What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Has Your RV Been to Class B Airports?

Vlad

Well Known Member
Interesting to know how many of you RV drivers landed and spent overnight at Class Bravo airports? It's obviously an expensive endeavor in terms of hefty fees but anyway - can you share your experience? IFR or VFR was it a challenge to get to/from?


I've been to only one VFR to KLAS Las Vegas McCarran International. Trip was easy and fun not much different from a regular towered airport.



klsa.jpg




klas.jpg





kals.jpg
 
Class B?

Hello Vlad,

If you mean: Class B airport = expensive landing fees, than I have only been to Class B airports, here in Europe :mad:.

But I guess you mean airports with long runways and international passenger traffic? Some of those airports I landed at are:

- Liege, Belgium
- Antwerp, Belgium
- Ostend, Belgium
- Luxemburg (4.000 m runway !)
- Zaragossa, Spain
- Genova, Italy

I am planning to do a trip to Cologne and D?sseldorf in Germany, since the single engine landing fees, for such large international airports seem to be quite reasonable (Approx EUR 50,- = $ 65,-). So I will be able to brag to those boys that fly in a suit, white shirt, ty and a hat, that "I have been there, done that, seen that......no big deal" :D

Regards, Tonny.
 
Landed at KIAH last Wednesday for thanksgiving, left Friday and parked at KSAT (class c) for a few hours. While fuel costs are a little higher, and Million Air charges a few fees (security, ramp, overnight), they waive some of them if you buy gas. I calculated I spent $25 extra over parking at Hooks, and $60 extra over Porter, both of which were longer drives for my dad, and porter had no hangars, fence, or security, and backs up to a trailer park, so that was out this time. So, it was worth it for convenience and security.

As far as getting in and out, it was no sweat. Just lots of double letter taxiways to read back. iPad and 696 make it too easy, though.
 
I go into Orlando several times a year. No problems VFR or IFR. I have also been in to Tampa with no issues.
 
I called the Denver folks on the phone to see if I could do a touch and go. No joy. Plus it seems like I had to land and taxi in for some reason.
 
Ron Lee,

Denver(DIA) will usually let you do T & G's around midnight when VFR.

Jim Berry
RV-10
 
Vegas Baby! Rooms behind you, Buffets everywhere! Entertainment at its best! $3 shuttle to the strip! Now if you want to FLY a ZIP LINE they are building one in VEGAS. IT will fly you FIVE blocks starting at a 15 story SLOT Machine looking building. Just announced yesterday. So this is a prerequisite to flying a RV I figure!

Ron in Oregon
 
I did touch and goes on all the runways at KDEN one Christmas morning. I learned not to land on the center line at KDEN as the imbedded lights play havoc with our little wheels. On one landing the controller cleared a United flight to land on the parallel runway and also advised him to keep an eye out for an experimental doing touch and goes. There was a long pause before he replied.
 
Class Bravo

I really enjoy the challenge of flying into or through Class Bravo airspace. When you plan it and practice on 'your terms,' it makes it much easier if you must divert unexpectedly, possibly to such an airport.

I am fortunate to get to use Class Bravo airspace everyday on my job and when flying my 7. It is not a big deal. Be prepared. Know the airspace. If in doubt, plead ignorance with, "new to the area," they will help.

The "bigger," airport will often add many amenities for you but often at a cost for higher fuel, ramp fees or hangar storage. If reasonable, I'll take advantage of them for the convenience.

In Vlad's picture in Vegas, the Mandalay Bay is in the background. That is my place to stay in Vegas. It is walking distance from the Corporate side. You can get a ride from the FBO in mosts cases.

When negotiating to keep your baby indoors, approach determines response. Thank your host profusely for the hospitality. Ask it they can tuck your "LITTLE" plane into a corner in the hangar. Remember the usually don't deal with our "cute" little planes, so it is often treated as a novelty. You'd be surprised as to what you can accomplish:D.

Challenge yourself with airspace. You will become a more confident pilot as a result. Also, many of our controllers are pilots with many of those builders. It is quite rewarding. Do it!!!!
 
i have never had the need to do that with nice ga airports on the outskirts. the landing fees are usually higher too. love flying thru them though.
vafshirt.jpg
 
In the RV-4 at night

Have been to MEM in the RV-4. Landed about 9:30pm local, NO ramp fees, FBO gave me a ride to pick up a pax at the terminal and back, firat time I ever taxied under a roof for parking, departed about 11:00pm local between FedEx arrivals. Was kinda fun looking back but sorta scarry at the time :eek:

Came in and left under an IFR flight plan but it was VFR conditions


I would do it again!:D
 
I try to avoid the big airports because of the hassle, but a couple months ago I needed to go to Hobby in Houston. I was IFR in VMC, and as I approached Houston, center told me they were busy and were going to have to vector me way southwest for traffic, so they asked me what I wanted to do (hint hint). After canceling, getting in was no big deal and actually a lot of fun for me, as a native Houstonian who hadn't flown there in 10 years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=188xzGBz0TY

-Rob
 
Class B fun

I've been into KBOS and KIAD with the '10 for special events.
Interesting stuff:
1) At an airport that big, what looks big enough for a runway might be a taxiway. And what looks like a taxiway is probably a service road . . . ask the Glastar in front of us who found out the hard way and had to wait for a truck to escort him back.
2) Leaving IAD when they were only using one runway for all departures = 30+ minutes of taxiing and waiting . . . and waiting . . .

