GA field in SLC

[0TreeLemur]

I've got a business trip coming up in late May in SLC.  I see a good opportunity for a nice long XC in my Mooney with a stop to see my son in Los Alamos.  I'm looking for a recommendation of a good field to land and tie down for four days from someone with experience in SLC.

[Ragsf15e]

8 minutes ago, 0TreeLemur said:

I've got a business trip coming up in late May in SLC.  I see a good opportunity for a nice long XC in my Mooney with a stop to see my son in Los Alamos.  I'm looking for a recommendation of a good field to land and tie down for four days from someone with experience in SLC.

SLC is kind of a PIA.  First, there aren’t any great /close GA fields and second, it’s really busy class B.  Don’t underestimate how busy it is going in there.  Now, here’s my experience… I’ve used two of the FBOs on KSLC in the SE corner.  They might be pricey but are full service and nice. If you can land on the east runway, it’s pretty easy.  If they say “unable”, and put you on the west, then get your A game ready for the taxi because you will definitely need it.

I have used KOGD several times and both FBOs were good and not as expensive.  I did find the (contract) controllers were jerks, but the fbo was good and it was pretty easy to get in/out.  Maybe at @Utah20Gflyer can give you a suggestion for a good airport south of SLC?  Maybe provo?

[Skates97]

3 hours ago, 0TreeLemur said:

I've got a business trip coming up in late May in SLC.  I see a good opportunity for a nice long XC in my Mooney with a stop to see my son in Los Alamos.  I'm looking for a recommendation of a good field to land and tie down for four days from someone with experience in SLC.

We've flown into the SLC area a lot over the past 7 years. I haven't gone into KSLC but have heard they are GA friendly. Depending on which family we are visiting determines where we fly into.

In the Salt Lake Valley, South Valley Regional (U42) is the easiest. It can be busy but everyone seems to make good traffic calls and you can coordinate for a rental car to be there waiting. I think the overnight is around $10. The fuel is the same price if you pump it yourself or have the truck do it so we just let them fill it up. There isn't much space under the Bravo, the shelf is just above TPA but it is doable. Looking at my logs we have been there 15 times and it is my preferred airport for the Salt Lake area. You can easily get an Uber if you don't want to rent a car. If you are coming from the south stay over the 15 freeway going past the point of the mountain. It will keep you away from the restricted area over Camp Williams and away from the paragliders and powered gliders that are directly above the point.

We've been into KOGD as well because it's 5 minutes from our family up that way. It is convenient if you are going to stay in Ogden, but the drive to Salt Lake is not as good as going from U42.

Skypark (KBTF) is just north of KSLC, we've been there once. It's a friendly little airport but is very tight to the Bravo surface.

Provo KPVU is great, they have Go Rental on sight, but they are more expensive than going into U42. We use it if we are just going to be visiting family down there but I would not use it if you are going to Salt Lake. It might not look like a drive but the traffic at the point of the mountain can be a mess. Not CA traffic mess but still a pain. It's only about 10 more minutes of flying to get to U42 and saves you 45+ minutes of driving.

[PT20J]

I always go to U42. 

[Tommooney]

BTF just north of SLC.

I flew in 2017 and needed to leave the plane a while / month and take airliners home. I asked the guy in the FBO how much for a monthly rate. He asked " you buying fuel ? " i said yes and he said just tie it down over there...... There was no charge. 

That's where ill go back. BTF

Tom

[UteM20F]

10 hours ago, Tommooney said:

BTF just north of SLC.

I flew in 2017 and needed to leave the plane a while / month and take airliners home. I asked the guy in the FBO how much for a monthly rate. He asked " you buying fuel ? " i said yes and he said just tie it down over there...... There was no charge. 

That's where ill go back. BTF

Tom

BTF is a good choice.  But they are doing construction there and ramp space is very limited.  They will charge you a nominal nightly fee of $5.  They are friendly and fuel is considerably cheaper than at SLC or PVU.  U42 would be my second choice.

Ute

[Utah20Gflyer]

Space is pretty tight at Bountiful and South Valley Regional right now.   Both are options but it might be worthwhile to call ahead.   Just FYI you can’t depart IFR from bountiful so if that is something you might want to do you should keep that in mind.   Bountiful has the cheapest fuel in the area at the moment and the cheapest parking.  
 

Ogden should have plenty of room but is much farther from Salt lake.  I’m at KTVY - about 30 minutes west of salt lake and there is parking available but nothing else, no services or fuel.   

[0TreeLemur]

On 4/14/2024 at 6:54 PM, Skates97 said:

We've flown into the SLC area a lot over the past 7 years. I haven't gone into KSLC but have heard they are GA friendly. Depending on which family we are visiting determines where we fly into.

In the Salt Lake Valley, South Valley Regional (U42) is the easiest. It can be busy but everyone seems to make good traffic calls and you can coordinate for a rental car to be there waiting. I think the overnight is around $10. The fuel is the same price if you pump it yourself or have the truck do it so we just let them fill it up. There isn't much space under the Bravo, the shelf is just above TPA but it is doable. Looking at my logs we have been there 15 times and it is my preferred airport for the Salt Lake area. You can easily get an Uber if you don't want to rent a car. If you are coming from the south stay over the 15 freeway going past the point of the mountain. It will keep you away from the restricted area over Camp Williams and away from the paragliders and powered gliders that are directly above the point.

I landed at U42.  Arrived early afternoon from the southeast.  It got real busy real fast trying to duck under and stay below the Class-B, avoid traffic and restricted airspace.  Wish my co-pilot had been with me to help look for traffic.   It worked out, just too busy to enjoy.

