Residents of Residential Airparks(?)

[Roger Wilco]

I’m contemplating relocating to a residential airpark. One of the intangible, but crucial, factors that is difficult to research is the quality of the community at the airport. By quality, I mean aspects such as cohesiveness, friendliness, enthusiasm, supportiveness, etc. I understand that some communities are active and welcoming, whereas a few consist largely of second/third/fourth homes for absentee owners. And apparently there are others at which the term warbirds is better applied to the people than to the planes. For those who live (or have lived) in a residential airpark, how would you describe the quality of the community at your airpark?

-Roger

 

[Stewartb]

I love my neighborhood!

In any group I find people I like, people I tolerate, people I avoid, and people I wouldn't **** on if they were on fire. Just like any neighborhood, just a little noisier.

 

[Salty]

We are pretty tight. We have the complete range of politics and activeness in flying. There are some with no interest in flying and some that do it for a living. Some with no plane, and some with 6 planes. Some that never fly and some that fly nearly every day. But, generally if you need something someone will be there to help. There are some that don’t talk to each other much, but most everybody comes to the Christmas party and socializes at least that one time a year. We have a standing barbecue every Friday night, year round, that usually has about a dozen attendees.

We have everything from ercoupes and champs to cirrus and helicopters, from common Cessna 152s and 172s to rare stuff like extras and even more rare an Edgley Optica.

As an example of the cohesiveness, when my wife and I crashed earlier this year, two of my neighbors jumped in a plane and flew more than an hour to pick me up and bring me back home (with no notice). The wife was taken by heli from the accident site to a hospital an hour drive away from our house and I had 3 volunteers to drive me there so I didn’t have to drive myself. Everyone in the neighborhood stopped by and checked on us in the aftermath.

If you don’t already know the story, the wife was fine, they were just being overly cautious with her.

the best part is nobody complains if you blast out at 5am, unless you do your run up in front of their bedroom window. LOL

 

[ateamer]

Our airpark is fantastic - best place I’ve ever lived. There is a core group that does a lot together. Many evenings there’ll be a dozen or more sitting around the firepit facing the runway shooting the breeze. Every morning there is a group that flies out to breakfast. We host a fly-in every February. This year we had 145 aircraft come in.

We have a pretty good mix of aircraft - kitplanes, antiques, helos, standard GA planes and some twins.

The HOA restrictions are pretty minimal. Its primary purpose is to maintain the runway and taxiways (3100’ paved and lighted, plus parallel grass).

There are a very small handful who sometimes argue and oppose, but overall the differences aren’t a problem and they’re all good guys.

I love airpark living and don’t see ever moving away.

 

[flyingron]

Ours is great. We sit on a 3000' grass runway 30 miles north of CLT. I have a corner lot (the taxiway for those who don't have runway frontage passes by the front of my house), so my hangar faces that. Our living room, the music room, and my office face the runway (along with an outside area we call the "party deck.").

There were maybe six houses here (out of the 50 or so buildable lots) when I moved in. Every weekend was a party. The problem now is that since we're getting more built out (we have about thirty built and four or five more in progress) that you just can't invite everybody unless you're having a mega event.

There are random personality issues but by and large most people get along with everybody. My wife is on her third term of HOA president (I'm the treasurer) so she tries to keep things sane.

We've got various aircraft. No warbirds now, but there was a Harvard here for a while. Just your average mix of stuff from Cubs to an MU-2. We used to have a Beech 18, which was always cool to see go by.

Most of the people who built here are still here. We've had a few houses turn over. Amusingly, when I moved here we had a handful of teenagers, but they grew up to be be replaced with what I call the teen-girl squad (we must have eight or so now, and just one teen boy, lucky him). We now have three infants in the neighborhood.

 

[Roger Wilco]

I love my neighborhood! ...

We are pretty tight. ...

Our airpark is fantastic - best place I’ve ever lived. ... I love airpark living and don’t see ever moving away.

Ours is great. ...

