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USA: Missouri

DeltaRomeo

doug reeves: unfluencer
Staff member
The Gateway Arch is within the Class D for Downtown Parks Bi-State Airport (KCPS) which is just across the river in Illinois. A quick call to the tower usually assures clearance to circle the Arch at your leisure to take in a dramatic view of the downtown St. Louis area. Then, you can land at KCPS and dine with the relatives at Oliver's Restaurant located on the airport. Nice place. http://www.oliversontherunway.com/menu.html

If you prefer a more modest diner/restaurant type experience, try Laurie's at uncontrolled St. Charles County Smartt Field (KSET) several miles NW of KCPS, underneath the Class B for Lambert. Well marked EAA Chapter 32 hangar (I am a member) is next door, and so is the Missouri Wing of the Commemorative Air Force, home to its signature "Show-Me" B-25. http://www.cafmo.org/AircraftGallery/index.html__________________
Rick Galati RV-6A "Darla"
Lake St. Louis, MO.

EAA Technical Counselor
RV-8 wing kit on order
 
Dexter - KDXE

Airways Restaraunt on the field. I always make it a point to stop by if I'm in the area. Highly recommended
 
Dexter, Mo: "The Hickory Log"

N520TX said:
Airways Restaraunt on the field. I always make it a point to stop by if I'm in the area. Highly recommended
Another truly great place to eat when flying to Dexter, Mo. is "The Hickory Log" renowned for serving THE BEST RIBS ON THE PLANET. I've taken orders from friends and family and made many a "rib run" to Dexter to bring back as many as 12 full slabs of ribs that the last time I was there cost little over $10 a slab but that was a few years ago. Call the FBO when several minutes out and ask him to have someone from "The Hickory Log" pick you up. A van will show up to take you to the restaurant in town for a great meal. The staff will gladly give you a tour of their kitchen and pit area where the legendary smoked ribs are produced from very large hogs slaughtered in Iowa. After you are stuffed and ready to leave with your take-out stash of rib slabs, the van will drive you back to the airport. Don't take my word for it...just read these reviews.....
http://tinyurl.com/yat5kv :)
 
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Lambert's in Sikeston, MO

AT Sikeston, MO there is a restaurant called Lambert's - the home of the throwed rolls . I haven't been there in a long time, but they are still there and I'm sure they still have some of the best food available. They are not on the airport, but call unicom about 20 miles out and they will send the van to get you. The last time I was there, the line was really (really) long, but since I flew in, they put us at the front of the line.
I recommend them.

From Rosie: Not only is the food great but pilots get preferred seating and do NOT have to wait in line. I was at the airport with TEAM RV when the van picked us all up, and we were escorted into the restaurant through the exit then seated immediately :D
 
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Short Time Recommendation - Moon River Theater

We went to Branson Friday and Saturday Nov. 3-4, 2006 for a private little celebration and Saturday we went to the Moon River Theater to see the Andy Williams Christmas Show that runs through December 9 only. We have seen two very memorable performances in the past, one at South Lake Tahoe where we saw Dean Martin shortly before he died and one at Las Vegas where we saw Sanny Davis Jr. shortly defore he died. I could not help but recall these when We saw Andy Williams last night - what a wonderful show he put on. So sincere and so well done. If you have the opportunity I recommend seeing this - this year - it is special. I googled "Branson Shows" or "Branson, MO, Shows" and ordered the tickets on line. I also ordered tickets for Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede which was one of the worst dining experiences in my life except for the food poisoning I got in Russia in September.

Bob Axsom
 
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Bob Axsom said:
We went to Branson.......
Bob,

Where did you land? Many years ago I landed at KPLK and at the time there was a fee. If it was KPLK, can you describe and rate the airport and its services for us? Even though KPLK is practically off the main strip in Branson, how did you get to attractions such as the Moon River Theatre?
 
It is reasonable

Hi Rick,

This past weekend I had to drive because of the TFR but I flew over there earlier and checked on the rates and rental car availability. I landed at Point Lookout; Clark-Taney Co (PLK) airport as you mentioned. The overnight fee was $6 and the Avis rental cars are available in the building at the airport. The phone number I have for the FBO and rental cars is 417-334-4945.

