AirParks

[SkyPirate]

I looked at a place north of dallas on the lake.nice home but...after researching it ,,the guy was selling because of a neighbor,,and the lots were on top of each other houses very close to each other,,you couldn't step out in your yard without 4 neighbors asking you what you were doing and why did you paint your house that color...
been there done that..

[av8rps]

I always thought airparks were cool, so I decided to create my own a few years back. So here's that story;

About 15 yrs ago I had decided that I missed living in the country (was born and raised on a farm), so I bought a really nice 60 acre parcel of land with a half mile of riverfront on it along with a beautiful spring fed pond. The realtor actually laughed out loud when I told him I was going to make a private airport on it, as there wasn't anywhere longer than a few hundred feet that was flat where I told him I was going to make the runway. So he just couldn't imagine how I would ever get it flat enough to land an airplane on it?

But after a long summer of effort operating a small bulldozer and my ford tractor, I ended up with a really nice flat 2450' x 75' runway that faces 250 degrees, which ironically is about perfect for the winds in the area. I even got the FAA's blessing (along with the neighbors, the township, the county, the state, etc) so it is officially in the FAA database (Wisconsin 3WI3). Now granted, it has very large white pines at each end, so I typically refer to it as my "STOL ONLY Airport" , which keeps most of my spam can friends from wanting to land there . But for my Kitfox, Highlander, or Lake Amphibian, it is a great little airport (notice in the one picture below one of our own [Jim S] is back taxiing for takeoff after coming to see me in his Kitfox IV. He used less than half the runway for landing, and about an 1/8th to depart.)

It was a really great project, and I can't even begin to tell you the accomplishment I feel from having created my own little piece of aviation paradise...

Unfortunately, I never built a house or hangar on it . Once the runway was done my wife and I got real serious about building our dream log home overlooking the river, along with the monster-hangar I had always envisioned for all my toys. But after settling in on house and hangar plans, we came to the realization that neither of us were ready to give up living on the lake. We had lived on this lake since we were 25 yrs old so it truly has become our home. And I just love flying off water. AND we love the community and all the friends we've made here (campfires with friends enjoying a beer with us is a VERY regular occurence). So we ultimately wrote off that whole episode in our lives as our "joint mid-life crisis", and decided to just sit on our airport property until we grow up

In the meantime, since the property is only 20 miles from our lakehouse, I go out there and screw around when I feel like it. Occasionally I will even land my Highlander there (on the runway which I now only mow when I feel like it...thanks to big tires!).

But who knows, maybe one day I could still build there? There's really one problem with that... (hint: the last picture reveals it)

If only it were just a thousand miles further south

[SkyPirate]

Nice av8rps that's really al you need for room ,..isn't it funny those that have not worked the land cant imagine how it can be shaped at will with a little effort ..good job~!

[SkyPirate]

this is one of the places Im looking at not the best photo ..but it wont take much to do it ..its 106 acres N/S strip is 2100' long E/W is 2800'

[Rooster]

Hello all.

We did it here in South Africa.

http://www.wingspark.co.za/wings/home.asp

As the guys say, watch out that your original ethos of generosity and like-mindedness is not hijacked by someone who thinks that it is better to enhance the value of their investment than to promote aviation in general.

This has worked well for us so far, and is a fine collection of like-minded people who are very friendly towards each other as well as visitors.

The laws weren't too difficult regarding the sub division of agricultural land.
We bought the whole farm, formed a CC and the go/no go number of shares was 21. above 21 shares, each share became cheaper. At 21 shares 12500.00 dollars, and at Max (42 shares) it was 7500 dollars. The whole farm (320 hectares) cost about 200 000.00 dollars at the time. Each share gave you 25x25meter (don't know this in your language) piece of land with electricity point. There is a good well on the farm, but residents collect rain runoff in 10 000 litre tanks from their hangar/home roofs and have never run out. The runway area is fenced off with game proof fencing to keep the wildlife off of the runway and the farm is rented out to a local cattle farmer for a touch extra income. Now, shares are selling at min 30 000 dollars and this is where the original ethos comes under threat, as new entrants may be more selfish than the original dream realising generous, aviation-in-their-blood types.

