Early morning hotel-to-airport

A friend and I are planning on flying our Ercoupes from California to
Oshkosh. First long trip for both of us.

Based on just about everyone's advice, we want to leave each day as
early as possible (takeoff around 6:00 am), fly until noon or so, and
then park for the rest of the day. This schedule means we have to be
leaving whatever motel we end up in around 5:00 am. So we were
wondering, is anybody up that early in the smaller towns to give a
lift to the airport?? How do you dawn patrol types get to the airport
early?

In **very** small towns, you can generally call the town cop and ask what time
of the morning he generally checks the airport. (S)he will ask why, and you say
that you are a visitor that would really like to get rolling at that hour and
wondering if you can bum a ride. 95% success rate.

In *small* towns, you are at the mercy of the local motel owner. Sometimes you
can prevail on them to let you use one of the owner's vehicles and leave the key
for later morning pickup by them. 50% success rate.

In larger towns, the taxis run all night long.


Jim



Bob Fry
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:

So we were
-wondering, is anybody up that early in the smaller towns to give a
-lift to the airport?? How do you dawn patrol types get to the airport
-early?

Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

"Bob Fry" wrote in message ...
A friend and I are planning on flying our Ercoupes from California to
Oshkosh. First long trip for both of us.

And in an Ercoupe that will be a LONG trip :-)

is anybody up that early in the smaller towns to give a
lift to the airport?? How do you dawn patrol types get to the airport
early?

Find an hotel within walking distance of the airport. The Airguide lists
the distances. The other option is to see if they will let you keep the
courtesy car overnight.

This schedule means we have to be
leaving whatever motel we end up in around 5:00 am. So we were
wondering, is anybody up that early in the smaller towns to give a
lift to the airport?? How do you dawn patrol types get to the airport
early?

We face this problem almost daily.

Solution: We give the pilot the keys to our courtesy van the night before.
They drive themselves over to the FBO (it's all of 1/10th of a mile) and
leave the van there.

Often we'll get another pilot flying in later the same day -- and they bring
the van back!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

to bad Iowa City is not on a line (not even great circle) between CA and OSH

BT

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:M_dRa.78374$ye4.52820@sccrnsc01...
This schedule means we have to be
leaving whatever motel we end up in around 5:00 am. So we were
wondering, is anybody up that early in the smaller towns to give a
lift to the airport?? How do you dawn patrol types get to the airport
early?

We face this problem almost daily.

Solution: We give the pilot the keys to our courtesy van the night before.
They drive themselves over to the FBO (it's all of 1/10th of a mile) and
leave the van there.

Often we'll get another pilot flying in later the same day -- and they
bring
the van back!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Bob Fry wrote:
A friend and I are planning on flying our Ercoupes from California to
Oshkosh. First long trip for both of us.

Based on just about everyone's advice, we want to leave each day as
early as possible (takeoff around 6:00 am), fly until noon or so, and
then park for the rest of the day. This schedule means we have to be
leaving whatever motel we end up in around 5:00 am. So we were
wondering, is anybody up that early in the smaller towns to give a
lift to the airport?? How do you dawn patrol types get to the airport
early?

I pick our O/N and fuel stops based partially on access to
transportation. If the airport has a crew car and will let you
take it overnight, there's your answer. If they don't, or as
backup, call the motel and ask what they can do for you.

Never thought of Jim Weir's suggestion before. In one of the
airports we visit, though, one calls the police for fuel. So
one could (in theory) get a ride and get fuel at the same time.

Cheers,
Sydney

Sydney Hoeltzli wrote:

... In one of the
airports we visit, though, one calls the police for fuel. So
one could (in theory) get a ride and get fuel at the same time.

They could also arrange lodging for you :-)

Dave 'never convicted' Hyde

"James M. Knox" wrote in message ...

No... it's not uncommon in Texas small towns to have the fuel phone number
go either to the police station, the court house, or the local cafe.

We called the number on the door of the (vacant) FBO in Ohio and we got some
dentist. We asked where we should park and he said just put it in any empty
hangar.

OTOH, I've also called the local police about the airport and been asked
"We have an airport?"

We asked for a cab to the airport once. They tried to convince us that it was
going to be very expensive. We thought this odd, and then we found out they
thought we wanted to go to Indianapolis (nearest airport with airlines), and we
just wanted to go across town to the local airport.

Dave Hyde wrote in message ...
Sydney Hoeltzli wrote:
... In one of the
airports we visit, though, one calls the police for fuel. So
one could (in theory) get a ride and get fuel at the same time.

They could also arrange lodging for you :-)

God in Heaven, I thought that was gonna happen one time.
Ask me about Dalhart, Texas

And then when Mike and I got to SET, having just
flown across the country and spent two nights together,
his first words to (my) DH were, "she threatened me
with a knife, you know."

Cheers,
Sydney

to bad Iowa City is not on a line (not even great circle) between CA and
OSH

Since when does THAT have anything to do with where we fly?

It doesn't make any sense for me to fly to Janesville, WI for an omelet,
either.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"