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New landing fees at Gouldings Monument Valley Airstrip (UT25) - $175 per day
- Thread starter azrv6
- Start date
There are more than 5,000 airports in the United States. There are eight of these 5,000+ airports where I will never land: LAX, DCI, IAD, BWI, LGA, SFO, ATL & UT25.
Mike S
Senior Curmudgeon
And it is a really nice place to stay. Makes a great base for Monument Valley trips.
https://vansairforce.net/threads/laura-and-mikes-southwest-odyssey-2014.113382/
BTDT
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I’m at Monument Valley this weekend. Got the new fees waived with 2 nights stay ($675 room cost). I love coming here from Phoenix, but the new fees will mark the end of breakfast and lunch flights (which I’ve also done with groups several times).
Fffflats
Well Known Member
Maybe over time such could lead to a reversal of policy with loss of visitors and revenue?
I have 4-5 destinations in my logbook over the last 38-39 years that I think about often. And Goulding’s is near the top. I need to get back one of these days.
Made a video on one of our morning runs when we were there. It’s fuzzy and old, so watch without your glasses for best results.
Made a video on one of our morning runs when we were there. It’s fuzzy and old, so watch without your glasses for best results.
The majority of the operations at the airport are commercial tour operators. (I used to work for one) . 100% of the lawsuits filed against the airport’s operators have come from private users doing stupid stuff.
The operators tried paper liability waivers but that was ignored and deemed unworkable.
The operators don't need the private flyers and a large segment of those are so wealthy they don't care about the fees.
A few morons ruined what had been wonderful destination to fly to.
The operators tried paper liability waivers but that was ignored and deemed unworkable.
The operators don't need the private flyers and a large segment of those are so wealthy they don't care about the fees.
A few morons ruined what had been wonderful destination to fly to.
The FAA really needs to create a non moron endorsement pilots can earn, so we can more easily restrict these folks from using airports like this.
Osh would be easier as well. A separate procedure for those not rated to keep them separate. Our airport now has many of these folks that couldn’t get one and would be nice to have a rule that says pattern work requires the endorsement. Entering the pattern at my airport has become a frightening thing many days. The other day almost hit a guy flying the downwind in the opposite direction, so he could then do a 180 and fly the downwind again the correct way. Don’t remember seeing that in the aim.
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What concerns me is the belief that “a large segment of private flyers are so wealthy they don’t care about the fees”. While this is factually untrue, it is often cited as the reason to keep imposing more costs on pilots. I’m hoping to find a point of contact at Goulding’s who pilots can contact and express their concern about the new fees. Perhaps with enough feedback to Goulding’s, they will reconsider the fees. It would be truly unfortunate to lose reasonable access to this unique airstrip.
+1 on flying through Monument Valley. My friend and I did that a few years ago and very very impressive. I enjoyed it more than flying over the Grand Canyon. You can get much lower in Monument Valley and get some wonderful pics. I suppose it would be nice to land and have lunch at UT25 or to stay overnight but that is more than I would want to spend. Here is my favorite pic. There are some other airports that you can use to "base out of" if you want to do day trips. Page (PGA) and Cortez (CEZ) are just a couple that would work well. Also flew over "four corners" which was not much to see from the air. I would encourage everyone to fly that area.
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Lot of details we probably don't know here. If it is true that they have been sued for things that pilots have done at their field, this seems like a reasonable step to avoid future suits. Lost revenue from lunches probably pale in comparison to legal fees spent defending themselves. We see this a lot when buying parts. If you mention it is for an airplane, they refuse to sell due to liability fears. Our industry has a reputation in this area.
I think what it boils down to is, like so many scumbag jet FBOs, they only care about the clientele for whom price is no object. They want to keep out the riffraff. We take offense because many of us are the last gasp of sorta-middle class hobbyist GA before the rising price of everything makes it exclusively private jets and $1.5m new Cirruses.
The Delta in the town I grew up in charges "go away" prices for avgas. More than $10/gallon. More than the big busy Bravo international airport. We're going to see more and more of that sort of thing in the future.
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For some strange reason they are now teaching the "tear drop" entry into the pattern/downwind which is a terrible idea. That's probably what he was trying to do.
Possibly and also don’t like that new procedure. Generally a teardrop requires going 500’ above pattern for the initial over the field entry. Our airport has the bravo shelf at 1100 AGL, so really should not be doing those at our airport. I think the guy just entered the area from the opposite direction and there is a really tall tower he was trying to avoid which pushed him into the downwind leg instead of going around it in the other direction. Will never really know, but sadly we get this kind of stuff every day now. It used to be a nice airport until these new training outfits showed up.
EDIT I was coming over the top and he was already in the downwind, so he couldn't have been doing a teardrop, as I didn't encounter him tell I started making my downwind turn.
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We like to blame others for our “loss of privilege.”
