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Should I move?

steingar

By steingar
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steingar Grand Master

steingar

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So, my home drome of the last 16 years is slowly going downhill.  Of alarm, there are no longer dependable maintenance services on the field, which has negatively impacted my dispatchability. the airport down the road has dedicated maintenance and avionics facilities, and quite a bit more traffic.  Because of hangar construction there are now spaces available, and I have the opportunity.  The hangars are about the same as I'm leaving, perhaps a bit less (one outlet vs two, no fire extinguisher etc...) and the rent considerably more (about 30%).  

The wait list for the new airport tis long, I've been on it since the 90's, so this is my one and only chance.  Should I go for it?

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jlunseth Grand Master

jlunseth

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So at my home FBO, I have been there for 7 years, the fee for hangar space was $125 and then went up modestly to $150 a month.  They pull my plane in and out for me, maintenance and fueling are available with a phone call.  The prices were all established when the economy was tanked, and the FBO building was a little white shack on the tarmac.  Then they built a beautiful new building, put in a Jet A tank, started to host jets, lots of jets, and then, two months ago, doubled the rate to $300.  Space today is at a premium at the towered, fully equipped airport and at most of the surrounding airports. A few years ago the airport was remodeled, and most of the remodeling was not helpful to pilots, it was done to move noise sources to different locations on the airport than where they were at the time.  They took out all the runup pads except two, and those two are in different corners of the field, with the result that you need to do your runup while waiting in the takeoff line, and so does everyone else.  Progress!  Really beautiful new building!  Jets!   I miss that old white shack and those old, fair prices.  Be careful what you wish for. 

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steingar Grand Master

steingar

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28 minutes ago, Hank said:

Go for it. Especially if it's closer to barbecue . . . JP's is pretty tasty!

Actually, JPs is at my home drome, and does me little good (I'm a vegetarian).  Where I'm thinking to move to there's a great brunch place.

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RobertGary1 Grand Master

RobertGary1

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I was in a similar, yet less voluntary situation. A few years ago when I had my engine failure I glided to the local big airport. I immediately established a residency at that airport because I knew I would take my time replacing the engine. So now I'm at big airport. Fuel is well over $6/gal but there is a great ILS, control tower and a 12,000 foot long runway to make you lazy. My previous airport was a small 2,500 foot runway down in a bowl in the foothills but with inexpensive gas and no approach. Obviously the big airport has far less pucker factor on take off not being down in a foothills bowl.

I still wonder which is better. There are times I strongly consider going back to the small airport for the less expensive fuel and the airport manager that returns my calls when things break.

-Robert 

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XXX Proficient

XXX

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7 hours ago, steingar said:

Actually, JPs is at my home drome, and does me little good (I'm a vegetarian)   Where I'm thinking to move to there's a great brunch place.

Steingar, Say it isn't so. Please forgive me for this, but I have to at least give it a shot. For the common good.

IMG_0211.GIF

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mooniac15u Veteran

mooniac15u

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1 hour ago, Davarron said:

Where to? I74?

I assume he's talking about OSU. They built a bunch of new hangars. I've been debating moving up there too. It's about 15-20 minutes closer to my house but it's also $125 more per month for the new hangars and $85 more per month for the older ones. 

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Bravoman Mentor

Bravoman

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Approaches make a huge deal to me. I say that but PDK where I keep my Mooney is the second busiest field in the state behind Hartsfield and it has one precision approach (ILS) for 21L, a non precision GPS approach to the same runway,  and a VOR circling approach to the "3s". The only other approaches are RNP gps approaches which most of us regular folk can't use. Not so hot for such a busy field.

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thinwing Grand Master

thinwing

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8 hours ago, steingar said:

So, my home drome of the last 16 years is slowly going downhill.  Of alarm, there are no longer dependable maintenance services on the field, which has negatively impacted my dispatchability. the airport down the road has dedicated maintenance and avionics facilities, and quite a bit more traffic.  Because of hangar construction there are now spaces available, and I have the opportunity.  The hangars are about the same as I'm leaving, perhaps a bit less (one outlet vs two, no fire extinguisher etc...) and the rent considerably more (about 30%).  

The wait list for the new airport tis long, I've been on it since the 90's, so this is my one and only chance.  Should I go for it?

Yep

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steingar Grand Master

steingar

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11 hours ago, mooniac15u said:

I assume he's talking about OSU. They built a bunch of new hangars. I've been debating moving up there too. It's about 15-20 minutes closer to my house but it's also $125 more per month for the new hangars and $85 more per month for the older ones. 

You assume correctly.  I have a lease for a hangar with an electric door sitting in my inbox and I am going to sign it.  I suggest you do likewise.  If you need any coercion you can read this.  Yes, it is more money (I'll be on the hook for $85/month) but access to services is worth it.  If you don't believe me think about this.  If your airplane goes down for something you can't fix, what will you do?  if the new mechanic doesn't answer phone calls or work on your airplane, what do you do?  I had a $45K investment hamstrung for a month because of a simple repair that I wound up contracting out to the airport up the road!  What if the repair wasn't so simple?

Here's the thing.  TZR has 7 empty hangars right now, it'll likely be 8 after August 1.  I guarantee those hangars at OSU are going to fill up quickly indeed.  If you move, and you discover you don't like it, you'll have the opportunity to move back.  If you move, and things really do turn around at TZR, you can move back.  Honestly, if wouldn't take much.  The mismanagement that pervades the airport is a thing of legend.  Think about it, the only flight school and airplane rental in all of Columbus (OSU has clubs) and they can't stay open. The guy who ran it when I arrived was stealing.  The guy who replaced him is breathing an little else.

But if you shine on this opportunity to go to OSU, you won't have another.  I've been on their waiting list for 17 years, and I wasn't even at the top.

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HRM Grand Master

HRM

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18 hours ago, RobertGary1 said:

...but there is a great ILS, control tower and a 12,000 foot long runway...

Is there a break on insurance if your home base is towered? I believe I had heard that somewhere.

(Please, no smart alecks saying that a tower increases liability:P)

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mooniac15u Veteran

mooniac15u

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3 hours ago, steingar said:

You assume correctly.  I have a lease for a hangar with an electric door sitting in my inbox and I am going to sign it.  I suggest you do likewise.  If you need any coercion you can read this.  Yes, it is more money (I'll be on the hook for $85/month) but access to services is worth it.  If you don't believe me think about this.  If your airplane goes down for something you can't fix, what will you do?  if the new mechanic doesn't answer phone calls or work on your airplane, what do you do?  I had a $45K investment hamstrung for a month because of a simple repair that I wound up contracting out to the airport up the road!  What if the repair wasn't so simple?

Here's the thing.  TZR has 7 empty hangars right now, it'll likely be 8 after August 1.  I guarantee those hangars at OSU are going to fill up quickly indeed.  If you move, and you discover you don't like it, you'll have the opportunity to move back.  If you move, and things really do turn around at TZR, you can move back.  Honestly, if wouldn't take much.  The mismanagement that pervades the airport is a thing of legend.  Think about it, the only flight school and airplane rental in all of Columbus (OSU has clubs) and they can't stay open. The guy who ran it when I arrived was stealing.  The guy who replaced him is breathing an little else.

But if you shine on this opportunity to go to OSU, you won't have another.  I've been on their waiting list for 17 years, and I wasn't even at the top.

The FBO is under new ownership. I don't have experience with their maintenance department yet but I'm cautiously optimistic. 

My lease runs through December. Have you found a way to get out of yours?

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