Schaumburg (06C) v. Palwaukee (PWK)

I live in Chicago (NW side) and recently purchased a Grumman Tiger.
Can anyone comment on the relative advantages/disadvantages of basing
it at 06C or PWK?

I have already done the research on costs, distance from home, airnav
info, etc., and am looking for comments from people with first-hand
experience as either based or transient pilots at either airport.

Thanks in advance,

Dave

If I had to fly out of either I would quit flying although 06C does have an
excellent restaurant. Come out to C77, Poplar Grove.

"Dave" wrote in message
m...
I live in Chicago (NW side) and recently purchased a Grumman Tiger.
Can anyone comment on the relative advantages/disadvantages of basing
it at 06C or PWK?

I have already done the research on costs, distance from home, airnav
info, etc., and am looking for comments from people with first-hand
experience as either based or transient pilots at either airport.

Thanks in advance,

Dave

(Dave) wrote in message om...
I live in Chicago (NW side) and recently purchased a Grumman Tiger.
Can anyone comment on the relative advantages/disadvantages of basing
it at 06C or PWK?

I have already done the research on costs, distance from home, airnav
info, etc., and am looking for comments from people with first-hand
experience as either based or transient pilots at either airport.

Thanks in advance,

Dave

Don't know much about 06c,but pwk has good service overall with
signature,but
if you are going to hangar your tiger you are looking at about $ 640
p/mo.
With respect to geographic location its really important to idetify
for
what type of flying you will use your airplane
ie.instruction,training,business
etc..
I own an aicraft which I moved from pwk last february to kenosha,due
to the reason that i am paying now only $ 350 p/mo for hangar,and
because the primary use
of my aircraft is for aerobatics,I save tons of fuel and time flying
st&level
to and from my practice area which must be outside the class B veil,
and is actually just 10 knts west of ENW.

I'm currently based at PWK. Did my private and IFR training there. Busy?
Yes. Too busy? I don't think so.

It is a big airport with lots of charter and business traffic. Makes it
interesting, in my mind. It is not a small country airport where you can
walk down the hangar line and drop in for a conversation and some hangar
flying.

It is expensive. Signature and North American Jet provide fuel and both are
expensive. But, both are 24-hour operations.

Tie down is around 120/month for a T-spot where you have to push your plane
back in. There are currently plenty of spots open. More expensive and a
waiting list for the pull-through spots. Hangars are virtually out of the
question because of price and availability - waiting list. They are building
new T-hangars but there is already a waiting list.

In the tie-down area, you get to know your neighbors. There is a small group
of pilots who do regular breakfast flights on the weekends and a regular
lunch on Wednesdays. Signature certainly provides everything you need, they
are not too far from the tie-down area, and there is a nice lounge where you
will usually find pilots hanging out.

There is maintenance on the field but it is also expensive. I use it when I
have to but I use Kenosha or Waukegan for my regular stuff.

Nice security. Noone on the field without a key card and a right to be
there. The FBOs will question you if they see you wandering around the
field. I like that.

Controllers are very friendly, I think. I've been flying there for about 8
years and have never had the least bit of confrontation with them. I have
heard them berate a pilot for doing something stupid - "Cessna 1234. Your're
on the F*cking runway without a clearance! Cleared for immediate takeoff and
learn your procedures before you come back!" Sounds like a good policy to
me! They don't have time to fool around. Neither do I. There is massive
amounts of training based on the field so the controllers are used to newbie
pilots who need some hand holding.

Socked in by O'Hare to the south. Traffic is 1800' MSL (1000' AGL) SE to the
lakeshore or SW from the DuPage area. 2500 W, NW, N, NE, and E.

Going south or east, it's a departure toward the lake and low levels over
populated areas. Along the lakeshore at 2500 for a nice view of the City.
What better way to start or end a flight? Around the bottom of the lake to
go east. Squeeze between Gary and Midway to go south.

Going SW is probably the most complicated. Low level departure from PWK,
clearance through DuPage or around it on either side.

North along the lakeshore, you've got Waukegan, Kenosha, and Milwaukee
airspace to deal with or you can get up above them.

NW or W, five miles outside of PWK you can shut your radio off.

Pleasure flying? Head NW and in 15 minutes you are over farm country.

Summary: Expensive, 24-hour operations, close to my house on the northshore.

--
-------------------------------
Travis

"Dave" wrote in message
m...
I live in Chicago (NW side) and recently purchased a Grumman Tiger.
Can anyone comment on the relative advantages/disadvantages of basing
it at 06C or PWK?

I have already done the research on costs, distance from home, airnav
info, etc., and am looking for comments from people with first-hand
experience as either based or transient pilots at either airport.

