Thomas Tupling hopes to prevent the closure of Mansfield Airport (8W3) in north central Washington state by rallying the support of others.

“I was born and raised in Mansfield and the airport has always been there,” Tupling said. “Once something is gone, it’s never coming back as Mansfield learned with the railroad.

• READ MORE: Getting Spring Creek Airpark Back on the Charts

The sounds of the airplanes buzzing around the town of Mansfield is a sound probably as prominent as the sounds of Celilo Falls, and one day it was just quiet. The sounds were never heard again. I was in my yard last weekend, and I could hear the planes buzzing around. I thought that could be the last of the airplanes in Mansfield.”

Like many other airports across the country, low or dwindling aircraft operations are a factor in being on the chopping block. The Chelan Douglas Regional Port Authority (CDRPA), the airport’s owner and operator, is considering its future.

This is not the first time the CDRPA has conducted this exercise. In fall 2022 it was reported that the future of the airport was in question.

Jim Kuntz, CEO of the CDRPA, provided Virtower data from July 15, 2022, through July 31, 2024. On average there have been shy of 10 total operations (takeoffs and landings) each month. April 2023 was the busiest month during the noted observation time frame, tallying 32 operations.

Despite historically low operations, Tupling feels that the airport’s closure would have a negative impact on his community. There are a handful of things to do in Mansfield that would entice pilots to visit.

• READ MORE: Ottawa Executive Airport Sets Sights on Future Growth

“Mansfield is a small community of around 314 residents,” he said. “We have no crime and it’s sunny here all year-round. So, it’s beautiful to fly around here and visit. Growing up, I remember people flying here just to eat lunch downtown, which is only a short walk from the airport. People would fly in from Oregon, Idaho, and elsewhere to fly fish at Grimes Lake, where there are landlocked salmon, or other lakes and rivers nearby. There were also airplane poker runs that would visit the airport here, when I was a kid.”

If the airport continues to operate, there are some capital improvements that would be needed to be completed in the near future.

“A final decision on Mansfield Airport has not been made by the [CDRPA],” Kuntz said. “The challenge remains the lack of airplane activity. The policy question is should taxpayers’ funds continue to subsidize the airport with very little use. Should taxpayers invest a large sum of capital dollars to undertake needed capital projects at the airport, such as repaving [the runway]?”

There are no hangars at the airport, and if there were some, it’s possible traffic could increase. Tupling has formally explored this theory, polling local pilots to understand their desire to keep their aircraft at Mansfield Airport.

• READ MORE: Flying to the Finger Lakes

“I have reached out to a lot of agencies and private pilots,” Tupling said. “It’s another bureaucratic situation of the chicken or the egg. The flights are done substantially, but the airport is currently in bad condition from the lack of maintenance and upkeep. The [CDRPA] has a different goal than the taxpayers of the upper plateau, but I do understand they have a budget to protect as well. The port has verbally stated if the airport is closed, they would work with the taxpayers to utilize the land in the most productive way supported by a feasibility study.”

There are nine leased sites allocated on airport land, which may be an attractive option for pilots to build their own hangars.  

The Chelan Douglas Regional Port Authority expects to have a decision related to the airport’s future by the end of the year. For Tupling and others interested in the runway’s continued existence, the hope is that the next headline is not “Mansfield Airport Closes.”

The post One Man’s Rally to Keep an Airstrip Alive appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

According to Reuters, the audit will evaluate each airport’s risks, identify potential issues with procedures and equipment, and make recommendations to improve safety. FAA’s Air Traffic Safety Oversight Service is conducting the review and expects to complete it by early 2025.

The agency’s study is partly in response to recommendations made in November 2023 by an independent aviation review team, which called for urgent actions to enhance safety after several close calls involving passenger jets.

As recently as September, a controller cleared a Southwest Airlines plane to cross a runway just seconds before another controller cleared an Alaska Airlines jet to take off. The Alaska aircraft was forced to abort its takeoff to prevent a collision from occurring, narrowly averting disaster.

