Airparks near Austin TX

Everyone,
I'm interviewing for a job in Austin, TX and am looking for details
regarding airparks in the area. I've found a few on the internet but would
like more info, especially regarding commute times to the SW Austin area.

We currently live at an airpark (K48V) in the Denver area and love the live
style. It would be really hard to give it up!

Thanks,

Tim

Tim:

I keep my airplane (but unfortuantely don't live) at Kestrel Airpark
(1T7). Kestrel is probably a little closer to San Antonio than Austin,
but it wouldn't be too long of a drive.

They have new hangars for rent, relatively cheap fuel, and a nice
bunch of tenants. Check it out on AirNav (I shot the aerial photo
myself).


Everyone,
I'm interviewing for a job in Austin, TX and am looking for details
regarding airparks in the area.

(Steve Chalfin) wrote in
om:

Tim:

I keep my airplane (but unfortuantely don't live) at Kestrel Airpark
(1T7). Kestrel is probably a little closer to San Antonio than Austin,
but it wouldn't be too long of a drive.

I flew in to Kestrel a few weeks ago. Interesting runway and taxiway...
G

As for Austin, the original was Lakeway. It's grown up so much now that
the folks there often talk of wanting to close the airport. {:(

Breakaway Airpark is just north of the city and nicely maintained. I don't
know what all is still available, but I believe at least a few lots are.
Near it, but on the other side of I-35, is Cross Country Estates. A lot
newer, I know they have lots available. Both of these are turf runways
without instrument approaches (I don't know about night lighting).

I'm sure there are others, but they start getting further out of town.

jmk

In article ,
"James M. Knox" wrote:

(Steve Chalfin) wrote in
om:

Tim:

I keep my airplane (but unfortuantely don't live) at Kestrel Airpark
(1T7). Kestrel is probably a little closer to San Antonio than Austin,
but it wouldn't be too long of a drive.

I flew in to Kestrel a few weeks ago. Interesting runway and taxiway...
G

As for Austin, the original was Lakeway. It's grown up so much now that
the folks there often talk of wanting to close the airport. {:(



Back about 1981, I looked at moving to Austin and visited Lakeway. All
the real estate people were interested in talking about was tennis and
couldn't tell me very much about the airport. IIRC, there are no hangar
homes there -- just hangars. It is a pretty location, however.

I would not choose Lakeway for MY community.



Breakaway Airpark is just north of the city and nicely maintained. I don't
know what all is still available, but I believe at least a few lots are.
Near it, but on the other side of I-35, is Cross Country Estates. A lot
newer, I know they have lots available. Both of these are turf runways
without instrument approaches (I don't know about night lighting).

I visited Breakaway on the same trip -- they had put a lot of effort
into making a nice sod runway. It was a little remote, though.


I'm sure there are others, but they start getting further out of town.

jmk

I flew in to Kestrel a few weeks ago. Interesting runway and taxiway...
G
jmk

Like sex, it can be 'interesting' the first time, but with practice
gets to be fun. Aside from the significant upslope at the departure
end of 30, the prevailing winds usually guarantee a 8-10 Kt x-wind
takeoff or landing, and the runway is only 40' wide. So, concentrate
on your lineup.

Still, overall, a good home field.

Steve

Thanks for the comments. I'm curious as to what kind of commute I'd have to
the southwest corner of Austin?

Anyone heard of Capella Airpark?

Tim

"Steve Chalfin" wrote in message
om...
I flew in to Kestrel a few weeks ago. Interesting runway and taxiway...
G
jmk

Like sex, it can be 'interesting' the first time, but with practice
gets to be fun. Aside from the significant upslope at the departure
end of 30, the prevailing winds usually guarantee a 8-10 Kt x-wind
takeoff or landing, and the runway is only 40' wide. So, concentrate
on your lineup.

Still, overall, a good home field.

