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Flying a Mooney to CLT (Charlotte/Douglas International) with ATC Audio


N9453V

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Nice work. (30+ years ago we used to be able to pick up airline passengers at "gate 23" aka the bull pen. CLT was a pretty sleepy place, the terminal was on the south side of 5/23 and had 22 airline gates. Piedmont, maybe Southern, Eastern, perhaps a few more)

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CLT is really great to work with.  They have published SLOW TIMES and will work with you to use the runways during the slow times.  Just don't use the FBO and you will bypass the landing fee.

A great stop is the Aviation Museum where "The Miracle on the Hudson" is on display.  You can fly into CLT, ask for taxi to the museum and if you let them know you're coming at least an hour ahead, you park outside the museum and they open the doors to let you in.  I believe they charge $10 per person for the day and there is a LOT to see. I was invited there for the 1 year reunion of the incident with the passengers and crew and flew in.  Had a great time.  A 15 min flight from my airport to CLT. 

http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ato/atct/clt/documents/airport_slow_times.pdf

Bill

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Thanks for all the kind comments!

 

I did have a few controllers en route confirm if I was actually going to the "big airport" in Charlotte, but CLT was a very nice stop after a long day of flying (that started at 6am at BTR and ended about 8:30pm in CLT). Flying in was very uneventful even though I didn't come in during the published slow times. I used to be based at HOU and found ATC at CLT to be much more accommodating; not once was I asked to expedite or for best forward speed (although I kept 125 KIAS till a 3 mile final then slowed to 100 and 90 on short final).

 

The FBO, Wilson Air is great. I took on about 35 gallons at a very reasonable $6.30/gal, paid no ramp or overnight fees (I don't recall exactly what they were, but they weren't bad if I'd had to pay them). They drove me and my passenger to a nice Hilton where they had an $89/night crew rate and picked us up in the morning. They also gave me two soccer balls for free. At Bravo airports I usually do a run-up on the FBO's ramp, but they said they city doesn't allow this, so I had to do it a few feet away on the taxiway.

 

Departure was equally uneventful. I was #10 for departure, but it was only about an 8 minute wait... I've been #1 for departure at TEB and HPN want waited longer for my IFR release. :)

 

-Andrew

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  • 6 months later...

Perception is so funny. After I moved to the Raleigh area last year, many of my new flying friends told me how difficult the controllers at CLT were to work with. The few times I was in contact with them for Flight Following told me what I am hearing here, that they are pleasant, friendly. and helpful.

 

Gotta be a matter of perspective since most of my new flying friends aren't based at RDU and complain about how busy RDU is while I find it a pretty quiet airport.

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  • 5 months later...

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