Living near an airport

[sbonek]

do you or would you?

My wife and I are looking at some land right near my home airport, KMQJ. It looks like the lot may be right outside the pattern, near the Downwind to Base turn.

I like the idea of being that close to the airport and will enjoy the periodic drone of the local a/c... the occaisional BizJet will be nice to hear (I think)...

Here is my concern. Obviously living close to an airport increase the possibility of somebody stalling and spinning into your living room.... or does it?

I feel a poll....

 

[deafsound]

I live near a road, and I'm constantly worried about a truck crashing into my house, and the house is on a hill, and I'm constantly worried about getting struck by lightning. Every time I try to eat, I worry about choking.
sorry for the sarcasm. I mean it only as a joke.

 

[mikea]

do you or would you?

My wife and I are looking at some land right near my home airport, KMQJ. It looks like the lot may be right outside the pattern, near the Downwind to Base turn.

I like the idea of being that close to the airport and will enjoy the periodic drone of the local a/c... the occaisional BizJet will be nice to hear (I think)...

Here is my concern. Obviously living close to an airport increase the possibility of somebody stalling and spinning into your living room.... or does it?

I feel a poll....

I did. I'm not that close, though.

In order, I hear 1) lotsa street traffic, 2) trains blowing air horns at crossings, 3) birds, 4) planes.

As for your concern about planes falling on you, ...c'mon. The odds are prolly about the same as anywhere, menaing slim to none. I would be most concerned about being at the end of a runway where students and others could come down after failing to get an overgross plane airborne.

I'm 1 1/2 miles directly out on one runway. I do hear planes under fill power climbing out. Not an annoyance at all.

I was just talking to my neighbor's sister. She had no idea the airport was there.

 

[Tristar]

I personaly think it depends on the airport. I love the sound of airplanes but a 747 at around 3 in the morning...and 4...and 5, might make it hard to sleep and thus grumpy and regretting it. Doesn't mean I hate airports, I just enjoy my sleep, hehe.

A little grass strip or small GA airport would be great.

I would honestly be more afraid to live under the practice area! Most of us do already and everyone knows how students feel and what they do out there especialy during solo flights.

 

[Frank Browne]

A little grass strip or small GA airport would be great.

I think that would be as close to Heaven on earth as is possible to get.

 

[Bill]

do you or would you?..

My choice would be "Kinda do". I'm half way between CHA and 3M3, about 5nm to each. But, when the winds are out of the south, jet traffic passes right overhead on the left downwind to CHA RWY20. I LOVE looking up at the traffic.

Also, traffic enroute between CHA and 3M3 pass directly overhead.

 

[sbonek]

I personaly think it depends on the airport. I love the sound of airplanes but a 747 at around 3 in the morning...and 4...and 5, might make it hard to sleep and thus grumpy and regretting it. Doesn't mean I hate airports, I just enjoy my sleep, hehe.

A little grass strip or small GA airport would be great.

I would honestly be more afraid to live under the practice area! Most of us do already and everyone knows how students feel and what they do out there especialy during solo flights.

agreed on sleep... always a good thing... MQJ is pretty busy, as the AFD says "intensive flight training"... but definately no heavy iron...

 

[Bill]

I personaly think it depends on the airport. I love the sound of airplanes but a 747 at around 3 in the morning...and 4...and 5, might make it hard to sleep and thus grumpy and regretting it. Doesn't mean I hate airports, I just enjoy my sleep, hehe.

You'd get used to it. Our house was 2.8mi from the threashold of PIT 28R. Lots of planes, all the time, and most of the time you could sleep well.

In the summer, sometimes the ANG would be scrambling KC-135's off of 28C and 28L (only 1.5mi away), and you couldn't sleep those nights. That was back when those 707 based planes had their original JT3D engines and were LOUD AS HELL. The windows would rattle.

 

[Skip Miller]

That was back when those 707 based planes had their original JT3D engines and were LOUD AS HELL. The windows would rattle.

My high school was about the same distance off runway 6 at BDL. B-52s would regularly take off from Westover AFB and do touch and gos at BDL, then CEF, then BDL lather rinse repeat. They would come over the school with 8 screaming !!! at what seemed like 500 feet (probably closer to 2000 AGL) and everything would stop until the noise died down.

-Skip

 

[Bill]

and everything would stop until the noise died down.

