Touring Recommendations for Pacific Northwest and New England

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Worldwisetrade
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Touring Recommendations for Pacific Northwest and New England

Post by Worldwisetrade »

Planning on a couple of trips for summer and fall flying. Any suggestions for interesting fly in destinations?
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AndrewM
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Re: Touring Recommendations for Pacific Northwest and New England

Post by AndrewM »

Nantucket Island (KACK), Block Island (KBID), not sure if I would do in a DA62 (CFI Dave pls weigh in here) but I love 1B2 (Katama Airpark on Martha's Vineyard). Provincetown is great (KPVC), and Barr Harbor highly recommended (KBHB). Another nice place to go is KRKD where there is an air and space museum on the other side of the field, short FBO courtesy car rise away, or they will come pick you up.
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Re: Touring Recommendations for Pacific Northwest and New England

Post by Chris »

If the timing works, there's an actual Diamond Aviators fly-in scheduled for August 21st in Loveland, CO. It would make a nice stop on your way either to or from the Pacific NW.

Worthwhile things to do in the Pacific NW:
  • San Juan Islands (Orcas or Friday Harbor are popular)
  • The Cascades are beautiful if you haven't flown them before: Mt St Helens, Mt Hood, Mt Jefferson, Crater Lake, etc.
  • McMinnville, OR has the Spruce Goose museum and is close to Oregon wine country
  • Boeing Field has the Museum of Flight. Just read all of the special procedures before you try to fly into there.
  • Coeur d'Alene and/or Sandpoint, Idaho are nice places for a short stay
  • Bandon, Oregon is a good stop along the coast if you are into golf. (Bend is another nice summer golf destination in the Cascades).
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MarkA
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Re: Touring Recommendations for Pacific Northwest and New England

Post by MarkA »

Here are a few of my favorites in the Pacific Northwest:
  • Friday Harbor (KFHR) - The airport is basically in town and you can walk to the water front for shops and restaurants. Flight around the San Juan Islands, Olympic mountains and Puget Sound has some spectacular views.
  • Museum of Flight at Boeing Field (KBFI) - You can park on the ramp right outside the aviation museum.
  • Flight around Mt St Helens - Still a spectacular view 40 years after the eruption.
  • Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, McMinnville, OR (KMMV) - Museum is just across the road from KMMV and is the home of the Spruce Goose, a SR71, etc.
  • Erickson Aircraft Collection, Madras, OR (KS33) - The museum is on the field and has a nice private collection of flyable WWII planes.
  • Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum - Hood River, OR - The museum is on the field and has an eclectic collection of old planes, cars and random stuff. There are also a number of wineries near by.
Enjoy!
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Re: Touring Recommendations for Pacific Northwest and New England

Post by CFIDave »

AndrewM wrote: Tue Jun 29, 2021 6:46 pm Nantucket Island (KACK), Block Island (KBID), not sure if I would do in a DA62 (CFI Dave pls weigh in here) but I love 1B2 (Katama Airpark on Martha's Vineyard). Provincetown is great (KPVC), and Barr Harbor highly recommended (KBHB). Another nice place to go is KRKD where there is an air and space museum on the other side of the field, short FBO courtesy car rise away, or they will come pick you up.
Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard are great to fly to (been there, done that), but Block Island may be too short a runway to comfortably handle a DA62. It's also worth flying over Mt. Washington in NH (the highest mountain in New England) and Lake Champlain in VT in the fall when you can do the ultimate in "leaf peeping" from the air. And in ME besides Bar Harbor/Acadia National Park, we had a surprisingly fun time visiting Portland, ME with lots to do on the waterfront and harbor, including taking a ferry out to an island for biking.
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Boatguy
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Re: Touring Recommendations for Pacific Northwest and New England

Post by Boatguy »

KMMV is also in the heart of Oregon wine country, known for some very good pinot noir, and some chardonnay.

Separately, what are people's thoughts about KBFI versus KRNT for visiting Seattle?
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Re: Touring Recommendations for Pacific Northwest and New England

Post by photoSteveZ »

Boatguy wrote: Wed Jun 30, 2021 3:39 am Separately, what are people's thoughts about KBFI versus KRNT for visiting Seattle?
KBFI is the better option; Renton has only one runway, and is really tight on ramp space. Modern Aviation is a CAA FBO at BFI with good Jet-A prices, though I haven’t been in there since acquiring my DA62. Always call ahead for a reservation.
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