Need Advice on Trip to Texas

[Darren Kerns]

My wife and I are flying our RV7 to Giddings, TX to have John the Painter put a paint job on it. Leaving FRH Saturday morning(weather cooperating) and heading down. I was going to stop at Pine Buff , AR or Carlisle, AR for fuel. I am leaning on Pine Bluff. Anybody have any suggestions? If the weather is bad, we thought about trying to leave Friday night and staying all night at one of these airports and then getting up Saturday and flying the rest of thew way.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated!
Darren Kerns
RV7 N599DT

[Ron Lee]

I am not familiar with any of the airports BUT...in general, after 5 PM (or earlier) most smaller airports may be unattended and hence no way to get to a hotel overnight.

If you go that route, stop at a larger airport that is probably a Class D or C airspace...most likely C.

Use airnav.com for fuel stops. Dumas AR (0M0) has cheaper fuel than Carlisle.

In general, I avoid airports that are reported as UNATTENDED on airnav.

[az_gila]

Originally Posted by Ron Lee

I am not familiar with any of the airports BUT...in general, after 5 PM (or earlier) most smaller airports may be unattended and hence no way to get to a hotel overnight.

....

...on our recent trip was the lack of rental cars if the airport does not have a courtesy car.

A lot of small towns only seem to have Enterprise as a car source, and their offices are usually closed on Sat. afternoon and Sunday. Not all smaller FBOs have the "leave at the airport" arrangement with Enterprise - they do not have the insurance to cover the car when it is out of your hands as it was explained by one FBO.

A call ahead to the FBO is the best policy - in Savannah TN, the FBO had a $30/day deal with the local car dealer - no Enterprise in town - delivered to the airport, and leave the money in the glove box when you are done...
We got caught out on a Sunday in Bardstown, KY, but luckily the glider guys were flying and gave us a ride to town.

Sometimes a walk into town is possible - it was 1.5 miles or so in Bardstown - but often the airports are 3 to 4 miles away for hotels - Airnav, and a click to Google maps, helps determining this...

[rv6rick]

Put 'er in gear and let 'er rip buddy!!

Can't wait to see the 7 all painted.

Have a safe trip

[Bob Axsom]

I have landed and refueled at Pine Bluff but not recently. I do not know the current airport situation except that it is alive and well. There are RV pilots based there and a group that called themselves "Mid-south RVators". Arkansas is loaded with good airports - deviation for weather this weekend shouldn't be a problem. We haven't had rain in in a long time in northwest Arkansas and the temperatures are very high - some days over 100F - very unusual.

Bob Axsom

[Peterk]

Bob makes a good point...heat. It has been well over 100 in North Texas for almost three weeks. Fortunately, the highest temps are late afternoon and evening. While you can fly high, Giddings will be much more pleasant in the morning. I would get as far south as you can the night before...stop, head for the A/C and start again in the morning.

[rbibb]

Pine Bluff is a good fuel stop. Has courtesty car and fuel is reasonable. Used to stop there on the way back to Dallas from N VA.