Bob Axsom
 
Branson

Thanks Bob for the info. Just so happens we were in Branson this past weekend. Took my two best girls, my wife and Mom. We drove up from Houston on Friday, saw Andy Williams' Christmas Show (We were sitting in the 5th row and Mom was hovering on cloud 9) on Saturday afternoon, then drove back on Sunday. 24 hrs driving in 3 days... not recommended! Next time we fly. The 10 will be finished and we will fly in style next trip. I'd recommend the College of the Ozarks for a great dining experience. Lunch or dinner. Students work their way thru school. No tuition. The food is great, the desserts are outstanding and the atmosphere is very relaxed. No crowds, no noise, no food poisoning.......

Bill Gipson
RV-10
Conroe, Texas
 
Branson

I hope to fly in this week to PLK, we are planning on arriving Friday morning and leaving on Sunday. Usually we drive but this will be our first long range flight. I will probly look into the food at the college. It is real close to the airport if I rember right. Shows ? problely the Presleys. Never have seen a real bad show yet

Jim
RV-6
 
St Louis area?

Looks like the bride and I need to make an unscheduled business trip tomorrow and Monday to St Louis.

Any suggestions in that area to take her on Sunday? Antique town? Cigar shops? (OK that one is kinda for me)

Good eats?

Thanks
 
Arch Visit

Hello,

Kate just did a school report on the Gateway Arch, and would like to see it in person. It looks to be only a few hours by RV from Minne. KCPS looks to be the airport to use, unless the local advice says otherwise.

Some questions:

- Is public transportation available to the monument from KCPS?

- Recommedations for places to eat near the Arch

- Can we fly down the river from the north to Arch to get pictures (search of old messages seems to indicate yes)

- Any gotchas we need to be aware of flying near the arch?

- Suggestions for gas cheaper than $6 in the area or to the north

Thanks for any help!!
 
St Louis Answers

Hello,

Some questions:

- Is public transportation available to the monument from KCPS?

- Recommedations for places to eat near the Arch

- Can we fly down the river from the north to Arch to get pictures (search of old messages seems to indicate yes)

- Any gotchas we need to be aware of flying near the arch?

- Suggestions for gas cheaper than $6 in the area or to the north

Thanks for any help!!

Yes there is Bi-State buses that run from STL Downtown (CPS) to the Arc.

Just one block north of the Arch grounds is Lacledes Landing that has a dozen resturaunts, hotels, bars, and a casino.

Yes you can fly down the river but to fly past the Arch you will need to contact CPS as you will be entering their Class D just as you fly past, heading south. Also you are under Lambert's Class B so watch your altitude.

Cheapest gas in the area is usually at the CAF pump at Smartt (KSET) around on the North west side of the city.

I am located at Creve Coeur (1H0) to the west. We have a few RV that come in every weekend and a few on the field. Creve Coeur is know for antique aircraft and has a Historic Aircraft Restoration Museum. It has been written up in the Air & Space magazine as well as other publication. Many planes have won awards at OSH.
 
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Thanks Phil

Great info! We'll look for a nice day to come down. I spent several years working in STL while in college, and it remains one of my favorite places.
 
Also Pete, the Greater St Louis Air and Space Museum is located at CPS. I forgot the web address, but go to www.stlouisdowntownairport.com and it will take you there. The CPS FBO for light aircrft is IDEAL Aviation, located on the West Ramp and next door to te Museum. The FBO for the big guy's (and I mean big) is JET.

Larry
 
I thought there was a 3 mile TFR around the arch?? I've seen it on graffic displays a few times??????????

Talking to CPS or STL apch may get you a pass into it.

Not sure so check it out.

I love low and slow watching the barges on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers while you're there.

Fuels expensive at CPS but great place to start a downtown St Louis day. I've only parked at Ideal Aviation and they've always be great, other place may be fine too but Ideal's very friendly.

Edit: TFR isn't shown at AOPA's site at this time??? Just be careful and have fun, great city.
 
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I thought there was a 3 mile TFR around the arch??.............. Edit: TFR isn't shown at AOPA's site at this time??? Just be careful and have fun, great city.
There is no TFR around the Gateway Arch. I routinely fly passengers on an aerial tour of the Arch and all you have to do remain clear of the STL Class B and contact the CPS tower with your intentions as you approach their airspace. The only time a TFR normally effects the Arch is during political visits OR if the nearby ballpark is full of people. Naturally, the transient pilot cannot be expected to know the baseball Cardinal schedule so if that were the case, CPS tower would tell you to remain clear, a TFR is in effect yada yada yada. Since you are going to contact FSS for a routine briefing anyway, I would think any unexpected TFR's would be covered....if you ask.
 
