We are moving to Dallas, TX after the first of the year. I have spent very little time there outside of the FlightSafety facilities, DFW & DAL and hotel overnights. Never imagined we'd move there!

First question, is it worth bringing a big wheel airplane set up for dirt? Or should we leave it in Idaho or Anchorage? I know nothing about GA in Texas and would appreciate all the insight you all have. Where are hangars actually available? Are there affordable residential airparks? Is there a family oriented GA community? We need to be close to DFW, but I could hangar the airplane further out.

Make me excited about flying in Texas... PLEASE!

I live on the opposite side of the metroplex, so I can't offer specific guidance on airports near DFW. I personally am building an experimental STOL aircraft, and will be putting 8:50s (maybe Goodyear 26") on it. No real need for the tundra tires around here, as far as I can tell, and with so many paved runways, you'd wear out a set of ABWs in no time... But lots of grass strips nearby, and out in West Texas, any flat-ish spot is a potential runway. Just depends on how "risky" you want to be...

As for residential airparks, there are several, with availability being (as always) highly variable. I've been looking mostly on the NE side (an hour or so from DFW), but I've heard of a nice one near Granbury (0TX1 - Pecan Plantation, ~50 miles from DFW) and another just east of Denton (5TX0 - Hidden Valley, ~20 miles from DFW). There's probably a lot more around, I just haven't looked much on that side of town.

Hangars are pretty pricey around here, for the most part. As a rule, the further you are from the center of the metroplex, the lower the cost. Unless you are talking about one of the bigger airports that cater to twins and jets. You don't want to park a fabric-covered airplane (well, really ANY airplane) on the ramp because the the thunderstorms that bring massive hail... A few airports have what I would call "covered parking" areas that are less expensive than hangars, and which offer at least some protection from the hail.

The "good news" is that if you stay away from those bigger airports that cater to the BIZ crowd, avgas is pretty reasonable around here. I count 10 airports within the DFW Bravo that are under $4.50/gal, and probably half of those are under $4.00/gal. There are even a handful that are right around $3.50/gal that are within 50 miles – good places to tank up before returning home, or before starting that cross-country.

There are also quite a few places you can fly, then borrow a crew car to get some pretty great BBQ, and a bunch more with "walking distance" Tex-Mex restaurants. The $100 hamburger is rarely actually a burger around here...

Welcome to the DFW Metroplex!

I flew pipeline out of Northwest Regional 52F awhile. We were hangered in a hanger house. There were many there.

VTOSS wrote:Make me excited about flying in Texas... PLEASE!

I moved to Texas last year and I’m still waiting for this

If you’re waiting to see if the flying is good in Texas.... you’re obviously not flying. You just gotta get out more.

One thing is for sure flying won’t come to you.

I live on an air park just southwest of Fort Worth and its only 45 minutes by car to DFW. Plus great schools. Texas is a great place, but if you want to make like where you came from.... go back there.

Life is too short to live in Dallas.

Gunny

I lived in Abilene for 8 years. Moved there from Alaska with a Super Cub on 31s. Didn't much need the 31s, but I tried for a few years. Then sold out to a guy in Anchorage and bought a 180. Watch the mesquite thorns, even on grass.

There is a guy in Graham TX that is active on supercub.org that does some gravel bar flying on the Brazos. Super nice guy and knows a lot of folks in the area. There are also some good grass strips in the area. Not backcountry, but good grass. Cedar Mills, Ranger, Fort Worth Spinks come to mind. Also, high population density means lots of aviation events and places to fly. That can be fun. Reklaw is a big fall fly-in in East Texas that's cool.

Lots of cool places to fly, particularly if you have that 182. Port Aransas, Santa Fe, Big Bend (Terlingua) come to mind. And then you have Arkansas... Gaston's, Byrd's Adventure Center, Trigger Gap, and so on. Those are all close-ish to DFW, particularly if you live on the east side. If you like trees, live on the east side. Further west you go, drier it gets.

It'll be different flying, but you can have fun doing it. Definitely don't leave the airplane behind! And, everything I do in my life that is less than optimal makes me savor the good stuff even more.

Gunny wrote:If you’re waiting to see if the flying is good in Texas.... you’re obviously not flying. You just gotta get out more.

One thing is for sure flying won’t come to you.

I live on an air park just southwest of Fort Worth and its only 45 minutes by car to DFW. Plus great schools. Texas is a great place, but if you want to make like where you came from.... go back there.

Life is too short to live in Dallas.

Gunny

Right on the money.

Welcome to Texas.....I moved in 99 and was in Dallas until 2105....now in the Hill Country...T82 Fredericksburg....my 56 182 was based at Lancaster..LNC during that time...great community of pilots and airplanes....grass and dirt are more prevalent to the South and West...no where near Alaska but the climate is a tad more hospitable more of the year...hear great things re Pecan Plantation and Air Park Dallas....have friends at each...The later with kids in schools. Texas is more than a place...it’s an attitude...a confidence in ones self and a disdain for Government to dictate a course of action.....coming from Alaska I suspect you will fit right in....good luck

Flew my wife into DFW a couple years ago for a fire fighting school hosted by the airport which allowed us to get the $135 landing fee waived . Was allowed the privilege to put 5 miles of taxiing on my 8" tailwheel as they vectored me to the most remote runway from the only GA FBO on the field. To say DFW is not GA friendly is an understatement. I will say the controllers were courteous and handled me well.

AeroCountry (T31) was a nice spot I have been into to pick up an O-470 rebuilt by a nearby shop. Close to DFW and just underneath the Class Bravo. Staying low keeps you out of their hair.

The Texas Maule group (http://www.lonestarmaules.com) usually has two fly outs each year and they put together some nice gatherings with ops to numerous off airport (river and creek bottoms, pastures, etc) and private grass strips. They welcome spam cans to fly along and some do!

I agree with Gunny; Life is too short to live in Dallas; get out more west if you can.

The scenery in Texas is not as spectacular as Alaska but you'll appreciate the improvement in roads, infrastructure, tax environment, etc. The western part of the state has numerous small mountain ranges and alpine forests to visit. New Mexico is fun and should be within your range of comfort being from Alaska. Lots of scenery and mountains there, too.

Thanks for the insight.