Interesting and unusual airport/runway/taxiway designs

RussR

RussR

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I thought it would be fun to post some unusual airport designs, taxi routing, that kind of thing.

I fly regularly to Midland Airpark, MDD, and I still sometimes get confused by the "main" taxiway from the FBO.

Departing the FBO ramp, the taxiway gradually curves to the north. So the first taxiway you come to, to RW34, goes south. The next one, to the midpoint, goes west. The next one, to RW 16 and to get to RW7, goes northwest, and if you don't exit the taxiway at all you end up going northeast to RW25. This looks reasonably okay from the overhead view, but from the ground level, it's actually more than a bit confusing the first time (or first few times, or first time using a different runway).

upload_2022-4-20_10-43-34.png

Another one I thought was interesting, though I was only there once before it closed, was the old Blue Ash airport outside Cincinnati. I had to use a historical Google Earth photo for this, as it's sadly been redeveloped, but taxiing to runway 6 felt like you were on a nice leisurely drive through the forest, not taxiing an airplane at an airport.

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What are some examples you know of?
 
One of my old favorites, Truth or Consequences NM (KTCS).

Where some airport manager long ago must have had zero cross-wind landing skills and went nutzo with his road grader.

KTCSapt.jpg


0305_Truth_Consequences_NM5.jpeg
 
Granbury Texas has a very simple airport layout... for now! They're building a new, much larger runway that is more aligned with the prevailing winds. They told me they will close the existing runway and build a new terminal over by the new runway, but until they do, you'll have a long way to taxi to take off from the South.

I was thinking this was already a really nice airport, with a great terminal, and was impressed they were already looking into the future. I stumbled across a community page and found out they're not so supportive! Looks like it's happening anyway!

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It's a nice five mile taxi from the Landmark FBO at IAD to the Udvar-Hazy center. This includes a two mile trek through the woods between the end of Taxiway J and the museum ramp.
 
Coshocton, Ohio (I40)

The runway is elevated and you taxi down a pretty good sized hill to get to parking, hangars, and the FBO.
 
So there I was... copilot, airlines, pretty new, was on deck O’hare. Called for taxi, was told to go to the “penalty box”. I started to spin like a top.

Capt intervened, “Mike, there actually is a penalty box, right here...”. Pointed to it on the 10-9 page.

Me: “Oh... ok... cleared to taxi to the penalty box”

WHA? A damn penalty box? Like a REAL one? Really? My calm didn’t last long!
 
Tools said:
So there I was... copilot, airlines, pretty new, was on deck O’hare. Called for taxi, was told to go to the “penalty box”. I started to spin like a top.

Capt intervened, “Mike, there actually is a penalty box, right here...”. Pointed to it on the 10-9 page.

Me: “Oh... ok... cleared to taxi to the penalty box”

WHA? A damn penalty box? Like a REAL one? Really? My calm didn’t last long!
Click to expand...
If you had enough delay on the mic for the captain to show you where the box was you’d have been aggressively progressive taxied. :)
 
Tools said:
So there I was... copilot, airlines, pretty new, was on deck O’hare. Called for taxi, was told to go to the “penalty box”. I started to spin like a top.

Capt intervened, “Mike, there actually is a penalty box, right here...”. Pointed to it on the 10-9 page.

Me: “Oh... ok... cleared to taxi to the penalty box”

WHA? A damn penalty box? Like a REAL one? Really? My calm didn’t last long!
Click to expand...

I liked the naming scheme for the taxiways at ORD back in the day before they changed to ICAO standard, as long as the clearance included the Stub I could figure out the routing.
 
Only place I have had trouble so far is KRFD. Again it doesn't look all that weird on paper, but I've been there 3 times and got lost each time lol. Last time I even pre-planned my expected route, but a Prime Air 747 was using Bravo, so I got the grand tour. That NE corner gets me every time.
00954AD.jpg
 
Jim K said:
Only place I have had trouble so far is KRFD. Again it doesn't look all that weird on paper, but I've been there 3 times and got lost each time lol. Last time I even pre-planned my expected route, but a Prime Air 747 was using Bravo, so I got the grand tour. That NE corner gets me every time.
View attachment 106206
Click to expand...
We’ve all been there… for me it was KMNM. I was following a King Air to runway 3 from the fuel ramp and I still couldn’t get it right…

CCEF7968-D00D-4C50-A88D-83A07122355B.jpeg
 
That reminds me...went to KLOU when I had <100hrs. and they had changed their taxiway names, but not yet updated the signage. I forget the specifics, but the tower was giving me the new letters, which didn't match the signs, it was dark, and it was all very confusing. They ended up giving me progressive taxi, sounding very annoyed. We had a nice dinner anyway.
 
RussR said:
I fly regularly to Midland Airpark, MDD, and I still sometimes get confused by the "main" taxiway from the FBO.
Click to expand...

If you ever feel like starting another thread for “Worst FBO in America,” you could re-use this particular airport, and I would enthusiastically agree.

But for this thread, you’re right, getting from ramp to runway is odd there. I used ForeFlight and Geolocation on the airport diagram when I came and went there. Which was too often. Especially when I got stuck in a pothole at the edge of the ramp and got zero help from anyone there.
 
Velocity173 said:
Spencer NOLF.
Click to expand...

Interesting that there's still a square-pattern Naval outlying field in use. There are several abandoned ones around here, dating from WWII; they were used for pattern work, probably with Stearmans based at a nearby bigger airport. Same 1800' runway length. Here's one about 11 miles NE of OTM (Ottumwa VOR) that's now used as the Pekin Community senior/junior high school. There's parking for school busses on one of the old runways.

Screen Shot 2022-04-21 at 5.17.49 PM.png
 
Radar Contact said:
If you had enough delay on the mic for the captain to show you where the box was you’d have been aggressively progressive taxied. :)
Click to expand...
What is the purpose of the Penalty Box?
 
i
NoHeat said:
If you ever feel like starting another thread for “Worst FBO in America,” you could re-use this particular airport, and I would enthusiastically agree.
Click to expand...

Add me to the list, I do not like the long time FBO manager. I understand there may be new management and building.
 
At my home field, all 5 of the perpendicular taxiways are "Tango".

Um...
 
Plano Pilot said:
i

Add me to the list, I do not like the long time FBO manager. I understand there may be new management and building.
Click to expand...

Yes to the new building & no to any change in FBO management goals at KMDD.
Future challenges at Airpark will be when they soon begin oil & gas drilling operations on the airfield.
 
Cherry Point, NC The entire center field is paved to avoid FOD for the Harriers and V-22s
 

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Not as good as that Truth or Consequences diagram, but a similar one here that has always seemed very odd is Saint Augustine KSGJ
there's such a mismatch in runway sizes...some of the taxi ways are bigger than the little runways.
https://www.aopa.org/ustprocs/20220421/SE-3/sgj_airport_diagram.pdf
1

sgj_airport_diagram.pdf


the one that gets me tangled up is Herlong
Uncontrolled, and I never know which way to look when Taxing from the main ramp to 11-29.
Sometimes both runways are in use and you can't just look both ways when crossing....
tn_HEG_tif.gif
 
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