My Airport

My airport started out of necessity since the Mt Vernon Airport closed officially in 1979. We wore out our welcome after about the spring of 1984 and were asked to please leave. Our departure was hastened after a GA pilot in a 172 landed ( or tried to) on the last remaining 500 feet of runway. He tore off the gear and the air board guys decided " close em all down ".

I temporarily moved to a friend's strip until his insurance guy called to say hello, and my operation was mentioned in passing. I then moved to another strip owned by a previous airport evictee. I stayed there for about 1 1/2 years until the state of Indiana found out I was COMMERCIAL (trying to make money). This is a no-no in Indiana, or so it seemed to me, so I retired to the House and moved out of the Airport side of the operation.

Land was available in the area, my friend had bought ten acres, so I put in a word with my real estate buddies. I looked at a piece of land , my present location, in 1985 for the first time.

It was out of the way with few neighbors and priced right, I built two hangars after getting all the red tape punched out of the way. I also got state and federal approval of the airport . There are two runways, actually three if you fly floats, one east /west at 1320 feet and one northeast/southwest about 1650 feet. A water runway parallels 9/27 for about 850 feet. Approaches on each runway, both directions, are totally clear of obstructions except for possible traffic on the west or south/west ends.

Here is a satellite view of the place, the top is north there is a county road to the west, Caborn Road. It runs north to Indiana 62 about three miles east of Mt Vernon, Indiana.

My airport is the focal point of much of the UL activity in the area. Almost every flight has my place on the routing to check out the latest design, the latest new plane, the latest new flyer, etc. Just a fun place to be!

My hangars are rather unique too. I built them with a raised floor in the middle twenty feet or so. This allows me to easily walk under the extended wings, have cabimets, parts storage and such things with the wings overhead and out of the way. The differenec is only a couple feet, bu the useable space at the sides of the hanagsr is pretty nice.

I repair engines out there during the summer months, and move the repair back to the house when the fall temps start dropping.

The float runway gets a workout with float ops being offerred. I allow experienced pilots to fly my float equiped plane for some added experince and log book entries.

There is also an RC club based at the northeast end of my property. They fly mornings that are sunny just as we do. If you need the runway, and look like you are coming in for a landing, they can easily fly over you or out in the middle of the field while you land or take off.

We have several flyins a year as does the RC club. Usually taking two days will assure at least one day being flyable for intro flights and lessons. Contests are arranged on the spot with seminars on engines and airframes too.

Food is always available but you may be asked to help cook burgers if you want one.

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