These incidents have raised concerns among aviation stakeholders and agencies like the National Transportation Safety Board, which is currently investigating multiple close calls. Meanwhile, the FAA says it is in the process of implementing new surface-awareness technologies at airports around the country to further enhance safety and mitigate incursion incidents.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

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“We bought our lake house with our best friends in 2019 but have been going down there [Dale Hollow Lake] since 2017. There was no phone service there, and we didn’t even know that the [Spring Creek Airpark (7KY4) in Albany, Kentucky] runway was a runway at all when we first started visiting,” Barnes said.

“I’ll never forget the time that we pulled onto the runway, which we thought was a large asphalt area/road for the houses, because that’s how we would get to our road and driveway with our boats. There was a massive airplane that had just landed.”

Seeing the Pilatus PC-12 was inspiration for Barnes, an entrepreneur in the healthcare industry, for what her future could look like. The time savings of general aviation were a significant catalyst for her journey into the skies. 

“Since we were going down to the lake every weekend in the summer and it’s a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Bardstown, Kentucky, one way, I told my husband that I was going to learn how to fly,” she said. “Literally the next Monday, I went up to Cardinal Wings Aviation in Louisville and started taking flying lessons.”

Barnes is the first to admit that it took a while to get warmed up to flying in a single engine piston. But she earned her private pilot certificate in nine months and then completed her instrument training shortly thereafter. Around this time, she purchased a 1977 Beechcraft A36 Bonanza.

“When we bought the runway in 2021, we knew it was in some sort of bad escrow and there’s a lot of history with the airport,” she said. “[Prior to us] there were several other owners, and at one point it received federal funding. That was the last time it was paved, in the early 2000s. Something must have happened, because the state took the airport over. And in November 2021, the master commissioner in Albany, Kentucky, partnered with an auction company and auctioned the runway and several other bad status lots off.”

The future of the runway hung in the balance. Would it continue to operate following the well-attended auction had bidders fighting over the property that was within walking distance of a large lake that straddles the Kentucky/Tennessee border? 

“Whenever I found out that the airport was going to come up for sale, I was like, ‘Oh, I did not just go through this entire flight training process and bought an airplane for someone to buy this runway,’” Barnes said.

She and her neighbor, the owner of the PC-12, decided to team up and buy the runway together. Their plans hit turbulence early on, though. 

“Everything was going great the day of the auction, and the auctioneer left the runway to be purchased last,” she said. “So, we sat together the whole day waiting on the runway to go. And there was this young guy sitting at the front who we had never seen before. He was bidding and buying everything, and I knew he was going to be competition.

“I’ll never forget when we started bidding on the runway, because my number was 44, which was great because four is my lucky number. I was ecstatic and knew we were going to get this. But that guy was still bidding against us, so I yelled at him, asking him what he was doing. He said he was a pilot and I told him that we were, too.”

The heckling worked, as he walked back to join the fellow aviators mid-auction. After a quick exchange of pleasantries, the duo became a trio. An LLC was formed shortly after the purchase, of which all three pilots are equal partners. 

“But then, that is when the drama started,” Barnes said. “We were told at the auction that the parcel we were purchasing was the whole thing. But we didn’t know that the runway, when it was built in the 1980s, was actually only 2,200 feet long. So, we only got that much of the 3,300-foot-long runway and were told that the other piece of land had been bought that day and was for sale [at an asking price of twice what the other portion of runway was purchased for].”

After some back and forth, they settled on a mutually agreeable number. Then they learned that another acquisition was needed in order to add the last 300 feet of the runway. This final 5 acres was tied up in a 50-acre parcel that was also sold that day. 

“A year or so after the auction, the gentleman heard that we were ready to buy the last piece of property we needed,” she said. “All said and done, we have bought the runway for a very decent price. The airport is truly making a comeback, and I am excited to see what the next five or 10 years hold because it has so much potential.”

Hoping that the runway wasn’t turned over to a party unwelcoming to aviation, she wanted the other auctioned property to be purchased by pilots.

“There are about 10 of us right now that use the airport regularly during the summer,” she said. “And it’s definitely coming back as an aviation place because I actually had several lots that I purchased with the runway and sold them to people that were in aviation. That was the goal, since I did not want to sell the lots to someone who would just put a camper or a house on them. Two of the lots are going to have four hangars with apartments above them and the other .9 acres is currently for sale.” 

