Best airport in the Portland, OR area

[FlyDave]

I'll be flying into Portland this Friday and am looking for the best airport to fly into.

It doesn't look like PDX is very GA friendly with one FBO (Atlantic).

I'm thinking of Aurora (KUAO), it's about 1/2 hour from my sisters house in the Brentwood-Darlington area. Anyone from the Portland area have suggestions?

 

Thanks,

 

Dave

[M016576]

I'll be flying into Portland this Friday and am looking for the best airport to fly into.

It doesn't look like PDX is very GA friendly with one FBO (Atlantic).

I'm thinking of Aurora (KUAO), it's about 1/2 hour from my sisters house in the Brentwood-Darlington area. Anyone from the Portland area have suggestions?

Thanks,

Dave

KTTD- Troutdale.

Bar none the best for GA. Gorge winds aviation can set you up with a car if need be. When I fly into portland (about once every 2 months), I plan on going there. I have diverted into Aurora before, when TTD was below minimums due to fog- it's a nice airport as well and they do have rental cars at their fbo. Honestly- pick the one of those two that's closest to your destination.

PDX has a 20 dollar landing fee, and getting into the conga-line can be a PITA. But if it's LOW, LOW IFR, like it tends to be this time of year- that's your best approach option. Second best IFR approaches are Hillsboro... But it's way out BF-W.

Hope that helps!

[N201MKTurbo]

I fly up there every couple of months. I always fly into Hillsboro because I'm working at Intel. There are cheap rental cars at the Intel shuttle terminal. They figure everybody works for Intel so everybody gets the Intel rate. If you park at the city lot it is essentially free. I put money in the envelope once. I came back three weeks later and my envelope with the parking money was still in the box covered with cobwebs.

I have been to Troutdale for other reasons and it seems fine.

[xcrmckenna]

KTTD....Got my ppl at Gorge Winds. Marve is a great guy, and set you up with anything. There is also a MSC at the field if you need anything looked over. I would recommend taking your family to Edgefield for great food and wine.

C.

[Seth]

Both time's I've visited Portland for only a few hours to as I stopped in to see a friend.  Once in 2010 and once in 2013 during my East to West Coast trips and back.

 

My friend lived closest to PDX so I chose there.  Sounds like there are some great alternatives.  It was easy to get in and out of PDX.  Both departures were from the runway on the North Side of the airport right near the FBO - easy to depart when I left, must have been off peak.

 

-Seth

[M016576]

Both time's I've visited Portland for only a few hours to as I stopped in to see a friend. Once in 2010 and once in 2013 during my East to West Coast trips and back.

My friend lived closest to PDX so I chose there. Sounds like there are some great alternatives. It was easy to get in and out of PDX. Both departures were from the runway on the North Side of the airport right near the FBO - easy to depart when I left, must have been off peak.

-Seth

If it's VFR or even a "normal" ifr day, it's not hard to get in and out- when it gets low ifr, the holding fixes stack up and wait times can get ugly to commence an approach.

Low fog... It's the worst....

[FlyDave]

Thanks Guys, Troutdale it is!

[N9453V]

KTTD- Troutdale.

Bar none the best for GA. Gorge winds aviation can set you up with a car if need be. When I fly into portland (about once every 2 months), I plan on going there. I have diverted into Aurora before, when TTD was below minimums due to fog- it's a nice airport as well and they do have rental cars at their fbo. Honestly- pick the one of those two that's closest to your destination.

PDX has a 20 dollar landing fee, and getting into the conga-line can be a PITA. But if it's LOW, LOW IFR, like it tends to be this time of year- that's your best approach option. Second best IFR approaches are Hillsboro... But it's way out BF-W.

Hope that helps!

 

That's incorrect, there are NO LANDING FEES at PDX.

 

I flew into PDX a few weeks ago and it was not busy, I was vectored for the ILS to 28R (broke out at 300ft in the rain) with no delay and had no delay on departure.

 

Atlantic waived their $20 ramp fee with a 15 gal fuel purchase but fuel was only around $6/gal (cheaper than HIO), and they also have inexpensive Hertz rental cars on site.

 

-Andrew

[M016576]

That's incorrect, there are NO LANDING FEES at PDX.

I flew into PDX a few weeks ago and it was not busy, I was vectored for the ILS to 28R (broke out at 300ft in the rain) with no delay and had no delay on departure.

