Should I move?

Should I move?

  • yes

    Votes: 45 83.3%

  • no

    Votes: 9 16.7%
  • Total voters
    54
  • Poll closed .
steingar

steingar

Taxi to Parking
Joined
Feb 6, 2007
Messages
29,248
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Land of Savages
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Display name:
steingar
So my own home drome of 16 years is slowly falling apart. The tie down ramp has been bulldozed, the flight school gone. Mechanical services have become really hard to come by and have negatively impacted my dispatchability.

The airport down the say has clubs, schools, maintenance, avionics and a popular restaurant not to mention 4 runways (to the one of my home drome) and a better neighborhood. Hangar construction has generated vacancies, and I have an opportunity together in. The one hitch is the rents are a good 30% higher.

I've been on the waitlist for a hangar as this airport for a good 17 years (I was described as at the top of the still-breathing list). This is likely my one and only chance to move. Should I?
 
I voted yes. But... if you can invest that 30% into approving your current airport you should consider it.

I hate to see airports fall away and die, but if the reasons are municipal you should get out while it's your choice and not theirs.
 
I'd move, sounds like the old place is on the way out.
 
My airport is dead as a door nail in regards to activity and will literally be dead if those in charge don't get it together. I would jump at the chance to move to a better airport community. I vote to go for it.
 
I'd move. The reason most of us fly these little airplanes is because we enjoy the whole flying experience. If it were me, I would get little enjoyment out of keeping my plane at an airport like you are at now, but I think being based at an airport like the new one you describe would be quite enjoyable.

But temper that answer with the actual dollar difference (is it 30% more than $150, or 30% more than $600).
Also consider the distance differential.

But if you can afford it, I think it would make your flying experience more enjoyable.
 
The only downside I see listed is rent.
Is 30% going to be $10,000 pa or $1,000 pa? Does that increase matter to you?
 
The way you framed each of them makes it sound like you already made the decision!
 
MassPilot said:
How far are you from each airport?
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I should have mentioned that the travel time to each is roughly the same. The dollar difference is about 0.1 AMU/month. The largest issue in the bijou mind of Steingar is access to mechanical services.
 
Better to have one robust airport than two anemic ones. I many cases consolidation improves the situation.
 
I say don't move and change the airport from within. Join the board and speak up for change. Activist pilot !!! All the airports are qualified for FAA improvement grants and ask them why they ae not using it.
 
The home municipal airport for me is dying. There is no services of any kind available. There are a couple aviation businesses here and about a half dozen GA planes, and the FBO is now only manned from about 9am until 4pm, yet they just scraped off the top layer of the runway and replaced it with new asphalt. I think the only reason the airport is still open is because the city takes the federal airport budget and puts it in the city budget.

If there was another airport close by I would leave.
 
steingar said:
I should have mentioned that the travel time to each is roughly the same. The dollar difference is about 0.1 AMU/month. The largest issue in the bijou mind of Steingar is access to mechanical services.
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In that case, I'd move asap. I'd say that in the past 10 years I have had about 10 flights that would have been cancelled due to minor problems if I didn't have immediate access to my on-site A&P. There were two times when I my plane was not able to fly to another airport and I would have had to have a mechanic travel to do the work, which almost always sucks and takes MUCH longer.

My A&P has a key to my hangar and my plane. If I have a squawk I call him, he comes and tows or taxis the plane to his shop and returns the plane to the hangar when he is done. Next time I fly I find a sticky and an invoice on the seat.
 
The odds of the failing airport being revived are likely poor. And if you wait until you have no choice, then you'll end up on another wait list, at the other airport. Same distance and only $100 more, for better conditions, better access to maintenance sounds like a no-brainer to me.
 
I voted move. I'd also look at the fuel prices.
 
