Living on the airport -- comments?

We find ourselves with the rare opportunity to purchase a home with a
property line just 60 feet from the centerline of a 2400 foot runway.

It's a beautiful home, with almost 2 acres of land. It's got everything we
could want in a home, except for a hangar. (The hangar that comes with it
fits an ultralight...) We'd have to add a full-sized hangar.

As we were standing on the deck, facing the runway, watching the planes come
and go, we started to wonder if the plane noise would eventually start to
grate on our nerves. If two people were ever made to live with their
plane, it's Mary and me -- but I thought it might be good to hear from some
of you who have actually DONE it. Does the "music" of the engines turn to
aggravation over time?

Can anyone fill in the gaps? What are the ups and downs of actually living
at an airport?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Man, I would GO for it if I were in your shoes.
An aviators' dream.

Skyking
"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:yZccc.190286$Cb.1727600@attbi_s51...
We find ourselves with the rare opportunity to purchase a home with a
property line just 60 feet from the centerline of a 2400 foot runway.

It's a beautiful home, with almost 2 acres of land. It's got everything
we
could want in a home, except for a hangar. (The hangar that comes with it
fits an ultralight...) We'd have to add a full-sized hangar.

As we were standing on the deck, facing the runway, watching the planes
come
and go, we started to wonder if the plane noise would eventually start to
grate on our nerves. If two people were ever made to live with their
plane, it's Mary and me -- but I thought it might be good to hear from
some
of you who have actually DONE it. Does the "music" of the engines turn
to
aggravation over time?

Can anyone fill in the gaps? What are the ups and downs of actually
living
at an airport?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

I would say YES in a heartbeat... something like that is hard to find. You
will no doubt regret it if you don't go for it.


--
Richard Kaplan, CFII

www.flyimc.com

Go for it. If the noise does become an issue, just form a citizen group to
shut down the airstrip and have it rezoned for a strip mall.

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:yZccc.190286$Cb.1727600@attbi_s51...
We find ourselves with the rare opportunity to purchase a home with a
property line just 60 feet from the centerline of a 2400 foot runway.

It's a beautiful home, with almost 2 acres of land. It's got everything
we
could want in a home, except for a hangar. (The hangar that comes with it
fits an ultralight...) We'd have to add a full-sized hangar.

As we were standing on the deck, facing the runway, watching the planes
come
and go, we started to wonder if the plane noise would eventually start to
grate on our nerves. If two people were ever made to live with their
plane, it's Mary and me -- but I thought it might be good to hear from
some
of you who have actually DONE it. Does the "music" of the engines turn
to
aggravation over time?

Can anyone fill in the gaps? What are the ups and downs of actually
living
at an airport?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

On Mon, 05 Apr 2004 13:15:10 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote:

What are the ups and downs of actually living
at an airport?

You will have to sign a legally enforcable agreement that the airport
was there first, and that you will not join any organization called
Stop the Noise.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

The Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
The Piper Cub Forum www.pipercubforum.com
Viva Bush! blog www.vivabush.org

Jay

Lived on USAF Bases for years with the noise of heavy iron day and
night. After a week or so did not cause any problems.

That being said, if your house is off the end of the R/W where you
have high power applications going over the house at low altitude
might be more of a concern.

2400 strip (grass/dirt) or is it hard surface (all WX)? What kind of a
bird can operate out of there and how much noise can it make?

Can you go to house and listen to birds taking off and landing? Will
give you an idea of noise in house.

Are there double pane windows facing R/W. If not and you install will
reduce noise from that direction.

Is house wall facing R/W brick or wood? Brick will probably let less
noise through?

What about your neighbors?

You didn't say, but is this an "Air Park"? Be sure and check the
'covenants'. Some require lot owners to build a house. Others let the
owners just build a hanger for their bird. You could end up living in
the middle of a bunch of metal hangers????

Is field and all WX one? What kind of WX can you land in there. Is
there snow removal in the winter??