Now that the dust has settled from the whirlwind of activity required to piece together three properties, the group can properly think about the future of Spring Creek Airport. Their main goal recently has been to get the airport back on the charts as a private facility.

“It took me a while to get in contact with the right departments [at the FAA] to help me start the process of getting the airport back on the charts,” she said. “Once the application was complete, the next part was the hardest part for me, which was being patient. [After] the application was submitted for about a year and no contact from the FAA, I got an email contact from the representative who was working my case. Once we got in contact, and it was on his priority list, the process moved quicker, and it was on the charts five months later. As of the navigation cycle that was updated on September 5, the airport is officially back on the sectional as 7KY4.”

Barnes and the other owners are exploring the possibility of receiving state or federal discretionary funds to invest in the airport’s infrastructure. 

“The runway needs to be repaved, that’s for sure,” she said. “There are a lot of avenues that I want to explore to see what we potentially could get before we go investing a lot of money. We got a quote from an asphalt company to see what it would cost to repave the runway, and we are looking at anywhere from $500,000 to $700,000. With the airport the way it is, that’s not something that me and the partners want to invest in until it’s no longer usable. Then that’s something that we’re going to have to talk about more.”

The post Getting Spring Creek Airpark Back on the Charts appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

According to The FAA National Airspace System status webpage, 11 airports remained closed to commercial traffic Thursday, with most requiring prior permission (PPR) for emergency and relief aircraft.

Airport maintenance crews throughout the Sunshine State inspected facilities for damage, as did the FAA.

• READ MORE: Here’s How the FAA Prepares Year-Round for Hurricanes 

Tampa International Airport (KTPA) remained closed midday Thursday, but said it would soon announce its plans to resume flights? “The TPA team is hard at work assessing and cleaning up the damage left in Hurricane Milton’s wake. We remain closed at this time and are working toward sharing reopening plans later today,” it said.

CLEANUP UNDERWAY: The TPA team is hard at work assessing and cleaning up the damage left in Hurricane Milton’s wake. We remain closed at this time and are working toward sharing reopening plans later today. Stay tuned to our social media for the latest updates. pic.twitter.com/A8KSk25NyS

— Tampa International Airport (@FlyTPA) October 10, 2024

Daytona Beach International Airport, which closed to commercial flights Wednesday morning, said its reopening on Friday would be determined after post-storm inspections. 

At least one Florida airport reported damage. Melbourne Orlando International Airport (KMLB) lost a 30-by-40-foot section of roof and part of a skylight in its center terminal, USA Today reported. The airport was closed at the time and no injuries were reported.

• READ MORE: ‘Hurricane Hunters’ Fly Into the Eye of Hurricane Milton

According to the National Hurricane Center, the remnants of Milton continued to pose a risk as the storm moved offshore. “A storm surge warning remains in effect for portions of the east coast of Florida and southern coast of Georgia,” as the risk of “considerable urban flooding” lingered across the east central portion of the state, it said at 11 a.m. EST. 

The post Florida Airports Assess Hurricane Milton Damage appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Major airports throughout the state have halted operations completely, including Tampa International Airport (KTPA), which shut down on Tuesday morning. Orlando International Airport (KMCO) remains open but has paused all commercial operations.

Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (KSRQ) also closed on Tuesday afternoon.

‘Batten Down the Hatches’

Tampa is among the cities set to be hit the hardest by Milton. The city’s main airport—Florida’s fourth busiest—shut down early to prepare facilities for the storm. John Tiliacos, the airport’s executive vice president of airport operations, said this process takes up to 24 hours.

“Our team has been planning and executing all of the preparation that we need to take for Hurricane Milton’s arrival,” Tiliacos said during a press conference.

In a Facebook post, the airport said its team has been working around the clock to “batten down the hatches.” The airport has 58 jet bridges, each of which needs to be chained down, which can take around an hour each to complete.

Aircraft and other airfield equipment also need to be secured in advance of the storm.

“Tampa International Airport is extremely close to Tampa Bay and storm surge and flooding are a top concern for us.…If you consider that we may potentially face 10 to 15 feet of storm surge, we are talking about a lot of water that will find its way onto the airport,” Tiliacos said.