Yes, check the fuel prices like Ted said, and if it is anywhere near what you are paying now, MOVE. Also, I would ask about the maintenance shop, and talk to people that use them. Having a shop on the field is great, but not if it is one you won't use for whatever reason.
 
steingar said:
I should have mentioned that the travel time to each is roughly the same. The dollar difference is about 0.1 AMU/month. The largest issue in the bijou mind of Steingar is access to mechanical services.
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Based on similar travel times and $100 a month, I'd look at moving, especially to get into a hangar. It's sad to see airports go downhill. i'm trying to visit all the out of the way ones in my state before they close. :(

the only downside to the new airport is 4 runways vs 1 (though you consider that an upside, why?). I'm based at the 4th busiest airport in my state and it has 1 runway. it sounds like it might be kind of busy, you might have more delays taxiing, taking off, etc. more time trying to get in to land vs just touching down at a quiet airport.
 
Steingar - as you know, I've thought about the same thing (for those who don't know, Steingar and I are based at the same field). I did have a deposit on a new construction T hangar at the "other field down the way" as well but actually decided not to make the move when my number was called a month or two ago.

While I can certainly see the argument you make, I'm not sure I'd agree that Bolton is really falling apart. It's definitely slower than I'd like and I wish there was maintenance on the field too, but we do have a restaurant, a 12 hour a day tower, a new FBO owner that at least seems to be willing to make some improvements (hey - they replaced the dead fuel truck!) There are plenty of airports in way worse shape than Bolton out there. Ultimately, for me, Bolton is a bit closer and I didn't really feel like making the move. The biggest reason I put down a deposit in the first place at OSU was that they needed a certain amount of deposits to green light the hangar construction project and I wanted them to get that green light.
 
I think you will be happier if you move. You deserve to be happier.
 
Should I stay or should I go now?
Should I stay or should I go now?
If I go there will be trouble
And if I stay it will be double
So you gotta let me know
Should I cool it or should I blow?
Should I stay or should I go now?
If I go there will be trouble
And if I stay there will be double
So you gotta let me know
Should I stay or should I go
 
I voted to stay at the sleepy airport rather than go to a busy one where one might spend a lot of time taxiing and waiting. However, hangar vs tie down makes the busy airport appealing, especially in Ohio. Do you get the same cold, snow that Cleveland does?
 
RudyP said:
Steingar - as you know, I've thought about the same thing (for those who don't know, Steingar and I are based at the same field). I did have a deposit on a new construction T hangar at the "other field down the way" as well but actually decided not to make the move when my number was called a month or two ago.
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Its the same construction that's opened up spots.

RudyP said:
While I can certainly see the argument you make, I'm not sure I'd agree that Bolton is really falling apart. It's definitely slower than I'd like and I wish there was maintenance on the field too, but we do have a restaurant, a 12 hour a day tower, a new FBO owner that at least seems to be willing to make some improvements (hey - they replaced the dead fuel truck!) There are plenty of airports in way worse shape than Bolton out there. Ultimately, for me, Bolton is a bit closer and I didn't really feel like making the move. The biggest reason I put down a deposit in the first place at OSU was that they needed a certain amount of deposits to green light the hangar construction project and I wanted them to get that green light.
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I don't mind how sleepy TZR has become, the real killer is maintenance. I was down for a month last summer with a relatively minor squawk. I couldn't fix it, the guy at TZR didn't want to, and I wound up bringing mechanics in from OSU to do the job. Remember, your airplane is new and shiny. Mine is older than most folks here. One bad squawk and I could be down for months where it could get fixed quickly at OSU.

Yeah, I heard about the new FBO owner. Maybe they can improve the maintenance picture, maybe not. But the maintenance facility at OSU isn't going away any time soon. And there's an avionics shop there too. The only real down side for me is the increase in price.

But we'll see. I won't go into one of the hangars with the manual door. I could barely move those things in good wx, I can't imagine how bad it is in the middle of winter. The new hangars are nice, but I think they'll bust my budget unless I can recruit a partner, I can swing one of the older electric ones. So we'll see. Might have to stay put yet. Might move to CMH. We'll see.
 