Service at U42 was "meh".   Nobody greeted me.  A fuel truck guy stopped to tell me that I was parked in the wrong area.  I was on my own to find the right area, which wound up being out on a helipad with one broken tie down ring.   Had to schlep all my luggage 300 yards across the ramp on a hot day. 

Here's the sight that greeted my entry to Spanish Fork descending from 12,500 on arrival.  Departure was a piece of cake.  I left shortly after 0700 and was cleared into the Bravo on my climb-out!

[Skates97]

13 hours ago, 0TreeLemur said:

I landed at U42.  Arrived early afternoon from the southeast.  It got real busy real fast trying to duck under and stay below the Class-B, avoid traffic and restricted airspace.  Wish my co-pilot had been with me to help look for traffic.   It worked out, just too busy to enjoy.

Service at U42 was "meh".   Nobody greeted me.  A fuel truck guy stopped to tell me that I was parked in the wrong area.  I was on my own to find the right area, which wound up being out on a helipad with one broken tie down ring.   Had to schlep all my luggage 300 yards across the ramp on a hot day. 

Here's the sight that greeted my entry to Spanish Fork descending from 12,500 on arrival.  Departure was a piece of cake.  I left shortly after 0700 and was cleared into the Bravo on my climb-out!

Sorry to hear about the service. They have usually been pretty good, but the last time I was there they ignored me because they were preoccupied with a jet (which I expect...) Great picture! I've never come in that direction, I'm always coming up from the south.

[Utah20Gflyer]

On 6/13/2024 at 8:35 PM, 0TreeLemur said:

I landed at U42.  Arrived early afternoon from the southeast.  It got real busy real fast trying to duck under and stay below the Class-B, avoid traffic and restricted airspace.  Wish my co-pilot had been with me to help look for traffic.   It worked out, just too busy to enjoy.

Service at U42 was "meh".   Nobody greeted me.  A fuel truck guy stopped to tell me that I was parked in the wrong area.  I was on my own to find the right area, which wound up being out on a helipad with one broken tie down ring.   Had to schlep all my luggage 300 yards across the ramp on a hot day. 

Here's the sight that greeted my entry to Spanish Fork descending from 12,500 on arrival.  Departure was a piece of cake.  I left shortly after 0700 and was cleared into the Bravo on my climb-out!

This view is even better when you come over that ridge line on a dark night. 
 

Sorry to hear about the poor customer service at U42.   This might have something to do with the FBO being government run.  

[Ragsf15e]

If you’re ever coming in from the north, Ogden is less busy and has 2 good fbos with rental cars.  I like to stay out of the middle of that class B unless I really need to get to slc.

[dkkim73]

Looking to visit my son in the next few months. From the north. I flew into KOGD many years ago and will probably try that again. Any recent tips appreciated!

[Ragsf15e]

19 hours ago, dkkim73 said:

Looking to visit my son in the next few months. From the north. I flew into KOGD many years ago and will probably try that again. Any recent tips appreciated!

It was pretty easy last weekend. Kemp Jet center is a little more expensive but I like their ramp and tie downs better and I’ve just used them the last two times.  Real friendly.  High density altitude so be careful and they keep you below 1000’ in the class D due to hill afb traffic.  We did go high aspect with a flight of 4 A-10s on the way in (1000’ above us).  Really wanted to turn with them and give them a taste of their own medicine from some previous scars they gave me in a different life, but I just called Tally and pointed them out to my son.

[dkkim73]

1 hour ago, Ragsf15e said:

High density altitude so be careful and they keep you below 1000’ in the class D due to hill afb traffic.  We did go high aspect with a flight of 4 A-10s on the way in (1000’ above us).  Really wanted to turn with them and give them a taste of their own medicine from some previous scars they gave me in a different life, but I just called Tally and pointed them out to my son.

LOL. Nothing like a heavily-armed Citation with a Hershey bar wing and a porcelain-iron bathtub to fulfull the attack mission

Just kidding. Much respect to Warthog drivers. Like someone once said about Suge Knight ( @Pinecone), "please don't kill me". 

My son texts me about the traffic he sees in the air driving back from pro sports tournaments in Ogden. I'm hoping he thinks about the USAF. He'd be a great pilot and way better spatial awareness than me. 

Reviewed the charts and Hill is awful close. Back then I think I came down Ogden canyon, from the north, NA and flying low, and stayed out of everyone's hair. Now I'm coming in IFR and hopefully will be "worked in" but maybe that's a fiction. 

D

[Ragsf15e]

23 minutes ago, dkkim73 said:

LOL. Nothing like a heavily-armed Citation with a Hershey bar wing and a porcelain-iron bathtub to fulfull the attack mission

Just kidding. Much respect to Warthog drivers. Like someone once said about Suge Knight ( @Pinecone), "please don't kill me". 

My son texts me about the traffic he sees in the air driving back from pro sports tournaments in Ogden. I'm hoping he thinks about the USAF. He'd be a great pilot and way better spatial awareness than me. 

Reviewed the charts and Hill is awful close. Back then I think I came down Ogden canyon, from the north, NA and flying low, and stayed out of everyone's hair. Now I'm coming in IFR and hopefully will be "worked in" but maybe that's a fiction. 

D

If it’s nice out, come in vfr below the class b (it’s at 9k and above there) with flight following through approach.  They hand you off to tower.  Easy.  Yeah seeing that hershey bar wing turn and realizing they are going 200kts slower than my corner velocity was pretty eye opening the first time I tried some Hawg popping!