Tue, Dec 29, 2009
In Well Over 400 Hours Of Flight Time, ANN Sure Got Around This
Year
Final Compilations by ANN Editor-In-Chief/Cheap-Fuel-Finder,
Jim Campbell
It was a busy and
wide-ranging year for ANN. Since taking the plunge and buying a
Cirrus G3 Turbo in the wee hours of 2008 (literally on New Year's
Eve), and we've been spending a LOT of time on/over the road and
with some 300 hours in our aircraft and nearly 200 more in a few
others (including a long/great trip in a Columbia/Cessna 400) and
quite a few hours in a really sweet Turbo-Aztec (with all the
ice-fighting goodies... one of the most rugged workhorses in the
M/E world). In so doing, we've been to a number of airports, FBO
and maintenance facilities in the course of the year... many of
which truly distinguished themselves... and a few that truly did
not. That being the case, we wanted to recognize some of the better
experiences we had this year in the hope that the word will get out
that these are aviation businesses worth frequenting and have
demonstrated their ability to earn our business... and a return
visit when the opportunity arises.
On a fall trip to the West Coast, N377SR got to see the best and
worst of a number of Southern tier FBOs... among those that truly
stood out include:
KICT: Yingling Aviation, Wichita Mid-Continent Airport,
Wichita, Kansas
N377SR made a number of
trips to KICT this year... including our very first, "oh-mi-gosh,
we're down to minimums" approach with the newly installed Avidyne
Release 9 cockpit in surprisingly pervasive fog this past fall. I
won't say it was REALLY foggy but the fact that the ducks were
walking by as I landed might give you some indication of how
interesting it was getting... and into a setting sun, no less.
After pulling a bone-headed move turning the wrong way off the
runway at Mid-Continent, KICT Ground very politely put up with my
cranial-rectal inversion and guided me over to Yingling Aviation...
where I heard the FBO was supposed to be very friendly to GA... and
the rumors are true. While there is a lot of high-end and even
military traffic at Yingling, I was met by a very professional line
crew, pointed to the very cost-effective self-service pumps with no
hint of malice toward those of us trying to save a few bucks and
billed a REASONABLE fee for overnight use of the ramp. They tied
down "Puff" very carefully when I was finished gassing her up and
had her out on the ramp promptly as I headed out each time.
The facility is very well-appointed, local transport to
neighboring hotels and back is accomplished quickly and politely,
the staff is friendly and the planning room was well equipped.
We'll be back at Yingling soon...
Aero-Verdict: Great Service, Great Value, Highly
Recommended.
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