Hello all,

I am a new pilot (passed my check ride last week) living in central Texas. My family has had a cabin west of the town of Sacramento since the 60’s. I grew up driving by the runway at Timberon and imaging how cool it would be to fly into Timberon to access the cabin. That thought was part of what inspired me to pursue my certificate.

It’s been about 10 years since I’ve driven by the airstrip there, and I’m now thinking about making a trip out there with my CFI in part for some mountain training and in part to check out the airstrip.

I have seen some 10+ year old posts on here from Rob and planeman2010 about Timberon, but nothing more recent.

Does anyone on here have any experience flying in and out of there?

For reference, I’ll be in a Turbo 182.

Airnav.com is a good place to start when going to an unfamiliar airport. There is a lot of general info there as well as some contact info. Of course, if anybody on BCP is familiar with that airport, so much the better.

https://www.airnav.com/airport/52NM

Ross

Welcome Josey,

I have flown the area quite a bit and landed in dry lakes near there, but never the airport. 2% is significant grade at that altitude/density altitude so land uphill and takeoff downhill.

contact

I really preferred Billy Jack....

But yes...Yes, I do. I had to go look up what I might have written in the past. Pretty much what I would have written tonight
Turbo 182? shiv... DA isn't even a factor. Concur with contact... uphill-downhill... Mo better...

Enjoy a cool place with wierd demographics and nutso local politics. I still own several lots there, both on and off the strip, and don't get out there enough.

Excellent deer, elk, and turkey, if shooting things yummy floats your boat. It's not 'back country' flying as I enjoy, actually more like back woods flying, read: redneck... as in, rednecker than you flying... redneck.... but in a fun way.

Damn... thank you for reminding me of a past I need to revisit.

Take care, Rob

Josey,

I had a pipeline that run right under the centerline extended at Dyess AFB. Tower didn't even bother telling the B-1s that there was a 172 down there. Get that CFI to give you that mountain checkout in a 172 "in" the Sacramento mountains and you will learn something about mountain flying. I landed a Pawnee on the road SW of Mayhill in a snowstorm and had my wife come from Las Cruces to pick me up. Fellow instructor took me back the next day in a 150. Mexican lady at a ranch out there let me use the phone with a really worried look, but my wife let her know, in Spanish, that I did such all the time. I used to spray alfalfa at Tularosa.

contact

Thanks for all of the input. I had read about the runway grade on AirNav, and am planning to call the local contact there for more info.

It is a TIO-540, which should help with the DA. I’m trying to figure out how practical it is to fly in there, park the plane, and then drive to our fairly remote (for Southern NM) cabin...vs flying into Alamogordo or Artesia. Otherwise I would need to buy a lot on the strip to park a vehicle (and the plane while I’m there).

Tasty animals are definitely on the menu (especially if I can ever draw an elk tag). We spent many years chasing deer and turkeys up there before non-resident odds were gutted. Since, we hunt CO more often.

Billy Jack, I envy the redneckified flying. I’m hoping to do some of that once I have a few more takeoffs and landings under my belt.

Contact, that is a cool story. I bet that lady was surprised when you walked up.

So what’s the deal with all the roads around the strip? This thread made me curious so I google maps’d the area and it looks like someone planned a massive development right there but really nothing is there. There’s gotta be like 100 little roads haha. Is it a maze or what?

The west mesa of Albuquerque started that way. We thought it was just realty scam artists taking New Yorker's money. But now it is Rio Rancho and bigger than Albuquerque. Who knew?

Josey,

The New Mexico Pilot's Association has information on Timberon and has hosted some fly-ins there. One of the links at their website is this one - https://www.timberon.org/community/timb ... port-52nm/

That might give you some recent information to help you plan your trip.

Enjoy New Mexico!

Jan Marker (E98, south of ABQ)