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.

“There are hangars, and then there are hangars,” Kenny Hinkes said. “We are building the hangars that we would build for ourselves. They are an all-steel building with a concave, concrete floor that goes to a floor drain. Then they are coated with hard deck fuel and hot tire-proof epoxy finish. That floor is the centerpiece of the hangar because now you have a place where you can wash, not only your airplane, but you can keep the whole hangar clean. There is also a three-quarter bathroom with hot water. Right now, there is only one bathroom at the airport. And it’s far away, depending on where you [have your hangar].”

The anticipated addition of 87,000 square feet of hangar space (spread between four rows) at the airport solves a problem experienced by the developers and dozens of other pilots. 

• READ MORE: The Second Life of Yoder Airpark

“I got my private pilot license in 1970 and have been an active aviator for 53 years,” Kenny  said. “Fast forward, [and] I have five adult children. When the kids were little, we had family airplanes. They were mostly Bonanzas, but we also had a Cessna 205 and a 414. Even though we would fly and take trips to lots of places, none of the kids showed any interest in learning to fly. I always felt like that’s something that’s an internal process that you don’t put on anybody else.”

Although it didn’t happen right away, strong aviation influences during childhood eventually left their mark on Jack Hinkes. 

“We started going to Oshkosh in 2006, and it was always a lot of fun,” Jack said. “But it wasn’t until maybe 2017 that I started to think, ‘Wow. Maybe I messed up and should have learned to fly when I was younger!’ So, I kept saying that I wanted to do it, buy a plane, and have my dad teach me how to fly, since he’s a CFI. But he would say, no, you have to really want it, and if you still want to do it later on, we will.”

Jack added that 2019 was the year when he finally had the time and resources to make his dream of flying a reality. He and his father set out to buy a trainer, settling on a red Skyhawk that they flew to Albuquerque from Northern California. 

“Once we got it home, I called the local FBO at Double Eagle Airport,” Jack said. “I told them that I just bought a plane and was looking for hangar space, a T-hangar. The front desk person who answered kind of laughed at me and told me that they would put me down on the list. She said that there were about 57 people in front of me on the list.

• READ MORE: This Runway Is a Keeper, New Airport Owner Says

“With how long the waiting list was, it was possible we never would have gotten in. Because the way it works out there is that people have friends and, whenever someone leaves a hangar, their buddy ends up in their old space, and the list never gets served. So, we ended up putting the plane in a community hangar [at Albuquerque International Sunport (KABQ), 11 nm away]. This was nice, because it’s full service, and they will pull the plane out, fuel it, and whatever. But you can’t do any maintenance on your plane or wash it. It’s a very controlled environment.”

The Hinkeses’ airplane was at this facility for six months before they decided there should be the option to keep their aircraft at their preferred home base. “Let’s go build some hangars, Jack!” is how the elder Hinkes remembers beginning a course-setting conversation in May 2020. 

“My background is real estate development, and I build office buildings, condominiums, and shopping centers,” Kenny said. “I get that process, and it’s something that’s very familiar to me. So, we went over to the city of Albuquerque’s office and met with the aviation department. They were very excited for us to build hangars.”

The High Flying Hangars project now stands as a testament to the father-son duo’s tenacity. From that initial meeting, it would take three years of active discussions to negotiate and approve lease terms mutually beneficial to the developing team and the city. 

• READ MORE: Tavernaero Airport Park Special Due to Its ‘Proximity to Paradise’

“Without going into all that detail, the federal funds that the government gives the sponsor are generally funneled almost exclusively to the large, international airports that are served by the airlines,” Kenny Hinkes said. “And the general aviation airports are definitely [secondary in] that system. So, we learned quickly that this was going to be an interesting process to navigate a lease and find a lender that understood how to finance construction and long-term, permanent financing for hangar buyers on leased land. I’m knowledgeable about how bankers think, since I’ve dealt with them for years, so we structured a deal that’s very compatible with community banks and credit unions. Our buyers all have 20-year, fixed-rate financing, if they need it.