I remember as a kid playing outside, on days they were departing RWY10x, all conversation would stop on every departure. Those 707's, DC-8/9's, etc. were horribly earslpitting loud. Planes today are absolutely quiet in comparison. In fact, when the first 747's and DC-10's started departing PIT, we marvelled at how such large airplanes could be soooo quiet. (I believe they were the first to have high bypass turbofans)

 

[Lawreston]

I already do -- somewhat! My hangar is at Wiscasset, about 21 miles away. In the summer it'll be a disaster via touristy U.S. Route #1. However, I spend frequent visits at Bowdoinham(Photo), which is a 5.2sm country road from my house. If I decide I want to land at Bowdoinham for the night(Deposit $5.00, please), after having flown out of Wiscasset, I can borrow a car that one of the guys leaves at Bowdoinham and return same the next day so as to fly out.

HR

 

[KennyFlys]

I just moved away from a home that was a thousand feet right of the localizer center line for KGVL. I was about six miles south of the threshold and a mile south of the NDB. It was neat just seeing planes track inbound and occasionally outbound.

I was also a thousand feet from a train track. The trains weren't the problem. It was the "whistle" that makes Kent's tractor sound like a bird chirp.

There are a few business jets based there but no heavy iron. We did get close a few years ago when a local pilot was still a check pilot for Delta. He diverted a pilot to GVL. His wife took a picture we have hanging at our school of a 757 doing a low approach down Runway 4.

 

[Anthony]

I used to live under the pattern of Centennial in CO. (KAPA). Loved every minute of it especially when Aluminum Overcast (B-17) or the two seated Spitfire whould fly in there.

 

[wsuffa]

I grew up under the (extended) pattern for DCA. Used to see 2-and-4 engine prop and turboprop planes fly over the house all the time.

 

[tonycondon]

define "close" Ive always lived on the other side of town as the airport, but never been more than a 30 minute drive away. and that was when the airport was about 15 miles south of town. Otherwise its been a solid 10 minutes door to door. However I would love to live within walking (or taxiing) distance of a small GA airport.

 

[tdager]

If I can do it, I will be leaving at the airport! (well ok, it is a fly-in community, but hey, it does have a runway. )

 

[RotaryWingBob]

Airport? Aren't those the things that have runways and taxiways and stuff like that?

I'm trying to figure out where I can put a helipad on our property. Then I won't need no stinkin' airport

 

[alaskaflyer]

Lived on a street behind the hangars at PGA. Nice. Actually my morning run in the desert was a circumnavigation of the airport fence.

Now I have to drive to the airstrip, but it is only a 5 minute drive and I consider that still "living next to" the airport. Up here you end up having to carry so much cr*p with you in the plane I couldn't walk anyway.

When I retire I could definitely see living in a rural airport community or on a property with a private grass or dirt strip

 

[CJones]

I live about 1 mile WNW of the airport here at BNW. It's close enough that I can hear the sky-dive plane when they are doing their drops, but far enough away that I don't get jarred awake when the random biz-jet leaves in the middle of the night. I have more issues with the trains that run about 1.5 mile north of us when they stop-and-start in the middle of the night and SLAM the ?hitches?.

It's actually really convenient -- my wife and I rode our bikes (peddle type, not vroom vroom type) to the airport the other night to check on the canopy cover when it had been windy all day.

 

[KennyFlys]

Airport? Aren't those the things that have runways and taxiways and stuff like that?

I'm trying to figure out where I can put a helipad on our property. Then I won't need no stinkin' airport

Good luck at that one. Jay Land of Pope & Land, an Atlanta real estate development company, had been landing his helo on his property off and on for a while. He sought a permit from the county to build a permanent pad and was approved. But, some moron who was probably jealous of the achievers complained to the county. Later, the county rescinded its approval.

 

[CJones]

Good luck at that one. Jay Land of Pope & Land, an Atlanta real estate development company, had been landing his helo on his property off and on for a while. He sought a permit from the county to build a permanent pad and was approved. But, some moron who was probably jealous of the achievers complained to the county. Later, the county rescinded its approval.

