Just a quick question.

I travel a lot for work and right now I'm stuck for a few days in a big city with a couple of small airports around. There is kind of busy airport just east of the large city I'm staying near that has a lot of Biz-jets in and out. Some times I totally dig watching those jets come and go (Love the looks and noise of them! especially the vintage iron that's slowly disappearing). The problem with this particular airport is that there used to be a great spot with a short fence near the ramp, taxi way and close to the runway to see all the action with out having to actually be on the other side of the fence, so to say. Now there are hangars blocking all the good spots to watch from

My question is (finally), anybody know if it's OK for someone like me that's bored and don't want to hang out in a hotel room all flippin day to run down to a secure airport and walk out to the ramp (probably have to ask an FBO if it's OK to do so?) to look around and hang out to watch planes come and go? I do have my FAA issued Pilot License with me to show to any official that asks for it.

I know it would be a big NO for all airports being serviced by airlines and maybe major cargo planes. And not a big deal for airports that don't have fencing all around.

I don't know. I guess it's kind of weird (or odd) to walk into a FBO and ask if I can walk out to the ramp and look around and hang out to watch planes come and go, too.

Any ideas? Just tell me to get a life? Go to the local gym instead? I've all ready checked out the local food markets and eatery's I don't have any money for the "Happy Bar". And I hate movie theaters!

Edit........ Oh, if for security reasons, you can send me a PM.

I would think that 99% of airport people (pilots at least) would empathize. We all feel the pull of the airport. I was on my mini-honeymoon this last weekend and stopped at 2 airports just to sniff around. It's part of the disease.

I think being outgoing and forthright will help you avoid any weirdness. Go right to the pilot lounge or whatever FBO has the donuts and introduce yourself, let them know your intentions. Carry a photo of you and your 182 with your arms around each other. This works for women too. Carry a photo of yourself in an embrace with a beautiful woman and you're instantly validated.

Zane wrote:I would think that 99% of airport people (pilots at least) would empathize. We all feel the pull of the airport. I was on my mini-honeymoon this last weekend and stopped at 2 airports just to sniff around. It's part of the disease.

I think being outgoing and forthright will help you avoid any weirdness. Go right to the pilot lounge or whatever FBO has the donuts and introduce yourself, let them know your intentions. Carry a photo of you and your 182 with your arms around each other. This works for women too. Carry a photo of yourself in an embrace with a beautiful woman and you're instantly validated.

Man..... this really makes me feel good! Thanks Zane. Doesn't hurt to wear a BCP.org shirt and/or hat, too I guess.

I should add that I went on a road trip to Indiana from Ohio last weekend. On the way back I tried to stay on two lane country roads and stopped off at 4 small airports. Nappanee, Indiana was where a met a couple EAA Chapter pilots and chatted with them for a few. And arrived at Waterloo, Ohio airstrip (grass) as a Stinson came in to land.

Here just cary this....






In your wallet and you will be fine....

Small, non airline type, airports can be a valuble resource for us pilots, even when we're not flying. I think you are on the right track, the smaller strips, just go out there and hang out. Maybe ask anyone around just to smooth the way, and oh yeah, hopefully don't be middle eastern in appearance and speak with a strong accent, that may be a problem

For years, when on x-c motorcycle trips (beater '78 Goldwing, with the Montague bike stashed in/on one side saddlebag) I used small airstrips as overnight camping sites, using the same technique I use in the plane: keep a low profile, find some spot between hangars where no one even knows you're there, and always carry your pilot certificate to show the small town cop who may be curious. Only once did I have to do this, and I threw in the "fact" that I was waiting for a friend to fly in, and that was the end of it. If there are any locals around, I would directly contact them, let them know I was a pilot on a bike trip and would be hanging there that night, and that always worked too.

Today, I was doing a crane job about 25 miles N of my homebase, tomorrow I have another job even further north in the same direction. Rather then shuttle/backtrack in the crane (6 mpg) I used my 32 mpg tow behind car and dropped the crane off at the Blackfoot airport for the night. I did check in with the interm airport manager just to make sure it was out of the way etc. Since that person is fellow S-7S pilot Joel Milloway, I was pretty sure it would not be a problem I also feel pretty good about the airport scene as far as the casual vandal/thief causing a problem, I like to think they are smart enough to know it's a federal bust to screw around there?

Wear your AOPA hat and act like you know what you are doing. Be friendly and congenial and NO problem, even at BIGGER airports-if you stay on the GA side.... Oh, carry your ID, pilots license, and be able to speak 'airplane' well.
I have done it for years.....correction, decades.

lc

Littlecub wrote:Wear your AOPA hat and act like you know what you are doing. Be friendly and congenial and NO problem, even at BIGGER airports-if you stay on the GA side.... Oh, carry your ID, pilots license, and be able to speak 'airplane' well.
I have done it for years.....correction, decades.

lc

Same here. Worst they can do is check your junk and let you go.

I just walk up to the FBO desk and say... I am going out to N xxxxxx. Look out at the ramp and pick one. (probably not the Gulfstream...)
It is true... you are going out to see it. Then wander around to see some others.
With your ID and PPL... you can probably expect to explain to any curious cops that it is ok to be on the air side. For your initial strategy though.... go to the nearest flight school. Probably down the ramp a ways from the high dollar FBO. Much easier to bluff your way through there... and then look at some interesting stuff parked around.
Too bad we have to worry about this crap. Times past were way more fun.... sad to say.

