Where to fly in Florida?

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mhockey21

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Matt
Hello everyone! I'm new to these forums. I'm looking to start making cross countries every other weekend to different places in Florida given I have the time. I'm based in KDAB and will be flying an 04 Cessna 182T G1000, I'm just looking for a good place to fly for the day with some friends, split the costs and have some fun. Does anyone have any good tips on fun places to go?
 
Cedar Key, KCDK. Get Judy's taxi (if she's still around) to take you into town for seafood. There are also kayak rentals and wildlife cruises available along the pier. It's a great aviation destination.

John
 
Cedar Key (KCDK) is a cool place to go. Good food in town. Short runway so watch for the hot days, but you should be fine in the winter. You can come over to Ferguson (82J) to check out the Pensacola Naval Aviation Museum. There's always the keys...
 
EvilEagle said:
Cedar Key (KCDK) is a cool place to go. Good food in town. Short runway so watch for the hot days, but you should be fine in the winter. You can come over to Ferguson (82J) to check out the Pensacola Naval Aviation Museum. There's always the keys...
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Ditto on both of these destinations.
Be sure to coordinate arrival time into Ferguson so that you don't have to hassle with the military ops there. We had to do a few 360's to wait out the MOA there on a Friday afternoon once.
 
Fly to Venice (VNC) and have a bite at either of two restaurants there (assuming both are still open) or better yet catch a ride or walk to Sharkey's on the beach just past the far side of the airport.

Another fun stop is Everglades City airport. If you call most any of the several restaurants in the city (5 miles down the road) they will send a vehicle to bring you to their establishment. Stone crabs are a specialty of all of them. You can also get a bucket full to take home and/or take a airboat ride through the Everglades.
 
i really like APF (naples).
also a nice little field called Quincy (north of TLH Talahasee)
i was impressed with the shelt air fbo at ORL. (whatever that girl's name was... excellent CSR)
 
I made a trip in January from FXE to VNC to visit some friends which was fun. It's a really neat area. We also flew down to Key West (EYW) for lunch which was awesome. The view of the keys was really nice and it was a quick trip for us in the Mooney (1.4 each way).
 
Did a flight to KISM to checkout war bird adventures, one of my friends owns it and we both got offered rides in ISKRA jets that they had there, going to have to take them up on that later! Then we continued down to KFMY had dinner with some friends, went over to the beach and walked around for a little while and then got back to the airport to find our beacon not working, after some research and a couple phone calls were got it all squared away and took off! Beautiful night for some IFR flying! On they way down I logged .2 actual and .1 on the way back! I will try and upload some photos and videos from the flight later!
 
How about the palm beach area? Is anyone there offering instruction or unique aviation experiences?
 
Flew to KCDK today, boy was that fun! Had to do one go around, I couldn't get er' down in time and was a little high and fast, but boy does that test you!
 
mhockey21 said:
Flew to KCDK today, boy was that fun! Had to do one go around, I couldn't get er' down in time and was a little high and fast, but boy does that test you!
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What were you flying? I flew there once and while we were eating lunch, a TBM-800 or 850 was doing touch and goes.

John
 
I am based in Ormond so we are neighbors. As you have found out CDK is a neat day trip, but it can be a really cool weekend trip too.

You gotta go to the Keys. We are going to Marathon next weekend. Key West has the other airport down there.

As someone said, Everglades City makes a great lunch stop.

Several places on the Panhandle, but you should check probably check out the AOPA short course on flying the corridor over there.

We tale frequent trips to St. Petersburg. There is a good restaurant at Albert Whitted Field, or the FBO will give you a lift to the Renaissance Vinoy where they have a great restaurant with a fabulous Sunday Brunch. If you spend a few days there are quite a few good eateries and other attractions.

There are so many places to go in Florida you won't get bored.

Leesburg is not necessarily the most fun place, but it is not bad and if you take a few practice trips there to learn the geography you will be ready to fly to Sun n Fun next year.
Edited to add: If you don't have to stay in Florida, Jekyll Island and St. Simons Island in Georgia are just a little north of
FL and make for good trips. We are going to St. Marys Georgia near the nuke sub base tomorrow just to checkout some place new.
 
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At Winterhaven is a really neat seaplane school. Cypress Gardens used to be nearby. It will be Legoland soon. Im going down there in December. My family lives near there. I'm thinking of getting the seaplane add on while on vacation.
 
Well, we're planning to head down to KFXE [Ft. Lauderdale Exec] this December (Leslie's Mom is right next to it). And of course the aforementioned KEYW [Key West] is always fun. We've used it as a jumping off point for the Bahamas (though they had us pretty much fly back to KMTH [Marathon] before heading over). We saw the Blue Angels flying out of Boca Chica while there!
 
