and will say anything to try to get it shut down. Unfortunately, it's not the best location anymore, and as much as I hate to say it, someday they'll probably win. I worked there 25 years ago, and it wasn't much different scenario back then. Glacier (FCA) is far from "new"... it's been there about as long, but they'd rather cater to the "jet set" and commercial operators.
At any rate, if ya ever get back up this way, drop in.... Hanson (PVT) on the Great Falls sectional.
John

I got it circled on my sectional John, will do, thanks.

One aside, I've noticed that whatever the weather is in my area it is ALWAYS exactly the same when I go to Three Forks or even further north. It must be something about the way the valleys line up or something but it makes it easy to figure. I caught the tail end of that long stretch of clear blue and super calm air. Over passes and through valleys it was all just perfect. Everywhere I looked flags were hanging limp and smoke or dust was going straight up, all day long. Other routes I go just a few miles and it can be totally different, kind of interesting how that works.

































































ight up