Elmira NY Pireps? (x-post with red board)

[Rob Schaffer]

Looking at possibly taking a trip to Elmira NY (KELM) this week in order to save some driving time. I'd be flying in a C172H with Bob from Wings Field to Elmira, and I'm familiar with the area up to Hazelton/State College, but haven't ventured farther than that north by air. Looking for any things to be aware of along the northern portion of flight that people have come across, but more or less the FBO or any reports you may have about KELM. We both are VFR pilots, so it's really depending on weather this week. Hoping this front pushes through this weekend to allow a Monday or Wednesday flight.

Looks like a good size airport with Atlantic Aviation as the FBO. They mention a landing fee for all non-based aircraft,.. any idea what it currently is and what fuel is currently there? No reports on Airnav for this airport.

 

[Gary]

Haven't been there in years, but don't remember anything of any particular note for the trip. Are you planning on Saturday or Sunday? Sunday weather looks better.

Gary

 

[Rob Schaffer]

I'm hoping Bob and I can coordinate schedules and we can fly on Monday or Wednesday. Monday looks like a possibility in the weather, with later in the week having another break. Another alternative suggested to us was 7N1, just west of KELM. It's ultimately up to Bob, I'm just elated to be invited and possibly to go on a nice long XC again.

 

[michael Killacky]

Not real sure about a landing fee, but Atlantic is charging a $20 ramp fee without a fuel buy. Not sure if it's waived or not with fuel.

I agree with warddc on the Red Board that 7N1 is a viable option. Depends on where the dog is, I suppose. I'll be at 7N1 on mon. & Tues., and may be able to lend some help if needed. For that matter, KELM is about halfway between my house and 7N1, so If I can help either way let me know.

JOOC, do you know who the dog trainer is? My wife is a Vet Tech and knows just about all the dog folks around here. We had a behaviorist from Cornell come to the house to try to straighten out our Springer's head. Turns out, the dog's so nutty, she wound up bringing Cornell Students and kind of turned it into a class. He's still nuts, and they're all vets now. Go figure.



Mike

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Looks like a good size airport with Atlantic Aviation as the FBO. They mention a landing fee for all non-based aircraft,.. any idea what it currently is and what fuel is currently there? No reports on Airnav for this airport.

They're not on airnav because - Well, IIRC they sued airnav in order to pull all their listings. That speaks volumes to me.

Never flown in there, driven past it a lot. Kate was there tonight, maybe she'll pipe up tomorrow.

 

[Rob Schaffer]

wow,.. sued airnav?!

After some others sending info to us, looks like 7N1 is a better GA alternative and it has a crew car that we might be able to use if we call ahead. Looks like Monday's weather is cooperative so far,... but if we go after tuesday i'll have my "new to me" Airmap 500

 

[rmciottijr]

My Dog is going to be in Bath, NY so yes I was thinking of flying into Corning (7N1) 22 miles form bath. It looks like it will be after Tuesday if the weather holds out.

 

[skyflyer8]

They're not on airnav because - Well, IIRC they sued airnav in order to pull all their listings. That speaks volumes to me.

Never flown in there, driven past it a lot. Kate was there tonight, maybe she'll pipe up tomorrow.

Kent, you need to look at the clock when you post. I'm piping up, but it's technically "today," ha!

Coming from the south at night.... we couldn't see the airport until we were nearly on top of it due to the enormous ridge just to the south. Whoa!

I can't comment much -- only spent a little while there, just to get fuel. The FBO is decent, no complaints. Now I don't know about any landing/ramp fees because I wasn't in charge. I *DO* know that they have an ice cream machine in there to make free ice cream cones but unfortunately at midnight or whatever it was that I was there, it was turned off. So much for a late night ice cream snack-- but then I discovered the still-half-full popcorn machine.

That's about all I can tell ya.

Edit: Wait a minute, not on AirNav at all? I just looked -- how ridiculous! Doesn't even mention fuel availability or the fact that an FBO exists? (Except something from the FAA about what to do when the FBO's closed.) What's wrong with you, Atlantic????

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Edit: Wait a minute, not on AirNav at all? I just looked -- how ridiculous! Doesn't even mention fuel availability or the fact that an FBO exists? (Except something from the FAA about what to do when the FBO's closed.) What's wrong with you, Atlantic????

I bet they got lots of nasty comments from people who don't like ramp fees.

The other thing that I really don't like about airnav - If an FBO pays them, they get their web site, a mini-advertisement, etc. on there. If said FBO decides they don't want to pay them any more, they disappear completely. Wisconsin Aviation at MSN, RYV, and UNU doesn't show up at all any more.

