Planning trip from Texas to Arkansas

rkdF250

rkdF250

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Robert
I am planning a site seeing trip to Arkansas this October up to at least Harrison. I am a relatively new private pilot and would welcome any advise or suggestions. I will either be flying a C172SP With G1000 or a PA28-161 with G430.
 
Fly in a north-easterly direction. ;)

Not much to worry about in October for weather outside of hurricane season.
 
Robert: what exactly are you concerned about? From where will you depart? That sounds like a fairly easy trip. IFR or VFR?

Best,

Dave
 
Not worried at all, just doing my research to make sure I have everything covered. You can read about airports and fbos and never get the true picture but having one conversation with a pilot that's been there can. Case in point there is an airport just north of Spinks here in the DFW area I have flown by it four times and have never seen the strip (2000 ft long). I haven't used gps on it yet but you get the idea.
 
Well... Arkansas is a great aviation state. Nice folks, good food.

If you fly to Hot Springs, don't let that big, honkin' hill you're looking at when you turn base bother you; it's not as close as you think it is.
 
I've not been into Harrison, but it looks pretty straight forward. Often times, I call the FBO if I have concerns or questions. This is on AirNav:
http://www.airnav.com/airport/KHRO
From where will you leave?

Once you get out of the Dallas Class B area, it looks like there are three areas of classified airspace on the route of concern:

The Rivers MOA. That's usually pretty flexible space. If you get flight following, I'm sure they'll advise you of military traffic.

There is restricted airspace just east of Fort Smith and the HOG MOA. Once again, center could keep you advised if you flight follow or you could stay west of that.

As you near Harrison, there is the SHIRLEY MOA which I've found to be more active, but you can stay west of that.

Any help?

Best,

Dave
 
Future welcome to Arkansas, Robert. Harrison airport (a nice airport) is north of Harrison a few miles, and not a lot of attractions right at Harrison. There are fantastic resorts on the White River you can visit if you like trout fishing. You can land at Mountain Home if you want to go to Gaston's and are uncomfortable with the grass strip there. They have cabins for rent and you can rent a guide and boat if you want. Also, Eureka Springs is a nice place to visit for a day or two. You will have to land somewhere close and rent a car. Drake Field at Fayetteville, AR, has a nice museum on the field, and you can visit the U of A if you want. Skyventure will usually let you use a courtesy car. Another place you might want to check out is Branson, MO and Silver Dollar City. There are a lot of things to do in north west Arkansas. Check on the web for more. Good luck.
 
SCCutler said:
Well... Arkansas is a great aviation state. Nice folks, good food.

If you fly to Hot Springs, don't let that big, honkin' hill you're looking at when you turn base bother you; it's not as close as you think it is.
Click to expand...

BTDT Spike. That one was nothing. Try Clinton, AR when the wind is SE. That big, honking hill is in front of you on final!
 
The Old Man said:
BTDT Spike. That one was nothing. Try Clinton, AR when the wind is SE. That big, honking hill is in front of you on final!
Click to expand...

(Chuckle).

The intellect can tell you, all day long, that you have plenty of room, good margins.

But the gut still has a vote! :D
 
When I turned final (High as usual for a normal strip), I couldn't see the threshold. Power up and drop it in after the hill is cleared. Use MAXIMUM short field over an obstacle procedures or youwill touchdown about midfield.
 
Thanks for all the information. I can't wait to go. I will probably visit several of the airstrips on this trip. I will be leaving out of Denton Muni.
 
Dave Siciliano said:
There is restricted airspace just east of Fort Smith and the HOG MOA. Once again, center could keep you advised if you flight follow or you could stay west of that.

As you near Harrison, there is the SHIRLEY MOA which I've found to be more active, but you can stay west of that.

Any help?

Best,

Dave
Click to expand...

SIRLEY MOA has a very high floor (11K feet?) and is usually not a factor for small single engined planes.

HOG MOA is a Wart Hog play ground with live weapons being fired in the restricted area.
 
Highest cumulo-granite in the state is Mt. Magazine at about 2700 feet. It is south of the Arkansas River east of Ft. Smith.

The highest obstruction in the state is a very tall tower on top of a mountain southeast of Fayetville - about 3500 feet. At 4000 feet or higher, you can't run into anything except other planes, birds, or bugs.

Russellville (KRUE) is a nice airport (I'm biased, Arkansas Airport of the Year 2008/2009 by both the FAA and the Arkansas Airport Operators Assoc.) but we don't have a lot of short term tourist activity in the area. Lots of fishing, hunting, camping, state parks. (website krue.us).

Terrain between the river valley and Harrison is very rugged - no airport between Russellville and Harrison (50 miles). There is an airport about every 20 miles along the river valley.

Terrain south of the river down to I-30 is also very rugged.

The eastern and southern parts of the state are flat. There is one hill between Little Rock and Memphis (Crowley's Ridge)
 
Bobby speaks the truth, Russellville would indeed be a great stop. You can go up to Petit Jean Park, one of our favorite spots in AR. Or just land in the park at their strip.

I used to be based at HRO. The FBO used to suck big time. But, they have new FBO operator now and it's a good one!

Gaston's is great.

Eureka Springs is great.

Hot Springs is cool.

Branson's an option if you're over 70, wear wrap around black sunglasses, love buffets and "has been" entertainers.
 
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Harrison's FBO is awesome and I am prejudiced because I am currently based there. The line guys are super friendly and will help with whatever you need. Heck, they even have my hangar door open when they see that I'm almost there :). And Tim hit all the hight spots about the area (unless you like guns and there's a really cool firearms manufacturer just south of Berryville :)).

Joyce
 
Graueradler said:
SIRLEY MOA has a very high floor (11K feet?) and is usually not a factor for small single engined planes.

HOG MOA is a Wart Hog play ground with live weapons being fired in the restricted area.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I'm usually flying higher, so, it's good that you bring that floor altitude out.

Best,

Dave
 
Besides MOAs and published military training routes, there is a lot of C-130 training activity on regular routes that are not published on the sectionals. They are frequently at 2000 feet or lower and, if you see one C-130, look or the second, third or more in trail. Little Rock Air Force Base is the C-130 training capital of the world. They are usually, but not always, talking and listening on the local CTAF of whichever airport they may be near.
 
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