Thanks in advance,

Dave

On 16 Apr 2004 07:24:10 -0700, (Dave) wrote:

I live in Chicago (NW side) and recently purchased a Grumman Tiger.
Can anyone comment on the relative advantages/disadvantages of basing
it at 06C or PWK?

I have already done the research on costs, distance from home, airnav
info, etc., and am looking for comments from people with first-hand
experience as either based or transient pilots at either airport.

Congrats on your plane purchase. I base at 3CK and fly to 06C and PWK
occasionally. PWK is a much bigger and busier airport than 06C.
Personally, I like 3CK much better than either one of them, but it may
not be an option for you.

Here are a few thoughts:

Reasons to like PWK:
1. Multiple runways for crosswind landings
2. Instrument (including ILS approaches)

Reasons to not like PWK:
1. Very busy - seems like I always wait for multiple planes to
takeoff/land.
2. Towered, so each flight takes a few extra minute to get ATIS,
clearance, ground, tower communications.
3. Expensive. I paid well over $3.00 for fuel at Signature last
week.

Reasons to like O6C.
1. Non-towered.
2. Restaurant on field

Reasons not to like 06C;
1. No instrument approaches
2. Very close to ORD B airspace (limits height on approach/depature).
3. Strict noise regulations

If you can make the drive to Lake in the Hills, it might be a cheaper
place to keep a plane (T-Hangar rental is ~$350/mo). Tiedowns are
~$100/mo. Fuel is $2.96/gal. We have instrument approaches (VOR 26,
VOR-A, RNAV 8, RNAV 26). Several maintenance shops on field,
including an avionics shop.

-Nathan

An added note on 06C. The tie downs are currently $80/month. There are
"powered" tie downs for an additional cost (I believe another $10/mo.).
These are just located in a line where the overhead lights are. There is
an outlet in each pole. These are all filled up with folks who believe
they need their heaters plugged in around the clock whenever it gets
below 40 degrees.

There are plenty of push back tie downs available, few pull throughs. I
believe there may be hangars available. A huge new tie down ramp was
completed, but there are no tie down rings (rings??) installed. They are
also beginning construction on 40 new hangars this summer. I have no
idea who can afford these prices for hangars.

06C also has a self serv fuel facility. However, for some reason, it is
not advertised and little used. There are no instructions and it is in
an out of the way location. Operating it is not intuitive, but most
pilots can figure it out by trial and error. I have used it at times
when the FBO is closed. A couple of times, it was inop. Since it is used
so little, people don't report malfunctions. It probably gets little use
because the FBO has pretty good hours and nobody knows it is there, even
pilots based there. I believe self serv is the same price as the FBO.
Another disincentive.

Fuel prices are arrived at by looking at the surrounding airports and
picking a price somewhere in between.

Another poster at 3CK was telling of its virtues. As a transient, 3CK
has one big drawback; there is NO room to park your airplane. They
really need to expand their tiny ramp. Others report they also like the
place. It is a pretty good haul from your location, though.

Good Luck in your search,
Mike


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On 18 Apr 2004 12:35:40 GMT, Mike Spera wrote:



An added note on 06C. The tie downs are currently $80/month. There are
"powered" tie downs for an additional cost (I believe another $10/mo.).
These are just located in a line where the overhead lights are. There is
an outlet in each pole. These are all filled up with folks who believe
they need their heaters plugged in around the clock whenever it gets
below 40 degrees.

There are plenty of push back tie downs available, few pull throughs. I
believe there may be hangars available. A huge new tie down ramp was
completed, but there are no tie down rings (rings??) installed. They are
also beginning construction on 40 new hangars this summer. I have no
idea who can afford these prices for hangars.

06C also has a self serv fuel facility. However, for some reason, it is
not advertised and little used. There are no instructions and it is in
an out of the way location. Operating it is not intuitive, but most
pilots can figure it out by trial and error. I have used it at times
when the FBO is closed. A couple of times, it was inop. Since it is used
so little, people don't report malfunctions. It probably gets little use
because the FBO has pretty good hours and nobody knows it is there, even
pilots based there. I believe self serv is the same price as the FBO.
Another disincentive.

Fuel prices are arrived at by looking at the surrounding airports and
picking a price somewhere in between.

Another poster at 3CK was telling of its virtues. As a transient, 3CK
has one big drawback; there is NO room to park your airplane. They
really need to expand their tiny ramp. Others report they also like the
place. It is a pretty good haul from your location, though.

Mike is correct about the transient ramp @ 3ck. It isn't very large,
and is often cramped on weekends. 3CK began a series of major field
upgrades last fall that will continue for the next few years, I
believe one of the upgrades is to increase the size of transient ramp.

-Nathan

If I had to fly out of either I would quit flying

Heh. My thoughts exactly.

Although I do like "Pilot Pete's" at Schaumburg...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"