The International Cessna^® 170 Association

It's been a few years since this topic was discussed, so I figured it was time for an update. Gahorn and Olepokey gave some excellent advice in previous thread (http://www.cessna170.org/forums/viewtop ... ity#p68457). Bruce, feel free to create a new discussion group if you think it is warranted.

We are looking for possible retirement villa, ideally in a hangar-home community in a state with low taxes (state/local/property). We want a community with an active pilot population. We want a property with a nearby lake and trees, gun range, shopping and medical centers. We want a community that is fully or partially developed, not just bare acreage looking for lots of buyers. Following the previous advice, we want an airpark community with friendly neighbors, strong covenants and reasonable cost for runway upkeep. Our financials are healthy, but want to limit the purchase cost to less than $500M. A community with a fellow 170 owner is a big plus!

So post a reply with your favorite airpark(s) and basic data and/or website link.

I just sent you a PM.

Airpark life is awesome. We've been living the dream for a little over a year now at Troy Skypark (37I)

Mostb of the air parks that I have visited over the last few years seem to have at least,two groups or factors that are diametricallly opposed to each other rather than being one big happy family. Were I to be looking for that kins of a place to become my new home, that would be the first thing I lookwd into.

It's probably to soon to tell for sure, but I think Karen and I are going to be very happy at Brighton Airport (45G). It is a privately owned public use airport licensed by the state. It's owned by the Brighton Airport Association ( http://www.brightonairport.org ). 145 of 150 shares are owned by the property owners. There are only a little over a dozen homes on the field, the rest are hangar only owners. Share price is set at $5500, but we negotiated ours to be transferred to us with the house. Annual maintenance fee is $550, but is only assessed if you have a flying airplane and actually use the airport.

As seems to be typical of organizations like this, about 25-30% of the members do about 90% of the work, but they seem to be well organized, and do a great job maintaining and improving the airport. Even before we closed on our house, we partook in a very well-organized work party to clean up for the summer fly-in. The core group we've met so far seem to be a great bunch of guys that seem to get along for the most part. There are a few wives involved, and Karen has set a goal to up that number. We attended our first shareholder meeting this past Tuesday, and even though sandwiches and beer were served beforehand, it was a quite civil standing-room-only gathering.

We just joined the on-field EAA Chapter 384 last night. There were about 20 members present at a private hangar on our street that also houses the restoration facility of the Warbirds of Glory Museum Foundation. It was a bit cramped with the ongoing restoration of a B-25 and a Yale in progress in the hangar, but the chapter is very close to closing on its own hangar across the field. There is a Build-a-Plane RV-12 in progress in another private hangar just across the runway from us, with about a half dozen very enthusiastic teenagers and about that many adult mentors. That project will also be moving into the EAA hangar once it's finally acquired.

Michigan isn't the cheapest place to live tax-wise, but it isn't exorbitant, especially compared to California where we moved from. Income tax is 4.25%. Property tax is around 1%, but assessed values are reasonable. We got our house, built in 1999 on a half acre, 2300 sq ft, full basement, 2-car garage, 34x40 attached heated hangar with direct paved taxiway access, for less than 300K.

There is relatively large Woodland Lake just south of the field, and I'm told that in Michigan you're never more than 6 miles from at least a 10-acre lake. I haven't checked it out yet, but there is a gun range just east of the airport that sounds like it may be within walking distance. I'm told there is at least one more within a few miles. There is a nice urgent care facility less than 3 miles from the house, and there are full-service hospitals in Howell (10 miles), and Ann Arbor (less than 20 miles).

There are no 170's on the field (yet), but there are at least one each 120, 140, and Taylorcraft. There's also the only 4-place Ercoupe in captivity. The airport isn't "busy" but it's quite active. If anyone would like to visit, we'll have 2 spare bedrooms and plenty of floor space for sleeping bags. There's room to tie down at least four 170s in the back yard, and quite a few transient parking spaces at the north end of the airport. Just give us a heads up to make sure we're going to be around.

blueldr wrote:Mostb of the air parks that I have visited over the last few years seem to have at least,two groups or factors that are diamatricately opposed to each other rather than being one big happy family. Were I to be looking for that kins of a place to become my new home, that would be the first thing I lookwd into.

