Chinle Municipal E91

[Cyril Gibb]

We're starting to plan our next Mooney adventure.  Has anyone flown into Chinle Muncipal recently.

It sounds like the runway condition is fair at best with significant cracking.  Is it Mooneyable?

[carusoam]

Cyril,

This Chinle?

https://www.airnav.com/airport/E91

Best regards,

-a-

Note: E91 matches both...

[Cyril Gibb]

Yessir, that's the one.  1 - 6 inch cracks?  If it's just cracks, no problem, but if there's any depth, I'd want to stay clear.

[jrwilson]

According to airnav, large cracks and loose aggregate material on ramp...  Why Chinle? 

[carqwik]

It's an airport on the Navajo Reservation.  I'd call the airport manager (listed on Airnav) and just ask him.   Frankly, I'd go somewhere else where you don't have to worry about the runway, services, or fuel...like Farmington (watch out for high fuel prices) or Gallup and just drive onto the reservation.

 

[Cyril Gibb]

1 hour ago, jrwilson said:

According to airnav, large cracks and loose aggregate material on ramp...  Why Chinle? 

We want to see the Canyon De Chelley while we're there.  It seemed like a good idea at the time... perhaps need a rethink or two.

 

[laytonl]

I don't know anything about the airport but Canyon De Chelley is worth a visit.  You can hike close to some cave dweller sites.  Lee

[N201MKTurbo]

A friend of mine got a contract to service the intercom system at the BIA school in Chinle about 25 years ago. We flew the Mooney up there. We landed at the old runway which was a dirt alley in the center of town. We were on final and there was an old Navaho man standing in he middle of the runway just staring at us. I was about to go around when he slowly walked off to the side of he runway. When we were rolling out he just gave us the stink eye. 

Im not sure what the point is, but it is my Chinle story.

[N201MKTurbo]

I just went to Google maps. You can see the old runway. It still looks landable.

[N231BN]

I was in there this spring with something larger than a Mooney, I wouldn't recommend it. It is used for airmed King Airs.

[carqwik]

Btw, you can't just go and see Canyon de Chelly by yourself.  You have to involve a tribe member....

[OR75]

13 hours ago, carqwik said:

Btw, you can't just go and see Canyon de Chelly by yourself.  You have to involve a tribe member....

I visited Canyon du Chelly a couple of years ago. Amazing place. Very few visitors and the only people I came across were mostly tribe members selling their artwork.

I did not involve a tribe member and did not need to. This is a National Park administered by the NPS. Entry cost was the same as other NPs.

I did not fly into Chinle but had a car rental from Gallup. (I went to the Gallup hot air balloons festival. I highly recommend both.  It is doable to drive from Gallup and back in a day. Actually a very nice drive but just make sure you watch the speed limits as it is easy to go too fast.

Fly/Drive safe    

ps: before going there , make sure you watch the movie "McKenna's gold" with Clint Eastwood as the movie ends in Canyon du Chelly 

[carqwik]

Yes, that's true...but my understanding is that the best parts of the area do require a Navajo tribe member to visit...The National Monument (not a National Park) only offers limited areas to venture without the guide.  Best bet is to do a Jeep tour to really see it.