It’s a private airfield. They can do what they wish. If you want to take offense to it, that’s your prerogative. Making it a “class” thing or blaming the “morons”’, whoever they are, isn’t anything new. Easy targets.
Lots of other places to have breakfast or lunch. I have flown through Monument Valley a few times and never had reason to land there.
It’s a private airfield. They can do what they wish. If you want to take offense to it, that’s your prerogative. Making it a “class” thing or blaming the “morons”’, whoever they are, isn’t anything new. Easy targets.
Lots of other places to have breakfast or lunch. I have flown through Monument Valley a few times and never had reason to land there.
Glad to see the Utah pilots quickly engaging with Goulding’s Lodge management. It appears that this particular case had little to due with liability (especially since UT25 is on the Navajo Reservation and outside the jurisdiction of the US Federal court system). Instead, it looks like Goulding’s wants to ensure people landing at UT25 will also be spending money on tours and overnight lodging. As with any private airport, that is certainly within the prerogative of the airport owner….
rocketbob
Well Known Member
Have overnighted there several times. Last time was in 2023. Always enjoyed the hassle-free experience landing and staying there. To be honest any substantial landing fees puts me off and wont be back. Hotel prices are rather high there.
Not much to do there once the sun sets.
Suggest Marble Canyon instead. https://www.marblecanyonlodge.com/airport
Not much to do there once the sun sets.
Suggest Marble Canyon instead. https://www.marblecanyonlodge.com/airport
Yes.
Having visited there many times over the years for the $100+ hamburger run for breakfast/lunch etc, I can only say that Gouldings has responded favorably to all of us and definitely made the revised fee totally affordable to any in the light airplane GA crowd, especially considering the uniqueness and quality of the experience, and that it is a privately owned airport serving a resort hotel.
By comparison I see Catalina Island off SoCal charges $38 for a GA piston single landing fee, plus additional for an overnight.
You won't regret the Gouldings/Monument Valley experience, even if you are a slow eater and take more than two hours.
At some point the discussion reminds me of the old pilot joke about how copper wire was invented.
Interesting. Marble canyon specifically states no experimental/homebuilt aircraft on their site. That bites
Aww, thanks.
rhinoviper787
Member
I'll add Marble Canyon to my list.
I recommend the tour even when our airplanes can fly at low level over the terrain. I have spent many days camping and off-roading in the area and the scenery was just spectacular. I know the area well but have never flown over it.
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They have inexpensive and clean camping sites there if you are up to it.
Bill Boyd
Well Known Member
Looks like they added themselves to your list.
What is the statistical basis for such a prejudice, I wonder? Are people who build and test fly their own aircraft a worse bunch of pilots than the spam-can drivers, across the board?
Their shop, their rules though.
Experimentals are welcome at my strip. PPR, but we always say "yes."
It is interesting that Marble Canyon now prohibits experimentals. Maybe someone who has connections with the new ownership can shed some light on this restriction. I’ve taken groups of experimentals (17 was the most) into Marble Canyon in prior years and everybody loved it. Plus, we always gave the restaurant a good amount of business…Looks like they added themselves to your list.
What is the statistical basis for such a prejudice, I wonder? Are people who build and test fly their own aircraft a worse bunch of pilots than the spam-can drivers, across the board?
Their shop, their rules though.
Experimentals are welcome at my strip. PPR, but we always say "yes."
Marble Canyon has some sort of resort development going on so that's probably why it went private. If anybody wants to hit an Apache casino withing walking distance of a good airport I would suggest the San Carlos Apache airport (P13) located over the Superstitions Mountains (the cheese graters) from Phoenix. Sometimes we like to stay there when attending fly-ins in the Phoenix/Casa Grande area. We just fly back and forth each day.
Five Man Electric Band had a song called "Signs" some many years ago that the sign said no long-haired freaky people need apply for a job.
Perhaps I could fly in to Marble Canyon in my (non-EAB) E-LSA -12iS then "take off my hat and say imagine that."
Symbolic, of course, as there is no long hair to fall out of my hat.
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Does Gouldings have rental cars, or just tours?
No rental cars…tours and lodging only.
rocketbob
Well Known Member
No always has been private. The lodge burned down several years ago and has since been rebuilt.
Landing "fees" back in the good ole days...
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Don't forget getting permission before you arrive:
Airstrip - Goulding´s Monument Valley
Goulding’s Flight Operating Procedures Please sign and submit the form below agreeing that the airstrip is “fly at your own risk.” A copy of aircraft insurance is required. For rented…
gouldings.com
Bill Boyd
Well Known Member
Virginia has a law holding private airstrips harmless against guest users - at your own risk is understood. At least that is my understanding. Not sure about other states.Don't forget getting permission before you arrive:
Airstrip - Goulding´s Monument Valley
Goulding’s Flight Operating Procedures Please sign and submit the form below agreeing that the airstrip is “fly at your own risk.” A copy of aircraft insurance is required. For rented…
I figure it's safe to let Vlad come in here, and have done so more than once.
