Good airports to fly into in Florida?

[EDUC8-or]

Everglades (X01) is a fun airport to go into. Cross City is also fun as long as the bar is still there where you can buy the pig a beer.

The place in CTY is closed, but up until about a year ago you could BYOB for the pig. That's the last time I was there.

 

[PaulThomas]

Heh, that's nothing. I've seen as many as 20 jets, sometimes more, waiting to takeoff - not including the ones sitting on the ramp, idling with one engine, waiting for Miami Center to issue releases (ground holds are pretty common down here in the winter, mainly because 99% of the traffic goes north).

Last month we broke an all time record - 17,000 operations in one month. That's remarkable for a municipal airport with a stage I and II ban and restricted to under 75,000 lbs max gross.

So you can imagine how we get our asses handed to us sometimes.

Anyway, glad you enjoyed the trip. Did you do anything in Naples, or just stop in for fuel and a trip to the restroom?

Traffic is insane...
When I came back in arround sunset on (Sunday) January 2nd, there was gridlock going on. I couldn't get a word in or get off the rwy due to planes on the taxiway. Ground had to get me through the commercial ramp.
I wish I had a pic of all the jet line up waiting.

And for the record, I don't mind the airport noise.

 

[JB74]

Traffic is insane...
When I came back in arround sunset on (Sunday) January 2nd, there was gridlock going on. I couldn't get a word in or get off the rwy due to planes on the taxiway. Ground had to get me through the commercial ramp.
I wish I had a pic of all the jet line up waiting.

And for the record, I don't mind the airport noise.

I saw it, was there the same time you were, it was a zoo! Controllers were getting worked, but they kept their cool. Center had ground holds going on all over so FL that day. Heard some student taxi off the ramp onto the taxi way (w/o a clearance) and got an a$$ chewing like no other. Funny stuff.

 

[Lear2460]

That day WAS nuts.....We had 20-30 big commercial jets on the far side of the ramp, and the taxiway had a line the length of the runway (so imagine).

There were commercial A/C that had been holding on the ground with PAX for over 5 hours. We has several Gulfstream A/c that we had kicked out earlier in the day come back to refuel from sitting at the end of the runway, or come back cause their trip was cancelled. Had a guy that had to wait for 5 hours because he was stuck in line, after he found out his trip was CX.

It was nuts....they were taking pets of the commercial jets and walking them on the ramp....I ONLY HOPE that their were FREE drinks going round and round on those poor flights!!!

 

[slowto250]

Try Cape Canaveral.....nice long runway and not much traffic.
The nice men in the Suv's will provide no cost transportation.
If you're lucky, you might even get a free lunch.
For the next 5-10 years.

Good luck.

 

[AviatrixMorgan]

Ocala is nice since its small and the restaurant (Tailwinds) is awesome...and all the guys drool over Sam (thats the chick owner).

Albert Whitted in St Pete is also nice

 

[grantrobarts]

hey slowto250, watch out someone might actually go do that now. haha