Also went into KTPA a few years back with a Skyhawk. That's a relatively easy one since it's on the small side for a Bravo.

Tim
N52KS
 
Went into/out of KCOS last summer all VFR...

no problems at all going in. vectors from 30 miles out and in the pattern; each leg of the pattern would have qualified as an XC in a slower airplane. FBO's service was good, albeit more expensive than out in the sticks. i lucked out too tho and since they were out of tiedown spaces on AFA Parents Weekend they put me in the hangar for the (inflated) price of a tiedown.

Getting out was a bit more trick: first ATIS, then Clearance Delivery, Ground Control, Tower, finally Departure Control. after five frequencies getting away from the airport i declined flight following in favor of radio solitude. lots of taxiing is to be expected, and look at the airport diagram well before you need to. getting around the airport at OSH was easier, with the controllers at every intersection.

the grass at my home field is easier on tires than all that concrete, but if it's closest to the hotel, no worry about doing it.
 
Been to Dulles 3 times, the airport has two ground freq's good people there, ground chatted with me for my 20 min taxi.
 
Wow! Excellent question...

Been flying N95JF (RV4 plans number 82; number 32 to fly) since 86....and never been to a class b, now that you mention it..regular visitor to SJC; OAK; SAC; SMO; MRY, etc. over the years, so fly class B space a bit, but never to a class B airport...do have a pic somewhere of my plane parked completely under the wing of the Netscape G-III in a hanger at the former Jet Center (now Atlantic) at SJC circa 1999-2000, so that's the closest I like to come to the big iron...
 
Class Bravo into SFO

About 6 years ago several members of EAA 393 (Concord, CA) were invited to fly to SFO as a part of Fleet Week. United Airlines hosted us, and paid the landing fees of about $125. We all flew to HWD (Hayward) where we were briefed, given a discrete squawk, instructed to depart with five minute intervals of one another, and LAND LONG on runway 28R. At the end of the day the tower cleared us for an intersection departure with instructions to ?follow the freeway to the Bay Bridge?? and basically get out of their class Bravo airspace. Great fun for us, but we haven?t been invited back.
 
When I delivered my -6 to a fellow in NW Kansas, his flight instructor and I flew it into KDEN for me to catch a flight home. After shutting down at the GA FBO, the attendent asked me if I had landed at the wrong airport :eek:
 
Flying into Houston Hobby is no big deal at all - we do it every once in awhile to go to the Houston Air Museum. The controllers do a good job of working the versatile RV's into the SWA flows.
 
Flying into Houston Hobby is no big deal at all -

+1

My first instrument approach during PPC training (and first T&G at a Bravo) was at KHOU. Granted it was about midnight -- but in general, the entire Houston set of controllers seem really friendly. Even KIAH let's you cut across their airspace when they are not too busy.
 
I've been into SAN and routinely into SLC. One day SLC had me fly a 270 around the tower so they could get a better view. Pretty weird flying over the terminals at a couple hundred feet during a busy part of the day there.
 
oh, heck, the small print...

true, KCOS isn't Class B. i couldn't tell the difference between it and a Class B in how we were treated tho, at least in that instance.

used to go into SFO weekly, always VFR, it was similar procedure-wise but more scenic. (think they called it a "TCA" - i forget whether it was Class I or Class II - then). went in there early one saturday morning in a Cherokee and was cleared to land "any runway!" guess that doesn't happen any more.
 
kjfk

When my decathlon was flying, I'd take friends into JFK during off peak hours. If I remember correctly, it was only $25 landing fee off peak. Park at GA ramp and take tram to terminal. Sure beats the New york traffic.
 
KMSY

Went into MSY IFR a month ago. Went into Signature. They were great and everything went smooth. Seems like the friendliest people around that area. I think I gained five pounds too.
 
Its the maze of taxiways that I think is the most daunting. Places like Bush Intl, Houston, progressive taxi would be the way to go.
Chuck o
 
Its the maze of taxiways that I think is the most daunting. Places like Bush Intl, Houston, progressive taxi would be the way to go.
Chuck o

If you want to make it sound like amateur hour, then sure, progressive taxi :D. That's why I bring along the handy dandy iPad.
 
I flew to ATL once, not in an RV though. Several times was asked by ATC if Atlanta Hartsfield was indeed my destination, on approach was asked if I could maintain 160 kts. All controllers were very cool and very helpful. FBO was simply awesome.
Used to fly to CLT very often.
Bottom line - I like it flying in class B. it keeps me well aware of big things.
 
Every time I fly near ATL, Flight following always asks me to NOT penetrate their Class B. So, I'm not so sure that we can even fly in there.

Best,
 
Back
Top