The airport said it will reopen after a damage assessment is conducted.

Roughly 85 miles away, Orlando International Airport says it is also preparing for the storm, securing jet bridges and sand-bagging doors.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AirlineGeeks.com.

The post How Airports Are Preparing for Hurricane Milton appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

According to the agency, the Joint Crisis Action Team at the FAA Command Center oversees and coordinates planning before a storm hits as well during the aftermath and cleanup.

• READ MORE: Hurricane Milton Triggers Florida Airport Closures

The responsibility includes helping prioritize activities in the affected airspace and getting the needed resources to the areas hit hardest.

This was demonstrated recently following Hurricane Helene, when roads and bridges were damaged and left impassable by debris, leaving air travel as the only option to get needed emergency help to devastated areas in parts of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

When it becomes likely that a storm will strike FAA facilities, the agency covers equipment inside buildings to protect it in the event the roof or windows leak or are torn away. Airport surveillance radar antennas are also disabled to allow them to spin freely to minimize storm damage to the internal motors.

• READ MORE: ‘Hurricane Hunters’ Fly Into the Eye of Hurricane Milton

The agency said that long-range traffic radars and FAA control towers built in prone areas are designed to sustain hurricane-force winds. When the winds reach this level, controllers are evacuated from the tower to a shelter in a lower level of the building. The agency said they stay on duty and return to the tower as soon as a storm passes and it is determined safe to do so.

The FAA has backup generators and fuel for them standing by in case they are needed in the event of commercial power outages. These generators are tested prior to a storm arrival. In addition, the agency has teams of technicians staged just outside the eye of the storm and ready to make necessary repairs to get services restored as soon as possible.

• READ MORE: Military Evacuates Aircraft Ahead of Hurricane Milton Landfall

After a storm has passed, the FAA Command Center works with both federal and state authorities to facilitate relief efforts and coordinate temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) and Notice to Air Missions (NOTAMs) to keep pilots apprised of the situation.

The post Here’s How the FAA Prepares Year-Round for Hurricanes appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

It wasn’t always, though. The airport dates back to 1990, when Randy Pugh graded the first runway onto a section of recently acquired farmland.

“Everybody asks that question. Why in the heck did you build an airport?” Pugh said. “I was young and wanted my own place. That’s how it started out, and it just snowballed from that. I actually had two other partners when we started the airport originally. Both are gone now, but we really just wanted a place of our own. So, we bought a 240-acre farm and started to figure out how we’d get a runway.”

Creating the runway, as well as adding roads and utilities, required a significant amount of work that he has shared with his wife, Gail. Their son Brad is now the airport’s primary caretaker and majority owner. Pugh has two partners, Bryan Redder and Mike Koetje.

The airport features a flight school, several rows of hangars, an on-site aviation medical examiner (AME) at Ottawa Executive, and 26 residences have direct taxiway access.

“After we built the runway, everybody that we knew in the aviation community all wanted a piece for themselves,” Randy Pugh said. “We thought that since we had already built the runway, maybe we would sell them a lot. That’s how the airpark started. I was in the construction business and built homes my whole life, so this really fit into my wheelhouse. I would sell lots, then build the homes and develop the airport as we went along.”

The first 10 lots sold quickly, with the remaining later acquired by aviators sporadically in the years since.

“I am a pilot, my husband is a pilot, and many of the others here are pilots, which is one of the reasons that we moved here,” said Linda Walker, who has lived at the airpark with her husband, John, since 2021. “After we retired, we decided to live the dream by living with our airplane [a Piper Arrow] and fortunately found the perfect place to live.”

The airpark, which is in a town of about 5,000 residents located about 30 minutes outside of Grand Rapids, Michigan, is also a short drive from the sandy coastline of Lake Michigan.

“We had previously come to visit the area to see friends and had known about the airpark,” Walker said. “So, when we decided to retire to an airpark, this one was in front of our minds, and it was a perfect fit.”

According to Walker, living at the airport’s executive estates has been an experience that has been better than they could have ever imagined.

