"Casey Wilson" wrote in
:

Any hints or tips on flying into KSGU? I have the route planned from
KEDW - DAG - LAS - MMM - KSGU. How about FBOs, fees, etc.?

Casey



If flew into SGU from SAN as the first leg of my first VFR vacation in
June. Very cool place to land, since the airport is on top of a mesa
that overlooks the the town. ASOS had the winds at 17 gusting to 24,
mostly crosswind out of the west. No one was in the pattern, and I
couldn't raise anyone on UNICOM for advisories (at 18:00 on a Saturday).

This was the first unfamiliar airport I had visited in over a year, and I
found myself a bit too high on final. Deciding to go-around, I noticed
that it took a fair bit of rudder and aileron to hold the centerline as I
overflew the runway.

The next time around, the approach was much better. I remember flaring,
then realizing that I was going to have to use full aileron and rudder to
keep straight down the runway. That was (and remains) a first for me, and
was lots of fun.

I taxied to Western Air and Jet services on the SE side of the airport,
and tied down there. The FBO was closing, and although the kid who was
shutting down was pleasant, he didn't have any suggestions as to how I
should get to Sullivan's Roccoco Inn and restaurant about a half-mile
down the field, nor would Sullivan's come and pick me up. I started
hoofing it with my luggage and flight bag, but some nice lady took pity
on me and gave me a lift.

Sullivan's was great. It sits on the side of the mesa, giving great
views. During the night, some kids tossed all of the white plastic
chairs that go with each rooms patio down the side of the mesa. The next
morning there were kids tromping up and down the hillside and on my
patio, fetching the chairs.

I thought that the restaurant was good, and had a beer (maybe two)and
large prime rib for about $24. I think the room was $59.

The next morning, I realized that I should have taxied down to the main
air terminal, as there were tie-downs immediately across from the hotel.
Too bad the kid at the FBO didn't clue me in. I hiked back to Western,
which was just opening. When the same guy was unable to find the cpu for
their computer so that I could use DUATS, I just said "screw it" and
taxied north where I tied-down across from my hotel. I didn't but gas at
Western, and I didn't pay for the tied-down. I carried my luggage over,
loaded the plane, then taxied for fuel at some no-name place directly
across the runway. Never did get a DUATS (which I wanted for a fresh leg
table), but I did get wx briefing on my cell phone.

Sullivan's had a continental breakfast going, and I made the mistake of
having juice and coffe just before I left. Sure made the three hour
flight up to Twin Falls seem like torture.

Taking off in the morning was uneventful (no crosswinds). D.A. was
4,000, and I had no problem outclimbing the gently rising terrain to the
NW.

There is commercial turboprop service into SGU, and it was cool to watch
the large planes land and takeoff.

-John Ross