GA into JFK

[APPilot]

Gentlemen,
I am picking up a fellow pilot at the GA terminal at JFK at 7:00a.m. local tomorrow. If possible any advice you have for me would be very helpful. I have an instrument ticket so I plan to file, but this is my 1st trip into JFK's class bravo. Thanks.

 

[starvingcfi]

never been into jfk, but with you going ifr, it shouldn't be a problem.

starvingcfi

 

[Wiggums]

Um, don't go to JFK? It'll be busy, and you'll have to pay a landing fee. You won't have to worry much about airspace if your IFR tho...

 

[Timebuilder]

Get some more information before you go.

Depending on the time of day, even a Cessna 150 will be asked to pay a HEFTY fee for the visit. Also, the FBO is run by the port authority, and reminds me of bus station. A real pit.

7:00am sounds like you will be asked to pay a LOT of money.

 

[Doctor]

Its realy no problem VFR of IFR. It probably would be a little less stressful going IFR. I would suggest you call the GA terminal and find out about the landing fee. It could be as much as $250. One other thing don't plan on getting fuel there, its not a regular FBO, I don't even know if they have avgas, and it would be expensive.

 

[EagleRJ]

The controllers at NY Approach and at JFK are excellent, and they will make it a smooth trip for you. They are used to offering extra assistance if needed, since so many of the crews going in there have a primary language other than English.

7am is before the morning rush starts, so traffic should still be fairly light. Remember to exercise extreme caution if you are following a heavy on final, and keep in mind that the heavy may or may not be on the glideslope (especially if it's a foreign carrier). Also, when you are taxiing, keep your distance when you are following a widebody- a lot of them use more power than they need when they are crossing runways, etc.

JFK is a great airport for plane watching. Mostly 747s from every corner of the world. Also, I can't remember the schedule, but Air France and British Airways run four or five Concorde flights a day to JFK, so you might get to see one. Have fun!

 

[Timebuilder]

It wasn't more than a few years ago that I looked into doing a flight into JFK, and found the peak time fee for an Archer to be $100 to $150.

Huge enough to keep me out.

 

[Mr. Irrelevant]

APPILOT,


I'm not 100% sure but I believe Flying Magazine had an article in the last two years or so about flying GA into JFK. As I recall it was pretty interesting and informative for a pilot not accustomed to that airport. The magazine may have an archive section on the web but I did not check myself. I do recall they mentioned having one heck of a good idea where your headed once on the ground will make things much easier. I'll see if I can locate the article......if I don't, good luck!


Mr. I.

 

[Timebuilder]

First, go to this link. You need the acrobat reader.

http://www.kennedyairport.com/aviation/jfkscheduleframe.htm

Now scroll to pages thirteen and fourteen.

The basic charge is $25, based on weight, on page 13.

Then page 14: the ramp fee is $50...for the first 15 minutes!

Then $100 for EACH additional 15 minutes.

So, you land, and find your way to the ramp (it's on the west side).

Your friend takes an hour to be ready to put his bag on your airplane.

Your minimum charge: $375.00

I'd re-think this.

 

[TXCAP4228]

As I slap my hands together I exclaim: "How can we tax the commerce in our city out of existence and force it into another community where we will no longer gain any benefit from it?"

$375?? Jeez.

 

[Timebuilder]

I just made a call, and I'm following it with an email to see if we can get this fixed. JFK receives fed funds, and this might not be allowed to stand.

 

[flywithruss]

Go for it ...

Go for it ... we take our King Air in to JFK all the time; it's not the cheapest place in the world, but the controllers are first-rate and will take good care of you ... just indicate you need a progressive to "the GAT" ... that would be the GA parking area. Not an FBO, as indicated, but a facility run by the Port Authority that will give you a place to park, collect your landing fee, and sell you some fuel. No other services there, but they do have a nice waiting room, a restroom, and will provide van transportation to/from the terminals for you. They prefer you remain less than an hour on their ramp, which isn't all that big, but they'll tow your airplane to extended parking if you'll be there longer, and will give you a ride between the extended parking and the GAT.

When going in, use runway 13R/31L (the longest one, at 14572 ft.) if possible for the shortest taxi ... the GAT is adjacent to the 13R threshold on the western end of the airport.

I believe the landing fee for light a/c is about $25 as indicated above ... peak hour pricing comes in to effect between 1500-2000, which are (not coincidentally) the only hours of the day when you'd need a slot reservation. File IFR, follow instructions closely, keep your speed up, use good wake vortex avoidance, and pay close attention to the airport diagram. You'll find it an interesting and exciting experience.

If you're bound and determined not to go in to JFK, the best GA field to use would be Republic (FRG) in Farmingdale. It is much closer to Kennedy than Teterboro is, but FRG isn't cheap either. The savings on fees would likely be eaten up in cab fare.

If it was me, I'd head to JFK ... at 0700 it isn't all that busy there, and it is a fun airport to visit.

Good luck and fly safe!

R

 

[LearLove]

Not that Much $$$$

it should only be about 25 bucks. The charges that Timebuilder is talking about apply if the ramp is crowded which doesn't happen in Kennedy. I used to do quite a few pickups and drops in Kennedy both VFR and IFR and never had a prob or paid more than 25 and the co. card. Just review the airport page Jepps/Nos plates. The GAT is on the SW side by rwy 13L (approach end) or the departure end of 31L. Have fun and let us know. My last time their was in 99.