I agree there are two groups or cliques at many of the airparks, and the "other" group wants control of your life and property and money, I would ask a lot of questions before I buy a nice home on an airpark, I live on one that has been full of lies and deceit and controlled by the clique, and you do not complain about the kids on the runway, the other safety issues, it is not one big happy family at all no matter what anyone else says.

I am sure there are some good ones but hard to find.

You can have these issues anytime you have common amenities, I would strongly advise to read the land covenants, ask for the by laws and minutes of many meetings for the last five years, the budget and any rules and regulations, are there any assessments coming up?? ask ask ask, if the requested information is not forthcoming.. RUN!

Find some locals that do not live on the airpark near by and ask them questions. about the area, and the airpark, Do your home work and then take your chances, look at the age group living there as well and the local real estate market, insurance on hangar can be an issue.

Think resale you have a niche property, and may be hard to sell, you have to find someone that wants to live in an airpark and with the pilot population dwindling your prospects are fewer, appraisals can be a problem, it is not a cookie cutter property so who knows what it is really worth, banks want comps within a defined radius, where you going to get that?

PS I will sell you my home.

I have lived in an airport community in west central Florida for the past 15 years and read this thread with interest. I suppose I am lucky in that I have not experienced any of the internecine warfare that has been discussed. We have our share of screwballs and nuts but they earn their reputations and people develop their own opinions. This place is not perfect, but I think it fair to say that the majority of our residents are satisfied as evidenced by the low turnover.

My airport, Hidden Lake - FA40, is located under the outer ring of the Tampa class B airspace. The runway is paved and about 4,000 ft long. We have a FBO, rental hangers, a 10,000 gal fuel tank, a public restroom, and pavilion. The streets are technically taxiways and are used to access the runway. The airport is owned by a for profit corporation that owns the roads/taxiways and airport. Most of the shareholders are residents. There is an active safety culture here and the type of aviation hooliganism that I read about is not tolerated. If you do not follow the FARs, the corporate board can rescind your runway privileges. Not that we are uptight, but we try to operate according to the FARs.

One advantage/disadvantage we have is that "civilization" has grown up around Hidden Lake. There is a grocery store strip mall one mile in one direction and Lowes/Home Depot two miles in the other. We even have a community college across the street. The neighborhood is about 150 single family residences with about 40 - 50% having hangers. There are maybe 10 lots left in the neighborhood (I own one); often people buy a house and then build a hanger. It's nice having everything adjacent to the neighborhood. That is the only reason my wife would move in. Hidden Lake is NOT a bunch of houses around a runway. It looks like and feels like a neighborhood. Because there is development nearby, it helps with resales. But, that can be a problem too. We have a few non-pilot car types that have moved in. They are not a problem. When I was looking at air parks there was a desirable one in North Carolina where, although it had restrictive covenants, their governing body had allowed fences to be built along the taxiway-roads. Thus preventing runway access for the remaining undeveloped lots along the street. I did not want to start a war, so we did not consider that place. I would say that the biggest negative here is the Florida climate. If you are from north of here and want four distinct seasons, then this place is not for you. We have two seasons - dry & nice (winter) and hot & not nice (summer). Winter is usually ideal flying weather. Summer, well best I can say is that I try to be on the ground by 1300 hrs.

The best part of an airpark for us has been the sense of community generated by the common passion that we have here. This is a neighborhood with a flying habit. There is an unofficial/official neighborhood open hanger door policy that means if you are working in the hanger anyone is free to stop by and offer advice/get in the way/etc... Our neighborhood also has an unofficial "wives club" complete with ladies book club night (aka husbands beer-drinking night). All in all not a bad place to live...

We have two websites - http://www.hiddenlakeairport.com and http://www.hiddenlake.net if interested.

BTW - neither my home nor my lot are for sale.

There ain't nothin' better than this.