Florida here we come - advice PCB area

Chrisgoesflying

Cleared for Takeoff
PoA Supporter
Joined
Dec 7, 2018
Messages
1,415
Location
The Lone Star State
Display Name

Display name:
Chrisgoesflying
It's too cold so I just booked a condo in Panama City Beach to escape it at least for a little while. Heading down mid November. I'm planning on landing at ECP. Any PIREPs from you smart folks on here? What's the tie down (or dare I say hangar) situation there for a month long stay? Any alternative airports nearby that are better than ECP? Ground transportation? Any "gotchas" I should watch out for?
 
Flew down 3 weeks ago to ECP.

Tower/Controller was cool, stayed 2 nights with Sheltair w/20gals ~ $200? Call with questions, they're very friendly and professional. They will arrange for a Hertz? car at Sheltair. Ask for the recommended restaurant list.

Otherwise its a pain to get to the commercial terminal for a different rental car co. Uber/Lyft not so much in off season, if taxi works for you its $30-40 to the strip.
 
I've been to ECP quite a few times, but usually only for a few days to a week. The FBO is on the south end of the field and the runway is 10,000' so if you are landing on 16 try to make that a loooong landing or you'll be taxiing for over a mile. Otherwise this is a pretty straightforward class D, sometimes it can be busy but most of the time I've been there it hasn't been bad.

Their fuel is really expensive- I believe a night of parking is waived with fuel purchase but with them being $2/gal or more higher than other fields not that far away it still might be worth eating the fee and fueling elsewhere. Tie-down parking will not be a problem, they have a HUGE ramp, I think their overnight fees are something like 15-20/night. For a 30-day stay I'd call ahead and make arrangements maybe they have a long term discount or something- I've never been there for more than a few days.

For ground transport you'll probably want a car- the airport isn't really close to anything, figure a 20-30min drive to get anywhere. I guess you could get an Uber to the beach/pier park area and just hang out in that area but you're kinda limiting yourself as there are a lot of more interesting destinations spread out all over.

Lots of good restaurants. I have to recommend Sharkey's, it is really good but also my sister in law works there. J Michael's is another good one, although honestly I can't think of any bad places down there. Usually we're visiting family and they take us to all the good places and drive us around.
 
If Capt. Anderson’s is still in business it is, or used to be, a very good seafood restaurant overlooking the charter docks. You’ll get to see some menu items being offloaded from the boats.
 
Back
Top