JOhnH said:
Leesburg is not necessarily the most fun place, but it is not bad and if you take a few practice trips there to learn the geography you will be ready to fly to Sun n Fun next year.
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I believe he means Lakeland (KLAL)
 
Cedar Key is a good spot for a day trip. Sebastian (X26) offers almost daily skydiving if you're interested in jumping out of a perfectly airplane.
 
I'll be in Panama City (KECP) for a few days around Xmas. Florida is a fun place to fly.

+1 Pensacola Air Museum
 
mhockey21 said:
Hello everyone! I'm new to these forums. I'm looking to start making cross countries every other weekend to different places in Florida given I have the time. I'm based in KDAB and will be flying an 04 Cessna 182T G1000, I'm just looking for a good place to fly for the day with some friends, split the costs and have some fun. Does anyone have any good tips on fun places to go?
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hi Matt,

I'm over in Florida, 3/4 months of the year usually Jan/Feb April/May Sept/Oct. if your ever looking for someone to fly with I'd be delighted to join you and pay my share. I fly a C182 G1000 N2231F in the UK. would love to get a share in a C182 in Florida.

Colin. 182
 
When I was flying out of KORL some of my favorite day trips were to the following airports:

KCDK - Cedar Key, FL
KSGJ - St Augustine, FL
KVRB - Vero Beach, FL
KLAL - Lakeland, FL
KXFL - Flagler County, FL
KTIX - Titusville, FL
KSSI - St Simons, GA

All of the above have a hundred dollar burger waiting for you.

c6e4ebc4-5a4b-aeac.jpg

Cedar Key as seen from above.
 
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Page Field in Fort Myers is a pretty cool place, you only minutes to sandy beaches of Sanibel and the app to the airport in the middle of the town is pretty interesting.
 
For those of you who come to Key West, look me up. Pilots with good attitudes are few and far between down here.
 
KeyWestPhotog said:
For those of you who come to Key West, look me up. Pilots with good attitudes are few and far between down here.
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We go down there a bit, what do you fly there?

I was at the hampton inn on islamorada one day and saw someone get picked up in some little 2 plaec amphib experimental (not the quicksilver)...was pretty awesome. Almost looked like a paid ride...but not sure how that could be....
 
Jekyll Island 09J
Sebring KSEF
Ocala KOCF
Williston X60
Ft. Pierce KFPR
St. Pete KSPG

flav8r said:
When I was flying out of KORL some of my favorite day trips were to the following airports:

KCDK - Cedar Key, FL
KSGJ - St Augustine, FL
KVRB - Vero Beach, FL
KLAL - Lakeland, FL
KXFL - Flagler County, FL
KTIX - Titusville, FL
KSSI - St Simons, GA

All of the above have a hundred dollar burger waiting for you.

c6e4ebc4-5a4b-aeac.jpg

Cedar Key as seen from above.
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flav8r said:
Are we talking my cottage in the Hamptons is much nicer than my Key West bungalow type attitudes?
Or is it more of the typical pilot egos?
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No, it's more of the ones who desire to stick to themselves and not be positive with others in our small aviation community. There are several here with great attitudes and I can count them on both hands.

I haven't witnessed any of that "alpha" type stuff here that you mention Flav8r. Not from a personal stand point anyways. That stuff usually only happens when the non-locals fly in and expect the locals to know who they are, then get upset that they don't, or just don't give a hoot.


We do have ALLOT of folks who fly in on occasion to come enjoy their getaway homes, but I've never dealt with ego's are attitudes from them.
 
KeyWestPhotog said:
No, it's more of the ones who desire to stick to themselves and not be positive with others in our small aviation community. There are several here with great attitudes and I can count them on both hands.
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I always felt that the olde Florida Keys lifestyle changed dramatically when they widened the bridges.
My Aunt lived on Summerland Key back when there was only a few houses and an airstrip.
Back then my cousin and I had what we now call the Flipper lifestyle, we could take the dinghy
over to US-1 back near Murrays Market to pickup groceries that my Aunt would call in to Murray himself.
I was too young to fly back then but my Uncle had his private pilots license and I just thought that was the coolest thing ever.

After the widening of the bridges it just brought in a whole new group of outsiders that were there to get
away from it all (and other people I guess).

Now the only place in Florida that reminds me of the Olde Florida Keys (or Olde Florida for that matter)
is Cedar Key and sometimes my little island at KFHB.
 
Hi guys, I will be over in Florida from my home in the UK for the whole of January and intend to spent some time during my visit flying.

