Flying into AVL, Asheville NC

[jaylw314]

1 hour ago, Andy95W said:

Andrew- we're still getting back at you for burning our capital in in 1814.  You're welcome.

Oh snap!

[FloridaMan]

3 minutes ago, Hyett6420 said:

Ah well you know us brits, we didnt have the largest empire the world has ever seen by being nice.   

You had it through discipline, resolve, and intelligence. They say the Ivory Coast of Africa used to be a nice place. 

[Mooneymite]

Signature is no friend of small airplanes.  It caters to jets and "barely tolerates" small props.

But, it's not just Signature.  Any FBO that wants to attract jets is going to be expensive for us.  Think of all the high dollar equipment we must subsidize, but don't need, or use:

Jet start units.

Power carts.

Deice trucks.

Big tow tractors.

Big vans for high dollar passengers.

Catering refrigeration units.

Crew cars for the pilots who endlessly stand by waiting for pax.

Commercial coffee and ice machines.

Enough linemen (3) on duty to move a jet 24/7.

Obscenely high insurance lest they ding a jet.

And....of course cookies, cute front counter girls and fancy passenger waiting facilities.

Yep.  You're subsidizing all that.

 

[Ftlausa]

On 8/8/2018 at 3:12 PM, gsxrpilot said:

So it would seem to me, a short hop for lunch would cost... maybe the $5 security fee and nothing else. Just tell the front desk you'll go get self-serve fuel. 

I fly into AVL monthly, and all I do is tell them that I am doing self serve, and it is has never been an issue and they just annotate the landing slip accordingly.  Recently, I just taxi straight to the pumps on landing and fill up before going to the FBO ramp.  

I have not flown into Hendersonville, but the weather in the AVL area is often IFR or really marginal VFR, so I am happy to have the instrument approaches at AVL.  I probably do instrument approaches in actual IMC on nearly 50% of my trips to AVL.  It can be a real roller coaster if the winds are blowing in the valley.    

[Steelstring]

On 9/26/2018 at 1:34 PM, jlunseth said:

  I would also be wary of poor weather and obscuration.  It is in a little bit of a valley as I recall, and if fog/clouds develop over the mountains they have a habit of crawling into the valleys during the evening and at night.

Agreed.  Definitely watch the weather closely...Airmets for mountain obscuration for that whole region will tip you off.  Plan your arrival/departure times to avoid evening and early morning if you want to avoid IMC...sometimes low IMC.

I haven’t been to AVL, but have been into KHSP to the north a few times which is one of the highest public access airports in the east (the highest??).  Cloud ceilings during the afternoon and fog at both ends of the day are commonly an issue if VFR.  Beautiful place to fly though...

[gsxrpilot]

3 hours ago, Steelstring said:

Agreed.  Definitely watch the weather closely...Airmets for mountain obscuration for that whole region will tip you off.  Plan your arrival/departure times to avoid evening and early morning if you want to avoid IMC...sometimes low IMC.

I haven’t been to AVL, but have been into KHSP to the north a few times which is one of the highest public access airports in the east (the highest??).  Cloud ceilings during the afternoon and fog at both ends of the day are commonly an issue if VFR.  Beautiful place to fly though...

They don't call them the Smokies for nothing.