Thanks Stewartb, Salty, ateamer, and flyingron. It's good to read such overwhelmingly positive experiences. I'm hoping to hear from some folks out west as well. Salty, I didn't know the story but thanks for sharing it--you're fortunate to live in that community.

-Roger

 

[OKDonn]

We are on a 2600 ft. grass strip bordered by 24 lots. No HOA so we have everything from modern architecture homes to double wides. About half of the owners live here, the others just have a hangar on their lot. There are too many non-aviation people here, but that's my opinion - I guess it keeps the traffic light on the weekends.
The people are what Stewartb and Salty described - the whole gamut.
This was the best move we've ever made, do not want to live anywhere else!
FYI - here = 33OK

 

[Salty]

I neglected to mention that we have 2 or 3 IAs and a half dozen CFIs, which is another nice benefit.

 

[Adam Weiss]

We're just starting to build on our lot, and the neighbors couldn't be better. Everyone is supportive and friendly. In addition to an airpark, this is also a lake community, so they randomly meet at the dock for drinks or to watch the stars. Great little community. (MO06).

 

[AnthonyS1]

For some of you guys chiming in about your experience can you please say what airpark you are currently residing at or have experience with?

 

[Salty]

X05

 

[ateamer]

For some of you guys chiming in about your experience can you please say what airpark you are currently residing at or have experience with?

FD88 - Aero Acres, 15 miles southwest of Ft. Pierce, Florida (KFPR).

 

[Roger Wilco]

...This was the best move we've ever made, do not want to live anywhere else!
FYI - here = 33OK

Thanks OKDonn. Edmond is a little close to FAA for me, but hey, they're there to help, right?. Actually, I've had some good experiences with the Administrator recently, and gotten assistance from good people who happened to be wearing FAA badges.

-Roger

 

[Roger Wilco]

I neglected to mention that we have 2 or 3 IAs and a half dozen CFIs, which is another nice benefit.

What's more, they're most likely the kind of IAs and CFIs that you really want to have around.

-Roger

 

[Roger Wilco]

We're just starting to build on our lot, and the neighbors couldn't be better. ... Great little community. (MO06).

Thanks Adam. Discovery Bay looks like a beautiful location.

-Roger

 

[Roger Wilco]

For some of you guys chiming in about your experience can you please say what airpark you are currently residing at or have experience with?

Good point, AnthonyS1. Thanks.

FD88 - Aero Acres, 15 miles southwest of Ft. Pierce, Florida (KFPR).

At the risk of derailing my own thread, ateamer has given us an example of what I think is the best way to refer to an airport--identifier, airport name, and the name of the nearest town/city or notable geographic location (when not obvious). There are about 20,000 designated airports in the USA, and who among us has them all committed to memory? Everyone knows DFW, JFK, LAX; but how many recognize 7S2, D64, or FD88? A-Team game, ateamer--thanks.

-Roger

 

[WDD]

What are the HOA fees? That is, what is the monthly bill to keep up the runway and what not?

 

[flyingron]

Long Island Airpark, NC26.
HOA fee is $750/year. We take turns mowing the runway.

 

[Salty]

HOA here is < $600/year

 

[ateamer]

What are the HOA fees? That is, what is the monthly bill to keep up the runway and what not?

At Aero Acres (FD88), it’s $1200/year. The HOA’s expenses are pretty much limited to mowing, fertilizing, and watering the taxiways and grass runway, maintaining runway lighting and Say Weather (non-certified AWOS) and some drainage. There is no clubhouse or recreation equipment, and the streets are county-maintained. I heard that years ago the county offered to deed the four streets over to the HOA so it could be a gated community, but the residents gave it a resounding no. We’re two miles down a dead-end road eight miles outside town, and the streets that tee off of it are cul-de-sacs.

 

[Adam Weiss]

HOA at Discovery Bay is $500/yr

 

[Todd82]

At I68 "Sportys" they have a residential airpark inside the fence of the county airport. Just need to taxi across the runway for the free hotdogs on Saturdays.

 

[TCABM]

.. Edmond is a ..

