"Mxsmanic" wrote in message
...
Kev writes:

Not to mention, the old Piper ads from the 60's showing a shiny new
plane parked on a grass strip next to a river, with several happy-
looking fisherman / pilots fly-casting in hip boots :-)

Sounds like they had it backwards. I can see someone wanting to fly and
using
a $100 hamburger as an excuse to do so, but wanting to fish and getting a
private pilot's license just to get to the lake? I don't think so.


From the "bad" old days and maybe still.....

The bank at Rio Vista, Texas (SW of Fort Worth) had its own airstrip and the
occasional fly-in customer (but no fly in/drive by window service.

Back in the early 60s, there was a well known steakhouse near San Angelo,
Texas, at the tiny crossroads of Lowicky (sp?), which had its own strip (and
all sorts of diners from across West Texas, long distances and much general
aviation, who flew in for lunch and dinner.

The old Texas Power and Light, now TXU, power generating plants all had
cooling lakes, all pretty good fishing because of warm winter water (warmed
as it cooled the generating systems and recondensed used steam). Brown &
Root, now KBR, a part of Halliburton, built most of the newer plants, and
included a runway and "clubhouse" in the deal, grand and near secret "fly
in" weekend fishing/drinking/gambling/unmentionable etc. spots for company
execs plus state and local politicians. The one at "Trading House Creek" is
3,000' or so, paved and long enough for most light twins.