Choosing the Right Airport to Call home - Flying Aviation Expo 2014

Choosing the Right
Airport to Call Home
www.jasonblair.net
Presented by:
Jason Blair

Choosing the Right Airport to Call Home
Choosing an airport to base your aircraft
isn’t just about finding the closest airport
to your home.
Services and facilities at airports are
very different.
Many other factors should be considered
in your decision.
These factors greatly affect how much use
your aircraft will get and/or how happy
you will be at a particular airport!
www.jasonblair.net

A few major topic areas that should be considered when looking at
airports to base your aircraft include:
• Airport Infrastructure
• Fuel Availability
• Local Climate
• FBO Services Available
• Maintenance Services On Field
• Hangars and Aircraft Storage Available
• Airport Community
• Airport Security
• Proximity to Home
www.jasonblair.net

Airport Infrastructure
• First – Are the runway(s) long enough?
• Are there multiple runways?
• What prevailing winds exist?
• What approaches are available?
• Towered vs. Non-Towered and Radar Served?
• Are emergency services available?
• Security Features/Obstacles?
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If you fly a Barron, which airport would be better?
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Or?
KFDK
Frederick, MI
5200’ and 3600’ runways
KCGS
College Park, MD
2600’ runway

Which airport would you choose to base your aircraft at if the
prevailing winds for 92% of the year were between 240-320 degrees?
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Or?
KZ98
Zeeland, MI
KBIV
Holland, MI

What if this was an option instead?
What if it was 30 minutes farther away from
home?
How about if it was an hour?
www.jasonblair.net
KMNM
Menominee, MI

What if KZ98 has no instrument approaches but KBIV has a VOR,
two GPS, and an ILS approach?
But what if a hangar is $50 less per month and fuel is $.10 less per
gallon at KZ98?
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Or?
KZ98
Zeeland, MI
KBIV
Holland, MI

Available Approaches
• What approaches is your aircraft capable of flying? Are you going to do
any upgrades to avionics?
• ILS, LPV, LNAV MDA, VOR, NDB Approaches?
• Most common will be ILS or GPS approaches for low minimums flying?
• Do you even fly IFR regularly?
• Are other nearby airports an option if your home airport isn’t?
www.jasonblair.net

Towered vs. Non-Towered and Radar Served?
The choice between being at a towered or a non-towered airport can
be important when considering traffic density, comfort with radio
procedures, services available to the pilot, and airspace restrictions.
Each has some benefits and negatives.
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Towered Benefits and Negatives
• Easier to get clearances for IFR
• Traffic management helps keep aircraft “separated”
• Requires more radio proficiency
• May not be open 24 hours
• Can help with radar services (at fields with radar)
for helping pilots to the field in emergencies
• May have busier traffic patterns or air carrier operations
• May have expanded security procedures
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Non-Towered Benefits and Negatives
• Typically less congested traffic patterns
• Traffic patterns offer no pilot separation services other than the pilot’s
own see and avoid practices
• Security procedures are commonly less stringent
• More work to get IFR clearances and to close flight plans after landing
www.jasonblair.net
http://asrs.arc.nasa.gov/publications/callback/cb_364.html

Are emergency services available?
Nobody wants to need them, but it can be a
consideration when thinking about what airport
to call home.
Even if the airport doesn’t have dedicated services
just for the airport, some municipalities base their
emergency equipment at their airports.
www.jasonblair.net

Security Features/Obstacles…
Airport security procedures vary widely and can be positive
features or viewed by some as inconvenient obstacles.
• Are badges required?
• Are gates locked?
• How do guests get access to your hangar?
• Do you consider security there to help secure airplane
or just to keep “terrorists” out?
• Security is typically more extensive at air carrier or urban
airports.
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Which hangar entrance is
more secure…
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Or….

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Fuel Availability
• What kind of fuel does your aircraft need
and it is available on the field?
• Does it get regular turnover or does it sit in
the tanks for 6 months?
• Is the historic pricing good, average, or
really expensive?
www.jasonblair.net

Fuel Availability
• Is it available 24 hours?
• Self Service or Full Service?
• Truck service or taxi to a fuel farm?
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www.jasonblair.net
Local Climate
• Winter – How is their snow removal?
• Hurricanes - How well is the hangar built and will it flood?
• Floods – Yes, some airports are built below flood plains.
• Tornadoes – How well is the hangar built?
• Heat/Dust/Wind Effects

www.jasonblair.net
Local Climate
Snow removal can be a key factor in the utility of the airport at which you
base your aircraft.
• Do your wings/engines (especially on twin engine aircraft) clear all the
banks to and from your hangar from the runway / ramp?
• Does the airport have dedicated equipment?
• Do they clear up to your hangar?
• How soon is snow removed?

www.jasonblair.net
Local Climate
Hurricanes / Tornadoes / Storms
How is the physical construction of the storage structure? Will it stand
up to storms?
Think this one would make it
through a major storm?

www.jasonblair.net
Local Climate
Floods
Do I have to say
anything else?