A great little town. We lived there six years while stationed at Tinker AFB (2001-07). The tornados are the only reason I wouldn’t go back.

I don’t know how far north the town has expanded, but it doesn’t look like it’s a threat to the airport.

 

[exncsurfer]

This thread has me wondering is there a max age for adoption? Is 50 over the cutoff?

 

[Kinder]

Buckingham Airpark (FL59) in Fort Myers Fl. Is 350 a year! We have 2 paved runways and 65-70 homes. Coffee in the morning and happy hour in evening. Two breakfast fly outs a week.

 

[Brad W]

I think it's an interesting thread....great question.
I don't live in an airpark but what pilot doesn't daydream about doing that?

I honestly can hardly imagine my wife being excited about the idea though...but I can imagine that active tight knit community that she would embrace!

A couple months back, on a beautiful weekend evening, great flying weather... I took a drive though one near me called Haller Airpark. Beautiful grass runway looked to be well maintained. Pretty loose mix of houses... some fairly nice and some fairly basic...lots of closed up hangars, I think I saw exactly one aircraft and it was inside an opened hangar with nobody around. Could be wrong but I have the feeling that many hangars housed boats and RV's and junk...not airplanes. I was scratching my head wondering.

I left thinking that an airpark could be that dream set-up...but it likewise very well could be depressing. Part of the fun to me would be the ability to be a resident airport bum. Watching aviation happen, strolling from hangar to hangar, helping neighbors with their projects or maintenance, etc...
and if none of that is going on, then probably better off to be a in a regular neighborhood a few blocks away from an active GA airport

 

[Hector Parra]

With permission from the OP @Roger Wilco , I'll like to add a couple of questions:

- Do they tax you separately for the hangar and the house or are they considered a single unit? (Maybe same question for insurance)
And,
- Seems like there was a boom of residential airparks, but I don't see many new parks opening. I guess it requires a lot $ and paperwork?

 

[Roger Wilco]

With permission from the OP @Roger Wilco , I'll like to add a couple of questions:

- Do they tax you separately for the hangar and the house or are they considered a single unit? (Maybe same question for insurance)
And,
- Seems like there was a boom of residential airparks, but I don't see many new parks opening. I guess it requires a lot $ and paperwork?

No permission needed of course, but your forum etiquette is greatly appreciated and the points you raise are worth consideration.

 

[bflynn]

Since this has come back up, let me add a note that I've learned. Check not just the community, but also the covenants. Some airparks become dominated by non-pilots and the HOA votes to stop maintaining the runway or places anti-airplane restriction on the community. Make sure you're protected against that by noting the covenants include the right things to make this a perpetual aviation community.

Otherwise...yeah, would love to have this too.

 

[kyleb]

Since this has come back up, let me add a note that I've learned. Check not just the community, but also the covenants. Some airparks become dominated by non-pilots and the HOA votes to stop maintaining the runway or places anti-airplane restriction on the community. Make sure you're protected against that by noting the covenants include the right things to make this a perpetual aviation community.

Otherwise...yeah, would love to have this too.

Some fly-in communities have been smart enough to preclude voting rights by non pilots (or non airplane owners...not sure).

 

[Baked Potato]

Since this has come back up, let me add a note that I've learned. Check not just the community, but also the covenants. Some airparks become dominated by non-pilots and the HOA votes to stop maintaining the runway or places anti-airplane restriction on the community. Make sure you're protected against that by noting the covenants include the right things to make this a perpetual aviation community.

Otherwise...yeah, would love to have this too.

But... why?
I think I'm going to start drinking at a country club bar, but demand that none of the profits from my tab go towards maintaining the greens.

 

[Jeff767]

Every airpark is different. As a example Long Island Airpark mentioned in one of the posts above seems to have a excellent community that gets along great. Lake Norman Airpark a few miles away is a nightmare with residents suing each other and constant fights. Pilots tend to be thick headed. I would look at the Airparks you are interested in and make a effort to speak with as many owners as possible. The info about non aircraft owners is very pertinent. I would not purchase in any airpark that had more than 20% non aviation owners and that would even scare me. Zero would be best. 10 years after you move in having the HOA vote to convert the runway to a green belt and soccer field would be a nightmare.

