Still looking...

Hi all... thanks for the feedback... just getting a chance to check
back today for the first time.

I spent last weekend looking at homes in the Gold River and Folsom
areas. I like being close to greenbelts, trails and being close to a
natural setting like the American River. I also like the small town
character of Folsom. If I choose either of these areas, Mather seems
like a logical choice for an airport. Are there hangers at Mather?
Does anyone here keep a plane at Mather?

I like Auburn and it would be great if were already married or
something - while I am still single, my fear is that being so far out
( an hour away from more populated areas) in Auburn... I would stay
single! :-) I do like the town and that there is a little airport
there though.

I do understand that the fog can be limiting... someone mentioned 20%
clear days last winter - was this just IMC that can be flown IFR or
fog all the way to the ground? It seems to me that even though it does
get that thick from time to time, in most cases during the winter, the
fog is there but is not the thick soup that doesn't allow an IFR
flight - but then again I don't yet live there and I get different
responses from different people.

As far as 3 hours of travel one-way - I am not sure from where you are
referring... or what plane you are thinking of flying that it would
take 3 hours to get to the Bay Area? Perhaps I misunderstood and you
were referring to driving. This makes more sense - and I certainly
don't want to have to drive that every day. I forsee a transition to a
work remotely 3-4 days a week and travel 1-2 a week on average. In the
beginning, and at times, it will be more often I have to travel.

I wouldn't plan on breaking any FAR rules, however I am not sure what
FAR Reg would prohibit you from collecting pro-rata costs (i.e. fuel,
oil, etc) for flying. I am not considering making money on this or
acting like a charter service if that is what you were hinting at... I
would imagine it would be the same group of people that I would drive
with on days that I would drive the route... at times we would drive
and other we could fly. No different than when I take friend flying
now.

I agree that I probably won't find a fractional ownership group that
would want me to have the plane every day... but if were just 1 - 2
days a week - maybe that would be different.

182 vs 172 - this is ongoing debate in my head... the extra fuel burn
is also offset by the reduced time enroute... not completely - but
slightly - and if I buy a plane, I would like the load carrying
capacity to take 4 adults and gear places. But it is a cost factor of
about 2x between a 20 year old 172 and 182 - so I hear ya! Maybe I
will just buy a plane for commuting purposes and plan on renting when
I want to take a 182 or larger plane.

Is there a place to rent planes at Mather?

Thanks,

John