Where do East Coast pilots hang out?

Trogdor

Trogdor

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Trogdor
I have been flying around for a while and rarely see folks outside of students/CFIs. In fact, I only meet a new pilot in my area when I’m refueling. That’s about it.

Typically, the FBO is empty or there just isn’t a lot of activity there. Now, granted, I fly a lot during the week instead of the weekend so I realize that maybe partially it. Then there was this thing called COVID-19 (ever hear of it?), that was a bummer.

But anyway, where are some popular East Coast hang out spots outside of big events like Sun’n’Fun? Or is GA really a lonewolf operation? :)

Btw, I asked this exact question on Reddit in /flying too. Got a couple of responses and have been organizing a community around this concept of East Coast pilots since I can’t find anything out there. If folks are interested in please just privately message me.
 
There are two groups on Facebook to check out. East Coast Pilots and Eastern Pennsylvania Pilots. I think their are some in the group that get together for breakfast
 
At my home field (SNC) nobody hangs out at the FBO, but everybody has a beer fridge in their hangar and a few hangars have become the place to be in the evening after flying. The bush plane crowd is getting very active around here, too.
 
swingwing said:
There are two groups on Facebook to check out. East Coast Pilots and Eastern Pennsylvania Pilots. I think their are some in the group that get together for breakfast
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...and East Coast Pilots is a very active and friendly group. Makes me wish I was further north (well, sometimes, anyway).
 
Fun hangout for now is Alton Bay in New Hampshire. B18. Not sure how long it will last as weather is getting warm.
You are sure to meet other pilots.
 
The only catch for me - I know, I know - I won't do Facebook. I did reach out to that group but I am not interested in FB. Sorry, I just can't do it. I have an account but I am not active on that platform.

PoA is great and I actively support it (look to your left).

I did organize a Discord channel to sorta share NE stories and maybe organize a flyin in more of a real-time fashion. If anyone wants to chat, feel free to stop by.

One thing that is FUNNY - I never actually go by the hangars. Maybe I should start "Zoom bombing" hangars to see what everyone is up to. I did meet one guy at 39N in a Lancair 320 with my son who was super nice. I didn't catch the guy but there is another Lancair Evolution out of Solberg (N51) which is absolutely amazing.

But seriously, most GA-frinedly FBOs (so the non-Signature, Atlantics, et.c) are just empty....it's kinda weird.

EDIT: I did a turn in VT and the nice women at MVT said their FBO is pretty empty during the week - now granted it is WINTER so yeah, I get it.
 
Trogdor said:
But anyway, where are some popular East Coast hang out spots outside of big events like Sun’n’Fun? Or is GA really a lonewolf operation? :)
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I'm not a facebooker so missing that venue myself. I do try and make the first Sat of the month breakfast fly-in at Nifflin Co PA and as many of the lunch fly-ins at Sunberry PA as I can, both easy flights for you. Join the EAA, lots of get togethers even for us certified flyers.

Propose something here. I've met up for PoA events at Cambridge MD and Williamsburg VA. Also a Piper lunch at Lancaster PA.
 
Pugs said:

I'm not a facebooker so missing that venue myself. I do try and make the first Sat of the month breakfast fly-in at Nifflin Co PA and as many of the lunch fly-ins at Sunberry PA as I can, both easy flights for you. Join the EAA, lots of get togethers even for us certified flyers.
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Looked them up:
Nifflin Co, PA = KRVL (http://www.mifflincountyairport.com/, look under events)
Sunberrry (Sunbury?), PA = 71N. Appears to be grass field on an island. Looks cool.
 
Fitchburg airport, Mass. Coffee and doughnuts every Saturday, Fitchburg Pilots association. 8am until about 10. Fpa hangar, come on by.
 
Trogdor said:
The only catch for me - I know, I know - I won't do Facebook. I did reach out to that group but I am not interested in FB. Sorry, I just can't do it. I have an account but I am not active on that platform.

PoA is great and I actively support it (look to your left).

I did organize a Discord channel to sorta share NE stories and maybe organize a flyin in more of a real-time fashion. If anyone wants to chat, feel free to stop by.

One thing that is FUNNY - I never actually go by the hangars. Maybe I should start "Zoom bombing" hangars to see what everyone is up to. I did meet one guy at 39N in a Lancair 320 with my son who was super nice. I didn't catch the guy but there is another Lancair Evolution out of Solberg (N51) which is absolutely amazing.

But seriously, most GA-frinedly FBOs (so the non-Signature, Atlantics, et.c) are just empty....it's kinda weird.

EDIT: I did a turn in VT and the nice women at MVT said their FBO is pretty empty during the week - now granted it is WINTER so yeah, I get it.
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Okay, I feel like I'm a 100 years old but I keep hearing people talk about discord servers, but never really knew what it was. I just joined your group, so we'll see how that works.