“Having a large, attached hangar and garage allows us to keep all our ‘toys’ (plane, cars, and boat) right at home in one place,” she said. “We love being able to walk into our hangar and go flying at any time without driving to an airport. Where we lived previously, we had to drive 45 minutes one way to the airport to go flying. We also enjoy the camaraderie of our pilot neighbors and love watching planes take off and land right from our home.”

Phil Cook has firsthand experience with both the residential and commercial sides of the airport. He moved to Ottawa Executive in 2016, which ultimately led him to pursuing an unexpectedly early career change.

“Well, it just happened by happenstance actually,” Cook said. “We built our house out here and moved in eight years ago. It wasn’t long [after] living here at the airpark that I became a part of several aircraft partnerships, which led me to getting more involved with the airport. That’s when [Randy Pugh] asked me if I might consider taking over the flight school.”

In August, the business celebrated its sixth year under Cook’s leadership, and he was able to recently retire from his former career as a technology consultant to focus on the flight school full time.

“I had always thought that I may become a flight instructor as a retirement job one of these days, way in the future,” Cook said. “But with this opportunity that was presented to me, I leased the airplane from the current flight school and the airport and it kind of grew from there. Now, we have six instructors and seven aircraft: everything from a Cessna 150 to a Liberty XL-2 to a Twin Comanche. We also have contracted with a local instructor for seaplane training as well.”

The airport is poised well for the future. All residential lots are spoken for, but there is growth at the south end of the field. According to Brad Pugh, this activity positions the airport well for the coming decades.

“We are working on a lot of different stuff right now,” he said. “We have an RNAV approach coming soon that we have been working on for three years. And we just upgraded the runway lights, got a PAPI system put in, and remodeled the FBO.”

The airport currently has a 3,800-by-60-foot  asphalt runway with pilot-controlled lighting. There are currently 36 hangars at the airport.

“We do have room to build more hangars and hope to in the future, we will also offer a land lease option,” Brad Pugh said. “We just broke ground on another phase of the airport where we are developing an area to sell lots and allow people to build and own their hangars. We currently have the site prepped and are in permits for the first units.

“We are also looking at the runway. It’s going to need to be resurfaced in the next five to eight years, so we are also looking at maybe even lengthening it. We are constantly looking at different avenues to improve the airport.”

The post Ottawa Executive Airport Sets Sights on Future Growth appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Perhaps it is because so many associate the place with old Hollywood of the 1930s, a period when Palm Springs became a popular getaway for celebrities seeking privacy. Or is it the connection with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and the rest of the hard-partying “Rat Pack” of the early 1960s, and that group’s now-quaint-and-cringy exploits?

Either way, those who consider it simply an archaeological site for mid-century modern aficionados are missing out.

The city has in fact moved with the times and is full of unique, engaging activities and attractions, from the visual and performing arts to biking, hiking, house tours and more. Having traveled there alone on business and with my family of four, I am confident most would find it a rewarding destination.

The experience can be especially rewarding if you are a pilot arriving in your own aircraft.

The Approach

There is a lot to see as you near Palm Springs. Coming from any direction, you will notice the changing terrain and start picking up landmarks. This phase of the flight is thrilling, and pilots have to remain vigilant and avoid distraction.

As you fly from the east, the vast, desolate high desert gives way to more varied landscapes that might look vaguely familiar. Soon you realize you are over Joshua Tree National Park, whose area is roughly split between the Mojave and Sonoran deserts.

• READ MORE: Thomas Jefferson Certainly Left His Mark on Charlottesville

The park’s elevation ranges from a few hundred feet to about 5,800 at the peak of Quail Mountain, but much of it is above 4,000 feet, so most pilots will start heading downhill toward the airport as soon as they clear the park. At this point you are likely to spot the white spinning turbine blades of the area’s many wind farms and notice the increasing number of large green patches in the desert denoting golf courses.

For those who enjoy working traditional pilotage into their navigation plans, the flight into Palm Springs has an abundance of recognizable natural and human-made markers.

