Gulfstream IS GA. It may not be the type of General Aviation that everyone wants but it fits in that category.
While S.E. Texas in and around Houston has lost dozens of airports over the years, there is a new one-Houston Executive Airport. Itās pretty far west of town but itās there and well done, from what Iāve seen.
I hated to see so many get sold off/gobbled up by the greedy developers and the willing municipalities.
Ouch. This continues to happen. Hangar space is hard to come by at many āGeneral Aviationā airportsāall of the airports within driving distance of my home have long waiting lists. I am aware of a regional airport (no scheduled airline service) that is abandoning plans to build āT-hangarsā and instead build larger hangers for the business jets. I can only dream about living at an airpark!
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There is still federal funding for any airport that is at least partially owned by a municipality, as long as that municipality us willing to partially fund improvements. The problem is with the greedy developers who donāt care anything about the local people or the area other than the money they will get by selling or leasing properties. They pressure the towns for permits.
This is a terrible situation. I began my flying at AVL. I have split my training between AVL and GMU. There is only one aviation school in Western NC and its located at AVL. They do not rent to the public or to their students. They are expensive and still add a fuel surcharge on top of the plane fee. Other options for flight training is an hour away in Greenville or Spartanburg SC. As an aspiring CFII and ATP pilot, my training options and employment opportunities are scarce here. I luckily got accepted into the only flying club in the area. Fellow pilots have reported their hanger rentals fee has gone up again. Our club hanger lease will be increasing significantly causing our dues and rental fees to increase. Members will leave. Soon our hangars will be knocked down. In the end, GA will be forced and priced out. The club will close. My contacts at Signature surmise that Signature will not be footing the bill to build GA hangers as its their opinion that Signature does not care or cater to GA. Leaving it up to private entities to build the hangers sometime in the āfutureā sounds bleak. Hangers will become even more scarce and very expensive. We students and GA pilots have no options in WNC. OA7 just down the road is poorly managed and dilapidated. Its hangars are falling apart an most are used to store more beat up RVs and boats than airplanes. The airplanes that are there arenāt airworthy. Looks like its time to sell the house and move.
Klaus, there are at least two local airports, non-air carrier 4000ā runways that have received AIP grant funds for hangar construction, taxiway rehabilitation and ramp expansions. This is in a predominantly rural area served by GA only and no likelihood of ever having significant commercial services. I served on the airport commissions. Proportionately, you are correct, though, the amount of AIP funds is much lower, because the costs of building and maintaining airports that support light aircraft are much lower than reinforced 6500ā runways and large corporate hangars. I donāt have a problem with this as RNAV approaches are present at many of these airports and they provide what I need for both business and personal aviation.
What I do have a problem with is being forced/priced out of airports such as Asheville as they are part of the National Airspace System. If they do not wish to participate, or be restricted only for their favored ones, ie G500s or Part 121, then they should forego public funding and pay for it themselves. But, if they take one dime of AIP money, their grant assurances require and should continue to require reasonable access for the services we need. They can charge for the luxuries we might like, and we can decide if the price they charge makes it worth using them.
A couple of odd takes in here I feel compelled to respond to.
While calling 0A7 dilapidated is accurate, saying that āfor the most partā itās used to store RVās and boats and that the airplanes that are there arenāt airworthy is disingenuous.
Self-serve fuel at AVL is on par in cost with itās cousins down the hill in Greenville/Spartanburg.
Suggesting someone land on the interstate rather than AVL when both are options is a pretty ridiculous thing to say, even if sarcasm.
āFor the most part, GA was not allowed into AVLā during post Helene relief effort is just false. Record setting traffic counts which was majority GA says otherwise.
All this being said, opportunities for light piston GA in the area is dwindling and itās very sad to see. The airport authority and signature certainly donāt care.
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