I could (and probably AM) wrong on this one, but I'm pretty sure the county can't prevent him from landing his helo on his property unless they pass some sort of bogus local statute. Even then, it's teetering on conflicting with the Fed's oversight of Aviation Regulations. Basically the only thing that the county could rescind would be his permit to put a structure on his property. If that's the case, then he should say he is putting in a concrete area to have picnics on the permit application, then land his helo on in when he darn well pleases. If they still wanna fight his "picnic area construction" application, then someone has some 'dirt' on the county supervisors. ha

(Sorry.. I just got out of Business Law class, so I'm feeling empowered )

 

[alaskaflyer]

I could (and probably AM) wrong on this one, but I'm pretty sure the county can't prevent him from landing his helo on his property unless they pass some sort of bogus local statute. Even then, it's teetering on conflicting with the Fed's oversight of Aviation Regulations. Basically the only thing that the county could rescind would be his permit to put a structure on his property. If that's the case, then he should say he is putting in a concrete area to have picnics on the permit application, then land his helo on in when he darn well pleases. If they still wanna fight his "picnic area construction" application, then someone has some 'dirt' on the county supervisors. ha

(Sorry.. I just got out of Business Law class, so I'm feeling empowered )

Nope, you are wrong on this one it is pretty common. County (or city or municipal etc etc) zoning regulations. Even in rural Nevada (which you would think would be pretty liberal on zoning) they have some ironclad zoning stuff on private airports and helipads.

 

[KennyFlys]

I could (and probably AM) wrong on this one, but I'm pretty sure the county can't prevent him from landing his helo on his property unless they pass some sort of bogus local statute. Even then, it's teetering on conflicting with the Fed's oversight of Aviation Regulations. Basically the only thing that the county could rescind would be his permit to put a structure on his property. If that's the case, then he should say he is putting in a concrete area to have picnics on the permit application, then land his helo on in when he darn well pleases. If they still wanna fight his "picnic area construction" application, then someone has some 'dirt' on the county supervisors. ha

(Sorry.. I just got out of Business Law class, so I'm feeling empowered )

To summarize what Richard just said, "Their the government. They can do whatever they damn well want and it's left to you to fight them." Did you discuss the SC case, Kelo v. New London? That's probably most extreme example in existence of how government has abused private property rights for the most absurd reason.

 

[alaskaflyer]

To summarize what Richard just said, "Their the government. They can do whatever they damn well want and it's left to you to fight them." Did you discuss the SC case, Kelo v. New London? That's probably most extreme example in existence of how government has abused private property rights for the most absurd reason.

To quote Morgan Freeman's character in Outbreak..."They? They is you, Sam."

 

[Nav8tor]

I clicked "No way" because I would be very hesitant to buy a house close to an airport. Not because I would have a problem with it, on the contrary, I'd love it. But I'd be concerned about resale value. Too many non-pilots would likely have a problem with it and that could make the house harder to sell.

 

[CJones]

Nope, you are wrong on this one it is pretty common. County (or city or municipal etc etc) zoning regulations. Even in rural Nevada (which you would think would be pretty liberal on zoning) they have some ironclad zoning stuff on private airports and helipads.

*sigh* I was afraid of that. Oh well.. It sounded good in my head, if that counts for anything.

 

[NC Pilot]

Nope, you are wrong on this one it is pretty common. County (or city or municipal etc etc) zoning regulations. Even in rural Nevada (which you would think would be pretty liberal on zoning) they have some ironclad zoning stuff on private airports and helipads.

I don't want a runway at my house, just a 2,000 foot long driveway.

 

[alaskaflyer]

*sigh* I was afraid of that. Oh well.. It sounded good in my head, if that counts for anything.

Not to say it's not doable. A neighbor of my girlfriend's grandmother (whatever, anyway...) who lives in rural Nevada flies his helicopter in and out of his small ranch in a subdivided area. Per country zoning he has to have a variance (I think ) by the zoning commission or planning board or somesuch and has to have it renewed every year. He is subject to their whim though, they could vote against him at any time.

 

[flyersfan31]

Well, Lee has a very valid point. Buy the house that the NEXT buyer will want, right? That being said, I was under an approach for BWI for 12 yrs and loved watching all the planes, even though most were SWA 737s. The odd Ghana Airways DC10 or Aer Lingus A330 livened things up.

I can't hear a plane without looking up. Philly and Willow Grove send planes/choppers over my house and I stop everything to see what's going overhead if it sounds different. I can recognize planes from the Wings flight school line, since I'm under the route to the usual practice area.

If I had a choice, I'd live in an airpark. I may be a bit crazy though.

 

[sbonek]

I clicked "No way" because I would be very hesitant to buy a house close to an airport. Not because I would have a problem with it, on the contrary, I'd love it. But I'd be concerned about resale value. Too many non-pilots would likely have a problem with it and that could make the house harder to sell.

