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bryankloos

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Bryan Kloos
Hey All,

New PPL here. I'm planning on flying for a bit before starting IFR.
That said, what are some fun places to visit as a new pilot?

Thanks!

Bryan
 
Block Island (KBID) -- breakfast/lunch at airport, or hike down the hill to the ferry port (cab back uphill); rent a bike for a ride around.

Second for Martha's Vineyard, specifically Katama Airpark (1B2). Manicured grass field; there is a food outlet on field; south parking is literally across the street from the beach. Bus runs into Edgartown for more food options (chow-dah!), shopping and connection to other towns on the Vineyard.

Montauk (KMTP) -- fly around the lighthouse; short walk to good seafood (Rick's Crabby Cowboy Cafe) if you land.

Saratoga (5B2) -- racing season ends Labor Day. If you miss the races (intentionally or otherwise); try Wheatfields for handmade pasta; Ben & Jerry's for dessert (send regards to Pat).
 
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All the places listed above are a lot of fun. I also like Keene airport in New Hampshire as it’s a nice airport with long runways and not a lot of traffic. There is a resteraunt right adjacent to the field there that you can walk to from one of the parking areas. For big trips you could also fly the VfR corridor down the Hudson and NYC. It’s easily done in an afternoon from Ct.

Inside Connecticut you can fly to Windham airport and walk up over the hill to the aero diner or around the corner to a Dunkin if you just want a coffee.

If you want some more challenging places to practice landing there is Goodspeed airport where the final leg of the pattern brings you right over the top of the old swing bridge and the other end of the runway ends in the water. It’s not as bad as it sounds but it’s a good idea to have an instructor with you the first time unless you are good at short field landings. I think they do seaplane ratings out of Goodspoed now as well. The airport is also walking distance to the Goodspeed Opera house which has many great Broadway style shows for not a lot of money and can be fun on a Sunday afternoon.

Marlborough also has a very nice privately owned but public use grass strip. If you are looking to rent, Chester has a piper cub and instructor that will take you into Marlborough and Goodspeed as they are all relatively close to each other. Westerly Rhode Island can also be fun to fly into and hang out for a while. There are (or were) a few t6’s that fly regularly as well as a banner tow business you can watch how they pickuo and drop banners during the summer and on weekends.

If you have money to burn then Ellington airport has a helicopter school. There is also a skydiving operation out of there and a flight school. It’s not as busy of an airport as it sounds but keep your head on a swivel when in the pattern because the helicopters fly a right pattern and the skydivers have been known to drift into the downwind leg of the left hand pattern. I want to say that there may also be a place for ice cream by Danielson airport but it’s been a long time since I have been there.
 
0B8 Fishers Island is a neat place. You can park and walk to the rocky beach that you’ll have all to yourself. $10 landing fee you pay in cash in a drop box. Two runways, 1800’ and 2345’

KBID Block Island has hiking trails across the street from the airport. Be sure to go searching for hidden glass orbs!

www.blockislandinfo.com

Glass Float Project | Block Island, Rhode Island

550 Glass Floats (glass orbs about the size of an orange) will be hidden on Block Island. Floats will be dated, numbered and stamped with the shape of Block Island.
www.blockislandinfo.com
 
Lots of fun places to go in the northeast

BAF great restaurant on the field
PWM grab a rental and check out Old Port for an afternoon
EEN food on field
1B2 grass with a restaurant
POU food on field
GFL rent a car and check out Lake George for a day

All depends on what you're into I guess, but the northeast is a great place to fly
 
Haven’t flown in CT since 2012, but Godspeed is pretty and has a unique final because you’re basically landing on the river bank. I always thought Chester was nice also. Elizabeth field and Block island were already mentioned. HFD used to let you land in the grass next to the runway which was fun but they may have stopped that. The Hudson river Corridor isn’t a long flight if you are near HVN or BDR.
 
Where in CT are you based?

Goodspeed has several restaurants within easy walking distance, and loaner bicycles if you want to go farther. If you're doing the Hudson corridor, the Nu-CAVU restaurant at Kobelt Airport is a nice lunch stop. If you're into antique airplanes, Bayport Aerodrome on Long Island is a cool place (but read the approach procedure on their website first!). You can also fly into Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome for the weekly airshow if you get permission first, and are comfortable with a short rough strip.
 
I'm flying out of KBDR currently, though I'm going to look at other clubs in the immediate area.
I'd like to take my wife up to Martha's Vineyard or Block next.
I'm also interested in the Hudson Corridor. I did that with my CFI at night... WOW. Cleared into the Bravo.
I'd like to do it during the day solo before trying at night again...
The other airports mentioned look interesting as well.
 