While passing Joshua Tree, pilots will see the Salton Sea to the south. Ahead looms San Jacinto Peak at about 10,500 feet and Mount San Gorgonio (11,800). Aiming between them will take you toward Palm Springs International Airport (KPSP), which you will reach long before you get to the mountains. The ground turns increasingly green as you fly over the resorts of Palm Springs, though you are probably receiving guidance from ATC and have the field in sight by now.

While the approach from the east is scenic, flying in from the west is more exciting. Small aircraft typically fly through the Banning Pass, which runs between the San Jacinto and San Gorgonio mountains. Pilots have described the pass as a turbulent funnel that often deals extreme discomfort before releasing aircraft a few miles from the runway.

Discomfort aside, the mountains are stunning from the air, and while flying between two such high peaks can feel like more of a squeeze than it actually is, the pass is a welcome lower-altitude route for naturally aspirated piston airplanes. And there is plenty of space to get through.

Palm Springs International Airport

KPSP is a Class D field on the northern end of the city. Traffic is diverse, including airliners, general aviation flights, military operations, and vintage aircraft from the Palm Springs Air Museum, which is located on the airport and sells rides in certain airplanes from its collection.

While high terrain near the airport makes Palm Springs a challenging destination, especially for pilots arriving for the first time, some might argue that the degree of difficulty increases more once you are on the ground. That is because the airport’s parallel runways, 13R/31L and 13L/31R, are numbered in a way that can be confusing.

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In addition, the Charlie taxiway that runs between the two runways often tricks pilots into thinking it is another runway. They try to land on it, take off on it, and get lost while taxiing because they mistake it for a runway. The problem, which also stems from smaller details such as the proximity of certain ramps to the runway, is significant enough that the FAA made a familiarization video to help pilots avoid snags.

Other Fields

While KPSP has a lot of features that make it attractive, GA pilots visiting Palm Springs have other options, including Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport (KTRM) about 20 nm southeast.

Built in 1942 as a training base for Navy and Army Air Corps pilots, it was called Thermal Army Air Field. After the war it changed to Thermal Airport, later to Desert Resorts Regional and then to its current name, honoring the famous aviator, in 2004.

In addition to a catchy name, Bermuda Dunes Airport (KUDD), opened in 1962, has the look and feel of the Rat Pack era we mentioned earlier. The airport was built in part to serve the Bermuda Dunes Country Club, which opened in 1958 and counted numerous celebrities among its members. The club, which has hosted major golf tournaments over the decades, remains a hot spot for the game.

KUDD lies about halfway between KPSP and KTRM. All three fields are close to points of interest, so you can take your pick without worrying about being too far from the things you and your family want to do.

Things to See and Do

There is so much going on in and around Palm Springs that finding interesting activities and entertainment can feel easy.

Great options often present themselves to you. You will find yourself surrounded by great food choices and a range of natural wonders such as Joshua Tree and mountain towns like Idlewild that are worth a day trip.

• READ MORE: New Orleans Is a GA-Friendly, Fly-In Locale

You can take in the area’s wonderful mid-century modern architecture by simply walking through local neighborhoods or renting bicycles to cover more ground quickly. If you want the full experience, though, you will have to plan. The following are a few Palm Springs signature attractions that you should try to see:

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

Buy tickets in advance for the tram, which carries visitors along Chino Canyon in a tram car that rotates slowly to give passengers a panoramic view. The destination, the wilderness of Mount San Jacinto State Park, sits at 8,516 feet and provides stunning views of the valley. The 2.5-mile trip up the mountain takes about 10 minutes. When you reach the Mountain Station, you can enjoy more than 50 miles of hiking trails, two restaurants, observation decks, a natural history museum, theaters, two theaters, and a gift shop.

Greater Palm Springs Modernism Week (October 24-27) 

The 11-day celebration of mid-century modern design, including art, architecture, fashion, and culture in February is over. But there’s still time to catch the similar, smaller four-day fall event in October that features some of the popular tours from the February event in addition to talks, parties, and other activities.

Palm Springs Air Museum

 Any excuse to fly is a good one. A flight that includes visiting an aviation museum is better yet. The Palm Springs Air Museum is home to a number of airworthy warbirds, static displays, and artifacts from WWII through the war on terror. Booking a flight in one of its warbirds, such as the P-51 Mustang or PT-17 Stearman, might be a good way to check off a bucket-list item while visiting.

