We are planning a flying camping trip to Arkansas from NC this Summer. The legend of Gaston's is the draw where we will spend a night or two but looking for other sightseeing flying, landing, and camping destinations. Anything 1500 ft turf or longer is good. The goal is to never get in a car so walkable restaurants, provisions, and booze a plus. Where should we go?

Check with the FlyOz group at Bentonville-google them. Great group and have a great program for backcountry strips. Flew that area last fall for a few days and heading back this fall for a week or two.
Jack

The northwest half of the state is where you want to spend your time. Airfield.guide has a ton of info on strips in Arkansas. Here are some big ones to consider:

-- Trigger Gap (17A). RAF built this one, and they are in the process of putting improvements in. It's a beautiful spot, but on top of a bluff so no water.
-- Byrd's Adventure Center (51AR). Long main strip plus some shorter ones for the adventurer. They have a campground, store, etc. Also a beautiful spot along the Mulberry River, and they rent canoes. Lots of info on the Google.
-- Petit Jean State Park (MPJ) has a paved strip with a campground at the end. I'm not sure if the campground is open. The park is cool but the airstrip is on the "wrong" side of it so you'd need to research ground transportation.

Many smaller airports have a courtesy car that you can take to the local grocery store. Heber Springs (HBZ) is one I'm familiar with but there are many others. However, some Arkansas counties are dry or damp (can't buy booze, or can only buy it by the drink in a restaurant) so I recommend you BYOB.

One other thing. Arkansas gets hot in July and August, seemingly hotter than North Carolina. Might be better camping in the first half of June!

The state just North, called Misery, is not quite as hot. Go straight North of Berryville a half hour to MO9 to camp and eat at the Hanger Kafe. There will be both Ag operations and skydiving on the weekends. Ag pattern is East side of N-W runway and low. Low is safer for the jumpers because they will have opened by 200' AGL and are easier to see. Runway is part grass and part chat and oil and all is crowned for drainage. Ag school billets available for those not avid campers.

contactflying wrote:The state just North, called Misery, is not quite as hot. Go straight North of Berryville a half hour to MO9 to camp and eat at the Hanger Kafe. There will be both Ag operations and skydiving on the weekends. Ag pattern is East side of N-W runway and low. Low is safer for the jumpers because they will have opened by 200' AGL and are easier to see. Runway is part grass and part chat and oil and all is crowned for drainage. Ag school billets available for those not avid campers.

That seems a bit on the "sporting" side of the altitude game to me.

Jumping is too sporty for me at normal opening altitude. They are not opening that low. We who spray don't go up to come down and we would be uncomfortable where the jumpers are still just little dots in the sky. The jump plane uses a high pattern. Most who visit Kingsleys by air, however, come low. They just get used to low. And my students have low altitude orientation. We are comfortable low. We see more down there and we have cruise zoom reserve energy to find a place to land should the engine quit.

contactflying wrote:Jumping is too sporty for me at normal opening altitude. They are not opening that low. We who spray don't go up to come down and we would be uncomfortable where the jumpers are still just little dots in the sky. The jump plane uses a high pattern. Most who visit Kingsleys by air, however, come low. They just get used to low. And my students have low altitude orientation. We are comfortable low. We see more down there and we have cruise zoom reserve energy to find a place to land should the engine quit.

I seem to be misunderstanding just about everything you are saying so I'm just going to "take my leave" from this thread, cheers.

Skydiver's parachutes are typically open by 2,000' agl. Open parachutes are much easier to see than when in freefall. Therefore, Jim is probably mentioning landing approaches need to be mindful of this and stay a little lower. Skydivers will normally land at central location or drop zone. ALL, should be on a CTAF; especially if you're thinking of over-flying the runway.
Jack

Cheers Maplefit, My wife reinterprets everything I say. I am flexible of mind while body is getting really stiff. My right leg has been going to sleep.

Keep in mind, flyingjack, that Kimon Kingsley is a farmer first and airport operator on the side. I think the skydivers standardize, but the rest is farmer run mostly with farming in mind.