Airpark Community

[Seth]

Would you realistically live in an airpark community?  How far would you be willing to move from your current location to do so?  20 miles?  40 miles? 3 States? etc . . . What amenities would you want?  Golf Course?  Clubhouse?  Gas station?  Restuarants?  Drug store?  Gated?  What would your runway requirements be?  2000' Grass?  Paved?  3000' 4000' 5500'?  How far North / South would you be willing to live?

I realize these questions may be a bit haphazard, but I'd like to know everyone's opinions. 

Thanks,

-Seth

[mooniac58]

I would move anywhere sunny in the US and would want a paved runway.  Avgas on the premises would be preferred of course.  However, I don't think my wife is nearly as flexible as I am for locations to live!

[TurboExec]

How big of a hanger can you have?

Yes I would as long as it's somewhere around Central FL....not that we don't have any already.  Maybe when some more funds roll in I'll consider moving to one.

[Rustler]

To us (wife concurs), the right airpark would be an ideal living environment. Emphasis on "right."

Paved runway, lighted, avgas on the field and fire protection are about the minima. Approaches would be nice.

I've looked into several places, and there are airparks in Tennessee, North Carolina, and Arkansas that meet those criteria. As an architect, my eye draws me to Holley Mountain in Arkansas. It looks like the site planning is excellent, and lot prices are quite reasonable. Pretty country, too.

We're at a point where we could live almost anywhere and work as much as we want from there, which makes a decision to move much easier.

One thing I'd look at very closely is the tax structure of the state to which one might move. Will they charge you annual tax on your airplane? Sales tax if it was purchased in a state which does not charge sales tax on plane sales? A bad state structure conceiveably could create a sizeable burden.

 

 

[DonMuncy]

Michael,

Have you looked at Pecan Plantation.  It appears they are building a new runway.  It would probably be an up-grade and the old one is lighted and 3500 feet.

Don

[Rustler]

Don--

Prior to this aviation life, I was a Grumman Cheetah owner. One of the devotees of the Grumman is Les Staples of SkyTech lightweight starters. He lives in Pecan Plantation, and we had a Grumman gathering there once. I was impressed. We met a number of very nice folks and had a good time. I wasn't concerned with the existing runway, but longer is always better.

We are flyfishers, which makes Holley Mountain interesting. Some of the Tennessee airparks are also near good fishing water, but some of them are really expensive--read $200K for a lot--and I just don't see that. That said, fishing ain't everything.

We also love New Mexico, but I've not found an airpark there that interests me. ABQ seems like another city at this point, while Santa Fe is comfortably pleasant. Taos is high and already very expensive. I did a project there more than 10 years ago and loved it, but the handwriting was on the wall even then.

I was into David Wayne Hooks not long ago, and boy! were there some interesting hongar/homes there. Don't know that I'd like the humidity again after living there for a number of years.

 

 

 

 

[Mcstealth]

Dude! You live in Dripping Springs. Why leave?

[The-sky-captain]

Holley Mountain is a very nice area. It'a bout a thirty minute flight from where I am based in NW Ark. Good fishing in the immediate area too.

[Rustler]

McStealth--

I say this with fear and trepidation, for fear it represents topic drift.

No place is so idyllic as it seems or is represented to be. We like Dripping Springs, but there are things not to like, too, as in any place. I can't say I love plonking down $8000+ in property taxes a year for a school system that I think is fairly mediocre. I also don't like the prevailing political sentiment here that we "owe" it to our neighbors to educate their kids to whatever extent they feel necessary, and in the luxury to which their parents have convinced them is their right.

I also have a 45-minute drive to HYI, where I keep 32H. I'd really like to fall out of bed into the hangar.

 

[Rustler]

The-Sky-Captain

That's one of the things we liked the most. Granted, Arkansas ain't true trout country, but that part of the state sure looks like it would be interesting to explore with a rod and reel.

How is yoursummer climate? Having grown up in east Texas, I can't imagine it it all that much different, but I don't know.

I've got to fly on Thursday to ASL for a property closing, and I've given serious thought to going up to 2A2 for a visit. Any thoughts?

 

[KSMooniac]

Have you seen Heaven's Landing?  http://www.heavenslanding.com/ 

[The-sky-captain]

Rustler- Here in NW Ark we get all four seasons. The summers are pretty hot from late June through mid September for and the humidity can get up there too. Overall it's pretty bearable though. Another good place for some fly-in fishing is Gastons if you land on grass strips. It's not a live in community but it has a great resort and restaurant right on the river. The river is about 100 yards from the tie down area. If you decide on coming to Holley Mt let me know and I'll try to meet you for lunch.

There is a pretty large aircraft boneyard located at the Clinton airport which is just a few miles from Holley Mt. I needed some plastic for my emergency gear extension and actually got it off of a Mooney that crashed on the way to my prebuy (fuel exhaustion) last June before I purchased 1PX.

It's funny that you mention having a closing on Thur. I too am closing on my personal house that we have just completed.

[randypugh]

Any interest in lower Michigan? I am one of the owners of an airpark (z98) 8 miles from lake Michigan. All four seasons and located with plenty of things to see and do 20 minutes west of Grand Rapids. 3800' x 60' paved and lighted, 1 acre homesites, and full service FBO across the field. Privatly owned, public use, 11 lots left  

[Mcstealth]

Quote: Rustler

McStealth--

I say this with fear and trepidation, for fear it represents topic drift.

No place is so idyllic as it seems or is represented to be. We like Dripping Springs, but there are things not to like, too, as in any place. I can't say I love plonking down $8000+ in property taxes a year for a school system that I think is fairly mediocre. I also don't like the prevailing political sentiment here that we "owe" it to our neighbors to educate their kids to whatever extent they feel necessary, and in the luxury to which their parents have convinced them is their right.

I also have a 45-minute drive to HYI, where I keep 32H. I'd really like to fall out of bed into the hangar.

 

[Mcstealth]

There is a newish airpark here close to Kerrville. Did you check it out? I know there are some lots up for sale.

McStealth

[Rustler]

Quote: Mcstealth

There is a newish airpark here close to Kerrville. Did you check it out? I know there are some lots up for sale.

McStealth

[Guest Anonymous]

Quote: The-sky-captain

Holley Mountain is a very nice area. It'a bout a thirty minute flight from where I am based in NW Ark. Good fishing in the immediate area too.

[skyking]

We have a nice one here in Alberta.

No fuel on site though

[N6843N]

I lived on L22 Yucca Valley for 5 years and would never live on an airpark again. Politics, Problems and no privacy were the killers for me.