Overnight stop in IA,MN or SD

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AlishaC

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Alisha C
I'm flying across the country from Massachusetts to Utah next week and am looking for a good overnight destination in northern IA or southern MN or SD. any recommendations?
Alisha
 
What kind of plane are you flying, what kind of runway/approach do you want, what kind of fuel do you need, what kind of lodging/food/entertainment do you want?
Most of the little airports are friendly, many have a crew car, few have adjacent lodging and many won't have adjacent food.
Dubuque has a little of everything.
 
Jackson, MN has a ?Super 8? not too far down the road (~ 1 mile) from the airport with a Burger King and truck stop diner along the way.

Dubuque, IA is a decent stop - bigger town, so more choices as far as hotels and food go.

I have stopped at Rochester, MN before - although that was ~10 years ago. At that time they had an on-field diner in the terminal and the FBO seemed fairly active.
 
I think there are hotels pretty close to Albert Lea, MN
 
I should have given more details as Jim prompted (I was somewhat rushed when I first posted).

I'm flying a '67 Mooney M20F with a TAS of about 150 kts. from western MA 7B2 to Salt Lake City (U42). I expect the total enroute time to be 13 hours or more depending on the prevailing easterly winds. I would like to do one overnight stop with about 7+ hours the first day.

My initial thoughts based on looking over the route, along with 100LL prices from Foreflight and the lodging that is shown, was to stop in Yankton, SD (which is probably the furthest I'd want to fly in the first day). However, reports of flooding in Yankton from the Missouri River have me wondering how the conditions will be there next week (departing hopefully on the 15th), so I thought I'd ask for suggestions here.

Dubuque sounds good, but I'd prefer to go further the first day. Albert Lea MN (suggested by Tony) looks good for the lodging, but Foreflight reports the fuel price at $5.59, higher than some other areas.

My choice will be based on a combination of distance, lodging options and fuel price. In terms of the distance, somewhere between Albert Lea and Sioux Falls would probably be ideal.

I really appreciate any advice!
Thanks,
Alisha
 
You can always stop somewhere for cheap fuel, and then head to a bigger airport for overnight. That's what I've done on my big trips. FSD had a shuttle for me to and from the hotel. Best Western I think. Good Bison burger at the restaurant in the hotel.

We were $4.94 (9D9) for 100LL when I was last out at the airport. Pulling up flight planner it shows our field as about a 1/3 way point to U42, and FSD being at the 2/3 point.

Then again we have members here in LNK - which also looks to be a 2/3 point.
 
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My route for a similar flight in a DA40 leaving Poughkeepsie, NY on 6/12 is:
KPOU - KPCW (gas) - KMDW (Midway in Chicago for the night) KSUX (was there last week, no flooding) KBFF (gas) KOGD (Ogden, UT). I've never been to KPCW if anyone has a pirep, please let me know. I tend to adjust the route in the air depending on winds and weather both in the air and on the ground and how I'm feeling.
 
ALO Waterloo, IA Livingston Aviation

Great fuel, approaches and a fantastic rate on the Ramada or Holiday Inn mainline.
Good food and drink nearby.
 
I had a good overnight in Aberdeen, SD. FBO gave me a ride to get food and then to the hotel, and there was a Wal-Mart right next door to the airport for... Well, I can't remember what it was I needed, but it was there. ;) Fuel price wasn't stellar, but it was reasonable and they were nice folks.

Were I you, though, I'd be going south of the big ponds and planning on Iowa. Even though it may not be aviation-themed or owned by Jay Honeck any more, there's still a hotel practically in the parking lot of the FBO at Iowa City, and they have a courtesy car to go get food as well. That's probably what I'd aim for.
 
EdFred said:
You can always stop somewhere for cheap fuel, and then head to a bigger airport for overnight. That's what I've done on my big trips. FSD had a shuttle for me to and from the hotel. Best Western I think. Good Bison burger at the restaurant in the hotel.
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I thought this exposed one to landing fees. Is that not the case? My local FBO ask something like $300 unless you buy fuel. Easier to give them then $120 than $300 _and_ $100 for "cheap" fuel elsewhere.
 
zaitcev said:
I thought this exposed one to landing fees. Is that not the case? My local FBO ask something like $300 unless you buy fuel. Easier to give them then $120 than $300 _and_ $100 for "cheap" fuel elsewhere.
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Most of the "bigger" airports around here, ignoring MSP or ORD, will have a "ramp fee" for a light single of somewhere between $10 to $20.

I dropped someone off at Elliot Aviation in Omaha (KOMA) the other day (only because Airport Ops rejected my request to drop off at Gate 21 as they were busy). I let the fellow pilot out with the engine still running and called clearance delivery. The ramp guy came running up then started knocking on my window wanting to talk to me. I finally cracked it open and he said I owe them $10. I told him the passenger I dropped off will take care of it but that didn't please him. Since I had clearance talking to me at the same time I decided to pay attention to them and not him. He went away. I loved how he thought the $10 was important enough to sit there trying to yell at me next to a spinning prop while I was dealing with ATC.
 
jesse said:
I dropped someone off at Elliot Aviation in Omaha (KOMA) the other day (only because Airport Ops rejected my request to drop off at Gate 21 as they were busy). I let the fellow pilot out with the engine still running and called clearance delivery. The ramp guy came running up then started knocking on my window wanting to talk to me. I finally cracked it open and he said I owe them $10. I told him the passenger I dropped off will take care of it but that didn't please him. Since I had clearance talking to me at the same time I decided to pay attention to them and not him. He went away. I loved how he thought the $10 was important enough to sit there trying to yell at me next to a spinning prop while I was dealing with ATC.
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I recently picked someone up at a similarly unfriendly FBO. Their line guy didn't say a word about any fees as I chatted with him and my friend loaded up, but after the prop was turning and I was taxiing out, they called the tower and told the tower to have me contact them on Unicom. I did, and when they asked me to taxi back to their ramp, shut down again, and come inside to pay a fee, I told 'em to take a hike. I won't be going back.
 
i'm pretty sure that cheap gas and landing fees dont go together
 
zaitcev said:
I thought this exposed one to landing fees. Is that not the case? My local FBO ask something like $300 unless you buy fuel. Easier to give them then $120 than $300 _and_ $100 for "cheap" fuel elsewhere.
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Pensacola Florida was like $10 a night.
RYY in Atlanta - $7 and I got a free t-shirt.
Norman, OK - $0

I didn't buy fuel at any of em.
 
