Gatlinburg questions

soarohio

soarohio

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soarohio
Flying into Gatlinburg on Thursday for our first trip in our new to us C182 and have a few questions for anyone with knowledge of the area. We are meeting a group of friends that will have cars so no need for us to rent one. How are the taxis from the airport into Gatlinburg and do they need to be arranged ahead of time? Does the airport have good tie down ropes? If windy is there any advantage going west of Knoxville where the ridges our lower?
 
Not sure about taxi service due to renting a car (full day) and using courtesy car for short time. Winds were fine on our trips so no help there. Excellent airport with good facilities, no worries on tie downs. Have fun!

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Nice airport...good folks. Can't speak to the taxi service. The little museum on the airport is worth some time, if you've got extra.

Jim
 
I'd plan ahead for a taxi unless you have some time to spare. Uber/Lyft may be an option too. The airport is in Sevierville, TN; at least 45 mins to G-burg this time of year unless you hit absolutely zero traffic.

If you are coming in from the southeast and fly down Wear's Valley (the one that you can barely tell is a valley - SE from TYS) it tends to get bumpy, particularly in the afternoon. If that's the case, just hop over the ridge to the north to the flats and it usually smooths out. If you land on 28, it's easy to end up high on final due to the hill on that end; although they've done a lot to lessen it over the last few years. If the wind is kicking from the southwest or south and you are landing 28, be aware that you'll lose all that wind at about 30' due to the big stand of trees on the south side of the approach end. Couple that with being high and likely having the power back and many people have been surprised by that over the years. Honestly not a big deal, but just something to be prepared for.

If you are showing up on a Fri/Sat/Sun afternoon in the summer or fall, triple all commute times anywhere in the area.
 
Gatlinburg offered me a courtesy car when I stopped in there a year ago. And the time we spent a week there we did get Enterprise to deliver us a car.
 
KGKT is one of the first places we're planning to visit once I get my ticket (hopefully later this spring). This is a very helpful thread for me, too - thanks OP!

We were there over Father's Day weekend last June (by car). +1 on traffic being a nightmare (and we live in Atlanta!) - we found it to be a problem almost all the way from I-40 in Sevierville clear through to G-burg. If you're just trying to get to the park, hitting the G-burg bypass helps a little, but AFAIK you have to get all the way through Pigeon Forge to access it, which just takes time. Have a fun trip!
 
Around 7 1/2 you can see the parking. We had a rental car which they brought to the plane. Enterprise. Not sure on taxi/Uber. It’s a fun town. Hope you enjoy it!

 
I’ve been there when hardly any planes are tied down and there when hardly any tie downs are available, it varies. Space is plentiful if (metal chain) tie downs are taken. Huge ramp. Sometimes Enterpise is sold out, but that is not an issue for you. I personally would not do a taxi to Gatlinburg, and would probably not do an Uber either simply because if traffic is heavy you’d be stuck paying a higher bill in a car with a cab/Uber driver. Not my idea of using time wisely. I’d either get friends to pick you up or get a rental. Hertz is nearby too (weekdays) but never used them. Although the area is generally busy, going into the weekend is when it’s busiest. The FBO can help answer more ground transportation questions as they know the area very well. Watch out for the helicopter traffic operating out of the east side and the antennas northwest of the airport!
 
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Neat little airport with plenty of tie downs by the FBO. You can park at the aviation museum also if you are going inside. Flew up there for work couple years back. Had a nice sunrise on departure.

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I’ve landed there three times at least. Great ramp, nice FBO and cool staff. We have rented a car with Enterprise and also done Uber (or Lyft, don’t remember). Both are easy and quick. Dollywood has solid rides, I’m not so inclined to the hillbilly culture (a lot of the shows and restaurants cater to that) but it is a fun place to go and enjoy.

The FBO staff are great guys and gave solid advice and service. My brand new transponder went Tango Uniform while there. I was newly ticketed and flying home under the ATL Bravo. I discussed with them and planned my radio calls and requests. I probably wouldn’t have navigated so well without them.
 
Uber/Lyft is available but might take a little time to show up, so plan for 10-15 min for that. As mentioned not a short distance from the airport in Sevierville to Gatlinburg @ traffic. Since i'm located close @ KDKX I have landed there quite often for training and a few times to stop and go to the museum. Just for fun a few years ago I flew over and had an uber pick my family and we went to/from Dollywood. It's a nice FBO and staff, and they will hear you @ ctaf coming in and often ask before you land if you need something like rental, etc.. They will bring a rental right out to your plane if you arrange that ahead of time or just ask (if they have one). Suggest to bring some tie down straps in case chains are taken up. Enjoy!
 
TheFB said:
Dollywood has solid rides, I’m not so inclined to the hillbilly culture
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I too am not a fan of the hillbilly thing, but that's their schtick, and it seems to work. The rides are good, and the facility is well maintained and very clean. Much better than places like Six Flags IMHO.
 
Bill said:
I too am not a fan of the hillbilly thing, but that's their schtick, and it seems to work. The rides are good, and the facility is well maintained and very clean. Much better than places like Six Flags IMHO.
Click to expand...

The best thing about Dollywood for me was the Dolly Parton museum -- she's a real-life saint... If you're at all interested in Country or mainstream American music in general, the museum is well worth a visit. Never mind the rides :)
 
About 12 years ago, I had a charter trip there and we went to the Pigeon Forge location of the Smokey Mountain Brewing company for dinner. While we were eating they started setting up for Karaoke and when the first guy got up and absolutely murdered some song, my coworker and I couldn’t wait to get out of there. Before we finished out dinner, a group of ten or so twenty somethings came in and sat down. When the first one of them got up to sing, We said, “wow, she’s pretty good”. And then the next few were pretty damn good as well. It turned out they were all performers at Dollywood. We ended up staying most of the night.
 
Thanks for the info. We will be flying in Thursday morning and looks like we will have a ride from friends. Our friends go every year and have the whole weekend planned out. If anyone else is in town this weekend we will the loud crazy group from Ohio.
 
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