Flying down to KAUS (Bergstrom)

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Lindberg

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Lindberg
I'm considering a flight next week from the Dallas area to AUS. It will be my longest XC to date, first time using flight following, and first time at a class C. The only towered field I've been to lately is a sleepy little class D. Any tips? Which FBO do people prefer for an overnight stay? Will I have to taxi all over the place?
 
First off, do you need KAUS? KEDC (Executive) is a sweet place.

But if you need AUS, it's duck soup simple. You'll land on 17L/35R, which puts you a short taxi from either FBO. I prefer Signature for access and service, and they are (in my experience) less likely to move your plane to a parking spot far, far away.

Study the taxi diagram, be prepared to remember you have two parallel taxiways. Don't forget that, when you're ready to go, you call Clearance Delivery first, always, have to get a squawk.

Great controllers, don't be intimidated by the airliners. They wish they were in your plane anyway.
 
AUS is very GA friendly. It's also expensive, but I think Atlantic is a bit less than Signature for visitors.

You'll almost certainly use the 'little' east runway. You'll taxi in on Alpha and out on Bravo.

The FBO ramps are 'non-movement areas', which means you can move around all you want, but you have to have clearance from ground to exit the GA ramps.

As 'Smooth-talker' mentioned, you'll call clearance before you taxi. Just tell them you're 'VFR to [wherever] and what altitude you want. They'll give you a squawk and the departure frequency they want you to use.

When shortly after you take off tower will tell you to 'contact departure'.

The tower gets cranky if you didn't write the frequency down when clearance gave it to you.

Departure will vector you for a turn or two and then clear you on course.

Austin RAPCON are spring loaded to arrange flight following with center, so don't be surprised if departure gives you a handoff to center. If your squawk starts with the digit '4' that means they are going to want to hand you off.

If you do or do not want flight following from center you can mention that to clearance delivery, otherwise they'll almost always arrange it for you.

If you come in on a Friday afternoon and park at Signature expect to share the ramp with half the Navy.
 
Sounds like you're going for an overnight visit. Depending on where your destination is, you might consider Georgetown (GTU), as well. It's a towered field, but not real busy, and there's free parking on the ramp in front of the terminal. Self-serve fuel is going to be less than what you'd pay at AUS, and it's easy for someone to pick you up. There's an FBO on the field (AeroCentex) if you need a rental car.

Easy access to the north or northwest areas around Austin.
 
Thanks for all the very helpful tips and suggestions. It sounds like AUS is a lot friendlier to GA than I expected. I'm pretty set on AUS. My wife is flying in on SWA, and that's my weather backup plan as well. And I'll be cabbing it to downtown, just for the night. I would definitely consider Executive if I was renting a car.

Which raises another question, looking at the diagram, I'm wondering if there's an easy way to get from the FBO to terminal (or vice versa) on foot. Or should one of us just get a cab and pick the other up?

JimNtexas said:
AUS is very GA friendly. It's also expensive, but I think Atlantic is a bit less than Signature for visitors.
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Do you know what the landing and tiedown fees are? I was going to call them because I couldn't find it on their website.
 
I like Atlantic 512-530-7000
If they are not to busy they will drive you over to the terminal.
 
Seems like it will be a quick taxi from 35R/17L. Don't be afraid of the Class C. In NY, I've found that Approach controllers at KISP (class c airport about 15 miles west of my home airport) are more than accomodating and will work with you
 
Ditto on Atlantic. Signature is more expensive and there have been occasions where I definitely felt like I was interrupting their primary mission of serving private jets.

Atlantic has consistently made me feel like the special guy I am and even charges a little less. Slam dunk in my book.

I've flown into AUS a couple times. I'll just reiterate what others have said. There are other options that cost less in airport fees, but when I've gone to AUS it's been on the same formula as you (meeting other people, cheaper cabs to downtown (enough cheaper to cancel 2-3 days of airport fees IIRC), those sorts of things).
 
Never been to AUS but most FBOs will offer a shuttle to the commercial terminal. If you walk, make sure you go out the gate first.
 
I fly out of KGTU but have flown down to KAUS a couple times to pick friends up at Atlantic...nice FBO. No idea on prices but the best thing to do is just call them and see. Often times they don't charge tie downs if you buy some gas, etc...

As other mentioned - pretty simple getting in and out...on FF they'll probably just line you up to 17L (provided the wind is from the south as it usually is down here) and fly you straight in. I land a little long on the 2 mile runway so I can get off faster.

You'll need to call clearance before leaving. Pretty simple just make sure you write down what they tell you. When you talk to the tower they'll tell you what heading to fly on your climb out - make sure you get that and repeat it.

No idea on how to get over to the terminal -ask the folks at the FBO...someone may be able to run you over in a courtesy car or something.
 
There is no direct walking route from the GA areas to the airline terminals; you could walk it in, probably, about and hour and a half. Seriously.