Steve

(Steve Chalfin) wrote in
om:


Like sex, it can be 'interesting' the first time, but with practice
gets to be fun. Aside from the significant upslope at the departure
end of 30,

Reminded me of a British aircraft carrier with their "ski jump" at the end.

the prevailing winds usually guarantee a 8-10 Kt x-wind
takeoff or landing, and the runway is only 40' wide.

Actually, the narrow runway didn't bother me. I fly into places a lot
narrower.

It was the taxiway that was more concern. There are shrubs/trees on one
side, and the burm up to the runway on the other, and it "felt" like it
wasn't much more room than my wingspan between them.

Fun...

jmk

Tim,

Breakaway Airpark is a sod field with lights. There are lots available both
on
the runway and in other locations in the development. This is only about 3
miles
from my house and I really would like to move there. However, the runway
lots
are very expensive, at least too expensive for me. The one acre runway lots
are $180K to $190K depending on the lot. Total investment would be $400K
and up. With the property tax rate, the annual taxes will be high. I'd
estimate the
property taxes at around $12K per year. This in far NW Austin, actually now
in the
city limits of Cedar Park. Depending on where you need to get to in south /
southwest
Austin to work, it will be a 45 minute to 1:30 drive during rush hours.
Good access
off Parmer Lane, but there is a lot of development in the area and to the
north and
Parmer is the way south. It can be a bottle neck in the morning.

Cross Country Estates is east of IH-35 just southeast of Georgetown. Out in
the
country at this point. Lots are much more reasonable. I was offered a 5
acre lot
there for less than half the asking price at Breakaway Park. Trouble is,
there were
few trees, it was a long drive from Austin, and my wife didn't like the
looks of
the community. The drive to south Austin could be another 30 minutes on top
of the drive from Breakaway park, the main route being IH-35 so you have to
deal with that traffic. Another bottle neck during rush hour. The runway
is sod
and there are no lights.

Capella Airpark is relatively new and I believe is located at the old Bird's
Nest
airport. This airport was in bad shape the last time I was out there, which
was several
years ago. Run down buildings and "grass-fault" runway. There was a long
dirt access
road that went down beside / through a corn field. It gave me the
impression I was
driving out in a farm. There were a few GA planes and a good number of
ultralights
there when I visited. The Capella folks purchased the place and I don't
know what
improvements have been made. This is off 290 east of Austin. It is a
little remote to
get to, but this should change in the next several years when the new Texas
130 highway
to bypass IH-35 north/south traffic around Austin is built. TX130 is
supposed to go right
by this property and should make access quite good. The airport is in very
close to the central
Texas CWK VOR and is not too far from AUS. Drive time to south Austin would
be
30 to 45 minutes.

There is also Spicewood (88R) which is a nice, paved but unlighted airport.
There hangar lots are
that are privately owned and you can buy a lot outright and build a hangar
on it. There are a couple
of three houses on the airport, but nice development all around. You could
live close by if not in
the same building as your airplane. This airport is off Highway 71
southwest of Austin. Drive
drive from Spicewood to the populate areas of SW Austin is about 30 minutes.
Traffice is usually
light out on 71. It is also in the Texas Hill country which is nicer than
the flat lands east of Austin.

Another one to check out is Rusty Allen Lago Vista Muni, 5R3. This is a
muni airport, but the property
around the runway is privately owned. Most lots have hangars only, but
there are a coupld of hangars
that have living spaces in them also. There are also houses in the same
area. Again, you could have
a house very close by if not on the airport lot. Hangar lots run around
$70K to $80K large enough
for a 3 to 5 plane hangar. This is located out FM1431 and would be an hour
to 1.5 hour drive to SW
Austin.

Good Luck,

"TIm Gilbert" wrote in message
...
Everyone,
I'm interviewing for a job in Austin, TX and am looking for details
regarding airparks in the area. I've found a few on the internet but
would
like more info, especially regarding commute times to the SW Austin area.

We currently live at an airpark (K48V) in the Denver area and love the
live
style. It would be really hard to give it up!

