EYW Key West / NQX Naval Air Station

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gtmize
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EYW Key West / NQX Naval Air Station

Post by gtmize »

Flew into EYW on the RNAV 27 approach VFR
Despite flying VFR I usually fly instrument approaches into new airports to avoid pointy things
Anyway the EYW tower asked me if I had contacted the navy tower on my approach
I had not assuming the RNAV approach would keep me outside the NQX airspace
apparently not .. but lesson learned that published approaches may not keep you clear of adjacent military airspace

The Signature FBO there ( only FBO) was understaffed & not very friendly
also parked my plane a long distance away
getting to the plane to load was a real hassle
but they're the only game in town
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Re: EYW Key West / NQX Naval Air Station

Post by Soareyes »

Screen Shot 2020-10-03 at 7.14.09 AM.png
Screen Shot 2020-10-03 at 7.17.43 AM.png
Navy airspace to 2,500 ft. - KEYW RNAV 27 goes right through the middle of it.

You'd have to go pretty far out over the water to go around their airspace. Easier to just call Navy from 10 miles out.

No number to call? Call it a cheap lesson courtesy of a nice controller, or perhaps one who didn't want to bother with the paperwork. Might be too late now but would have been good time to consider filing an ASRS report. https://asrs.arc.nasa.gov

Agree about the FBO at Key West. They wouldn't get away with it if they had some competition.
Last edited by Soareyes on Sat Oct 03, 2020 11:46 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: EYW Key West / NQX Naval Air Station

Post by Tim H »

I've been thinking about flying to EYW, and wondered how to navigate the NQX airspace.

Anyone have any experience flying in IFR? Does ATC clear you through NQX w/o having to contact NQX tower or do they just vector you around?

What about flying in VFR? Just avoid NQX or contact NQX tower and ask to transit their airspace while talking to EYW tower?
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Re: EYW Key West / NQX Naval Air Station

Post by Soareyes »

If IFR you will already be talking to Miami and they will switch you to Navy who will switch you to Key West Tower.

If VFR you call Navy from 10-12 miles out. They will usually tell you to stay south and will switch you to Key West Tower fairly quickly.

Study the chart before you go to make sure you have a plan to avoid the tethered blimp to the northeast. Coming down along the south side of the island chain works for me.

You have to fly to Key West at least once because it is a cool thing to do. But the expense, the poor FBO service, the crowded parking - almost better to land at Marathon and drive a rental car 40 miles down.
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Re: EYW Key West / NQX Naval Air Station

Post by ultraturtle »

Winds at EYW are almost always quite strong out of the East. They very seldom land to the West, so this is not usually much of a factor.

Watch out for that 14,000' MSL tethered baloon 14 mi to the NE, though!
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