USA: Louisiana

DeltaRomeo · #1 10-20-2006, 12:32 PM

starting catagory

zspivey · #2 10-20-2006, 06:06 PM

Louisiana has the Louisiana Fly In Series. Ten events spread over the spring and fall flying seasons. Check the web site http://www.laflyins.com/

wv4i · #3 10-16-2007, 04:37 AM

This airport is a great place to stop for overnite, food, low hassle factor, etc., and the family run FBO is top notch. Allow me to elaborate.

First of all, if you need to overnite, you can literally park, tie down, your airplane, in the NE corner of the field, 100' from several different name brand hotels, restaurants, stores, etc. At least 2 auto parts stores are also less than 1/4 mile away.

This is an uncontrolled public field, located along I-10 in South Central LA. Along with 2 paved runways, lighted, even has a N-S grass runway.

The fuel is self serve, 100LL, fuel facility in SE corner of field, was $3.90/gal on 10/12/2007.

But, what really did it for me was the help I received from the FBO and Airplane Mgmt Co, Gulf Air, and on a Saturday, when they are normally closed. I called the owner's number on door, his son arrived soon thereafter, and he proceeded to give me the run of their hangar to find some needed maintenance items for my AOG. The owner, Mr. Vidrine, arrived later and actually helped me work on my airplane for 2-3 hours. Even the daughter in law was helping me at one point. I had never met any of these people prior to this day.

While doing airplane work, I got to watch the son take 2 or 3 people up in their SNJ-5 and make me think I was at OSH or LAL for the airshow. Turns out the son is a serious aerobatic competitor, also has a Sukhoi in the hangar.

If you fly for a living or just travel a lot, spend a lot of nights in hotels, etc., you really come to appreciate people like the Vidrines at Gulf Air, Jennings, LA, 3R7. Ditto for the proximity of lodging and food where no van ride is required.

Lastly, when I went to thank the Vidrines again for their hospitality, there they were, father, son, daughter in law, granddaughter (about 2 yrs old in LSU cheerleader outfit) watching the LSU football game on TV.....a setting/picture worth a thousand words.

Gary Bricker · #4 01-08-2008, 08:08 PM

Mulates in Henderson. Land in Layfayette and drive about 5 mi. Great Cajun food and Dancing. Local 's pace.

Gsuit · #5 01-08-2008, 10:17 PM

You've got to go into Houma, La. (KHUM) and taxi up to Hammonds Air Service. Charlie Hammonds is something of an unknown aviation ledgend, and he'll be the one you'll talk to! His FBO literally has an aviation museum in it - over 600 photos of you-name-it. All kinds of original stuff, back to Lindbergh.

Remember when James Bond flew the BD-5 out of gas and taxied up to the gas station? Charlie Hammonds flew that plane. His son, Rick, was one of the "Mig" drivers (actually F-5's painted black) in Top Gun.

Houma - the city is pretty rural-industrial-fishing... but the FBO staff will loan you a vehicle and point you to some of the best Cajun food you've ever eaten!

Great place, great food, great service!!

Bob Axsom · #6 03-09-2008, 10:30 AM

We flew into Baton Rouge Municipal and with fuel the tiedown was free. Enterprise car rental in the Louisianna Aircraft FBO (all expensive but that's the way it goes these days). Motels are reasonable. There are a number of plantations and Civil War era homes open for tours in the surrounding area - quite a bit of driving required. Rosedown in St. Francisville is especially well done. Nottoway by White Castle is also worth the trip. Both of these homes have very good tour guides. If you take Louisianna highway 10 as the initial outbound highway from St. Francisville to Lafayette you will take a ferry across the Mississippi River - there is no bridge. The ferry holds several vehicles including trucks up to 51ft (no more than one I'm sure) and you must remain in your vehicle. This may seem like a trivial thing but ferry boats across the Mississippi are not that numerous anymore and this one is both reliable and cheap ($1 per vehicle). The Cajon Historical facility in Lafayette is run by the National Park Service and it has a very good and informative movie about the Cajon experience when the French related people were driven out of their homes in Acadie by the English. Cajon food is plentiful in the area and I'm sure their unique music is as well (if you went to the AOPA convention in New Orleans several years ago and sat out on the patio by the river for the Friday night party you know what I mean) but we were limited in our stay by winter "get home weather" and did not get to sample the music at all.

Bob Axsom

24Golf · #7 05-29-2012, 08:06 AM

We recently took a photo trip to New Orleans for the day and flew into KNEW and parked at Flightline First. It was a very nice recently remodeled place with very friendly employees. We have photos and more story here...

24Golf · #8 06-19-2012, 03:15 PM

Concordia Parish Airport has moved their breakfast to the 3rd Saturday of the month... had 12 RV's there for breakfast earlier in the year - photos here...

thinkn9a · #9 10-13-2012, 05:29 PM

Well,.. here is an update from the post in early 2008.

Went by Houma for a "short" visit today. Friendly folks at Butler aviation (do want to give them a plug) provided a PT cruiser and pointed us to "Nifty Fifties" cafe just down the road. (about a mile). Has the juke box, black and white tile, and the pink and black booths, etc. Food was appropriate for the atmosphere. Burgers, shakes (great "fountain" milkshake),

club sandwich, and salads. Real slabs of meat on club sandwiches, good fries and large hamburger.

While we were heading to eat, we called Charlie Hammonds of Hammonds flying service. We arranged to meet him at his museum, after we finished eating. (note.... you need to call and arrange to tour ahead of time,.. would not hurt to call a day or so ahead of time) Charlie you might say has flying in his blood,... only been flying for about 60 years, (named Charles Lindy Hammonds after Lindberg) ..and now in retirement he only flies 3 or 4 times/hours a day, so you need to nail him down or you won't get in and get the tour. 985-872-1423

Charlie got his commercial rating at 18 and soon thereafter was running a floatplane operation, doing instruction, etc. All the while during his career he collected "stuff' related to aviation, from Lindberg, to movies (his son was on staff at Top Gun school when Top Gun was filmed, and he flew the aggressor jets for the film) to Doolittle raiders, to friends with several different Thunderbird and Blue Angels groups. (at least one tried to get float qualified). He currently is in a "small museum" now that the PHI helicopter outfit bought out his old facility.

So,... he has some stories..

If you don't make it to Petit Jean, for the camping,.. you might want to head to Houma. The antique car club is going in with Charlie for Fall Fun Day, on 3 Nov 2012, from 10 to 3. Speakers include Charlie, his son Ricky,... and C.J. Christ who will be talking about the German subs in the Gulf during WW II.

some good stuff...

cost of admission is "high",... might have to stand on bucket to sign your name

inside nifty fifties

Mopar591 · #10 11-04-2012, 06:30 PM

I used to work for The Vidrines at Gulf Air based at 3R7. They are good as gold and Amazing pilots! Jennings is a very nice and one of the nicest uncontrolled airports in the stste.. I would highly reccomend spending the night there if needed..

Also now DI's Cajun resturaunt Has a very nice airstrip about 4,000ft long.

Coor. N30?22.39' W92?34.82'

Head 9nm at 211DEG. From 3R7 and you will be right over it..
http://discajunrestaurant.biz/index.htm