Do contact the management committee in the website to get their input if you like. they love to share their experience and what they have learned, with others.
Regards
Reid

[SkyPirate]

Nice set up Rooster,

75 meters square is about 245'x245'

An acre is 43560 square feet roughly 208.71' squared

I'm hoping to do something similar but 5 acre lots, I'm going to be moving to Texas, and with a set up like this in mind, but I really don't care if I sell any lots, but the opportunity will be there, financially I have to do it with in my means so if no lots get sold I'm not hanging my arse out on a limb, and that will be my guideline as to how /where/when .. When it can be realized.
I know there are flyers that would like an opportunity to have something like this available.. The only hold back for most is what's involved , relocating, income if not retired, etc
This has been a dream of mine for many years, Texas is where it's going to happen only because my wife wants to move back.. I almost did it in North Carolina 10 years ago, but ,,, I got married ,,,,

[av8rps]

Thanks Chase. Yes, it is funny how so many can't imagine building their own runway / private airport / air park. But it truly is a rewarding experience, and even though it can be a quite large effort, it was a lot of fun.

Nice av8rps that's really al you need for room ,..isn't it funny those that have not worked the land cant imagine how it can be shaped at will with a little effort ..good job~!

[av8rps]

Reid,

I like what you did. Very, very nice. Having investors each get their own lot for such a small investment is an excellent way to get one of these going. I am very impressed that an L39 can operate from that runway. I wasn't aware they could operate from grass.

Hmmmm???? Maybe I need to start selling lots on my airport? I can sell off 3 acre lots (or larger) without having to do anything, so maybe I could do something similar even now. Food for thought...

Paul

Hello all.

We did it here in South Africa.

http://www.wingspark.co.za/wings/home.asp

As the guys say, watch out that your original ethos of generosity and like-mindedness is not hijacked by someone who thinks that it is better to enhance the value of their investment than to promote aviation in general.

This has worked well for us so far, and is a fine collection of like-minded people who are very friendly towards each other as well as visitors.

The laws weren't too difficult regarding the sub division of agricultural land.
We bought the whole farm, formed a CC and the go/no go number of shares was 21. above 21 shares, each share became cheaper. At 21 shares 12500.00 dollars, and at Max (42 shares) it was 7500 dollars. The whole farm (320 hectares) cost about 200 000.00 dollars at the time. Each share gave you 25x25meter (don't know this in your language) piece of land with electricity point. There is a good well on the farm, but residents collect rain runoff in 10 000 litre tanks from their hangar/home roofs and have never run out. The runway area is fenced off with game proof fencing to keep the wildlife off of the runway and the farm is rented out to a local cattle farmer for a touch extra income. Now, shares are selling at min 30 000 dollars and this is where the original ethos comes under threat, as new entrants may be more selfish than the original dream realising generous, aviation-in-their-blood types.

Do contact the management committee in the website to get their input if you like. they love to share their experience and what they have learned, with others.
Regards
Reid

[HighWing]

All good comments. As I mentioned we moved here 15 or so years ago. I don't know when it happened, but the airport is now owned by the county and receives Federal Funds which is not all bad. It was developed in the early 70s when our area was just a pit stop between the Bay Area and Lake Tahoe. It was developed as a semi mountain getaway for the aviation nut with a nearby golf course. Now it is a community of commuters - drivers to Sacramento and fliers who work in the Bay area - then, of course, the retired people.

Many of the houses are small as you would expect from the early years - a place to sleep on those lazy weekends getting away by air. Newer homes are larger, some with three car garages as well as large hangars.

Since these projects can live forever, some thoughts. The guy across the street - second owner - is in one of the largest homes in the airpark. He commutes to OAK for his work at SouthWest Airlines in a Twin Comanche. he can't get it in his hangar because the door is not tall enough to fit the vertical Stabilizer. He keeps his Piper J-5 in there all alone. He rented for a while - the big bucks on top of the mortgage but now keeps it tied down outside. If possible, build for the next guy - much easier when on the market. We just repaved the Taxiways / Streets to the tune of 1 Million 2. Plan ahead on that stuff as well. This is one reason the FAA $$ is not a bad idea - they take care of airport maintenance. Build a garage. Can't imagine moving all the cars twice every time you want to fly - many do here. Another friend flew a Stearman. No garage and again the hangar door was a tad short. Not only did he have to move the cars, he had to let some air out of the tires and refill every time he flew to clear the top wing. I also helped him re-cover an aileron after his wife misjudged the stop point. I am not a lazy guy, but those things could sure stifle an impulse to punch a few holes.

[SkyPirate]

raising a hangar is easy crib it up above the altitude you want it pour a kneewall set it back down add to your door,.. if the hangars are standard...and bolted to the floor if they were driven or buried posts its a little more involved,..I have raised houses and put full basements or footers under it then set it back down,, I once moved a 60' x 120 ' church ..it was 29' to the peek..it took 8 hours to move it 7 miles..but all done in a day but it took 4 days to ready it