steve murray

steve murray

Well Known Member
Happy New Year all, my wife and I have been in the process of evaluating post work living areas. We visited Asheville the past few days and this area seems to have potential in fitting our future lifestyles....but the flying\airports seems somewhat limited.

There are two airports in the immediate area, Asheville, Class C airport and Hendersonville (looks great on paper) but is south of the city about 1/2 hour and we are looking at areas north of the city...Not sure of the cost or fun of being based out of a class C airport air or the need to drive 1 hour to an airport....

Anybody with knowledge of this area that would be willing to share their knowledge\experience?

Steve
RV8
 
...can't help you on airport options...

But, I LOVE the Ashville area. EVERY TIME I've flown there (maybe 7 or 8 times), however, it has been blanketed in a layer of fog and required an approach to get in...
 
Macon County Airport

If you are set on being in Asheville, disregard. But, this may be useful.

We have a home in Highlands, NC. I, too, was thinking AVL was the airport to fly in to for western NC. But, I've realized 1A5 is much closer to where we wanted to be. It's certainly not perfect or even close to ideal. It has pretty high minimums (1,600' DH). 50% of the time (or more), it will be foggy until 10-11 in the morning during the summer due to its proximity to the TN river. But, it depends on how much flexibility you will have regarding weather. Nice folks at the airport.

PM me if you have other questions.
 
There is nothing in the Weaverville or Mars Hill area that is useful. The two private joints are way expensive and are the two highest elevation fields east of the Miss. There have been wrecks. AVL is really good for tenants. Possibly not so for transients but it is the busiest GA airport in NC. Reasonable number of homebuilts on the field. I can think of 16 right off the top, with 2 in construction on the field and 3 more locally. An FBO management change has recently freed up a bunch of hangars. Some may still be available.

Next closest is 7A8. It is VFR only due to terrain. It is generally a single direction runway independant of wind due to a mountain very close on one end
 
Last edited:
I'd be looking for a home airport outside all Class B and C airspace. What with the ADS-B out mandate effective 5 years from now. Something to think about.
 
Airports near Nashville

Check out KLQK Pickens county SC. Great place really nice area and much less expensive than AVL. Quite a few nice developments very nearby the mountains and great public use lakes. It is class G with dual Rnavs and 5002 feet
Tyler
N174MT
PPL/A&P
 
There is one problem with Ashville, and I don't want this to turn into a political debate, President Obama has bought some land around there (I'm not sure exactly where) and plans on taking up residence once he retires. This means there is a coming permanent TFR over his place.

Occasionally a place comes up for sale here at SC86, just west of Greenville, and I can't say enough about the place!

The other place I would look at is NC08. It is a beautiful little fly-in community, nestled in the mountains. I know they have lots available and the people I have met who live there are just outstanding!
 
Last edited:
N941WR said:
There is one problem with Ashville, and I don't want this to turn into a political debate, President Obama has bought some land around there (I'm not sure exactly where) and plans on taking up residence once he retires. This means there is a coming permanent TFR over his place.

Occasionally a place comes up for sale here at SC86, just west of Greenville, and I can't say enough about the place!

The other place I would look at is NC08. It is a beautiful little fly-in community, nestled in the mountains. I know they have lots available and the people I have met who live there are just outstanding!
Click to expand...

There is entirely too much money at stake to be worried about a permanent TFR.
It is also far from clear that the land purchase story is correct.

Also, are all of you SC folks related to Fred Noonan? The OP was asking about airports North of AVL.:D
 
Last edited:
rzbill said:
There is entirely too much money at stake to be worried about a permanent TFR.
It is also far from clear that the land purchase story is correct.
Click to expand...

I thought the land purchase was a done deal, is that not the case?

If he does buys there, I can't imagine there won't be a TFR as there seems to be one over every EX president's residence. (Although, I couldn't find one in Kennebunkport or Planes, but they may not be in residence tonight.) Besides, the money people going in and out of AVL will typically be on an IFR flight plan, so no impact to them. It is just us guys flying around VFR who have to deal with the TFR's.
 
Are there really "permanent" TFRs around all former President's residences? Clinton, both Bush's, etc.?
 
Arlen said:
Are there really "permanent" TFRs around all former President's residences? Clinton, both Bush's, etc.?
Click to expand...

There is one in Dallas that has been there since January 26, 2009 but when looking, before making my prior post, I couldn't find one in Kennebunkport, Planes, or NYC. They may very well remove the TFR when the Ex-President's travel and/or they may just keep them for some number of years and then drop them.

Maybe one of our ATC members can fill us in.
 
Arlen said:
Are there really "permanent" TFRs around all former President's residences? Clinton, both Bush's, etc.?
Click to expand...

