Moving to Sacramento... many questions...

[Johnny Google]

Ok,

After 3 years of living in the Bay Area, punishing myself thinking I
will someday actually be able to buy a home, I've made up my mind that
I will make the move to the Sacramento area. At $400-$500K for a nice
house, the cost savings between the two areas will actually give me
enough cushion to invest in a plane and consider flying back and forth
to work.

This seems part fantasy and part impractical.... but so is buying a
home in the Bay Area that isn't a little tiny shack. And OH, how I
might just hate flying everyday!

In order to do this, I need to find a place I would like to live that
is also close to an airport where I can keep a plane. I've flown into
Mather and I figure Rancho Cordova and Folsom are close enough. But
anything north of that and you run out of options quickly... Roseville
and Rocklin seem to only have Lincoln as an option... maybe Auborn.

1)
Can I get some opinions from anyone who actually has a home base of:
Mather, Auborn, McClellan, Cameron Park, Elk Grove (what is the latest
on this little airport staying or going?)

2)
Does anyone fly regularly from the Sac area to the Bay Area ... like
commuting to work? Does the fog really ground IFR departures and
arrivals that often during the winter?

3)
If I do invest in a plane, I would like to find other pasengers to
help keep the costs down to commute - has anyone ever gone looking for
passengers for regular commutes in a plane? I have no idea where to
post such a notice that I am looking for passengers to share a flight.
I would be flying in/out of either Palo Alto / Reid Hillview / San
Jose. I work at Cisco in Milpitas - any interested parties out there?

4)
Is there a Sacramento Pilot's Forum or something to talk with other
local pilots and 'flight-share'? Or how would I find even non-pilots
who want to travel at 1/2 to 1/3 the time between the Sac area and the
Bay Area.

5)
Are there any fractional ownership / partnerships up in the Sac area
for a 182 or 172 looking for a partner?

Thanks for any feedback...

John

[Jack Allison]

Johnny Google wrote:
> 1)
> Can I get some opinions from anyone who actually has a home base of:
> Mather, Auborn, McClellan, Cameron Park, Elk Grove (what is the latest
> on this little airport staying or going?)
Ok, so my home base isn't one of these...but that's the reason for
answering this one. Don't discount Lincoln. I've been flying there for
the past four years and it's a nice airport. Lots of new housing
development in the area as well (no idea of the prices though). Two GPS
approaches and an ILS.

McClellan doesn't have private hangars. If you don't mind paying the
Jet Center extra ca$h, they're happy to pull your plane out of their
hangars and put it away for you. We used them for a month after buying
our plane. IIRC, we were paying north of $400/month, not quite 2X what
our current T-hangar at LHM rents for. Free coffee at the jet center
though :-P

Cameron park is nice...no instrument approaches though.

> 5)
> Are there any fractional ownership / partnerships up in the Sac area
> for a 182 or 172 looking for a partner?

Your best bet would be to visit the airports you're interested in, check
the bulletin boards and FBOs, maybe post something there, try Craig's List.


--
Jack Allison
PP-ASEL-Instrument Airplane

"To become a Jedi knight, you must master a single force. To become
a private pilot you must strive to master four of them"
- Rod Machado

(Remove the obvious from address to reply via e-mail)

[Larry Dighera]

On 1 Feb 2007 22:04:09 -0800, "Johnny Google"
> wrote in
. com>:

>Does the fog really ground IFR departures and
>arrivals that often during the winter?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tule_fog
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/01/25/BAG0DAVPBA1.DTL

>3)
>If I do invest in a plane, I would like to find other pasengers to
>help keep the costs down to commute - has anyone ever gone looking for
>passengers for regular commutes in a plane? I have no idea where to
>post such a notice that I am looking for passengers to share a flight.
>I would be flying in/out of either Palo Alto / Reid Hillview / San
>Jose. I work at Cisco in Milpitas - any interested parties out there?

Seeing that it's a violation of FARs to "hold out," unless you're Part
135 compliant, it can be a problem. But you might inquire of this
pilot how he did it: http://www.ploung.com/rough_landing.htm
or ).