“The other issue is title insurance. If you go to most GA airports, the people that are buying and selling hangars, quote, unquote, are just exchanging money in a handshake. They typically don’t have a real, constructive, equitable title to that improvement. It’s just a gentleman’s agreement, and that’s why it’s hard to get financing in most of those scenarios. We were able to get a recorded lease, a recorded sublease, [and] a recorded survey that gives title companies and lenders the kind of security that they need. With this, they feel comfortable advancing permanent funds to our buyers.

“We are excited about the project and have 46 hangars that we will develop over the next few years. We’ve sold out the first row and are taking reservations on the second row. Every month, we send out a newsletter to our buyers letting them know where we are at in the process. A recent response to our newsletter from a husband-and-wife team is priceless. They are both pilots and wrote to me that they are already so excited that they are decorating their hangar.”

As evidenced by the lengthy list the two encountered for their 172, Kenny said there is a voracious appetite for hangars in New Mexico’s most populous city. 

• READ MORE: Silver Lake Airport Aims to Go the Extra Mile

“People are hungry for shelter,” he said. “I tell people this all the time, and it’s true for our development. There are people on the sidelines wanting to either upgrade from their older airplane or get into aircraft ownership. But they are not going to buy anything unless they have a great place to keep it. They are not going to leave a new plane outside…We just got a call from a local business owner who bought a new plane, saying that he needed somewhere to keep it right away. We are bringing in new permanent residents to Double Eagle Airport who do not presently exist because there is no shelter.” 

The duo also pointed out the development is beneficial to the airport community in many ways, in addition to the obvious advantage of capturing some of the local demand for aircraft storage space. 

“This is such a good thing for this airport because there are old, existing T-hangars that people are going to come out of and move into our development,” Kenny said. “That is going to free up some space for people that aren’t ready to buy a hangar that would like a space to lease. Since there’s nothing available right now, it will open up opportunities for people at different price points to have shelter for their planes. It is going to bring more maintenance and fuel sales to the local FBO. So, we have seen this as a really symbiotic relationship and a good thing for Double Eagle Airport.”

The post Hungry for Shelter in New Mexico appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

“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.

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.

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.

Liam Ferguson purchased the North Pole, Alaska, airport (95Z) in May because he was looking for a suitable place to base his sonic drilling company. The equipment-heavy business requires a large footprint, and the 61-acre property was able to accommodate, with room to grow. The runway was icing on the cake.

• READ MORE: Delaware Ag Airport Sets Eyes on Growing GA Future

“When we started working in Fairbanks more often, I purchased a lot at an airstrip and ran my business out of my home there,” Ferguson said. “That was a temporary solution, and the goal was to find a block of land or a shop where we could move all of our equipment to. We looked around for about a year and the airport was for sale during this time. I thought that it was more than what we were looking for, but we started to entertain buying the airport because everything else was expensive, and I thought it would be cool as a pilot.

“Buying an airport seemed far-fetched and outside the realm of possibility, until we realized the potential that Bradley Sky Ranch had.” 

The property’s existing hangar building with dedicated office and shop space satisfied the needs of Ferguson’s business. In addition to improving the space, Ferguson has his attention focused on understanding what the future of the airport should look like.

• READ MORE: New GA Airport Near Las Vegas Has Its Eye on Space

“We have been trying to assess the place and then build from there,” he said. “Now that we have learned more about the airport, I feel like I have a pretty good long-term plan of what we are going to do. I am leaving the timeline pretty open-ended, The long-term plan is to provide rental hangars, basic maintenance services, and a full range of parking options to service local pilots. We are also talking about possibly adding an Airbnb and courtesy cars to help attract pilots to come visit. Camping spots will also be available.

“We could possibly sell some lots for hangar homes or develop some ourselves. We really do have a blank slate with this and will continue to grow it as long as we have support from the local aviation community.”

The condition of the runway at the time of purchase was satisfactory and required minimal work. After grading, compacting, and removing grass from the gravel/dirt surface, Ferguson shifted his attention elsewhere. 

“For phase one of improvements, I didn’t want to come in with all of these big plans, say we are going to do something, and have nothing change,” he said. “My goal for the summer was to talk to the people that are a part of the flying community here, to learn more about this place and get an idea of what should be improved.

“Part one is to clean up and renovate the hangar. Part two is to do dirt work on the taxiways and parking spots to improve drainage in the spring and open up more parking spots. This will also include fencing and general clean up. Part three is adding infrastructure like T-hangars, fuel, and an FBO.”