Atlantic waived their $20 ramp fee with a 15 gal fuel purchase but fuel was only around $6/gal (cheaper than HIO), and they also have inexpensive Hertz rental cars on site.

-Andrew

You're right- it's not a "landing fee", it's a "ramp fee." Regardless- PDX is much more expensive than TTD- and more of a PITA IMO to operate in and out of.

I'm actually surprised at the somewhat reasonable $6.50 a gallon for 100 LL at atlantic PDX... But you do have to buy 15 gallons to get that fee waived.

Atlantic Reno was much more expensive last month.. Atlantic Sun Valley is crazy at $8.00 a gallon for 100LL. Luckily Jerome (about 40NM away) is under $5 a gallon for self serve.

[N9453V]

You're right- it's not a "landing fee", it's a "ramp fee." Regardless- PDX is much more expensive than TTD- and more of a PITA IMO to operate in and out of.

I'm actually surprised at the somewhat reasonable $6.50 a gallon for 100 LL at atlantic PDX... But you do have to buy 15 gallons to get that fee waived.

Atlantic Reno was much more expensive last month.. Atlantic Sun Valley is crazy at $8.00 a gallon for 100LL. Luckily Jerome (about 40NM away) is under $5 a gallon for self serve.

 

I agree that Atlantic can be costly at some locations, but I'm having trouble understanding how a price difference of $0.42/gal ($6.22 at PDX, $5.80 at TTD) is MUCH MORE expensive. On a 15 gallon purchase which waives all other fees at PDX, that's $6.30.

 

I also don't understand how PDX more of a PITA to operate in or out of... the only real difference you call clearance delivery before you taxi and for that minor inconvenience, you get an ILS with 281 ft minimums (vs a GPS-A with 1040ft minimum), MALSR approach lights (vs nothing), a 24 hour full service FBO (vs limited FBO hours), I'll always pick the bigger airport if prices aren't bad but maybe I'm crazy...

 

-Andrew

[OR75]

TTD is a good airport and the FBO is nice.

Advanced aircraft is a good MSC if you need work. Avoid Western Propeller.

PDX is an easy airport to get in an out of. The FBO has very reasonable fuel price

If you don't need a car , Pdx is a great option as you can take MAX to the town center

[M016576]

I agree that Atlantic can be costly at some locations, but I'm having trouble understanding how a price difference of $0.42/gal ($6.22 at PDX, $5.80 at TTD) is MUCH MORE expensive. On a 15 gallon purchase which waives all other fees at PDX, that's $6.30.

I also don't understand how PDX more of a PITA to operate in or out of... the only real difference you call clearance delivery before you taxi and for that minor inconvenience, you get an ILS with 281 ft minimums (vs a GPS-A with 1040ft minimum), MALSR approach lights (vs nothing), a 24 hour full service FBO (vs limited FBO hours), I'll always pick the bigger airport if prices aren't bad but maybe I'm crazy...

-Andrew

Like I said, it's my opinion, and if you go back and read my initial post, you'll see that I mention that PDX is really the only game in town for a descent precision approach-

I don't like being vectored around if I don't need it, if I'm going into Portland and its VMC, then I'm flying in VFR. It's easier and faster typically to get into TTD VFR in my experience (~3 years flying around oregon- so not an eternity, but I feel fairly experienced w/ the area).

Cost to fly into PDX- an extra 10-15 minutes of flying for the vectors / approach, plus a longer taxi, and longer startup / taxi for departure, plus departure can be a little more involved. Rental car prices are similar, but it's a "simpler" airport at TTD, which means easier for me. Plus more expensive gas.

Some guys like flying IFR everywhere and under all conditions: I'm not one of those guys: I fly VFR to the max extent practical. Like I said- it's more of a PITA for me to fly into PDX than TTD, and it's more expensive for me. Like I also said- PDX has the best approaches- it's the best show in town if portland is hard ifr, which it tends to be this time of year.

Again, this is my experience with flying in the area. When the south runway was closed at PDX, I had a pretty long wait for departure last year (~30 min), but that was due more to the closure than anything. I've been in and out of PDX, I've also been vectored all over and had waits there. I have never had a problem with vectors or traffic at TTD, nor have I had to pay minimum fuel purchases to avoid ramp fees there.