Should I move?

Should I move?

  • yes

    Votes: 45 83.3%

  • no

    Votes: 9 16.7%
  • Total voters
    54
  • Poll closed .
I was going to say move it! But it looks like you already did, so congratulations!
 
Salty said:
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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Sorry, not been there but my impression of the town is its the best (and worst) of small town Ohio.
 
steingar said:
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?
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Don't know Tucker but my right wing drops so several years ago (8??) I called and asked them if they could rig my plane properly. They gladly slotted me in and assured me they knew how to do it. The first thing they did was remove a trim tab that was on the right aileron (without consulting me nor providing me the removed part). It was there when I bought the plane and painted to match so it had been there awhile.

Each time they asked me to test fly it, it was worse. I was polite and congenial the entire time. But the last time I stopped in, as I peered at the SR22's and Turbo 182's and twins parked around me, they started saying things like "airworthiness" and "illegally installed part" and we'll charge you a couple hundred bucks. . .instead of the much higher bill they had which sounded to me like "we don't know WTF we're doing so just go away man." I grabbed my keys, paid the bill for their time and beat feet to KUYF. She's a faithful steed, but I'll never brag she flies true hands off. She will but only at certain speeds and/or wind conditions or phases of the moon. So that's my sad story. I'm very happy with the fellow I have now who teaches me stuff and lets me wrench a bit too.
 
Heh... I read halfway down and then realized it's KTZR being considered as "dying."

Then I squint in the north sky to see if the beacon at I66 is even operating currently, and remember all the 767's flying over until a month ago, and sigh.

So, in that case I had to change my vote to no. Bolton ain't going anywhere.
 
You guys seem to have a pretty vibrant operation there, no? I met a young guy over at Hillsboro recently who just bought his 150 and was there when he and his instructor took off for I66. Been there for FAA programs too.
 
iflyvfr said:
You guys seem to have a pretty vibrant operation there, no? I met a young guy over at Hillsboro recently who just bought his 150 and was there when he and his instructor took off for I66. Been there for FAA programs too.
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If the local politicians don't screw it up in the name of saving KILN or being clueless it will be ok. Some odd decisions though. They built that new "terminal" building at I66 then kept it basically locked up. The prior FBO contract was basically just a SS 100LL pump and everything else was run through I19 and that outfit is even kind of shady up there (I once did their "aero club" what a mess). The local flight school guy just took that contract over from them though so I'm expecting bigger and better things, he's a good guy. The local pilots and him combined are trying their best! And, despite many being kind of derelict looking, every hangar is full and has been for some time. Trust me, I've been inquiring.

Regardless, TZR is like CVG comparatively.
 
Maintenance, facilities, FBOs, gas, community? You guys are spoiled rotten. ;)
 
Todd82 said:
Heh... I read halfway down and then realized it's KTZR being considered as "dying."

Then I squint in the north sky to see if the beacon at I66 is even operating currently, and remember all the 767's flying over until a month ago, and sigh.

So, in that case I had to change my vote to no. Bolton ain't going anywhere.
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No, I don' t think it is either. But when I arrived the hangars were full with a two-year waiting list. There was an active flight school with multiple airplanes (including a Mooney!), a tie-down ramp full of airplanes, and activity all around. Fast forward a dozen or so years and the tie-down ramp is gone along with the flight school, multiple hangars and empty, and the activity is gone.

And none of that bothers me that much, honestly. What gets me is the lack of mechanical services. Perhaps some of you can do without, you're A&Ps with fully equipped shops, or you have magic genie up your a$$. I don't know. But I have a hard time staying at a place where I can't dependably get the airplane fixed if its busticated.
 
Hmm, open hangars at KTZR? That may be some of the closest open hangar space to me other than whatever new overpriced mansions they are building at I68 now. Although I, too, would be in desperate need of on field mx time to time.
 
Todd82 said:
Hmm, open hangars at KTZR? That may be some of the closest open hangar space to me other than whatever new overpriced mansions they are building at I68 now. Although I, too, would be in desperate need of on field mx time to time.
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7 open hangars as of yesterday, 8 as of August 1 unless someone moves in. Inexpensive too. There have been mechanical services on field, but I would not call time dependable. The only way I could get my airplane fixed last June was to hire mechanics to drive down from OSU.
 
It's easier to give birth than to raise the dead.
 
Todd82 said:
Hmm, open hangars at KTZR? That may be some of the closest open hangar space to me other than whatever new overpriced mansions they are building at I68 now. Although I, too, would be in desperate need of on field mx time to time.
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There are open hangars over at Madison County, (KUYF) too. I live inside the Class D at KOSU but drove for 8 - 10 years out to London, a 35 minute drive on I-70. Good prices on fuel but another sleepy airport. They just built new hangars too and have some openings there.

Steingar is right to move don't get me wrong, but I'm telling you that the rumors of TZR's demise are overblown. There is now a mechanic on field who has a professed interest in GA, there's a restaurant, there's a pilot community and new FBO management. The huge ramp that 15 years ago was full of planes is now gone, but there is another, smaller ramp for tie downs. The old tie down asphalt had deteriorated and it would have been irresponsible to repair it given there was but 1 derelict Piper in the tie down. Hell the mean guy in the tower has been eliminated, what more do you want? ;)

OSU has NO DOUBT seen a reduction in the number of tenants, you can see it on the ramp with the number of tie downs out there. OSU built the hangars partly because that is what state funded Universities do: build new buildings. Gotta give all those engineering students and facilities directors something to do!
 
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.

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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While
 
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.

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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While I am not familiar with Bolton, I'd urge you to give the new FBO owner a chance. They run my home drone, and maintain a first class operation. He is very supportive of GA, with deep enough pockets, as well as the connections, to try and make it work.

Since they took over here a few years ago, the whole operation has turned around 180 degrees. The maint operation is building a new, larger hangar to handle all of the new business coming in. Expect more jet traffic in the future, as well.
 
Good to hear. I'm not going anywhere and look forward to improvements. I think they dropped the fuel pricing a bit already.
 
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