Airport or Airpark: where to go? - Page 3

FlyGood · #21 02-04-2019, 08:21 AM

I've lived here only a few years, and never at another airpark, but Polly Ranch strikes a chord with me. We're a very social and aviation-minded group, with a friendly and inexpensive home-owner's association. The neighborhood and the Houston area has everything you need. There are multiple RVs, Cubs, and traveling machines, including twins, at the field.

On the other side, it is a graduate level runway - only ~ 7 meters wide, and rarely oriented with the wind, and I don't think there are any homes for sale at the moment. However, if you become interested, one of our residents maintains a call list of prospective buyers and will contact you when something comes up for sale. That's how I got here!

If you wish to learn more, contact me at flyingman247@gmail.com

All the best,
Taco

dcollins · #22 02-04-2019, 06:16 PM

I'm in my second house at Mogollon Airpark (AZ82). Loved it for 10 years. My first house is for sale, only because the hangar isn't large enough for my Lancair and the RV-8 I'm building once the wings are on. I see the post above about HOAs. Yeah, there can be stinkers who have done some unpleasant things in the past, but we've got a bunch of hard core pilots on the BOD now that are determined to make this a serious airplane friendly place. Full disclosure, I'm on the BOD. We've got 250+ lots, about half built out. We're not a "stereotype" Arizona location being at 6500 feet. Summer is the High Season. Heaven on earth. But we like it year round. We have an active EAA chapter (1044), with about a dozen active projects. It's nice to be able to buzz over to the neighbors to borrow an AN screw or get some quick advice. I haven't posted here before, so I may not get this right. But here is the airpark web site. https://mogollonairpark.com/ I'll go back and look at posting rules and if its OK, I'll post up my house for sale. It's one of the few (only?) houses still for sale on the taxiway (there are several lots for sale). (edit - looks like I would have to post the house link in Classified. That's cool. I'll figure out how to do that later)

maniago · #23 02-05-2019, 06:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SMRacer

I think everyone will agree that a bad HOA can make your life miserable. I will probably never invest in an Airpark again, but if I do, I will make certain that it is pilot friendly and has pilots on the BOD. Small airpark communities are particularly dangerous since it only takes a couple residents to create problems. In my case there were only 17 lots and one family owned 5 properties. It was almost impossible to oppose anything they wanted.

I would heartily recommend that you choose larger and well established Airparks. Even then be certain to do your due diligence and interview a significant number of the residents before you invest.

My airpark dream turned into a nightmare. I sold and left.

Well people issues can be had no matter where one might live - airpark, trailerpark, whatever-park. In the end, only a solo large acre place will give you the freedom to do what might want - alone.

I have airpark property on a very small park - 5lots, and were all deep deep airplane people from aviation backgrounds.......no issues here.

dcollins · #24 02-05-2019, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maniago

Well people issues can be had no matter where one might live - airpark, trailerpark, whatever-park. In the end, only a solo large acre place will give you the freedom to do what might want - alone.

I have airpark property on a very small park - 5lots, and were all deep deep airplane people from aviation backgrounds.......no issues here.

I love it here at AZ82. I see a few beautiful airparks on-line and think wouldn't that be a nice place. But I'M IN a nice place. And moving is a pain. So here I am.

My hangar and RV-8 project is literally seconds away (I'll be doing the "tower mod" in the next few days).

Home Sweet Airpark.

RV6_flyer · #25 02-05-2019, 11:19 AM

When you live on an Airpark, you can do this very easy.

Takeoff RWY 09. Climbing left turn to left downwind 27.

0.2 Hobbs / 1.9 Gallons / 3 circuits

Today was the 3rd day in a row that I had a short fight. Each day the flight was different. Today I wanted to see how fast I could takeoff, touch and go, and return to the hangar with 3 great landings.

N941WR · #26 02-05-2019, 11:45 AM

Since moving to SC86 five years ago, like Gary, I tend to do more but shorter flights.

One other advantage of airpark living is you turn your hangar rent into equity.

dooleypster · #27 02-07-2019, 01:16 PM

By far and away, 5B6 The Falmouth Airpark Cape Cod is the place you want to be. Numerous RVs under construction and many other airplanes resident as well. Many homes for sale that are not even advertised. We like it here very much.

rv7charlie · #28 02-07-2019, 01:41 PM

Looks like there will be a home + hangar on the market soon here at Slobovia Outernational (MS71) near Jackson MS. Eleven property owners here, each owning an equal share in the corp that owns the runway itself (4800' x 80' turf). Every shareholder is a member of the board of the corp. Our annual meetings take about an hour, & most of that time is often not business related. Rules are pretty much limited to: no livestock, no commercial operations, and you take your turn mowing the runway. No web site, but there are a few youtube videos of the annual Pumpkin Drop that's sponsored by some of the families on the airport.

Almost nothing going on in Jackson, except some pretty decent blues music on occasion, and the world famous Mal's St Paddy's Day Parade. There is an active EAA chapter in the area that meets once a month; we have cookouts, breakfasts, Young Eagles events, flight events for some disabled organizations, etc.

But taxes (and real estate prices) are pretty low, there's no state income tax on retirement income, and we're a short flight from a *lot* of stuff. Memphis & New Orleans each ~200 miles; Gulf coast and Birmingham about 250.

I've owned my property since 1994; lived here since around '97.

Charlie

cattflight · #29 06-15-2019, 12:36 AM

I'm a little late to the party, but have you considered Colorado? Amazing 300+ days of sunshine per year and almost the middle of the country. Our building lot at Kelly Airpark midway between Denver and Colorado Springs is on the market. It may seem like a self-serving post but, in all honesty, if we didn't have to move to the NW for other life circumstances, we'd already have our home and hangar built!

Great aviation community and Black Forest Soaring Society in on the field.

PM me if interested.