• READ MORE: Flight Training in the Scenic, Wild Last Frontier

Another key focus has been refurbishing the existing tie-downs at the airport, which had fallen into disrepair.

Ferguson advised that his commute from his hangar home to Bradley Sky Ranch is a paltry one-and-a-half-minute flight in his Cessna 205. His girlfriend and business partner, Maddy Thom, frequently joins the fray in her Cessna 150. There are currently 20 aircraft based at the airport.

The pair’s short-term goal for the airport is to stoke the energy that they’ve felt from current tenants and other Alaskan pilots. One of the ways that they plan to harness this shared enthusiasm for Bradley Sky Ranch’s future is by hosting an event at the end of the month. 

“The fly-in is going to be September 27-29, which is the first weekend after hunting season,” Ferguson said. “All of the pilots will be out of the bush at that time, and we’ve already gotten over 700 people signed up that are interested in coming to the event. This is the fourth year for the event and the second year that it’s being held here at this airport. It’s going to be something pretty big and will be a way to show people that we are cleaning up the airport. The goal is to include the community, and everyone is super excited.”

Notable aspects of the fly-in include food trucks, fire pits and camping, several live bands, and a pumpkin drop competition.

The post The Blank Slate of a North Pole Airfield appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Cook Airfield was established in 1957 and once served as a reliever facility for Cessna to tie down planes waiting to be ferried around the nation. The decades that followed led the property away from aviation. At one point it was a site for motorcycle racing and the airport ultimately fell into disrepair.

• READ MORE: Airpark HOAs Aim to Keep Pace With Capital Improvements, Maintenance

The current ownership group, Crosswinds Aviation, as local aviators would testify, performed a complete 180 on the airport.

“I was keeping my plane here at the airport, and the rumor was that it was for sale. Once we tried to buy it, it was already under contract,” said Greg Thomas, Cook Airfield’s co-owner. “Then 9/11 happened, the contract fell through, and we started negotiating to purchase the airport. Two years later, we ended up buying Cook Airfield from the trust.”

Thomas knew it would be a significant challenge to get the airport to where he thought it should be. It took years of hard work to rechart the airport’s course.

“It was a complete junkyard when we got it,” Cook said. “You could only land on the east 20 feet of the runway, because the other side had too many potholes in it. And we probably tore down more hangars than we kept.”

Since its new life beginning in 2003, the airport has benefited from several Kansas Airport Improvement Program (KAIP) state grants issued from the Kansas Department of Transportation to improve its facilities. This work has included the lengthening of the primary runway, which required the closure and relocation of a county-owned road.

Cook Airfield Today

Today, Runway 17/35 is a 3,472-foot-long-by-40-foot-wide paved and lighted surface. There is also a 1,600-foot-long-by-50-foot-wide turf runway. Cook Airfield airport has more than 100 based aircraft, more than 60 hangars, and publicly available 100LL fuel. Jet-A fuel is expected to be available in the near future. 

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Thomas built a hangar home at the airport in 2007, and since then roughly 20 additional hangar homes have been constructed at Cook Airfield. Having residences with taxiway access was always in the plans.

“After we purchased the airport, our goal was to subdivide the land into six lots, because the county told us they had to be 5 acres in size,” he said. “So, that’s what we did, to get the cash flow to help fix the airport up. Later on, we figured out that we could have 1-acre lots, as long as we were doing approved septic systems.”

The airpark subdivision is now in its second phase, with five lots still available at the south end of the property. Land continues to be allocated for additional box hangar construction. 

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“We seem to sell our hangars as fast as we can put them up,” he said. “In fact, the last one I just sold to a guy in Ireland. We have two new hangars that will be completed soon, and then we are getting ready to order two more. Most of the hangars we build are on leased ground.”

In addition to homes, commercial hangars, a pilot’s lounge, and several businesses are based at the airport. Air Capital Drop Zone, a skydiving operation, and Compass Rose Aviation, a flying club, have both been there for more than 10 years.

After 21 years of owning Cook Airfield, Thomas and business partner Steve Logue are ready to pass the baton to the next owner.