For $100 a month to get access to better facilities and services (especially on field maintenance), easy decision to move. Sad that the current airport has declined to make it a no brainer though.
 
I would go. Having more runways = more options (i.e. winds, approaches, closures due to resurfacing or incidents, etc). I love having a full maintenance and avionics shop on my field. I have a good relations with both and has come in handy multiple times. Having a hangar vs tie down is a very large difference to me as well.

Ultimately as long as you're flying, the rest is just convenience.
 
Radar Contact said:
I would go. Having more runways = more options (i.e. winds, approaches, closures due to resurfacing or incidents, etc).
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That hasn't been a big deal to me so far, though I have to admit that crosswind landings in a Mooney are a slightly different beast that in my old Cherokee. In the latter all I had to do in a bad crosswind was speed up, I could always bleed off speed in ground effect. The Mooney is slick as snot, if I come in too fast I could float to Cincinnati.

Radar Contact said:
I love having a full maintenance and avionics shop on my field. I have a good relations with both and has come in handy multiple times. Having a hangar vs tie down is a very large difference to me as well.
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I would have never stayed where I was without a hangar. But as you can see, the availability of maintenance is a really dealmaker for me. I was perfectly happy while we had it at my home drome. Now that we don't I'm thinking about the move.
 
steingar said:
I don't mind how sleepy TZR has become, the real killer is maintenance. I was down for a month last summer with a relatively minor squawk. I couldn't fix it, the guy at TZR didn't want to, and I wound up bringing mechanics in from OSU to do the job. Remember, your airplane is new and shiny. Mine is older than most folks here. One bad squawk and I could be down for months where it could get fixed quickly at OSU.
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Yeah, I get that. Makes sense. Good luck with whatever you choose!
 
I like the sandwich shop at OSU.

You should definitely move.
 
I too am based at the same field as Steingar & RudyP. Pilots on the field have revived the monthly 'Hangin at the Hangar' shindig on Thursday (you do get Susan's emails don't you?) and the new FBO is paying for the food & drink. There I met Larry, the new on-field mechanic who is really interested in supporting GA and drumming up business for the place and seems like a nice guy too. He mentioned they are looking for a CFI and an airplane to get on the line for rentals too. Maybe not today, but if things go well, hopefully soon. There is also a project scheduled in the fall to make runway improvements.

I'm also unaware of any community up at OSU outside of the tiny restaurant, not that that's a huge deal.
 
I've been meaning to get to the Thursday do's, but life keeps getting in the way. I haven't met Larry, but the last guy claimed he was going to work on the local aircraft and never bothered. So I look at wonderful plans with a fairly jaded eye. So for 0.1 AME/month I get extant facilities vs the hope of them. I suspect I will have to move before I can find out whether hopes have materialized.
 
Well I wish you luck. My experience with OSU maintenance was not so confidence instilling. Hopefully they take more interest in your Mooney versus my ancient 172. Central Ohio needs a shop that has an interest in keeping GA going. Even when I was based at London I had to fly over to Parr so Bob could work on it.
 
iflyvfr said:
Well I wish you luck. My experience with OSU maintenance was not so confidence instilling. Hopefully they take more interest in your Mooney versus my ancient 172. Central Ohio needs a shop that has an interest in keeping GA going. Even when I was based at London I had to fly over to Parr so Bob could work on it.
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My Mooney is probably older than your Skyhawk. I'll keep doing annuals with Bobby, I had a really good experience with him during my lay-off and after. But Roger Tucker is still the man at OSU. He and I go way back, I have a lot of confidence in any shop he runs. Just out of curiosity, what about their practices put you off?
 
Sorry in advance for going off topic, but question for you OH folks. I'm planning a trip up there in a couple months. Looking at flying in to 2G2 and parking the plane for a few days visit. Have any of you experience with 2g2?
 
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