 

[Adam Weiss]

With permission from the OP @Roger Wilco , I'll like to add a couple of questions:

- Do they tax you separately for the hangar and the house or are they considered a single unit? (Maybe same question for insurance)
And,
- Seems like there was a boom of residential airparks, but I don't see many new parks opening. I guess it requires a lot $ and paperwork?

I'm building a hangar attached to my home...all one structure. The hangar is not considered living space, like a garage, so it doesn't affect my property tax.
For insurance purposes, I'm using the cost to replace.

 

[hindsight2020]

I have a co-worker in such setup. Great guy, mil pilot, but no inclination to make aviation use of his airpark home. Huge hydro bifold hangar... filled to the brim with cars. Which is his shtick apparently. To include a pretty substantial modifications operation and the natural gathering of gearhead buddies from town. Then gets the in-laws to relocate on adjacent properties to either side (free childcare). Both widows now in their 70s with zero affiliation to aviation.

So that's 3 properties in a row with non-aviation use. Never understood the appeal of that. Acreage could be found in this area of TX without the airpark angle, with little problem. I would hesitate to own there for that reason alone, and this is a person I consider a close acquaintance. Land of the free and all that jazz, but I don't consider it friendly behavior towards recreational aviation, even if it isn't an intentional effort.

 

[bflynn]

But... why?
I think I'm going to start drinking at a country club bar, but demand that none of the profits from my tab go towards maintaining the greens.

The why is people use their money for their self interests. They realize they don't have to pay and choose to end maintenance of anything related to aviation.

If country clubs allowed the members to vote on whether or not to maintain the golf course, there would be country clubs where a majority membership would be content to just have the clubhouse and vote to neglect the course.

 

[flyingron]

The places I know about where the HOA doesn't want to maintain the runways are places that have a much larger community than those who have direct access to the runway. MD50 is good example of this. While there's maybe a dozen houses on the airport part, there is a much bigger community than that.

 

[hindsight2020]

If country clubs allowed the members to vote on whether or not to maintain the golf course, there would be country clubs where a majority membership would be content to just have the clubhouse and vote to neglect the course.

That's literally what happened to aeroclubs in the USAF, once the UFT money cash cow went away. The nonners and pedestrians on the non-flightline side of most bases did a quick job of it, and the wing kings being doctorates in risk aversion, readily obliged.

 

[TCABM]

That's literally what happened to aeroclubs in the USAF, once the UFT money cash cow went away. The nonners and pedestrians on the non-flightline side of most bases did a quick job of it, and the wing kings being doctorates in risk aversion, readily obliged.

There was also that part of NAF orgs having to be self-supported and maintainers could no longer be used as free labor to earn their A&P while working/gaining experience towards becoming a crew chief. That was a dirty little secret few knew about.

 

[mandm]

Since this has come back up, let me add a note that I've learned. Check not just the community, but also the covenants. Some airparks become dominated by non-pilots and the HOA votes to stop maintaining the runway or places anti-airplane restriction on the community. Make sure you're protected against that by noting the covenants include the right things to make this a perpetual aviation community.

Otherwise...yeah, would love to have this too.

Location & convenience is important too! I’m sure can require a certain vote to affect certain rights such as taxiway, runway etc? But difficult as always. Maybe require owners to have a pilot license? Similar group of people or discrimination? Cannot say more without making it political.

 

[JOhnH]

Since this has come back up, let me add a note that I've learned. Check not just the community, but also the covenants. Some airparks become dominated by non-pilots and the HOA votes to stop maintaining the runway or places anti-airplane restriction on the community. Make sure you're protected against that by noting the covenants include the right things to make this a perpetual aviation community.

Otherwise...yeah, would love to have this too.

I'm looking at an airpark that has a rule that every homeowner must own an airplane and at least one person in the household must hold a valid medical cert. (I guess that includes basic med).