Good news is, the FBOs will shuttle customers without cost.

Gas is high there, but I always got good service.
 
bburnett said:
Never been to AUS but most FBOs will offer a shuttle to the commercial terminal. If you walk, make sure you go out the gate first.
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FYI - it is 8.1 mile walk from FBO to front door of Terminal. No side walk along two Major highways.
 
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Scott@KTYR said:
FYI - it is 8.1 mile walk from FBO to front door of Terminal. Not side walk along two Major highways.
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OK, an hour and a half wold probably be tough to do. :hairraise:

Scott's on-point - it is a long long way, on "not intended to be walked" right of ways.
 
On an unrelated note, KAUS is my favorite station on LiveATC. Great mix of GA and heavy iron and the frequency stays busy most nice weather days.
 
Scott@KTYR said:
FYI - it is 8.1 mile walk from FBO to front door of Terminal. No side walk along two Major highways.
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Not to mention having to walk on a narrow road with ditches on each side that runs in front of a prison!

It is best to think of Bergstrom as being two adjacent airports, the GA terminals are one airport, the airline terminal is another.
 
The Live ATC suggestion is a great one to get used to the instructions and tempo. Print out an airport diagram, practice writing the clearances, and imagine following them. Pick one N number calling in from the north and follow it in, same with a departure calling from an FBO. South flow will be different from North flow so try to do it on different days.

Where do they vector planes from the north when landing to the north? Where do they send planes that are going north when taking off to the south? Where do they transition from approach to tower, tower to departure, any pattern to altitude changes? Good practice that will make you more confident for any new airport.

For extra credit, and to make it more interesting, open flight aware in another tab, enter KAUS in the bottom left, and expand the radar map. Then click on planes coming from the north, find one headed for AUS, and you can both watch and listen.
 
How to handle things at KAUS has been well covered. So I'll add to the info about FF and Class Charlies...

Basically, it's not the big deal young pilots make of it. Being based in Denton, under DFW's bravo, I'm always asking DTO's tower to set me up with FF. Makes navigating the Bravo space a simple task, and Regional Departure frequently clears me into the Bravo space without my requesting.

Being on FF for any flight 40nm keeps my radio skills sharp, including grokking the frequency changes when the controller is talking like John Moschitta. And all are helpful when the instruction doesn't make sense, and I need a repeat, or the instruction is gonna put me into a non VFR situation.

And having them help with traffic call outs is a big reason to always be on FF.

Class Charlie airports are also easy to deal with. You're already talking to approach. If there are any special arrival protocols (like dog-legging to the city of Sepupla when flying to Tulsa Riverside), approach will tell you and assist. Tower crews have always been good ones.

The final tip is to have a airport layout chart handy showing the runways and taxiways. Both printed and iPad. This really helps having the paper when you've already marked where you want to go, and then can quickly draw your own progressive taxi-way line there once ground control gives you clearance and the route.

Enjoy the adventure! We expect photos and a write up!
 
Well, with all of y'alls' advice and a trial run with flight following last week, I was ready to go. But when I got to the airport, I was informed that the plane had a bad mag. :( Fortunately I had a backup plan (Southwest), which I had waited until the last minute to cancel. So the moral of the story is to always have a backup plan...
 
Lindberg said:
So the moral of the story is to always have a backup plan...
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From what I've heard from "old" IFR pilots (versus the bold ones), this moral applies very much to flying in IMC... Always have an out loaded and ready to fire.
 
Jim_R said:
Sounds like you're going for an overnight visit. Depending on where your destination is, you might consider Georgetown (GTU), as well. It's a towered field, but not real busy, and there's free parking on the ramp in front of the terminal. Self-serve fuel is going to be less than what you'd pay at AUS, and it's easy for someone to pick you up. There's an FBO on the field (AeroCentex) if you need a rental car.

Easy access to the north or northwest areas around Austin.
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AeroCentex is locked, doesn't answer the phone,:yikes: and no longer sells fuel.
 
Datadriver said:
AeroCentex is locked, doesn't answer the phone,:yikes: and no longer sells fuel.
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Yup. :(

But the FBO at KEDC is lively and full of surprises! No more weekend fuel price match for the trucks. :( No hose to wash your airplane anymore. :( No brush to scrub it either. :(

OP, did you ever make it down to KAUS? Or did you choose a smaller airport? How did the trip go?
 
BigBadLou said:
Yup. :(
OP, did you ever make it down to KAUS? Or did you choose a smaller airport? How did the trip go?
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I haven't made it yet. :( The airplane was broken for my original trip, and haven't had the flexibility to fly myself on the last few trips down. But it will happen.
 
Lindberg said:
Well, with all of y'alls' advice and a trial run with flight following last week, I was ready to go. But when I got to the airport, I was informed that the plane had a bad mag. :( Fortunately I had a backup plan (Southwest), which I had waited until the last minute to cancel. So the moral of the story is to always have a backup plan...
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Did your instructor teach you how to see if you can clear a "bad" mag that might just be caused by a student / renter not leaning on the previous flight?
 