“The airport has been for sale and under contract a couple of times, but has fallen through each time,” Thomas said. “We are both ready to move on to other things and let somebody else take Cook Airfield to the next level. There is a lot of potential here, and each potential buyer has their own vision for the airport. They could extend the runway or build a new runway to the west. [With additional infrastructure], they could add a restaurant if they wanted to, which is what the last buyer was going to do—alongside a hotel.”

Cook Airfield is approximately a 23-minute drive from downtown Wichita and 26 minutes from the city’s commercial service airport, Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (KICT). The purchase of the 47-acre property includes the runway with PAPI system, pilot’s lounge, and seven buildings/hangars that total 32,906 square feet.

The post Two Decades After Renaissance, Wichita Airpark Ready for New Ownership appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

With more than three decades of experience in HOA management, Duane McPherson saw the need for professional management at fly-in communities. As a result, the private pilot created Airpark Association Management (APAM) in mid-2024. 

“APAM simplifies HOA management for aviators. We handle financial intricacies, strategic planning, and administrative tasks,” McPherson said. “We understand the balance between high-flying dreams and maintaining a smoothly operated community. Airparks are a different animal and traditional HOA management companies don’t know a lot about flying. They don’t understand the regulations or appreciate the commitment that the residents have to aviation. So, these communities are underserved from an association aspect.”

There are unique aspects of managing airpark HOA communities, as well as aspects that are very similar to regular neighborhoods. 

“Most airpark boards understand the aviation end of it, and they’re able to do a lot with that,” he said. “But the homeowners association part of it, such as collecting assessments, managing the financials and boards, or making sure all regulations are complied with [is different]. I felt like I could help with my years of experience. That way residents just enjoy flying. I mean, that’s why you have a plane and live in an airpark. You should be able to jump in and go flying without having to deal with all of these administrative headaches.” 

McPherson is enthused by the growing interest in residential airpark communities. 

“In the 1990s I started flying and began seeing these associations that had airstrips,” he said. “But there really wasn’t much interest [in living at an airpark] until the last 10 to 15 years. The concept has really started to catch on and right now, I estimate that there are about 700 airparks in the United States.”

Which functions does McPherson say airparks struggle with most frequently?

“It’s a gambit of common issues that airparks struggle with,” he said. “A lot of the associations haven’t done research studies to plan for future maintenance. That’s one of the most important aspects, especially since an airpark community’s single largest common interest asset is the airstrip. You have to save for repair and repaving of the runway, adding lights, or whatever is else needed. And a lot of airparks have not saved for capital improvements, or even in some cases regular maintenance.”

Another thing that volunteer-led boards should be mindful of are the regulations that govern their communities. 

“The other common issue is keeping up with laws,” McPherson said. “Each state has completely different laws governing common interest communities. That’s one of our areas of expertise and we make sure that boards are in compliance with local and state regulations. And we can handle all financial aspects of association management with transparency, accuracy and optimal budgeting tailored to your airpark community.

“We also have a technology package that is second to none. Aspects of this software are currently being modified for the airpark, so you will be able to see which airplanes are based there, whether they have insurance, and other things that will help the board better manage their community.”

McPherson takes great satisfaction in helping existing communities.

“The governing documents for every association are different and are typically set up by the original developer, not by the people who live there,” he said. “So, the documents are created long before lots are sold, and sometimes older communities have to reinvent themselves. The original people’s ideas are outdated in some cases and technologies have changed. There are a lot of differences that can occur.

“What we can do to help is that we will modernize their documents and create a strategic plan. This often takes working with a local attorney and making sure everything is up to date because in many cases, governing documents will have paragraphs that are no longer applicable or against current laws. It takes a lot of planning to go through changing the association but it’s one of my favorite things to do.” 

McPherson also enjoys ensuring new fly-in communities are well poised for many years of operation and feels that developers should seek advice to understand the best path forward.

Here are some key considerations he says that a developer should consider when drafting governing documents for an airpark community:

Aviation regulations: Include provisions that comply with federal, state, and local aviation regulations and zoning requirements related to the operation of aircraft within the community. This may include restrictions on aircraft types, noise levels, flight patterns, and hangar construction.

Airpark maintenance: Establish guidelines for the maintenance and upkeep of common areas, runways, taxiways, and other aviation-related facilities within the community. Outline responsibilities for maintaining and repairing infrastructure to ensure the safety and functionality of the airpark.