Following, planning a trip next month to Provincetown MA, an excited, thinking to loop it with a NYC stop but what else should I check out. Will give this trip about 2 weeks.
 
mandm said:
Following, planning a trip next month to Provincetown MA, an excited, thinking to loop it with a NYC stop but what else should I check out. Will give this trip about 2 weeks.
Click to expand...

Depending on how far from PVC you want to get. Flying up the coast of Maine is a pretty phenomenal experience with lots of good options for food, fuel, or overnight stops. If your trip is later in Sept. or early Oct. the foliage in northern New England is pretty cool also.
 
Kitch said:
Depending on how far from PVC you want to get. Flying up the coast of Maine is a pretty phenomenal experience with lots of good options for food, fuel, or overnight stops. If your trip is later in Sept. or early Oct. the foliage in northern New England is pretty cool also.
Click to expand...
Planning to start the trip Sept 10, mandm with the pups :) thinking roughly 3-4 hours north northeast of NYC is fine and need to be back in Chicago to have a few days rest before Gaston’s (9/26). Also want 4 nights to include a weekend in NYC for Broadway and dinners.

But not sure what my mechanic is on about my landing gear hopefully he gets that resolved, my plane has been down for 2 months now, I’m fine with that since next year will do annual in Oct so I asked him to finish up Sept 1st. Also thinking about upgrading to a Saratoga.
 
How about Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome? I think they used to allow people to fly in there, with prior (private) permission, before the show starts. Plenty of public airfields in the vicinity, if that wouldn't work.
 
bryankloos said:
I'm flying out of KBDR currently, though I'm going to look at other clubs in the immediate area.
I'd like to take my wife up to Martha's Vineyard or Block next.
Click to expand...

@bryankloos The restaurant at KBID is tiny (but good). The one at KMVY is much bigger.

Pick your poison!

-Skip

Ps. I trained at Three Wing at KBDR. Is that where you fly from?
 
kmacht said:
All the places listed above are a lot of fun. I also like Keene airport in New Hampshire as it’s a nice airport with long runways and not a lot of traffic. There is a resteraunt right adjacent to the field there that you can walk to from one of the parking areas. For big trips you could also fly the VfR corridor down the Hudson and NYC. It’s easily done in an afternoon from Ct.

Inside Connecticut you can fly to Windham airport and walk up over the hill to the aero diner or around the corner to a Dunkin if you just want a coffee.

If you want some more challenging places to practice landing there is Goodspeed airport where the final leg of the pattern brings you right over the top of the old swing bridge and the other end of the runway ends in the water. It’s not as bad as it sounds but it’s a good idea to have an instructor with you the first time unless you are good at short field landings. I think they do seaplane ratings out of Goodspoed now as well. The airport is also walking distance to the Goodspeed Opera house which has many great Broadway style shows for not a lot of money and can be fun on a Sunday afternoon.

Marlborough also has a very nice privately owned but public use grass strip. If you are looking to rent, Chester has a piper cub and instructor that will take you into Marlborough and Goodspeed as they are all relatively close to each other. Westerly Rhode Island can also be fun to fly into and hang out for a while. There are (or were) a few t6’s that fly regularly as well as a banner tow business you can watch how they pickuo and drop banners during the summer and on weekends.

If you have money to burn then Ellington airport has a helicopter school. There is also a skydiving operation out of there and a flight school. It’s not as busy of an airport as it sounds but keep your head on a swivel when in the pattern because the helicopters fly a right pattern and the skydivers have been known to drift into the downwind leg of the left hand pattern. I want to say that there may also be a place for ice cream by Danielson airport but it’s been a long time since I have been there.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately Marlboro MA closed many years ago, it was a nice little airport.
 
KAFN in Jaffrey NH has a set of painted Ice Cream cones that lead to Kimball Farms ice cream.
 
Hang 4 said:
KAFN in Jaffrey NH has a set of painted Ice Cream cones that lead to Kimball Farms ice cream.
Click to expand...
They're a bit faded now (or were when we visited pre-summer), took us a while to spot them! Wasn't expecting it, but their Lobster Rolls were awesome.
 
mandm said:
Following, planning a trip next month to Provincetown MA, an excited, thinking to loop it with a NYC stop but what else should I check out. Will give this trip about 2 weeks.
Click to expand...
A little bit late to the game here, but stopping in Chatham, MA is worthwhile - not far from Provincetown. In the hangar are an assortment of bikes that the FBO will let you borrow free of charge, and it's then an easy cycle down the bike path into the town center or along the coast.
 
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