Kansas City and Independence

We flew to Lee's Summit on Friday and picked up a Hertz at this "no Tower outside KC Class B" airport. Very friendly people and rerasonable fuel price ($3.94/gal 10/31/08) but the tiedown fee was very high $10/night single engine.

We stayed in the Best western in Independence for something in the low $50/night average ($47+ two nights and $55+ two nights) price range King size bed no smoking room. The first day we visited the Hallmark Card Visitor Center off of Grand Ave. Then we visited the WWI memorial and finally we went to the KC downtown airport and visited the Airline History Museum. We were done in by that time and called it a day at the Herferd House restaurant in Independence. Sunday we visited the Thomas Hart Benton Home and Studio State Historical Site then went to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and again we were exhaustedas closing time approached and we had only gone through one building (the Nelson-Atkins Building - we never got to the Bloch Building). That night we had dinner in V's Italian Restaurant of of I-70 exit 11 in Independence - TOO SPICEY - sleepless night. On Monday we stayed in Independence and visited the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum. I went from 8 years old to 16 while he was president and I must say I underappreciated him - it was very well done.

We planned to visit the Money Museum at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, the Harley-Davidson motorcycle assembly plant, the Arabia Steamboat Museum and others but there simply wasn't time. The facility that most surprised us was the World War One (WWI) Museum and the Liberty Memorial dedicated in 1921. The was such a high quality memorial and Museum that I cannot do it justice with my description. They simply do not make buildings and monuments like that anymore. The forces that led to the war and every month of the war from the beginning 1914 through April of 1917 when the United States entered the war until its end in 1918 are fully covered.

Bob Axsom
 
Bob,

Nice KC write up. My Dad proposed to my Mom at the WW l memorial. KC does have some undiscovered places that you found.
 
Visiting KC

Bob,
Glad you enjoyed your visit to KC-our visitors are always surprised at the variety of things to see and do in the area. The WWI museum is one of my favorites (and admission is always free for Active Duty/Retired Military)-truly a world class attraction.

Give me or Keith Schult a shout before your next visit and we'll do our best to find an overnight hanger space for your plane in one of EAA Chapter 91's three hangers. Our chapter has hosted numerous visitors over the past year and is always happy to help.

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=32911&highlight=lees+summit

Mike
 
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Creve Coeur, MO.

Creve Couer airport in general and its airport museum in particular is a must, must see for any aviation enthusiast!

3515n49.jpg

The website linked below is out of date and merely hints at what you will discover among the various aircraft on display. Creve Coeur airport is located very close to Lambert St. Louis International Airport so when flying in, you must pay particular attention to avoid the Class B airspace. Basically, if you stay well below 1700' MSL and remain west of Creve Couer lake at all times, you'll be fine. Choose to land on a long smooth ribbon of concrete or a well maintained length of turf.

http://www.historicaircraftrestorationmuseum.org/display_aircraft.htm

With its close proximity to tony suburbs, many interesting and obviously upscale aircraft owners are in residence at 1H0 and proudly trick out personally owned and highly individualized hangars. A number of desirable aircraft including rare warbirds call 1H0 home. But that is just the beginning. Yesterday, during a refueling stop ($4.23 per gallon) and hot coffee break between tail-wheel transition training sessions in my friend Roger's Citabria, I had a chance encounter with airport owner Al Stix. Known to one another for many years, Roger introduced us. Although the museum collection housed in three large hangars was closed, Al invited me to join him for a one-on-one walk-through tour while Roger remained in the pilot's lounge enjoying his coffee. So unassuming was Al's demeanor as we walked and talked, I had no hint of what I was about to experience. As Al unlocked and opened the first of three large hangars, I was simply dumbfounded by what I saw inside. All three hangars are absolutely stuffed so full of vintage and many one-of-a kind historic aircraft that you literally have to thread your way around the aircraft via narrow walkways carved out of the remaining floor space. Almost everything on display is airworthy. Turns out, Al knew legendary Hollywood pilot Frank Talman. An airplane used in the 1964 movie "The Carpetbaggers" was parked inside the first hangar he opened. Al then told me his favorite airplane movie of all time is "The Great Waldo Pepper." As I responded by mimicking Waldo's toothy "Hello good people!" greeting, Al pointed me toward the Curtiss Jenny Robert Redford actually "flew" in the film. Al pointed out technical details such as the locations of the hardware points the on-board film cameras were bolted to. As an experienced Jenny pilot, Al admitted it took exceptional talent for the actual movie pilot to keep the aircraft stable during the dramatic wing walking sequences. All three hangars are filled with priceless treasure. Included in the collection is an open cockpit monoplane, a design that Charles Lindberg's famous "Spirit of St. Louis" was largely based upon and one look at it makes it very clear how Ryan was able to produce its most famous airplane in about 90 days. I spied a huge Antonov AN-2 the world's largest single engine bi-plane residing in one corner of one hangar. A DeHavilland D.H.89 Dragon Rapide also shares hangar space. Now I ask you...is that Rapide an exotic airplane or what? I could go on and on and on......