[Robert M. Gary]

On Feb 1, 10:04 pm, "Johnny Google" > wrote:
> Ok,
>
> After 3 years of living in the Bay Area, punishing myself thinking I
> will someday actually be able to buy a home, I've made up my mind that
> I will make the move to the Sacramento area. At $400-$500K for a nice
> house, the cost savings between the two areas will actually give me
> enough cushion to invest in a plane and consider flying back and forth
> to work.
>
> This seems part fantasy and part impractical.... but so is buying a
> home in the Bay Area that isn't a little tiny shack. And OH, how I
> might just hate flying everyday!
>
> In order to do this, I need to find a place I would like to live that
> is also close to an airport where I can keep a plane. I've flown into
> Mather and I figure Rancho Cordova and Folsom are close enough. But
> anything north of that and you run out of options quickly... Roseville
> and Rocklin seem to only have Lincoln as an option... maybe Auborn.
>
> 1)
> Can I get some opinions from anyone who actually has a home base of:
> Mather, Auborn, McClellan, Cameron Park, Elk Grove (what is the latest
> on this little airport staying or going?)
>
> 2)
> Does anyone fly regularly from the Sac area to the Bay Area ... like
> commuting to work? Does the fog really ground IFR departures and
> arrivals that often during the winter?
>
> 3)
> If I do invest in a plane, I would like to find other pasengers to
> help keep the costs down to commute - has anyone ever gone looking for
> passengers for regular commutes in a plane? I have no idea where to
> post such a notice that I am looking for passengers to share a flight.
> I would be flying in/out of either Palo Alto / Reid Hillview / San
> Jose. I work at Cisco in Milpitas - any interested parties out there?
>
> 4)
> Is there a Sacramento Pilot's Forum or something to talk with other
> local pilots and 'flight-share'? Or how would I find even non-pilots
> who want to travel at 1/2 to 1/3 the time between the Sac area and the
> Bay Area.
>
> 5)
> Are there any fractional ownership / partnerships up in the Sac area
> for a 182 or 172 looking for a partner?
>
> Thanks for any feedback...

The best GA airports in the area are SAC and Lincoln. I'm based out of
Cameron Park right now but the airport is shrinking (tiedown space
sold to devlopers) and I believe there is a waiting list for tie down
spots (I see ads to sublease tie downs). Its a nice quiet airport but
no instrument approach, and I've considered moving to SAC a few times.
There are several good partnerships in SAC, however you are not likely
to find many partnerships that are interested in selling a share to
someone who wants to use the plane to commute.
Unless you plan on regularly flying with 3-4 on board, the C-182
doesn't make sense. It burns way more gas than the 172 but is only a
little bit faster.

-Robert

[A Guy Called Tyketto]

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Hash: SHA1

Robert M. Gary > wrote:
> On Feb 1, 10:04 pm, "Johnny Google" > wrote:
>> Ok,
>>
>> After 3 years of living in the Bay Area, punishing myself thinking I
>> will someday actually be able to buy a home, I've made up my mind that
>> I will make the move to the Sacramento area. At $400-$500K for a nice
>> house, the cost savings between the two areas will actually give me
>> enough cushion to invest in a plane and consider flying back and forth
>> to work.
>>
>> This seems part fantasy and part impractical.... but so is buying a
>> home in the Bay Area that isn't a little tiny shack. And OH, how I
>> might just hate flying everyday!
>
> The best GA airports in the area are SAC and Lincoln. I'm based out of
> Cameron Park right now but the airport is shrinking (tiedown space
> sold to devlopers) and I believe there is a waiting list for tie down
> spots (I see ads to sublease tie downs). Its a nice quiet airport but
> no instrument approach, and I've considered moving to SAC a few times.
> There are several good partnerships in SAC, however you are not likely
> to find many partnerships that are interested in selling a share to
> someone who wants to use the plane to commute.
> Unless you plan on regularly flying with 3-4 on board, the C-182
> doesn't make sense. It burns way more gas than the 172 but is only a
> little bit faster.
>
> -Robert

From the OP, I couldn't tell if he wanted to buy the home in
the Folsom/Cordova area. If so, you've pretty much summed it up,
Robert.

If not, I don't know how things are in that area, but Rio Linda
could also be an option. It puts you slightly west of McClellan, but
keeps you out of any activity the USCG may be doing there.

Is staying physically in the Sacramento metro area an absolute?
Woodland/Davis and Vacaville offer alternatives that could suit, though
it might be further out of the city than you'd like. Elk Grove is still
there, though it's going through the same complaints that Las Vegas
currently has: Developers building homes directly underneath the flight
paths and departure corridor of the 25s, and homeowners complaining
about the noise because they bought the homes underneath the flight
paths. But so far, it is still open.

As for people flying for the commute, I have a vendor for my
company who lives out of Sacramento, but flies to work in Palo Alto
daily. He generally doesn't have a problem, but I'll give him a call
and see how his commutes are.

BL.
- --
Brad Littlejohn | Email:
Unix Systems Administrator, |
Web + NewsMaster, BOFH.. Smeghead! :) | http://www.wizard.com/~tyketto
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[Dave[_5_]]

Look for a place above the fog but below the snow - about 1000 ft
elevation. Auburn is nice.

[Robert M. Gary]

On Feb 2, 3:38 pm, "Dave" > wrote:
> Look for a place above the fog but below the snow - about 1000 ft
> elevation. Auburn is nice.

