Need St. Louis airport recommendation. KCPS, St. Louis Downtown OK?

[mikea]

I'm thinking I'll fly to St. Louis for a business meeting in early May. Looking at airports near where I have to be in downtown St. Louis, it's obvious I want St. Louis downtown airport, KCPS, which ironically, is in Illinois.

It's close enough that I might not have to rent a car to get around which will save me some travel expense money. I'll have to do enough 'splaining just by flying, so I'd like every opportunity to save expense items.

By the St. Louis downtown airport web site it seems friendly, but maybe busy. I'll likely have the plane tied down there for 4-5 days and per my luck maybe longer when I get stuck waiting for VFR weather. It's nice that it appears have no fees.

Are they any issues with getting in VFR under the St. Louis airspace?

I'd appreciate any recommendations and experiences with St. Louis airports and ATC.

 

[Alan]

Hi Mike,

If your going downotown, the Pahokia is the handiest. I went in there a few years ago and Mid Coast lost my airplane. When I taxied in, no one told me where to park so I put it on the ramp beside a MU-2. I couldn't find chocks, and within a minute or so (as I was unloading the plane) a fuel truck drove up and gave me a ride to the office. I asked them to fueld the plane tie it down.

A day or two later when I returned I went in the office and asked for my bill and that they pull my plane around. After some blank stares and confusion, I was told that my plane wasn't there.

I caught a ride in a golf cart and it was parked where I had left it, still unchocked and unfueled. This was probably an isolated incident but if I go back it will be to the competing FBO. Have a great trip!

 

[sshekels]

STL downtown is a nice place, but the neighborhood is scary! Don't look for ANY shuttles to pick you up there. Taxis are fine, but take a while to get there.

The folks at the FBO are WONDERFUL, and very helpful. The airport itself is not that busy, and tower was much nicer than the approach folks. No Bravo transitions here...

The only odd thing that happended was I was under flight following inbound with a code and was told to call tower. I did, and gave the usual position report. "75731 inbound with delta, 12 miles SW" (or whatever) The tower then proceeded to chew me out saying they had no clue who I was or where I was. I was told to use the local landmarks to report. Fat lot of good that did for me, being from MN. After a bit they calmed down, and all was well. The next few times were completely different, and tower was great. Bad day I guess..

S.

 

[bbchien]

Mike, I second KCPS.
Even IFR, if you're GA, they'll get you below 4,000 30 north. That's just the way it is.
Bruce

 

[bstratt]

Mike, I've flown in to St. Louis Int'l three times now (mainly as I was meeting other business people who were flying in commercially). While I was IFR (the last flight was to 800 ft ceilings), I found the St.Louis people very friendly. I used Signature all three times who waived the ramp fee when I filled the tanks (although they were getting it anyway due to the higher fuel prices). First time I've ever had a red carpet rolled out beside the plane. They also provided free pick up and drop off at the main terminal.

 

[acrodisiac]

fantastic service from the Million air folks at KSUS. I highly recommend them.

 

[RobertGerace]

fantastic service from the Million air folks at KSUS. I highly recommend them.

The above was my experience at KSUS as well -- and for that reason SUS is now my first choice for St. Louis all else being equal.

Before I found SUS I tried Creve Coeur. (1HO). It is quaint, without much in the way of an FBO or services provided, but with nice people who put me in a heated hangar for free.

 

[Henning]

I'm thinking I'll fly to St. Louis for a business meeting in early May. Looking at airports near where I have to be in downtown St. Louis, it's obvious I want St. Louis downtown airport, KCPS, which ironically, is in Illinois.

It's close enough that I might not have to rent a car to get around which will save me some travel expense money. I'll have to do enough 'splaining just by flying, so I'd like every opportunity to save expense items.

By the St. Louis downtown airport web site it seems friendly, but maybe busy. I'll likely have the plane tied down there for 4-5 days and per my luck maybe longer when I get stuck waiting for VFR weather. It's nice that it appears have no fees.

Are they any issues with getting in VFR under the St. Louis airspace?

I'd appreciate any recommendations and experiences with St. Louis airports and ATC.

You can use St. Louis Downtown aka Parks College field, it's a good airport. I believe the light rail will take you from there to downtown, although I'm not positive since it wasn't there when I was growing up, but that is my understanding. I prefer SUS, Spirit Of St.Louis, but you will definitely have to rent a car from there. Too bad old Weiss closed down, they had a courtesy car.