A very good point. However, in my case, assuming we buy this land, we will be building a house that we, most likely, will never sell. We plan on this move being our last.

 

[N6399A]

I clicked "No way" because I would be very hesitant to buy a house close to an airport. Not because I would have a problem with it, on the contrary, I'd love it. But I'd be concerned about resale value. Too many non-pilots would likely have a problem with it and that could make the house harder to sell.

True, but I think you make up for that on the front end. After all, you're buying a house that "normal" people don't want. More house for less money due to airport proximity. Doesn't get better than that. I'd do it in a heart beat.

 

[GaryO]

My house is about 1 1/2 miles from the threshold of runway 31 and just off the extended centerline. If a pilot flies a wide pattern I am near the base to final turn. And Venice (VNC) is a busy airport. But at that distance, aircraft noise is not an issue. Most aircraft are still high enough that their sound is about the same volume as cars driving by on the street.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

do you or would you?

Heck yeah I would!

Here is my concern. Obviously living close to an airport increase the possibility of somebody stalling and spinning into your living room.... or does it?

I wouldn't worry about that at all. If that's gonna happen at all, it'll be on the base-to-final turn, not downwind to base (nothing in particular to miss on the turn, thus no motivation for students to skid the turn).

I would think that the extended runway centerline would be the most dangerous place to live, but still not bad enough to avoid a house there, unless it's really close in.

 

[ausrere]

I grew up in the shadow of Carswell Air Force Base, with B-52's flying over day in and day out. I loved it. After a while, you don't notice it. We'd have company over and would think it was strange when they would stop talking in the middle of a conversation, then realize they were waiting for the bomber to get past the house to finish their sentence. We never noticed it.

I also bought a house across the street from Bell Helicopter. The helos would come directly over my house on their approach to the pads so low I could see the grass stains on the bottom of the skids. On Saturday mornings, they would fire up a dozen or so of the Cobra's and depart Bell. I'm assuming they were leaving to deliver them to the Army. With a dozen of those things all turning blades at once, the whole house would shake. But I loved it, and I could sleep right through it on days I got to sleep in.

I'd love to live next door to a GA airport. It would be nice to sit out on the deck and watch the planes land and take off in the evenings. Perfect way to wind down after work.

 

[SkyHog]

My plan someday is to own property where I can install my own landing strip. Can't get much closer than on the airport.

 

[AirBaker]

I bought my house close to the airport on purpose...

 

[tdager]

Well I went and bought some property AT an airport so I can taxi from my house to the runway!

 

[terzap]

I would love to live on a small general aviation airport. I've also lived near or on air force bases growing up and later on in life while staying with family members stationed on bases here and in England. And while the scream of fighter planes can be sweet (from a reasonable distance), a B-52 (or more than one) or a tanker or any heavy doing full runups or engine tests can get pretty darn off the charts defeaning and even if you have ear protection the sound goes right through you and vibrates the fillings right out of your teeth which can be annoying and a little hard to live with. (I hate going to the dentist.)

When I flew out of Crookston (MN), where the airport manager's mom still lives in a little house right by the FBO and workshop hangar, I used to think: This is what I want for myself one day. And when I fly from Twin Oaks here in Oregon, where the owners live right on the field--man, that's damn near heaven.

But I wouldn't want to live next to Portland International (I'm close enough to it) and to the constant stream of helicoptors coming in and out to OHSU all hours of the night and day only five hundred feet over my roof can get a little tiresome...(since I get tired of running outside or to the window to see what sort of helicopter it might be...)

I'd better stop rambling now.

Good luck on your search and decision!

 

[Pegasus]

Living on an airport, yes, only 28 years and counting. Walk out the back door to the hangar, roll out the plane and go. Airparks are great. Check out 6P3, we even have a couple of homes for sale at this time.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Living on an airport, yes, only 28 years and counting. Walk out the back door to the hangar, roll out the plane and go. Airparks are great. Check out 6P3, we even have a couple of homes for sale at this time.

6P3... Waunakee? I see you joined a long time ago, but haven't posted much, so a belated welcome to you! That makes at least four of us on the board from the Madison area now.

I remember seeing Waunakee when I was a kid - That was the airpark that made me want to live at an airpark. A couple of guys in my club have a Super Cub that's at 6P3 in the winter (it's on floats in the summer ).