Good places to fly to in Oregon?

[Alaskaairlines]

Hi guys!

Related to my other thread, I would like to ask some of you that would know the Oregon area well a few questions....

I plan on flying over to Salem, OR and from their I would like to take a nice trip with some friends to have lunch or dinner. Would any of you have any advice on were to go for a nice, possible scenic flight which has a good place to eat nearby or on the airport? Any particular good places along the coast?
I'd appreciate some help from you guys. Also if you can, give me the distance from Salem to the destinations.....

Thanks, appreciate it!

 

[AK737FO]

Tillamook

You could go to the Tillamook Air Museum which is in the old WWII blimp hanger. You can taxi right up to the hanger doors. Airport I.D. is S47. VFR airport. There use to be an NDB approach into there, but I think it has been gone for several years now.

In August my wife and I flew a large chunk of the Oregon coast and then spent about 4 hours in the museum. It was a grand day! Perfect weather, beautiful coastline, warm wind in our face, picnic lunch in the shade of the wings. Doesn't get any better...

 

[T-Gates]

I flew out there and hung out with a buddy of mine not too long ago. We rented a 172RG from S07 (Bend) in C. Oregon and flew up around the mountains, down to Crater Lake, and back up to Sun River, where we landed. We caught the free shuttle over to the resort, they had some pretty good food, and GOLF! (Didn't have the clubs....) Check it out! It was pretty cool. I'm a born and raised east-coaster, so flying out there was a blast.

--T

 

[skyrider]

You could fly into Seaside, call the Stephenie Inn in Cannon Beach for a pick-up and have dinner their. It's a bit spendy, $25-$35 per person, but the dinner and the setting has always been worth it to me. They have 2 seatings each evening and reservations are a must.

A less spendy option would be the Shilo Inn in Seaside. A call to them will get you a pic-up as well.

Enjoy!

 

[Groundskprwilly]

I second the Sun River recommendation. You could also head over to Bandon (Oregon coast)...they let you take the 5 cylinder 1982 Malibu wagon for about $5.

 

[ShinerBocknabtl]

Great question, I grew up flying there. Here are a few suggestions you won't be disappointed with.

1) Flying "M" Ranch, they've got a website. It's about 40 NW of Salem. You've got some great trails to walk on, a lodge with an awesome buffet on Sunday mornings, more taxidermy than you can shake a stick at, and I think you can do a guided horseback ride too, the website will give you the details. FlyingM.com I think.

2) Sunriver is a good one, be sure to call ahead to the airport or check your Flight Guide for the number to the lodge so you can get shuttled back and forth.

3) Tillamook Air Museum rocks too. Be sure to check the weather and have an alternate plan just in case it's too foggy to get in.

4) Scapoose has a pretty good B&B but last time I was there everything was kinda dead.

5) Salishan is on the coast and has a phone at the airport in a little wood shack to call the hotel, great scenery and food. Refer to #3 for the back-up plan.

Also if you interested, Van's Aircraft has tours to show off their RV homebuilt line at the Aurora airport.

6) Last but not least, McMinnville has a good museum featuring the Hughes HK-1 (spruce goose but don't call it that in the museum). They might have a restaraunt in there now but not sure. If not, try to get a loaner car to drive the 3 miles into town and eat at McMenamins....won't be disappointed.

Hope this helps, all are within 70 miles or so of Salem except Sunriver which is about 120 by air?

 

[Alaskaairlines]

Thanks!

I'll be flying in from Washington and hope to get some time down in the states, haven't done to much flying down there, all up North.

I'll give you guys a trip report as soon as soon as I get my trip planned out and flown. Do most of those airports have Precision apporachs to them or are they VOR's and NDB's?

 

[ShinerBocknabtl]

Don't know about navaids, Flying "M" doesn't have any for sure, it's down in a "bowl" surrounded by steep hills, lotsa fun.

 

[Alaskaairlines]

What is the city where Flying M is located, or is that the name of it?

 

[Immelman]

If you're looking for some place to stop, relax, and take a quick walk to the beach, I'd suggest checking out Waldport/Wakonda Beach State Airport.

It is a soft field (grass/sod), but was in great condition when I went in there a couple yrs ago, went camping with some buddies from college who drove in. It is right across the highway from the ocean. I went in in a Citabria and met a couple there camping with their C172. Also saw a C182 in there. Its real sleepy, no services, and a great place to camp out for the night if you're so inclined. It is a one-way strip if your takeoff/climb performance is questionable though, and it was best to fly an offset final approach when landing to the north due to terrain. I called the state aeronautics guys who were quite nice and gave me the info and runway condition before I flew in.

That was one of the most fun airplane trips I've made.. I also second the reccomendations for Sun River if you're into golf and a nice place to stop for lunch.

Just watch out for local rednecks who use the runway as a driving range.... that is a story better told over a drink.

 

[ShinerBocknabtl]

Flying "M" is located NW of the Newberg VOR. It's in the sticks but I do know the closest town is Yamhill. It's in Yamhill county.

 

[Alaskaairlines]

Thanks, I'll look for that on the map.

 

[vixin]

The flying M is near McMinnville MMV. They will loan you the police cruiser crew car. Or you can land at the grass strip at the flying M. They have a great Buffalo burger.

 

[whosyodaddy]

If you decide to go into Florence, OR along the coast. Please appologise to the owner of Capt. Kirks aviation for me. He let me use his curtousy car (a really old Mercedes Bens) and I accidently broke the driver side window when I shut the door coming back from lunch. All I had on me was $10 which I'm sure wasn't anything close to covering the cost... so maybe you could give him a little donation for me as well.

Thanks and best of luck. Oregon is an awesome state to fly in!!!

 

[whosyodaddy]

Oh yeah, wherever you decide to go, DON'T GO TO CHRISTMAS VALLEY!!!

That place is the closest to Hell I've ever been. I took some friends of mine out there for dinner, half way back to Bend the burger I had ordered along with the green fries didn't sit too well. All I have to say about that is "laser beam"! I didn't think food could pass that fast through my intestinal tract. Since that day I have always flown with anti-diharea pills in my flight bag... No joke!!!