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  #1  
Old 06-01-2008, 09:04 PM
edneff's Avatar
edneff edneff is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Oakland, CA
Posts: 349
Default RV friendly airport near Chicago

I'm going to be visiting a friend that lives in downtown Chicago in July. Can anyone recommend a nice friendly airport not too far away?

Thanks
Ed
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  #2  
Old 06-01-2008, 09:19 PM
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MSFT-1 MSFT-1 is offline
 
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Posts: 276
Default Palwaukee is the closest GA but fairly pricey

I stayed there one night and the FBO wanted $25 for a ramp tiedown. They also had fuel at >$5 a gallon (that was last year when the going price for AvGas was $3.75 or so). Still, quite convenient.

Waukegan is about 40 miles north but way cheaper and close to the Metra (train) which is a very cheap way to get into the city.
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  #3  
Old 06-01-2008, 09:33 PM
Bob Axsom Bob Axsom is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,685
Default The Only One I Used is Now Gone

There used to be a great one that I flew into just off shore on a man made island ... Oh well. The Volume II Flight guide shows several around and under the Class B. I have not used any of them but I would probably go for an outlier like Gary-Chicago, Aurora, Du Page or Waukegan. I actually haven't found any that aren't friendly except St. Augustine, FL when I touble shot an alternator failure (broken terminal) on the ramp.

Bob Axsom
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  #4  
Old 06-01-2008, 09:46 PM
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Bones Bones is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Northern Illinois
Posts: 25
Default Poplar Grove is an hour and a half out

Ed,

Poplar Grove is an hour and a half from O'Hare. An easy drive out I90 W. We have 17 RVs either flying or under construction at the latest count.

Bones
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  #5  
Old 06-01-2008, 10:52 PM
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petehowell petehowell is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: MN
Posts: 2,269
Default KGYY

It is a bit out of the way, but you can hop a train from the Gary, IN airport to downtown inexpensively.

I spoke with the people at Gary several times and they were very pleasant and eager to help out. Our trip was cancelled due to WX, but the FBO called the next week to say they hoped we would try again sometime soon. That made a nice impression on me.
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  #6  
Old 06-02-2008, 07:30 AM
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edneff edneff is offline
 
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Default

Thanks for all the tips guys. What a great resource VAF is.
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  #7  
Old 06-02-2008, 08:01 AM
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MartinPred MartinPred is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Overseas
Posts: 152
Default Palwaukee and Midway

Both Palwaukee and Midway are fine and I've flown my RV-4 into both several times. Midway is nice because you can hop on the El and ride downtown. But you still have to pay the landing fee ($7.50). Every time I've gone to Signature, they waived the ramp fee with a fuel purchase.

Palwaukee has no landing fee, but gas is more expensive, and there's no El stop nearby. If you're having someone pick you up who lives downtown, PWK is a little easier to get to.

-Martin
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  #8  
Old 06-02-2008, 09:40 PM
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keithschult keithschult is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: metro Kansas City, MO
Posts: 138
Default DuPage County

Since Meigs was lost I have tried Lansing on the south side but it takes an hour by taxi (and not through the best parts of town). Though the overnight fee was reasonable in years past, the taxi ride costs more than a train ride.

This last month, from May 16-20, I needed to work a convention at McCormick Place so I tried Dupage County Airport (KDPA). The overnight fee was only $7 for my 6A, the full service fuel was in the $5.50 range, and the FBO was very helpful to take me to the Metra commuter rail station in Geneva. With an advance call they also picked me up at the train station on my return several days later. The ticket to ride all the way downtown to the Ogilvie Transportation Center (near the 400 block of Madison Street) was $5.65 (one way). The conductor will sell you the ticket after boarding, if the train station's ticket office is closed. I was able to bring three pieces of luggage on the train, but you can bring more if need be. It's a tight fit up the stairs, but if you go to the upper deck of the train car you will find a suspended shelf that runs the full length of the car on which to store your luggage. The seats are fairly comfortable, at least as good as a taxi, and not crowded during the daytime.

It takes about an hour to ride downtown. The train departs Geneva about once per hour during the week.

It worked out pretty well for me.
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  #9  
Old 06-03-2008, 05:32 AM
Dale Ensing Dale Ensing is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: near Charlotte NC
Posts: 19
Default Lake in the Hills Airport

Another option is Lake in the Hills (3CK) which is NW of Chicago. If you can get a local to drop you off at the METRA train station in either Crystal Lake or Cary it is an easy ride into the city. There are also taxies available to get to the train station.
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  #10  
Old 06-03-2008, 06:15 AM
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tc1234c tc1234c is offline
 
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Location: Port Orange, FL
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Default

It seems Midway is the closest to downtown. Does anyone know how much is the overnight fee?
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