Auburn gets nasty fog too. I like SAC because you can usually get in
on the ILS. Even when they are calling 001VV and 1/4 if you shoot the
approach a few times you'll see the rabbit at least once out of every
3 attempts. If you live in Sacramento or along the 50 area Auburn is
an hours drive.

-Robert, CFII

[RST Engineering]

I don't wanna pop your bubble but ...

ANYWHERE you want to fly from Livermore to Reno is going to have some crappy
days in the wintertime ... say from November to April. You may be able to
fly 80% of the time (like this winter). You may be able to fly 20% of the
time (like last winter).

Contrary to popular opinion from folks that don't live there, 1000' MSL is
NOT above the fog line. That honor generally comes to 2000' MSL and above
and isn't ALWAYS true. 3000' is NOT below the snow line, but is generally.
If you are looking to avoid most of the snowline and fogline, set your
search engine to 1500-3500 MSL. Find Placerville, Grass Valley, Alta
Sierra, and a few more up in the Motherlode of the Sierra.

Figure a commute one way from a Motherlode airport of 3 hours MINIMUM one
way. I hate to rain (figuratively) on your parade, but that's 6 hours
commute for an 8 hour workday. Do you plan on sleeping?

If you perch above the fogline and plan on going "on top" across the valley,
I've got one phrase for you: Engine Failure. Yep, that trusty old mill can
toss steel and aluminum bits and pieces at a moment's notice and you are
stuck making an ILS or GCA into either an airport or a rice paddy with no
go-around allowed.

If it were me and I just HAD to work in the Bay Area, I'd probably look more
like Tracy, Gilroy, Petaluma, Angwin, and the rest of the "close in but
relatively inexpensive" places.

As to "joint ownership" with a couple of other people, if you plan on using
this sucker on a daily basis, I'd bet you wouldn't find a lot of takers for
your group.

I'll buy lunch if you want to look at Grass Valley.
"Johnny Google" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Ok,
>
> After 3 years of living in the Bay Area, punishing myself thinking I
> will someday actually be able to buy a home, I've made up my mind that
> I will make the move to the Sacramento area. At $400-$500K for a nice
> house, the cost savings between the two areas will actually give me
> enough cushion to invest in a plane and consider flying back and forth
> to work.

[Bladerunner]

On Feb 1, 10:04 pm, "Johnny Google" > wrote:
> Ok,
>
> After 3 years of living in the Bay Area, punishing myself thinking I
> will someday actually be able to buy a home, I've made up my mind that
> I will make the move to the Sacramento area. At $400-$500K for a nice
> house, the cost savings between the two areas will actually give me
> enough cushion to invest in a plane and consider flying back and forth
> to work.
>
> This seems part fantasy and part impractical.... but so is buying a
> home in the Bay Area that isn't a little tiny shack. And OH, how I
> might just hate flying everyday!
>
> In order to do this, I need to find a place I would like to live that
> is also close to an airport where I can keep a plane. I've flown into
> Mather and I figure Rancho Cordova and Folsom are close enough. But
> anything north of that and you run out of options quickly... Roseville
> and Rocklin seem to only have Lincoln as an option... maybe Auborn.
>
> 1)
> Can I get some opinions from anyone who actually has a home base of:
> Mather, Auborn, McClellan, Cameron Park, Elk Grove (what is the latest
> on this little airport staying or going?)
>
> 2)
> Does anyone fly regularly from the Sac area to the Bay Area ... like
> commuting to work? Does the fog really ground IFR departures and
> arrivals that often during the winter?
>
> 3)
> If I do invest in a plane, I would like to find other pasengers to
> help keep the costs down to commute - has anyone ever gone looking for
> passengers for regular commutes in a plane? I have no idea where to
> post such a notice that I am looking for passengers to share a flight.
> I would be flying in/out of either Palo Alto / Reid Hillview / San
> Jose. I work at Cisco in Milpitas - any interested parties out there?
>
> 4)
> Is there a Sacramento Pilot's Forum or something to talk with other
> local pilots and 'flight-share'? Or how would I find even non-pilots
> who want to travel at 1/2 to 1/3 the time between the Sac area and the
> Bay Area.
>
> 5)
> Are there any fractional ownership / partnerships up in the Sac area
> for a 182 or 172 looking for a partner?
>
> Thanks for any feedback...
>
> John

Hi ,

Have you checked out airparks:

http://www.airporthomes.com/viewhomeswest.htm

Home in SAC looks like what you are after,

N

[Johnny Google]

Sorry - I mistakenly started a new post instead of replying to this
one... my continuation of this thread is in the post 'Still
looking....' in this group... need to get some coffee :-0