Props & Hops Craft Beer Festival (November 23-24) 

A visit to the Palm Springs Air Museum is always worthwhile, but the opportunity to combine its collection of vintage aircraft with craft beer is a truly rare occasion that comes just once a year. The Props and Hops Craft Beer Festival features craft beers from across the region, local bands, food vendors and, of course, flight exhibitions. The event’s popularity has grown over the years and is among the top craft beer events in the Coachella Valley.

Palm Springs International Film Festival (January 2-13)

 This event gives attendees the chance to interact with filmmakers and actors who share their experiences and insights. Films in this “Talking Pictures” program in 2024 included American Fiction, Barbie, The Color Purple, and Killers of the Flower Moon. The event also includes dinners matched to films appearing at the festival. Menus are designed to blend “the magic of cinema with the artistry of gastronomy.”

Tours Galore

Remember that if there is something of particular interest to you in and around Palm Springs, there probably is a tour that covers it. 

There are self-guided tours for walkers, bicyclists, and drivers. Guides will also drive you or ride with you on celebrity tours, wind farm tours, and architecture tours. If you do not wish to hike through Joshua Tree, you can book a guide-driven, air-conditioned SUV tour.

Perhaps the best tours available are those taken in vintage warbirds, which you can schedule at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Among the aircraft you can choose are a C-47 Skytrain, T-28 Trojan, P-51 Mustang, or even T-33 Shooting Star.

This feature first appeared in the September Issue 950 of the FLYING print edition.

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One of these airports is Skaneateles Aerodrome (6B9). The property’s history dates back to 1947, when it was a grass strip with minimal traffic. Today it has a 3,134-foot paved runway with two GPS approaches and a 3,550-foot turf runway, according to its project manager, Michael Lazar.

Lazar, an instrument-rated private pilot, has been involved with the airport since 2007. Since then, there have been several improvements undertaken at the field to ensure it’s an attractive option for transient and local aviation pilots. These efforts have included the runways and on-field facilities, including 18 hangars between four structures. The improvements have ensured that the airport is an attractive option for local and transient pilots.

Looking at the sectional, it is apparent that there are several airports in the Skaneateles area for pilots to choose from—all of which are within striking distance of restaurants, shops, vineyards, and, of course, lakes. These lakes are popular for boating, fishing, and other leisure activities.

“Cortland (N03) and Whitfords (B16) are the two closest [airports with paved runways]. And there are a couple of grass strips that we don’t really compete with,” said Daniel Arnold, the facility manager. “I think that what we found is we’ve actually gotten people that have moved from those airports. We keep the runway open in the wintertime—unless there’s a blizzard or severe ice. But we keep it open, and we keep it open late, which is why people come here.

“Plus, we now have two GPS approaches to the paved runway, one at each end. That’s a real plus for pilots who need to get in and get out. Another positive is the turf runway, which isn’t quite a golf course, but sure is nice.”

Skaneateles Aerodrome offers 100LL, hangars, and tie-down spaces, and currently has 28 aircraft based there. Occupancy has been at 100 percent for the last four years, which has helped the management team commit additional resources towards the airport’s future.

“Right now, it’s getting to the point where, through these projects, we have been able to get the cash flow up to where it’s positive and throws off enough each year to be able to do some of these smaller projects on our own, which is the goal,” Arnold said. “Three [of the] hangars are old, and they require regular capital investments. We’ve got a capital program for the next five years as part of our budgeting and would like to add another hangar, because we do have a waiting list and it tends to be at the higher end of the spectrum in aircraft.

“We did previously get state funding [to support development activities], as they had a period where they were willing to pay for hangars and we got a 10-unit T-hangar in. That was fully leased within six months of completion, and we’ve had a formal waiting list since then.”

The location of the airport and the competitive hangar rents are only two considerations for those who decide to base their aircraft at Skaneateles Aerodrome. Another is the ownership group’s commitment to the airport and its continued operations.

Arnold explained that there is a vibrant community of aircraft owners at the airfield.

