Indy 500

[solpilot]

What's the best airport to use for the race?

 

[BoilerUP]

What's the best airport to use for the race?

What kind of plane? What's more important, convenience or price?

IND will be the most expensive, but also have the most amenities and the easiest ground transportation to/from the track (mostly on I-465)

EYE @ 4200' is a couple tenths of a mile closer than IND and should be cheaper if you can get in and out, but travel time should be about the same.

 

[DUATS]

EYE worked well for me. They put out a spread for the crews to eat during the race.

But you can't watch the race on TV - it's blacked out locally!

 

[solpilot]

Does EYE have plenty of ramp space for a 2-3 night stay? Do they bring in a mobile tower (like Augusta for the Masters)? Are helicopter charters available out of EYE?

 

[Tristar]

While EYE is close to the track, I would avoid doing business there based on the owner/operator of FBO there. I'm not sure if Indy Executive has helicopter charters or not (and is definitely further from the track), but they are much more reputable. I'd also consider Greenwood, Mt. Comfort, Metropolitan, or Gordon Graham Field (Hendricks County) - basically anywhere but an FBO owned by the proprietor at EYE.

 

[PMVULB AvMgr]

Your best bet is IND and then a helicopter charter to the track.

 

[bizjet800]

I was there last year and we used IND. I think we went to Hawker Beechcraft--they were fine. They said corporate traffic was way down in recent years, especially in 09. We went a few days before and left on Monday, the day after the race and had no issues or delays getting in and out. Again they said it wasn't that busy, relatively speaking.

If you are going the day before and leaving right after the race, be prepared for some delays.

 

[Tristar]

I probably should have pointed out exactly what 800 said - I used to work out at AMR Combs in the 90's - even then the corporate traffic wasn't what it had been back in the 70's (they used to close runway 13/31 just to park aircraft on).

 

[BoilerUP]

While EYE is close to the track, I would avoid doing business there based on the owner/operator of FBO there. I'm not sure if Indy Executive has helicopter charters or not (and is definitely further from the track), but they are much more reputable. I'd also consider Greenwood, Mt. Comfort, Metropolitan, or Gordon Graham Field (Hendricks County) - basically anywhere but an FBO owned by the proprietor at EYE.

I'm curious about your beef with EYE...something personal or business related?

While we don't fly into Indy EYE does work on our Cirrus, and I've no complaints.

 

[Tristar]

I've always avoided doing business with them based on encounters a number of friends have had there.

In particular one of my best friends operated a Turbo Commander for several years. They initially had maintenance done there as it was the closest Commander service location. There were numerous instances where the aircraft came out of maintenance with new squaks and/or problems not resolved. The proprietor repeatedly refused to work to resolve the issues and instead essentially called my friend a liar (my friend is one of the most ethical people you will ever meet). I've known several others who have had similar experiences.

I also had a friend who was working for another aviation business in the area (not as a pilot). They were invited in for an "interview" for an alleged position Eagle Creek Aviation. In fact, the "interview" consisted primarily of the proprietor attempting to learn about this other companies business, clients, etc. In reality it was a thinly veiled attempt to steal business from the other company.

I personally don't care to do business with an company that engages in such practices, and will do what I can to steer others away as well. I'm no longer in the GA sector in IND, but I've heard nothing to lead me to believe that anything has changed there.

The professional aviators I know around the Indianapolis area all seem to shake their heads in amazement/amusement that enough people keep going there to keep them in business based on the experiences they are familiar with. The common theme being they can't believe there is a steady enough stream of new people who don't know any better.

Just my personal observations and those of others I know. You may go there and find the proprietor to be a upstanding individual and model citizen.