55Y has some cheap fuel and a crew car. The A/D building there is actually a double wide trailer home and actually pretty nice. I've slept there on the sofa before. :)

Avoid RST, Signature there will charge you a ramp fee.

KLYV is a good stop, unattended, but nice A/D building & crew car.

ALO is a good stop too. No ramp fee for a piston single and crew car.
 
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flyingcheesehead said:
I had a good overnight in Aberdeen, SD. FBO gave me a ride to get food and then to the hotel, and there was a Wal-Mart right next door to the airport for... Well, I can't remember what it was I needed, but it was there. ;) Fuel price wasn't stellar, but it was reasonable and they were nice folks.

Were I you, though, I'd be going south of the big ponds and planning on Iowa. Even though it may not be aviation-themed or owned by Jay Honeck any more, there's still a hotel practically in the parking lot of the FBO at Iowa City, and they have a courtesy car to go get food as well. That's probably what I'd aim for.
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Although we no longer own it, and the new folks have not continued the aviation theme, if you ask for room 102 at the Alexis Park Inn you'll still be in 80% of our old "Stearman Suite". I left the big Stearman prop bolted in a frame to the back of the armoire when we sold the place, cuz it was too big and such a PIA to remove. I suspect its still there... :lol:

Let us know how the new owners are doing. It really is a great location for a hotel when you fly in to Iowa City, with several good restaurants close by.
 
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Landmark at FSD has a $15 tiedown fee for overnights. They also require you to leave at least one limb to pay for the fuel ($6.75 a couple of weeks ago). Other than that they are nice :wink2: . The downtown Holiday Inn has a rate of $89 if you book through Landmark (down from the $112 online rate). They also have an airport shuttle. There are some lower cost options around the airport, don't know whether they have shuttle service.

KSUX in Sioux City, IA is another place that has treated me well. Class D with 'mystery radar service' approach control (ANG on the field). I dont think there is a second FBO, fuel is not cheap iirc.

Aberdeen, SD has two FBOs, the motel strip is about a mile down the road, check with the FBOs whether they could drop you off.

If you have to swing north for weather, you have two options in Fargo, ND. Either at the Jet Center at 'jet' prices, or simply tie down at the south end on a airport authority tiedown and walk to the Candlewood suites accross 19th avenue. To get back in, just give me a call ;) . The smaller strips like West Fargo and Moorhead have cheaper fuel but no transient infrastructure beyond tiedowns.
 
Red Oak Iowa RDK seemed like a nice place with reasonable fuel prices. They are supposed to have a courtesy car and the reports on AirNav are that they were very friendly and helpful. I didn't spend the night.

Most places in the vicinity of Scottsbluff NE BFF have cheaper gas than they do. Torrington TOR is 5.60 because they had to buy at a bad time. I got gas at Holyoke CO HEQ this weekend for 4.50 self serve but there was nothing else around. Sidney NE airport SNY is closed for runway work, so a visit to Cabelas is out.
 
Don't know if you left yet but watch for TFR's popping up along the Missouri river due to the flooding. If you stop at ALO and need a ride LMK, I'm only 5 min away.
 
KPQN, Car and reasonable gas price, no ramp fee, sometimes there is and emty hangar for 10/night
 
I really appreciate all the fantastic advice everyone has offered. It will be very helpful!

I'm planning to leave this Wednesday, and so far it looks good. I haven't yet decided whether I'll be filing IFR yet, and probably won't until the last minute. Although I love to fly above clouds, my preference will be to stay below solid cloud layers if the ceilings are high enough for this trip so I can see the landscape, so if the ceilings aren't too low I'll probably file VFR. My anticipated route will take me over Niagara Falls, crossing over the section of Canada between there and Michigan, stopping in MI for fuel (possibly at KFFX). I'll then cross Lake Michigan continuing to my overnight stop. I'm still undecided about where to spend the night, but will be watching the weather for all the places suggested.

Willie's suggestion of KPQN actually looks like a good possibility. It's the right distance and hopefully far enough away from the flooding. Are there some decent lodging options there, Willie?

ALO is a good option if I decide to stop earlier. However, it currently looks like I may have a tailwind all the way into Wisconsin, so if I make good time and feel up to it, I may actually continue further into Nebraska. The earlier I can get over the Rockies on the second day, the better.

Scott, thank you so much for your offer of a ride at ALO. I may take you up on that if I end up stopping there.

Weilke, I'll definitely give you a call if I need to swing further north for the weather.

Again, thanks to all of you!!!
Alisha
 
There are some very high towers - 3,000' - in eastern Iowa. Beware. There are often several together. They are from east of Iowa City on up nearly to Waterloo.
 
Thanks Jim, I'll watch out for them. I do have terrain warnings on my 430W and on the iPad (Foreflight), but I know that new towers can come on-line quickly.:hairraise:
Alisha

jnmeade said:
There are some very high towers - 3,000' - in eastern Iowa. Beware. There are often several together. They are from east of Iowa City on up nearly to Waterloo.
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