“The arrival and departure views of the lake and village are quite amazing, but over the last few years, I would hope the customer service and attention to detail that we provide for such a small airfield is another big reason so many enjoy flying in,” he said. “Our tenants are also very friendly and inviting to all who visit the airfield. They will stop and chitchat with anyone who has questions, or just has a love of aviation. Our tie-down spaces are always full during the summer, and we don’t charge for two, three days. Usually if pilots are just coming in for a day or two, we tell them it’s on the house in the hopes that they’ll get fuel from us.”

There is a lot to do in the area, Arnold added. The busiest times are during the spring and summer, but fall and winter still see their fair share of traffic from near and far.

“The village in the area [Skaneateles, population of less than 10,000], while maybe unknown to some, a lot of people call this the mini-Hamptons of upstate New York,” he said. “It’s a very touristic type of area that’s just outside of the city [Syracuse] area to where you get a little bit of country with a little bit of city life. So, there’s a good mixture. Plus, there’s some really popular restaurants, shopping, things like that. It keeps a lot of the old original charm of the area, and a lot of people like coming here for that. There are a lot of things to do out here, and it almost feels like its own little world that’s slightly isolated from the rest of the area.”

The Finger Lakes area of upstate New York is hallmarked by a number of hotels, resorts, and short-term accommodations. Paul Anthony Jr., the proprietor of Fall Brook Point (a rental accommodation on nearby Skaneateles Lake), advises of some “must-see” local experiences, as well as popular dining and shopping options.

“Wherever you stay, we hope you visit our favorite restaurants and eateries,” Anthony said. “Anyela’s Vineyard is Skaneateles’ only vineyard and frequently boasts live music in their spacious facilities. The Krebs is one of Skaneateles’ oldest landmarks dating back to the 1800s. Be sure to enjoy dinner or Sunday brunch by the thoughtfully designed bar or an evening cocktail on the porch. Take a stroll down Genesee or Jordan Street to visit some of our many shops.

“Summertime in the Village of Skaneateles offers a myriad of experiences, including the Antique Boat Show, SkanFest, and musical concerts in the gazebo. Be sure to check the Skaneateles Chamber of Commerce website for details. If you plan to visit in the winter, be sure to check out Dickens’ Christmas in the Village, which is a winter tradition appropriate and fun for the whole family. The year-round spa experience at Mirbeau is also a must if you are looking to add an elegant touch of relaxation to your visit.”

Skaneateles Aerodrome, which has been around since the late 1940s, continues to be an integral part of the region and a gateway for pilots looking for a diverse recreational getaway.

“Growing up in the area, I remember biplane rides out of the aerodrome and seeing the place we call home from the sky,” Anthony said. “Even though the area has grown in popularity, quaint familiarity and nostalgia are what keep Skaneateles truly special for aviators and all visitors alike.”

The post Flying to the Finger Lakes appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The project, which already broke ground in June 2023, aims to increase flight capacity and reduce delays at the world’s seventh-busiest airport. The airport anticipates construction of the $1 billion project to be completed by fall 2027.

“The FAA and the Biden-Harris administration are pleased to assist CLT in ensuring the safest and most stress-free experience for travelers possible,” said FAA Associate Administrator for Airports Shannetta Griffin, in a news release. “The fourth runway project delivers on both goals—not only for travelers in and out of Charlotte, but for those visiting one of the nearly 200 cities with routes from CLT.”

In addition to the new runway, the grant will fund the completion of north and south end-around taxiways and other airfield improvements to enhance safety and increase capacity, the agency said.

Positioned west of Runway 18C/36C, the new runway will be roughly 10,000 feet long and is expected to significantly improve capacity at the airport.

“We are thrilled to receive this notable investment from the FAA,” said Charlotte airport CEO Haley Gentry in the release. “The funding will enable the airport to continue progress on this crucial and nationally significant infrastructure project, boosting capacity and operational efficiency.”

Charlotte is American Airlines’ second-largest hub with approximately 700 flights per day. In 2023, the airline said it was eyeing plans for up to 800 daily flights with the new runway.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AirlineGeeks.com.

The post FAA Invests $290M in Long-Awaited New Runway in Charlotte appeared first on FLYING Magazine.