Lots of things to check out before laying the hard cold cash down.

Why are present owners moving? Can you verify their story?

Best of luck


Big John
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On Mon, 05 Apr 2004 13:15:10 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote:

We find ourselves with the rare opportunity to purchase a home with a
property line just 60 feet from the centerline of a 2400 foot runway.

It's a beautiful home, with almost 2 acres of land. It's got everything we
could want in a home, except for a hangar. (The hangar that comes with it
fits an ultralight...) We'd have to add a full-sized hangar.

As we were standing on the deck, facing the runway, watching the planes come
and go, we started to wonder if the plane noise would eventually start to
grate on our nerves. If two people were ever made to live with their
plane, it's Mary and me -- but I thought it might be good to hear from some
of you who have actually DONE it. Does the "music" of the engines turn to
aggravation over time?

Can anyone fill in the gaps? What are the ups and downs of actually living
at an airport?

2400 strip (grass/dirt) or is it hard surface (all WX)? What kind of a
bird can operate out of there and how much noise can it make?

It's 2400 feet of pavement, with a 1600 foot sod over-run. Usable runway
in summer is 4000 feet.

Can you go to house and listen to birds taking off and landing? Will
give you an idea of noise in house.

We looked at it night before last. As we were sitting on the deck that
overlooks the runway with the realtor, a guy in a 152 was doing touch &
goes. The touchdown point for landing is directly in front of the deck,
and not more than 100 feet away -- it was like camping at Oshkosh! The
noise of a touch & go was not bad at all.

When a 182 departed, however, it was pretty loud. Of course, I LIKE
airplane noise, but we started to wonder what taking a nap on a Sunday
afternoon might be like.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message

When a 182 departed, however, it was pretty loud. Of course, I LIKE
airplane noise, but we started to wonder what taking a nap on a Sunday
afternoon might be like.

Come on, Jay! Get real! You think you'll actually be napping when you
live next to a runway? You'll be out flying!

Would it be unethical for me to find out where this house is and try
to outbid Jay? Just kidding. ;-

Jay, when you look back 20 years (or more) from now, are you going to
regret not taking this chance? That's how I'd look at the decision.

Jay, when you look back 20 years (or more) from now, are you going to
regret not taking this chance? That's how I'd look at the decision.

I know-- that thought is haunting me.

But we really can't (shouldn't?) take on another project right now, as we're
only about 1/3 of the way through our hotel renovation....
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:yZccc.190286$Cb.1727600@attbi_s51...
Can anyone fill in the gaps? What are the ups and downs of actually
living
at an airport?

I know, you asked for people who actually live at airparks to comment.
Sorry. We did put an offer on some property at an airpark once, if that
counts. Here's my two cents anyway...

Likely the biggest problem is simply that you'll be a member of a
homeowner's association, and will have various obligations with respect to
the maintenance of the airport, and with respect to being restricted by the
covenants of the association. That can sometimes be a royal pain the neck,
and many people avoid buying in developments with covenants and associations
for that reason. Of course, those covenants also provide for a more
uniform, regulated environment, and of course at an airpark help protect the
airport itself.

As for the noise, at most airparks, there are only a handful of operations
each day. You'd have less total exposure to airplane noise than you would
from your neighbors mowing every weekend. Some airparks are considerably
busier, but I have a friend who lives at one of the busier airparks and I've
never heard him complain about the noise.

For that matter, I know several other people who also live at airparks, and
while I've heard complaints, they've never been about the aircraft-related
stuff. It's always other things, like "we live so far from the city", or
"our homeowner's association can never agree on anything", that sort of
thing.

You don't say how far the actual home is from the runway, but I'd be
surprised if the noise ever wound up being a problem. I'd also be surprised
if, other than presenting some unique issues (along with some unique
opportunities), living at an airpark was any worse than living in any other
development. And I'd think there'd be lots to love about it.

Pete