I'm sort of at a phase of life that with a wife and a 6 year old I don't have a lot of time for hanging out at the airport...usually we're coming or going. I think I'll start having more time in the near future to socialize with more pilots. I think my wife actively tries to separate me from other pilots because she knows even a simple "hello" will turn into a 45 chat about all things aviation related.

At my home 'drome, the airport owner periodically hosts bbqs or meet-ups at local restaurants for pilots on the field. It's great to get to meet folks.
 
@Brad Z I have a 5 year old who flies with me too. Our wives have obviously met.
 
Brad Z said:
Okay, I feel like I'm a 100 years old but I keep hearing people talk about discord servers, but never really knew what it was. I just joined your group, so we'll see how that works.
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Is that what the kids call irc these days? There's also PoA chat... ;)
 
LesGawlik said:
FB only? No thanks...
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Trogdor said:
The only catch for me - I know, I know - I won't do Facebook.
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Pugs said:
I'm not a facebooker so missing that venue myself.
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I do understand the reluctance to use Facebook, I do. It's a mess. But, anymore, asking something like "where can I meet other pilots and learn about fly-ins and other events", the easy answer truly is Facebook for most cases. Yes there are other websites in certain areas and maybe more will be started, but FB really is the 800-pound gorilla here. Saying "I want to keep informed of aviation social events, but I don't do FB", is kind of like saying "I want to meet other pilots, but I don't like hanging out in FBOs or hangars." A little exaggerated, of course, but the same idea.

If I "had to" reluctantly create a FB account, I'd just create it with minimal information, all privacy settings at max, and only use it to join and check aviation groups. I think you'd avoid most of the mess that is FB that way.
 
@RussR I hear you to a certain extent. But another way of looking at (particularly in 2022): We need an alternative to FB to organize. Hence, why I actually did something about it and started a Discord channel. Up to you, feel free to join.

I just won’t do FB for a majority of different reasons. Besides, FB is so 2003. LOL! :)
 
GeorgeC said:
Is that what the kids call irc these days? There's also PoA chat... ;)
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That’s not a bad one but Forum chat is a bit limited compared to a more dedicated chat channel like Discord or Slack etc.
 
I find the smallish airports have a better community..

Sometimes you just have to walk around. I met a number of neat folks at Montauk, Block Island, Northampton, even Lebanon (NH). But as noted above hangars seem to be where the fun is it. There's a great guy at MYF who opens his hangar every Sunday afternoon/evening and people hang out, talk flying, grab some food. It's fun

I left FB 3 years ago and haven't looked back
 
I have been meaning to go Block Island, but more as a family fun destination.
 
Block Island is a fun place to visit. They have a nice diner right on the airport where a lot of the customers are pilots who have flown in for breakfast during the summer. The airport is about a 20 minute walk from the town which is always hopping in the summer. Visiting during the winter months is a different matter though - most restaurants and shops are closed up.
 
obw said:
Block Island is a fun place to visit. They have a nice diner right on the airport where a lot of the customers are pilots who have flown in for breakfast during the summer. The airport is about a 20 minute walk from the town which is always hopping in the summer. Visiting during the winter months is a different matter though - most restaurants and shops are closed up.
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Back when I flew out of Nashua it was one of my favorite spots to visit.. this is also back before I had a bigger fear of flying over water - or - trusted that '72 rental PA-28 well enough to fly out there and back at 3,5/4,5!
 
Tantalum said:
Back when I flew out of Nashua it was one of my favorite spots to visit.. this is also back before I had a bigger fear of flying over water - or - trusted that '72 rental PA-28 well enough to fly out there and back at 3,5/4,5!
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I definitely have to check it out in the Summer.
 
Amanda Hensley said:
...My dad was one of the passengers on the plane, nothing was ever recovered...
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So sorry about your dad. Hopefully someone can answer your question and maybe having a piece of the plane will help.

I can somewhat relate. My wife's grandfather flew for American and was in a fatal accident off Long Island in 1960. TWA flight 800 went down in the same area b/c that recovery effort found 707 wreckage. Relatives of mine, two of whom are professional pilots, were able to see these parts in the hanger where they reassembled the plane. Seeing/touching the wreckage meant a lot to them.
 
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woah, I didn't read that whole post, didn't know there was an accident involved, sorry.
 
Mahneuvers said:
So sorry about your dad. Hopefully someone can answer your question and maybe having a piece of the plane will help.

I can somewhat relate. My wife's grandfather flew for American and was in a fatal accident off Long Island in 1960. TWA flight 800 went down in the same area b/c that recovery effort found 707 wreckage. Relatives of mine, two of whom are professional pilots, were able to see these parts in the hanger where they reassembled the plane. Seeing/touching the wreckage meant a lot to them.
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Threads crossed?
 
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