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Looking for RON base

Joe

Well Known Member
The trouble with building an extra day into a cross-country plan is what to do with the extra day when everything goes as planned :) But it's the kind of trouble I prefer over being pressed for time.

We need to find a place to RON tomorrow (Wednesday) before flying from Bridgeport, CT to Albany, NY. The ideal RON base would be a smaller airport with easy access to overnight accommodations (airport car, Lyft, or walk-able to town). Location would be in eastern NY, western MA, southern Vermont, or even southern NH.

I'm a long way from home and not familiar. Can anyone suggest an airport for tomorrow's flight.

Thanks,
Joe
 
Gotcha. Thanks.

Well you could land in Pittsfield Ma. Western Border of Ma. KPSF. Airport about 2 miles from the center of Pittsfield so easy access to hotels etc.

Also Pittsfield is ideally located at the pass in the Mountains that gets you to Albany. I overfly KPSF on my way to Syracuse from Beverly, Ma. I usually switch tanks right over KPSF.

Take off, trundle South for about 8 miles or so pick up I-90 and hang a right. Or forget I-90 and just head South west for a mile or two then northeast to Albany.

Fairly close to Stockbridge and the Norman Rockwell Museum. And there's the Hancock Shaker village not far from there.

Very picturesque area.
 
Thanks. I looked up KPSF on airnav.com and one comment mentioned a landing fee and another said there was no courtesy car. So still looking ...

Anyone have firsthand experience with Great Barrington, Columbia County, or South Albany with respect to an easy RON? I found them to look reasonable on airnav.com but would prefer to hear real-world experiences.
 
RON

North Adams AQW would be excellent for access to motels and restaurants, several choices within walking distance. Courtesy cars are pretty rare except at big city FBO's.
 
Thanks. I looked up KPSF on airnav.com and one comment mentioned a landing fee and another said there was no courtesy car. So still looking ...

Anyone have firsthand experience with Great Barrington, Columbia County, or South Albany with respect to an easy RON? I found them to look reasonable on airnav.com but would prefer to hear real-world experiences.

Joe, The landing fee was next to "INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS".

Oregon is a long ways away but I don't think you've seceded yet ;)

You mentioned Lyft in addition to airport car so it didn't seem as if no airport car was a show stopper. As I say the center fo town is 2 miles away so even a taxi wouldn't cost that much.
 
Check out 7B3 Hampton airfield. Very quaint, food on field, and right in town.

I believe there are upcoming TFR's on Hampton

NOTAM FDC 9/8560

A NOTAM has been published that will affect flight in the area during President Trump's planned visit.

Affected Public Use Airports

KMHT Manchester Airport
KASH Boire Field
KCON Concord Municipal Airport
KLWM Lawrence Municipal Airport
8B1 Hawthorne-Feather Airpark
KAFN Jaffrey Airport-Silver Ranch


7B3 Hampton Airfield
KFIT Fitchburg Municipal Airport
KPSM Portsmouth International At Pease Airport
2B2 Plum Island Airport
KDAW Skyhaven Airport
 
North Adams AQW would be excellent for access to motels and restaurants, several choices within walking distance. Courtesy cars are pretty rare except at big city FBO's.

I know it?s thread drift, but I?ve found courtesy cars at small, single-runway airports in TX, OK, KY, TN, OH, LA, WI, MS, ...

I try to add that data to the Comments section (or sometimes FBO Comments) in ForeFlight. Sometimes they are ragged, old police cars, and sometime pretty nice. Occasionally they are parked out back, and the key is hanging on the wall with a clipboard, and the CTAF opens the FBO door, 24/7.

My 2018 Osh trip was over 3 weeks with many nights in FBO recliners or sofas. With a car, fridge, uwave, and a recliner chair I?m set to wait out weather, an hour or day(s).

After Osh19 I flew to Green Bay. I called ahead and FBO said free courtesy car and waive $40 landing/handling fee with ANY fuel purchase. Flew over with full tanks, bought 3.2 gallons, and got the car to chase breakfast and no extra fee!

Carl
..
 
".....and waive $40 landing/handling fee with ANY fuel purchase."

Yes I find that those fees go away when you buy fuel. Not always "any" amount of fuel in my experience, but not an unreasonable amount.
 
Great Barrington, MA (GBR)

... firsthand experience with Great Barrington...
Answering my own question here: landed GBR this morning after an easy 0.6 hour flight from Bridgeport, CT. Fairly steep approach on runway 11 but nothing the RV with a CS prop couldn't make easy work of. Back taxied on the runway and parked on the grass (decent surface). Nice friendly place with a surprisingly large amount of G.A. activity. We enjoyed sitting in Adirondack chairs for a bit watching operations. $15/night tiedown fee.

"Joe" from the FBO gave us a lift to town (2 mi.) and we're set up in the Days Inn within walking distance to everything in the downtown area. Highly recommended.
--
Joe
 
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