It looks like I will be making this flight tomorrow. Is there a big evening busy time that I should avoid for arrival?
 
Lindberg said:
It looks like I will be making this flight tomorrow. Is there a big evening busy time that I should avoid for arrival?
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I do not follow the airliner schedules into KAUS so I cannot help here, sorry. If you are on FF, they will sequence you in, no worries.
Coincidentally, we had to ferry a Bonanza last night and the trip path put us right through the Charlie airspace, over the field. It was late at night, only one arrival and they let us cross the field at 3500, I was very pleasantly surprised, never happened to me before. :)
Enjoy the trip and have fun!
 
RyanShort1 said:
Did your instructor teach you how to see if you can clear a "bad" mag that might just be caused by a student / renter not leaning on the previous flight?
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No, I never learned that. In this case, it was truly bad-they had it disassembled-but that sounds like a valuable skill.
 
I fly out of KAUS, I've given up trying to figure out when the airlines schedule their mass arrival/departure parties. It seems like one minute the ATC frequencies are all dead, nothing is going, no engine noise on the ramp, not an operating airplane in sight.

By the time I get strapped and turn the key it's like Black Thursday at the Super Walmart. Don't let that worry you though, the Austin controllers are real pros and will work you in with no issues even on Game Day or F-1 day.

The airport design could not be simpler, it's just a big 'H'.

If you're there around 6pm you can admire the BA 787 that commutes between Austin and London.

I know that pilots who fly out of big airports wouldn't turn their heads for a 787, but 'our' 787 is about the only passenger 'heavy' that we see here.

We do have a big freight terminal that gets the big UPS and FedEx freighters. They use what was once a B-52 alert ramp, so it's unusual for a GA airplane to get close to one of those guys.
 
My meeting was moved to the northwest side of Austin, so Austin Executive is now an option. If I go there, would I have any trouble getting a cab to/from Austin?
 
Lindberg said:
My meeting was moved to the northwest side of Austin, so Austin Executive is now an option. If I go there, would I have any trouble getting a cab to/from Austin?
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Likely easier than you think. And call the FBO. They might have a very nice "crew car" for you to use for the day at little or no charge. Just replace the fuel you use as a courtesy.

If it is a taxi, they can coordinate with your arrival and have the driver waiting for you. Minimize your wait time.

From what I have been told, Austin Exec is a very nice airport and FBO to operate out of.
 
Austin Exec does have a crew car, they have no problem lending it for a while. You also get to pull up under the massive canopy. Call a few hours before you leave, and they will put it under the canopy again, and open your windows for you.
 
I made a trip to JNB on BA via DFW (B747) and LHR (A380) last month.
Really sorry I didn't leave from AUS for the opportunity to ride the B787!
 
I will be in town overnight, so I assume crew car is going to be a no go. I will call in the morning about cab availability.
 
Lindberg said:
I will be in town overnight, so I assume crew car is going to be a no go. I will call in the morning about cab availability.
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Sometimes FBO's have rental cars available at a very competitive rate. When you call, tell them what you're doing and ask how they can help fill your transport needs.
 
Lindberg said:
I will be in town overnight, so I assume crew car is going to be a no go. I will call in the morning about cab availability.
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I'm pretty sure Austin Exec has rental cars, and I'd be astonished if they couldn't call you a cab.

I just went to Uber Austin's web site, they quoted me $45-$60 for UberX, and $60-89 for UberXL from Austin Executive to 100 Congress ave (downtown).
 
Btw, definitely bring a portable talking car GPS (or make sure your rental car has one) because the access to KEDC outside of the toll road is not straight-forward and people tend to get lost.
If you are in town overnight, do you have any dinner plans yet? Where are you staying? (if it is not a secret)
 
So......Yes, EDC has rental cars, and reserved one for. Cost less than the cab both ways. Too bad I was foiled by fate (and a leaky carburetor and weather) once again. :( So here I am at DAL waiting on my backup plan. I don't have dinner plans, I'll be on the north side of town, but don't land until about 630. If anyone wants to grab grub, I've never met a pilot I didn't like.
 
Lindberg said:
So......Yes, EDC has rental cars, and reserved one for. Cost less than the cab both ways. Too bad I was foiled by fate (and a leaky carburetor and weather) once again. :( So here I am at DAL waiting on my backup plan.
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Are you flying commercial to KAUS as a backup plan?

I don't have dinner plans, I'll be on the north side of town, but don't land until about 630. If anyone wants to grab grub
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I'd be up for grub. Should we exchange phone numbers in PMs?
I can try to get other pilots together too.

I've never met a pilot I didn't like.
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Thank you, sir, I accept the challenge! :D:D:D
 
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