Hey Airnav, are ya listening? If I get an FBO started, I will not be purchasing said ad from you because if you're gonna delete me afterwards, well, I'm obviously better off with the non-paid listings than with nothing. Also, if pilots find too many places where you say there isn't an FBO, they're going to start using one of your many competitors (AOPA, flightcentral, 100LL, fillupflyerfinder, etc.)

 

[Beachy]

I bet they got lots of nasty comments from people who don't like ramp fees.

The other thing that I really don't like about airnav - If an FBO pays them, they get their web site, a mini-advertisement, etc. on there. If said FBO decides they don't want to pay them any more, they disappear completely. Wisconsin Aviation at MSN, RYV, and UNU doesn't show up at all any more.

Hey Airnav, are ya listening? If I get an FBO started, I will not be purchasing said ad from you because if you're gonna delete me afterwards, well, I'm obviously better off with the non-paid listings than with nothing. Also, if pilots find too many places where you say there isn't an FBO, they're going to start using one of your many competitors (AOPA, flightcentral, 100LL, fillupflyerfinder, etc.)

Or, someone just might build another one - without ads. The data are available online, for free, from government sites (our tax dollars at work)*. The programming is not all that difficult, just time intensive to set it all up. There is also a certain time factor to keep the server, the site and the constant updates online.

* Not sure about the fuel prices - haven't checked that yet. At 5 gal per hour in my Ercoupe I wasn't too concerned. But I had thought about putting a site together for personal reference - for the Mid-Atlantic area - and building it on a dot-mobi domain to make it available easily on a cell phone.

 

[skyflyer8]

Or, someone just might build another one - without ads. The data are available online, for free, from government sites (our tax dollars at work)*. The programming is not all that difficult, just time intensive to set it all up. There is also a certain time factor to keep the server, the site and the constant updates online.

C'mon Kent you got that new site up and running yet?

 

[skyflyer8]

Here is a picture showing our plane and the aforementioned large hill that blocked our view of the airport.

 

[Rob Schaffer]

Nice Pic,.. thanks!

Watching weather now, looks like tomorrow (Wed) is possible. Bob will decide tonight.

 

[Ted]

I never saw KELM, we just flew up there to do approaches once or twice during my IR training.

The icing reports are not looking very fun, but maybe you'll luck out and it will clear up enough to make it possible tomorrow. Yesterday morning when I was looking at the weather, someone in the vicinity of KELM reported a PIREP of Severe Icing. Yikes.

Kate, very cool picture!

Rob/Bob, are you all flying up to pick up a new dog or is this some sort of animal rescue flight?

 

[Rob Schaffer]

there is an icing Airmet this morning,... clouds are high now though, and the SE PA area is clear of clouds.

Hopefully we'll have good VFR conditions tomorrow morning.

Bob's dog is with a trainer up in Bath, NY and we are going to fly up to pick the dog up.

 

[Missa]

I never saw KELM, we just flew up there to do approaches once or twice during my IR training.

The icing reports are not looking very fun, but maybe you'll luck out and it will clear up enough to make it possible tomorrow. Yesterday morning when I was looking at the weather, someone in the vicinity of KELM reported a PIREP of Severe Icing. Yikes.

Kate, very cool picture!

Rob/Bob, are you all flying up to pick up a new dog or is this some sort of animal rescue flight?

You forgot the time we went up to look at my car... But we flew into 7N1. I've not been to KELM but 7N1 is a nice community airport with lots of helpful pilots around. I highly recomend it. I was looking at a Vibe and the dealer came over to the airport and picked us up for a test drive. I did end up buying the car.

 

[infotango]

There is a fair amount of glider activity on nice days near that ridge.
I took a glider ride two years ago when I was up at KELM.
Nice folks.

 

[Rob Schaffer]

MISSION Complete!

More details later tomorrow with some pics too,... overall the trip went well and the weather was fantastic, we really lucked out for today.

Flew up with a stiff headwind, and then drove to pickup Bob's Dog Colby, pictured above. They were both very,.. very excited to see one another.

Flightaware didn't get us on the way up, but have the return leg which Bob let me fly 90% of the way, from the time we leveled off at 5500, till I entered the 45* downwind at LOM for RY 24. Plane handles nice.

My new Lowrance Airmap 500 worked flawless too, very pleased with that.

Photos, Video, and a full commentary will be on my blog over the next few days.

Thanks Bob!