I think Kennebunkport is simply covered by the Prohibited P-67 area - with a sectional note "Check Notams Daily for Expansion".

Worse than a TFR, but in this case only to 1000 ft....:)

Reagan's CA ranch had a similar area even after he was president - screwed up the gliders ridge soaring out of Santa Ynez.
 
That one in Dallas is only a one nm radius and only up to 1500 AGL.....pretty much a non-event.
 
Arlen said:
That one in Dallas is only a one nm radius and only up to 1500 AGL.....pretty much a non-event.
Click to expand...

az_gila said:
...
Reagan's CA ranch had a similar area even after he was president - screwed up the gliders ridge soaring out of Santa Ynez.
Click to expand...
It all depends on where that "non-event" is located. In the mountains around AVL, it could become an issue, if you are dealing with low ceilings.

And remember, the one for W is under Class Bravo, so that might have something to do with the size. I don't recall what the size of the other EX-POTUS TFR's were.

Again, I'm not trying to make this a political discussion, just simply pointing out there may be a TFR on the way for somewhere around AVL that could negatively impact VFR flights into and out of the area. If the POTUS bought close to a small strip, it could very well shut that strip down. So, it is best if the OP does his homework before laying any cash down on the table.
 
N941WR said:
It all depends on where that "non-event" is located. In the mountains around AVL, it could become an issue, if you are dealing with low ceilings.

And remember, the one for W is under Class Bravo, so that might have something to do with the size. I don't recall what the size of the other EX-POTUS TFR's were.

Again, I'm not trying to make this a political discussion, just simply pointing out there may be a TFR on the way for somewhere around AVL that could negatively impact VFR flights into and out of the area. If the POTUS bought close to a small strip, it could very well shut that strip down. So, it is best if the OP does his homework before laying any cash down on the table.
Click to expand...

A TFR is not a Prohibited Area.

As an example, the Kennebunkport one does not even have a contact frequency for permission to transition through it. If the checked daily Notam expands it as a "P" area and not as a TFR it would have a much greater effect locally.
 
Red north of Asheville

Re the SC people are very familiar with North of Asheville there are only large mountains North of Ashville and there are landing parking fees at Asheville. Sc 86 and KLQK are no fee airports class G with no tall grass in the runway like Hendersonville. Also property taxes are the best in both states
Tyler
 
Hendersonville

I'm based at Hendersonville, 0a7 (and 8nc9 - there are actually two airports side by side). Seems like a great little airport to me, although I have little point of reference as a tenant, having done my initial training there, etc. I know a fellow to the west of Asheville who has a private ~1200 ft strip. I also know his neighbor who commutes to a hangar in Hendersonville.

I haven't seen anyone mention Marion/Shiflet Field, 9A9 [ http://shiflet.weebly.com/ ], to the east. I've landed there a few times but don't know too much about it. It seems nice enough.

As rzbill mentioned, rumor has it there is some hangar space available at KAVL, and I believe there is also some available in Hendersonville.

Feel free to PM me about 0a7/8nc9 if you wish.

-jon
 
TylerII said:
no tall grass in the runway like Hendersonville.
Click to expand...

Just saw this... H-ville definitely isn't up to Asheville's landscaping standards, but we don't have tall grass in the runway.

It's a smallish strip (40x3075) with trees off the south end and lighting that's been NOTAMed INOP. Most of the airport could probably use some paint. But no tall grass in the runway!

-jon
 
Hi Jon,
I think you are right that if one does not want AVL, then your spot is best.

It is amazing to me that so many hangars opened up in AVL. It points directly to poor management of the resource by the previous mgr even though he was a nice guy and supported us in other ways. There were a LOT that came open. I'm just not sure if all have been snapped up.
 
HKY

I go into the area just east of Asheville, Hickory(HKY / MRN). Two runways at HKY, a tower, convenient to the mountains -- Blowing Rock, Boone, etc. affordable housing, lots of grass roots flying activity in the area.
 
you should check out mountain air, it would fit all of your goals and you can spend $100k to $4m to get in to that area

HOA dues are around $400-450/mo
 
Greenville SC area

You owe it to yourself to check out the upstate SC region around Greenville. A 20 - 30 SM radius around KGMU will give you a double handfull of airports > including 4-5 municipal airports, 4-5 community airparks, Tripletree Aerodrome (SC00) and check out their web site, KGSP international; a good mix of airports. And, you still have mountainous terrain along the north border of the counties along the SC - NC state line. Winters are a good bit milder than areas north of the state line and not nearly as remote generally in terms of conveniences. Greenville downtown is worth a visit and just might be the closing act to sell you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.