Columbia County
Airport ID: 1B1
Date: Aug 09, 2017
Day of Week: Wednesday
Time of Day: 17:30-20:00
Flight Rules: VFR
Route: direct (voluntarily east of Hudson River southbound)
ATC Advisories: Yes
ATC facilities used: ALB Approach
Flight Following notes: No advisories issued either leg. On return leg was given “at or above 4,500 ft” altitude restriction (this is above the ceiling of the Class C, but the flight passed directly over KALB with a great view of the a/p). Altitude restriction was removed just before reaching the northern edge of the ALB Class C outer ring. Plenty of time to execute a reasonable descent for 5B2 arrival.
Destination Airport Notes: Richmor FBO closed ~6 pm, before we arrived. Re-entry through gate requires lock code *which was not posted on the apron side of the gate*. We walked down to the maintenance hangar where, luckily, someone was there who could give us the code. However, they offered us a crew car (with gate pass) to use, so the gate code was not needed.
Food/Attractions: Kozel’s restaurant (www.kozelsrestaurant.com) is an enduring roadhouse restaurant (founded 1936) next to the airport (but requires a little walk). At dinner they had 2 menus – ask for the “sandwich menu” if you are not in the mood for a solid dinner. It is off the departure end of r/w 03. However, there is no gate to walk through, so you need to walk ~3/4mi along 9H from the FBO to the restaurant.
Recommendation: Would likely do it again. Call ahead to ensure you have the gate code. Also, fuel is much less expensive, so consider saving the Club some money by refueling there instead of 5B2, if you can. For my trip fuel was $3.90 at 1B1, while it was $5.35 @ 5B2. (I saved over $25 refueling @ 1B1)
Kobelt
Airport ID: N45
Date: May 3rd, 2015
Day of Week: Sunday
Time of Day: 14:30-19:00
Flight Rules: VFR
Route: Direct
ATC Advisories: Yes, Albany apprch, Boston center, NY apprch. No problem getting FF.
Destination Airport Notes: Narrow asphalt strip in good condition. A/P is unattended. No UNICOM or advisories. Be aware Gardiner just to the NW is an active parachute A/P, so be prepared to deviate around them if there are jumpers in the air.
Food/Attractions: Nu-Cavu restaurant right on field with plenty of outdoor seating, plus a sizable dining room and bar. Food was very good (Italian fare). www.Nu-Cavu.com
Recommendation: Certainly on my list to return. I would advise talking to ATC, especially on weekends, to help navigate the near-by jumpers.
Plum Island
Airport ID: 2B2
Date: June 4th, 2011
Day of Week: Saturday
Time of Day: 13:45 – 20:00
Flight Rules: VFR
Route:
5B2 direct 2B2 was pretty much the same as 5B2-CAM-MHT-5B2
ATC Advisories: Yes, all legs. Albany Approach, Boston Center, Boston Approach. No problems getting FF service.
FF was most useful from MHT to 2B2 as there was alot of traffic in/around Manchester and Nashua.
Destination Airport: Small field with no active UNICOM. Airport building was open but serves as an office for an AME.
Sign on airport building says the original Plum Island airport a few miles away was the first airport in Mass.
Food/Attractions: The city of Newburyport is an easy walk west of the airpot. But I chose to walk east about a half-mile or so to Bob Lobster a great clam shack. (http://www.boblobster.com/)
The walk from there to the beach was about another mile. The road has marked bike lanes in both directions, so there’s plenty of room to walk.
On the return trip I made a slight detour to Jaffrey (AFN) for ice cream at Kimball Farms.
Recommendation: I definitely look forward to making this trip again this summer.