200wyrr.jpg

As I thanked Al for the impromptu and very impressive personal tour, my visit took yet another unexpected turn. Some of you may remember the late Ken Kotik. A well known aviation artist, his work often appeared in aviation publications and his varied accomplishments include a remarkable and award winning L-4 restoration honored at AirVenture 2003. Overhearing my conversation with Al, Dorothy Kotik, Ken's wife of 38 years happened to be sitting in the pilot's lounge and she graciously invited Roger and I to tour the hangar space she and Ken created together. One was immediately struck by the "homey" feeling of their hangar right down to the tasteful paver brick treatment completely covering the concrete floor. The hangar includes an elevated all weather apartment and separate office/shop workspaces. Much of Ken's stunning original art work cover the hangar walls. The beloved L-4 shares floor space with a Fokker Triplane project Ken started and Dorothy vows to complete someday. After talking to her, I have no doubt she eventually will. I told you lots of interesting people call Creve Coeur home!

21mccpl.jpg

I am told that weather permitting, on Sunday's year round Al hosts a BBQ lunch starting at 12:00 P.M. sharp. According to the locals I talked to, Al never lets on as to what he is going to prepare on any given Sunday. It could be chicken, beef, or pork. Hamburgers or spare ribs, you just never know. I'll tell you this much....Al Stix certainly knows how to run a classy airport!
 
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1H0

Thanks Rick for that great post. I am located on the field in hanger G1 (in the picture, second row from the bottom far left with bright white roof) and was going to do a write up but never got around to it. I often forget how lucky I am being located on this field.

We have a P-51, SkyRaider, 10 or so Stearman, worlds largest collection of Wacos (around 20), worlds largest number of Monocoupes (around 8), half dozen T-6, and the list goes on. The airport is sort of weak on Experimentals as there are only 3-4 RVs on the field. The field host the yearly Waco Fly-in every June and the Bi-yearly Monocoupe Fly-in every other Sept.

If you come on a weekend with nice weather everyone has there hangers open and you can walk around the airport looking at all the projects going on in the hangers.
 
Creve Coeur - its definitely a great place to visit

My sister-in-law lives nearby in Ballwin so when we are in the area I stop by and bum around the airport. I haven't been in the museum hangars but have walked around looking in the regular ( if you can call some of them that) hangars if there're open. A gentleman let me look at his Stearman painted in Navy trainer colors once. He was in the process of restoring a WWII Willys Jeep. There are alot of nice pre and post WW II planes on the field. I believe all the hangars are privately owned.

The one down side to the field is it lays close to the rivers which can flood when extreme rain conditions exist.

This is also the closest airport to the infamous CozyGirrrls (St Charles) who I have visited numerous times before I started my RV build. Hopefully my 9A will be done and I can go up for their first flight.
 
1HO

Back in the mid 90's when I still lived in St Louis I had the middle front row hanger. RV4 in the hanger sitting out front in a lawn chair with a beverage of choice watching the crazy Russian fly the Sukhio off of the old 20' wide runway still makes me smile. I got my tail wheel endorsement at that turf strip, also did my aerobatic training about 10 miles from 1HO. Good times!
 
JEF - Jefferson City - Nick's Family Dining

We took a flight today to Jefferson City, MO to check out Nick's Family Dining. We arrived later because we heard Sunday lunch crowd is big and it was still packed at 1pm. This place is famous for fried chicken and pan fried country ham. The food was good, but it wasn't outstanding. I would say 3 of 5 stars. The FBO was helpful and they had very nice facilities.

CJ
 
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