Also the GAT is not a typical FBO more like a bus stop as said before, but the guys inside have info like mission control and can tell you where your buds flight is and so forth. They are very nice and helpful if I remember correctly. No fuel avail unless you want to wait and pay so tank up also.

 

[Timebuilder]

Okay.

Sounds like it would be worth a call to someone to determine in advance if the manager would decide, based on whatever standard, that the ramp is "congested".

 

[APPilot]

Thanks! Y'all really Helped!

Gentlemen,
Can't thank you enough. Landing fee is $25 dollars ( if there longer than 1 hour add $25/hr) there isn't fuel, but I'm fillin up elsewhere and they are really very helpful. My friend flies for DHL so they offered me a ride to their hanger. Very nice.
Again, Thank You. I have been very impressed with this forum and the professionalism of the people. I hope I can carry that with me when I get a job flying whatever.

Robert K. Kelly

 

[starvingcfi]

hehe. don't be impressed with the professionalism yet. stick around for a while.

 

[wanabe_fo]

Was there GA in last spring

I went into JFK in a 172RG last spring. 25$ landing and first 15 min on ramp free after that they charge some fee of like 50/hr or something like that. We got to stay for an hour however while the fuel guy went looking for the 100LL truck. They finally found it but didn't know if it would start. After it started and he got ready to fuel the airplane, low and behold the fuller nozzle was too wide for the little openings on the Cessna's. Long story short, do not plan on getting fuel, know the peak hours and make it a quick turn and it is a lot of fun.

I landed on 22R with the 3000 ft displaced threshold. I though to myself while landing “I have landed this airplane on runways smaller that the displaced threshold”.

Some people said it was a suicide mission in a single but I would like to do it in a 152 now just to say I have done it. Although I would probably have to land and depart at 1 AM to keep the little 90 kt wonder out of everyone’s way.

Wanabe

 

[bobbysamd]

JFK

Very interesting discussion. I thought that JFK is like most major airports, where spam cans and below are discouraged or prohibited from appearing.

Here in Denver, there used to be bunches of them based at the old Stapleton. I haven't seen a one at the new Denver International Airport. I believe that AMR-Combs runs an FBO, but it caters primarily to heavier corporate iron.

I believe that GA is prohibited altogether at DFW. I've seen King Airs and corporate-type equipment at ORD, but don't recall seeing light airplanes.

 

[tarp]

You know its funny, there are places where GA is really easy and there are places where it's nuts:

BOS - never again - and those MASSport nazis, geez.
JFK - surprisingly easy, as long as you understand where all those taxiways go, A(Alpha) is clockwise, B(Bravo) is counterclockwise.
LGA - if you can talk Brooklynese and have big brass ones, welcome aboard. If you can't take the heat, stay out of this place.
EWR - fuhgetaboutit! You get just as bad(rude) service at TEB
TEB - LGA attitude without any reason for it.
PHL - piece of cake, especially if you can use 17-35
BWI- controllers love any plane that doesn't have Southwest or US airways callsigns just so they can give their mouth a rest. Got to be the worst Signature FBO on the planet.
DCA - alas, closed by TFR, but getting a reservation to do the river approach was so cool.
IAD - If it wasn't for the rookie controllers - why do they have to vector a C-172 for a 10 mile downwind? Piedmont Hawthorne folks are nice.
CLT - piece of cake except the controllers think they should be in New York. They can make a big deal of your "slow" plane in their traffic mix. Get over it, CLT, you ain't that big!
ATL - ah No. Why would you when Charlie Brown, PDK and RYY have such good service?
MCO - why not - that has got to be the coolest place to taxi around - I almost go snowblind from the bright white of the concrete.

I've never done GA into DFW, but if the airport is the size of Rhode Island, then you could potentially be taxiing for miles just to get somewhere. As a jumpseater on a -67, we landed and then taxiied for 15 minutes (non-stop) to finally pull into a gate. Turned to the captain and asked if he wouldn't mind dropping me off at Salt Lake City (my destination) on his way to the gate.

That's my east coast list. By the way, worst controllers - gotta be the "Kingdom of Greensboro(GSO)" - an island unto themselves, they don't play nice with any other controllers, no handoffs, no directs -- in fact, if you ask for something, GSO will most likely tell you to do the opposite just for spite. Arggghhh! Best controllers have to be New York going into LGA. Great sense of humor, working more planes than anyone has a right to expect. These guys should be playing for the PGA! (they're good)

 

[knelson]

GA into DFW OK

Going into DFW as GA is not only allowed, but very common. They have a pretty good size ramp, fees are not too bad, and as long as you are willing to keep your speed up, the controllers seem to have no problem with you being there. I have made many dropoffs and pickups there and I think it is one of the easier big airports to operate to/from. It is pretty important, as mentioned, to get a good runway there as your taxi time could be just a few minutes short of forever.
Last time I was there I saw a really nice looking Aerostar and the line guy told me it was an American 777 capt.'s plane that he uses to commute from AR.
The most important thing to remember when you go into these large, Air Carrier dominated airports is to be familiar with the airport layout before you get there and just take a little extra caution. Good luck and enjoy the experience.

Kevin