Hangar use: Define the permitted uses of hangars within the community, including provisions related to aircraft storage, maintenance, and commercial operations. Specify any restrictions on hangar construction, size, design, and appearance.

Community amenities: Outline the availability and use of amenities, such as fueling stations, tie-down areas, aircraft wash areas, and other aviation-related facilities provided within the community. Establish rules for accessing and utilizing these amenities in a safe and responsible manner.

Aircraft ownership: Define the requirements for aircraft ownership and registration within the community, including restrictions on nonresident aircraft, subleasing, and commercial operations. Specify any insurance requirements or liability provisions related to aircraft ownership and operation.

Homeowner responsibilities: Detail the obligations and responsibilities of homeowners within the community, including compliance with aviation regulations, noise abatement policies, and community standards. Outline procedures for resolving disputes, enforcing rules, and maintaining a sense of community harmony.

Architectural guidelines: Establish design standards and architectural guidelines for hangar construction, home construction, and landscaping within the community. Ensure that these promote a cohesive aesthetic and maintain the unique character of the airpark community.

“By considering these key factors and incorporating them into the governing documents, a developer can create a comprehensive set of rules and regulations that govern the operation, maintenance, and use of an airpark community,” McPherson said. “These provisions can help ensure the safety, functionality, and overall success of the community while preserving its aviation-focused identity and appeal.”

The post Airpark HOAs Aim to Keep Pace With Capital Improvements, Maintenance appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The airport, which has been around since the 1950s, was purchased in 1991 by Allen Chorman. His plan from the outset was to use the airfield as base of operations for Chorman Spraying, formerly known as Allen Chorman & Son. 

“When I was 12 years old, my dad and I rode over here on a Sunday. I remember like it happened right now,” Jeff Chorman said. “He was like, ‘Maybe we could rent the airport from John [Mervine],’ who was a real big name in Delaware at the time. My dad ended up buying the airport from John and since then we’ve built the airport up and widened the runway from 37 feet wide to 51 feet wide.”

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From mid-March to mid-November, this 3,585-foot-long paved runway is abuzz with activity from sunup to sundown. Chorman Spraying employs nine pilots and has a fleet of aircraft that consists of Air Tractors, Ag Cats, Thrushes, and Bell Jet Rangers. 

“We are probably one of the largest agricultural operators on the East Coast, as far as agricultural work, and cover the eastern shore of Delaware and Maryland,” Chorman said. “We have gone from running two airplanes to running seven all the time. And we have gone from radial engines to turbines, although [we] still spray mosquitoes with Twin Beeches and are thinking about getting into the drone world.” 

The operation is an integral partner to farmers within roughly a 50 nm radius of D74. Typical crops in the region that the company tends to are wheat, barley, pumpkins, watermelons, cantaloupes, peas, sweet corn, and other vegetables, in addition to a strong emphasis in the fall on cover crop seeding.

Aerial services are provided from 10 main airfields and five satellite airfields, from Chestertown to Snow Hill. But most ag aviation flights originate from Chorman Airport, which is a competitive advantage for the operation.

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“Having your own airport [as an ag operator] is almost a must. It’s all about control,” Chorman said. “Even though it’s a public airport, we still control the people who are here. [By having our own airport] we control the activity during the busy times and also the overall ramp operations and security here.”

Efficiency and safety on the field is balanced with national security precautions in the area. Chorman reported that there is frequently a presidential TFR active near the airport, due to President Joe Biden’s home in Rehoboth Beach being only 26 nm away. 

“Right now, if you look at Delaware in ForeFlight, the whole state is yellow,” he said. “I was the first one in agricultural aviation history last year to get permission to conduct ag operations inside the TFR’s inner ring during Biden’s 10-day visit last year. The Secret Service understands [the need for our operation to continue helping farmers] and has been great to work with.” 

Chorman’s longtime interest in military aviation led him to acquire a handful of vintage aircraft. His Stearman biplane, T-6, and T-28 can be seen by airport visitors this fall during a highly anticipated fly-in event at Chorman Airport.

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“We are planning our second annual fly-in for October 26, weather and TFR permitting,” he said. “We will have a cookout with hamburgers and hot dogs. Last year we had 65 airplanes fly in, and you couldn’t have ordered better weather. We are hoping for a good turnout again this year”

The airport welcomes transient traffic, although fuel is only available to based aircraft. There are roughly four dozen aircraft presently kept on the field. 