Thanks for the reply's! All good points mentioned.

Well, I did have a little fun today. Started off at Lost Nation Airport east of Cleveland to look around (all gates locked and didn't see a real FBO). No biggy because not much was going on and not a lot of planes sitting on the ramp. Then I ended up at Cuyahoga County. All of the hangars looked the same and couldn't really tell which one was the main FBO No biggy again. I found a couple of really good spots on the south side of the runway to watch the action.

As mentioned. I love the vintage iron and I was lucky enough to see a Lear 24 land at Cuyahoga Co. then to see (and hear ) the Lear 24 take off 20 minutes later. Very cool take off with a nice steep climbing left turn to the northwest.

It was great to see EATON Inc fleet of Biz-jets coming and going! Glad that company seems to be doing well (keep them pilots flying!). But, I remember this airport used to be much busier. I didn't see any large size Biz-jets . Just small and mid-size. I remember always seeing a half dozen or more large size jets in and out some years ago during my short visits at this airport. Sign of the times I guess

I have never had a problem with any one at a small airport . For the most part they ask where I am from and they are happy to show me around. I have a small pin on my hat , its a set of wings. The first thing they ask me is am I a pilot. It opens a lot of doors. Smile and be polite it helps as well..

Ken

Zane wrote:I would think that 99% of airport people (pilots at least) would empathize. We all feel the pull of the airport. I was on my mini-honeymoon this last weekend and stopped at 2 airports just to sniff around. It's part of the disease.

Know what you mean, my lady rolls her eyes everytime we pass an airport sign; especially on the backroads because she know we are about to take a side trip and go airstrip hunting.

58skylane- looked up the fields you mentioned and found this strip nearby to Nappanee, Indiana
Person who goes to this much trouble would probably welcome 'aviation' visitors also...



Always call at airfields along the way even with my family who enjoy it too...My wife will say lets check out the local airfield and driving down from WI to FL recently we called in at a few and never received a bad response.
It's not difficult to go in and say "Hi" and read the reaction.... no special hats or badges required.

It's a case of once again you guys that live in the States don't realise how lucky you are to be in such a friendly atmosphere compared to a lot of countries.

While in FL drove 3 hours up to Quincy with my daughter to take a lady out to lunch. Wasn't going to bother visiting the local field but at lunch a couple of elderly gents came over and introduced themselves as they recognised the lady [first woman to fly around the world solo]. Gist of it was "go out and have a look around - it's really friendly"...

We took their advice and stumbled upon possibly the most friendly airfield imaginable...bunch of great people and spent the next 3 hours BSing and looking around. Can recommend it if you are in the area.

Cool! I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one that enjoys the same thing.

I have to admit......... Airplane or no airplane, I'm just a crazed airplane and airfield nut case! I think it's a disease that's not all that bad to have. I kid you not, I'll drive 100 miles out of my way just to check out what some grass, dirt, or paved airstrip looks like.

I'll confess now too. Back in the late 90's and into the early 2000's when I was on the road for work (um yeah, still am on the road), I'd always have a day or two off. I didn't want to hang out in the hotel or go out and spend a bunch of money on stupid stuff. So, I got hooked on checking out some of the local airports and would find the best spot to watch planes come and go. At that time too, I got hooked on Bizjets and turbo props and knew every make and model at that time.

I've been to a lot of airports during that time (I should have kept a log ). Saw lot's of cool stuff back then and kind of cool when you can identify who owned what by the N#. But, I always respected the operators privacy by not taking pictures of the planes with the crew and passengers. This was mostly all pre-9/11 so nobody seemed to care about some big dufus guy hanging on the other side of the fence drooling all over myself.

But now that I'm an officially licensed pilot with an FAA issued plastic card on me at all times. I was thinking it would be easier to get on "the other side of the fence" to get up closer to the action and look around up close at some of the cool planes setting around. Of course, flying in in your own plane is the best way to go about this. But, I will never have my plane in tow behind my rig when I'm 2000 miles away from home and have a day off and would like to go hang out at the local airport.

Flying Kiwi wrote:.... they recognised the lady [first woman to fly around the world solo]......

Jerry Mock?

Sounds good to me Pat! i've been an airport bum/brat almost forever...stop in to the local ones whenever i'm travelin' for buis...grew up at the falconberry and our local strips here too, so it's definitely in my blood, and will always be!

Came across this picture on Airliners.net. Now these are some serious airport bums

Thought I'd bring this back alive. I stopped by Corona, CA airport for about an hour today.



After playing with my camera settings, I took some cool pictures.

Cool pics Pat.

I beleive that is the coolest fuel station I ever saw. Are there many more like it?

Pat & Flight
Airports used to be cool places to hang out and just "hanger fly " with the local airport bums .Saw your pictures of Corona ,Ca airport --- been there many a time. Aircraft Spruce is just a phone call away where you can go spend money. Most of the airports are going to the dogs with security gates with rubber faced chicken "I want to keep your ass out " -even if you want to go to your airplane. Lots of airports are fortified forts of bureaucratic B.S. -and less about pilots or airplanes.Good luck on finding good old fashion airports. Used to a requirement every airport had a coffee pot brewing for wayward pilots or look-lews . Go into the local flight school or fbo and get a sectional for area .