FBO Services Available
The types of services available
at FBOs for an owner of an
aircraft on the field vary greatly
and can make or break the owners
operational experience.
www.jasonblair.net

FBO Services Available
A few things to consider that may be provided:
• Bathrooms
• Common areas
• Flight planning areas
• Meeting areas
• Training areas
• Rental aircraft in case yours is
down for maintenance
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• Staff to help pull out or put in
aircraft from hangars
• Fueling/service staff
• Rental cars
• 24 hour building access
• Internet

Maintenance Available on Field
Having maintenance on the field can keep you aircraft flying
if anything goes wrong or just get routine yearly maintenance
and inspections completed.
• Are they familiar with your aircraft?
• Certified?
• Respected and reputable?
• Have the proper tools and space to work on your aircraft?
Not all maintenance shops are created equal…
do your homework.
www.jasonblair.net
Click For More
Information about
PAMA
Click For More
Information about
NATA Safety 1st

Hangars and Aircraft Storage Available
I would be remiss if I didn’t discuss types of hangars and aircraft storage
available…and there are a wide variety!
Common Options Include:
• Tie-downs
• Covered parking
• Community hangars
• FBO provided
• T-hangars
• Box hangars
• Hanger-homes
www.jasonblair.net
What level of protection do
you want/need for your
aircraft in consideration
of weather, security, and
other things you may want
to store in your hangar?
Is your plane an ugly
duckling or freshly
repainted to show quality?

Common Options
• Tie-downs
- Cheapest
- Least secure
- Plane in the weather
- No extra storage
- May be temporary options while
waiting for a hangar
www.jasonblair.net

Common Options
• Covered parking
-More protection
- Good idea to still tie aircraft down
- Still not very secure
- Decent protection from hail
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Common Options
- Shared cost of space
- Pretty good protection
- May need to move other aircraft
to get yours out (liability concerns?)
- Probably not able to store other
personal goods in a shared hangar
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Common Options
www.jasonblair.net

www.jasonblair.net

Common Options
• FBO provided
- Community space commonly
- Little ability to store other “gear”
- FBO staff may help with aircraft
movement or may require it
- Good security most of the time
- Hours of operation may limit
when service available
- More costly, but services may be worth the extra cost
www.jasonblair.net

Common Options
• T-hangars
- Common at many airports
- More privacy
- Decent storage area
- May or may not have walls
between space
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Common Options
• Box hangars
- Common at many airports
- More storage space
- May or may not be attached to
other hangars
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Common Options
• Hanger-homes
- Always by your plane
- Easy access and great storage
- Part of an airport community
(unless your own personal air strip)
- All of the upkeep costs are yours
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Common Options
• Hanger-homes
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Some other examples
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Common Options
• Man Caves
Some owners have the fortune of having
the space to make their hangar a real
“man cave”
Check out the Flying Magazine article
on “Pimped Out Hangars” from
June 30, 2014 for some great examples!
www.jasonblair.net

But the first question always has to be….
www.jasonblair.net
Does it fit?
Be sure to measure side to side, front to back, and the tail height at the
door (not the inside of the hangar).
More room is always better to avoid needing to replace wingtips, rotating
beacons, etc.
Many older hangars were designed with less width than
modern aircraft.

Rent, Lease or Own?
Most people rent hangar space, but buying, building, and/or leasing
ground from an airport are all option.
• Renting – Consider hangar lease/rental covenants carefully
• Leasing/Owning – Agreements are widely variant, in some cases
after the lease is terminated the building becomes property of
the “airport”; Is it transferable? Can it be sold?
www.jasonblair.net

Limitations on use or other features?
Can you store other things like boats, cars, etc.?
Can you work on your plane in the hangar?
Can you store fuel?
Is it heated?
www.jasonblair.net

Types of Hangar Doors?
Manual? Electric?
Rising or sliding?
Cables, pulley’s, or roller?
Each has its strengths and weaknesses.
www.jasonblair.net

Other Considerations…
Office space?
Location, Location, Location –
• Are bathrooms nearby?
• Is it in the shade or on the sunny side of the airport?
• What are your neighbors like?
(Does a jet blow Jet A into your hanger every time it leaves?)
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Think your plane would
fit through this door?
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Any problems here?
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Airport Community
The feeling of the overall airport community is a factor that may increase
the pleasure of the experience of locating at a particular airport.
• Do you have friends there?
• Are there similar aircraft there?
• Do tenants at the airport hang around the airport?
• Are there good airport events? (fly-ins, BBQs, Saturday
morning coffee, etc.)
www.jasonblair.net

Airport Community
But community can also be a detriment….
• Who are the other airport users? (airline, military,
corporate, etc)
• Are there any events that would hinder your use
of the airport? (think Oskosh and Sun ‘N Fun)
www.jasonblair.net

www.jasonblair.net
http://www.weirsbeach.com/Largejpgs/weirsseaplanebase.html
Is an airport even
the right place for
you and your
plane?

Proximity to Home
In the end, closeness to home does matter.
If you have more than one airport within a reasonable proximity to
your home, do your homework and find the one that is best going to
allow you to maximize the use of your aircraft and remain in your
budget.
Look at what is a reasonable travelling distance and find the airport
that meets the most requirements you value within that range.
www.jasonblair.net

Thanks for listening!
Questions?
Or find more information at:
www.JasonBlair.net
www.jasonblair.net

Choosing the Right Airport to Call home - Flying Aviation Expo 2014

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Choosing the Right Airport to Call home - Flying Aviation Expo 2014