Chorman is encouraged about the future of the airfield and that it will continue being a central asset in the operation of his business and an attractive option for local pilots to base their aircraft.  

“In 2018, we repaved the runway because it was in very bad shape with no base underneath at all. We didn’t have any state or federal funding for that project,” Chorman said. “The airport will continue to grow as the need develops. I can see two more hangars here with eight units each for rental airplane storage, as well as an [automated weather observing system] AWOS. I would also like to have a GPS approach here, since we are strictly VFR now with pilot-controlled lighting. We are just starting to work on getting that done and the Delaware Aviation Council is helping.”

The post Delaware Ag Airport Sets Eyes on Growing GA Future appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

His flight training business, FLY8MA, moved with him to Big Lake, about an hour north of Anchorage. The company and its staff of full-time, experienced flight instructors invite adventure seekers to experience what flying in Alaska is like. 

“It’s not just about the training or getting a tailwheel endorsement—that’s a very lower 48 [way of thinking],” Kotwicki said. “The wilderness that you see here, even the best photographer and videographer can’t capture. It can only be experienced, and that’s what I want to provide for people that come here.”

Alaska is a land of extremes that attracts people who enjoy challenges, Kotwicki said. In that vein, he has spent a considerable amount of effort to transform his 115-acre property into a destination for flight training. 

“We get people that visit for a variety of reasons, whether to do flight training or a scenic tour with us in our Cessna 206 that we have on a Part 135 certificate,” Kotwick said. “So, we have pilots and nonpilots that come here and those that train with us, [and] most want to experience what flying in Alaska is like.They may want to fly a Cub on 35s [inch tires] while at the controls when landing on a mountaintop or landing on a crystal blue alpine lake in a Super Cub on floats with glaciers all around.

“So, we will work with them to the extent of what they want to do. And what I mean by that is we can show them a lot of cool stuff, or there may be a specific goal they are trying to achieve that we are going to train towards.” 

Kotwicki’s flight training company’s headquarters is based on the property, which is also home to FLY8MA Pilot Lodge Airport (57AK). There are two gravel runways and an under-construction control tower, in addition to short-term rental facilities used by students and other visitors. 

The first four overnight accommodations built on-site are standard one-bedroom, one-bathroom cabins. These units are modern and feature heated floors, but Kotwicki wanted to add some additional flavor to the airport. 

“I thought, ‘Well, what would be cooler than these cabins?’” he said. “‘We could get an airplane and turn it into a house.’ So, I spent about eight months calling around trying to find who would sell me an airplane. Finally, someone said yes but said that I would have to come and get it [a Douglas DC-6] right away or they would charge a ramp storage fee.

“During the long drive on the way to pick up the airplane I thought, ‘I have no idea what I’m getting myself into.'”

Cleaning, reconstructing, insulating, and furnishing the retired aircraft into its present state were aggravated by the cold Alaskan winters. In total, it took about two years between transporting the DC-6 (in pieces on a flatbed trailer) to its new home and the first guest being welcomed. 

Two more decommissioned transport category aircraft have since been added to the airport and its rental availability page, a Douglas DC-9 and a Boeing 727. 

The DC-6, for example, can accommodate up to six guests. There are two bedrooms, a living room, and a cockpit, complete with a coffee station and beer fridge. Where else can you sit behind the yoke with a cold one in hand? 

Guests’ fondness for the existing overnight aircraft rentals has inspired Kotwicki to add another retired airplane to the lineup. He just closed on a Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar, which he intends to turn into a summer-only rental that keeps most of the original systems inside intact.  

“This is a place to preserve the history of these aircraft and get you up close and personal, whether that be the avionics and controls of a 727 and all of the associated systems, or face to face with an 800-pound grizzly on a beach you flew to in a Super Cub with your flight instructor from our lodge,” Kotwicki said. “The experience of getting to touch and feel every inch of the aircraft, walk around outside to poke your head up in the avionics bay or gear bays, see all of the systems, or just the novelty of barbecuing steaks on the wing deck, [it’s an] experience [those who visit] all say is simply one of a kind.”

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