Thanks,

Tim

Thanks for the comments. However, from what I can find it seems that
Capella was going to be east of Bird's nest quite a ways. I guess since
Capella kitplanes folded the airpark disappeared as well?

Tim

"nobody" wrote in message
. com...

Tim,

Breakaway Airpark is a sod field with lights. There are lots available
both
on
the runway and in other locations in the development. This is only about
3
miles
from my house and I really would like to move there. However, the runway
lots
are very expensive, at least too expensive for me. The one acre runway
lots
are $180K to $190K depending on the lot. Total investment would be $400K
and up. With the property tax rate, the annual taxes will be high. I'd
estimate the
property taxes at around $12K per year. This in far NW Austin, actually
now
in the
city limits of Cedar Park. Depending on where you need to get to in south
/
southwest
Austin to work, it will be a 45 minute to 1:30 drive during rush hours.
Good access
off Parmer Lane, but there is a lot of development in the area and to the
north and
Parmer is the way south. It can be a bottle neck in the morning.

Cross Country Estates is east of IH-35 just southeast of Georgetown. Out
in
the
country at this point. Lots are much more reasonable. I was offered a 5
acre lot
there for less than half the asking price at Breakaway Park. Trouble is,
there were
few trees, it was a long drive from Austin, and my wife didn't like the
looks of
the community. The drive to south Austin could be another 30 minutes on
top
of the drive from Breakaway park, the main route being IH-35 so you have
to
deal with that traffic. Another bottle neck during rush hour. The runway
is sod
and there are no lights.

Capella Airpark is relatively new and I believe is located at the old
Bird's
Nest
airport. This airport was in bad shape the last time I was out there,
which
was several
years ago. Run down buildings and "grass-fault" runway. There was a long
dirt access
road that went down beside / through a corn field. It gave me the
impression I was
driving out in a farm. There were a few GA planes and a good number of
ultralights
there when I visited. The Capella folks purchased the place and I don't
know what
improvements have been made. This is off 290 east of Austin. It is a
little remote to
get to, but this should change in the next several years when the new
Texas
130 highway
to bypass IH-35 north/south traffic around Austin is built. TX130 is
supposed to go right
by this property and should make access quite good. The airport is in
very
close to the central
Texas CWK VOR and is not too far from AUS. Drive time to south Austin
would
be
30 to 45 minutes.

There is also Spicewood (88R) which is a nice, paved but unlighted
airport.
There hangar lots are
that are privately owned and you can buy a lot outright and build a hangar
on it. There are a couple
of three houses on the airport, but nice development all around. You
could
live close by if not in
the same building as your airplane. This airport is off Highway 71
southwest of Austin. Drive
drive from Spicewood to the populate areas of SW Austin is about 30
minutes.
Traffice is usually
light out on 71. It is also in the Texas Hill country which is nicer than
the flat lands east of Austin.

Another one to check out is Rusty Allen Lago Vista Muni, 5R3. This is a
muni airport, but the property
around the runway is privately owned. Most lots have hangars only, but
there are a coupld of hangars
that have living spaces in them also. There are also houses in the same
area. Again, you could have
a house very close by if not on the airport lot. Hangar lots run around
$70K to $80K large enough
for a 3 to 5 plane hangar. This is located out FM1431 and would be an
hour
to 1.5 hour drive to SW
Austin.

Good Luck,

"TIm Gilbert" wrote in message
...
Everyone,
I'm interviewing for a job in Austin, TX and am looking for details
regarding airparks in the area. I've found a few on the internet but
would
like more info, especially regarding commute times to the SW Austin
area.

We currently live at an airpark (K48V) in the Denver area and love the
live
style. It would be really hard to give it up!

Thanks,

Tim

Hear, hear.

Lakeway is victimizing general avation pilots with a vicious scam,
reference twilight arrivals. They play games with determining the
latest allowable landing times, have their own police assess a $1,200
fine.

The court is rigged in Lakeway's favor, sad to say.
General aviation pilots should avoid Lakeway!