I am a new PP having passed my check ride during my last visit which was back in October. As I have not flown since my check ride I intend to spend a few hours in the air with my CFI to blow the cobwebs off and refresh on anything he feels i need to and get comfortable in the airplane again, after which time I would like to do some hour building on a few cross country trips.

I do have an ambition to fly down to the Keys at some stages when I have more experience under my belt.
But for this January trip I was wondering where you guys would suggest I fly to for a $100 hamburger that suits the personal limitations of a newly qualified PP.

My home field is KLAL (Lakeland Linder)
Thanks guys
Allan
 
alland said:
I do have an ambition to fly down to the Keys at some stages when I have more experience under my belt.
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Flying down to the Keys from KLAL does require a little bit of know how with the ATC system if you travel via the east coast, the west coast does have some over the water and Everglades issues, so I would fly down with someone that has experience in dealing with ATC.

alland said:
But for this January trip I was wondering where you guys would suggest I fly to for a $100 hamburger that suits the personal limitations of a newly qualified PP.
My home field is KLAL (Lakeland Linder)
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Lakeland is a fantastic central point to many $100 hamburgers, you can head west to Albert Whitted, Venice or east to Vero Beach, Titusville.

With a few destinations just a bit further north you can go to Cedar Key and St Augustine.
 
Thanks David..:thumbsup:
Some good suggestions there for me to consider, Cedar Key looks very interesting, but I'm not sure I am ready to put a C172 down on a 2350ft runway with water at each end just yet...:hairraise:

I think you are right in suggesting a have someone experienced along for the ride when I am ready to take a trip to the Florida Keys especially for a first time over the Everglades and the water crossing lower down.

But with regard to ATC side of things, I actually feel quite comfortable talking to them, it was never an issue that worried me even from very early in my flight training.

One thing I do want to do during my January visit is utilise Flight Following on a x/c, I have yet to have that experience.
 
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alland said:
Thanks David..:thumbsup:
Some good suggestions there for me to consider, Cedar Key looks very interesting, but I'm not sure I am ready to put a C172 down on a 2350ft runway with water at each end just yet...:hairraise:

I think you are right in suggesting a have someone experienced along for the ride when I am ready to take a trip to the Florida Keys especially for a first time over the Everglades and the water crossing lower down.

But with regard to ATC side of things, I actually feel quite comfortable talking to them, it was never an issue that worried me even from very early in my flight training.

One thing I do want to do during my January visit is utilise Flight Following on a x/c, I have yet to have that experience.
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Definitely use Flight following if you fly to Keyw. If you aren't in a rush the east coast route looks scenic. I have only flown direct from naples (Apf). In a typical rental its about 45 minutes. Also, on flight following you can cross Adiz on your way there without filing a flight plan.
 
alland said:
But for this January trip I was wondering where you guys would suggest I fly to for a $100 hamburger that suits the personal limitations of a newly qualified PP.

My home field is KLAL (Lakeland Linder)
Thanks guys
Allan
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You can shoot over to Massey Ranch (X50) in New Smryna (just south of KEVB ), that's my family's airpark. Not sure if they still keep a hop car but it's in great proximity to the beaches, etc. There's some cool old relics tied down and many days the Embry kids are practicing. Although a howling west wind will pucker you up a bit until you drop below the tree line :D.
 
Well ticked another box off my places to visit in Florida after getting a low pass approval over the Shuttle Landing Facility.
NASA tower guy was very helpful..gave me clearance for minimum 100ft pass and kept me safe with a watchful eye on Helicopter Traffic around Kennedy Space Centre.




 
this time of year if you are in florida with an airplane, point the nose north and keep flying.
 
JHW said:
this time of year if you are in florida with an airplane, point the nose north and keep flying.
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I have to say Jeff, this summer has seen a lot of weather fronts moving through the state, more so than the normal summer pattern of fly early and get back down by lunch, I was in Florida from late June until last week and many days no flying at all.
I have CFI friends who told me their schedules have really been screwed up, some of them work for Accelerated flight training schools with foreign students coming on 2/3 week courses "zero hrs to checkride" deals, and some have had to go home unfinished..
 
Cedar key ,Lakeland ,Venice,Albert whitard in st Pete are all great stops with good food.I fly out of SRQ and have done the keys and a weekend to Pensacola.there really aren't many bad flights in Fla.also like palm coast .
 
Cedar Key is a great place to drop in for lunch, only a 2000ft runway to play with, so needs a bit of care when gusts coming in off the Gulf.
Call your pattern approach and Judy the local taxi driver will call you back and ask if you need a ride into town..

Made our first trip there in April, great day out.

 
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