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Thanks for the info on Hackney airpark. I spotted an ad in GA Aviation News
stating something like "Pilot's Dream" and included, acreage, house, shop,
hanger,etc etc for around 200K.
Wow It's too good to be true--and like most things it probably was. First
off he wanted cash to "buy out his option" with the balance to the owner. My
first red flag was the question---Why did he change his mind?? Next he
advertised it as a 4,000' runway. It's listed as 3,500'--- that missing 500 feet
might be handy on a summer day.
Next I found some information that the slope to clear obstacles from one of
the runways was 12:1. Well 500 fpm initial climb is too close to 12:1 for
comfort. With my wife aboard, I only count on 500 fpm for planning. I know I can
see more, but then again----At 2500' MSL, on a sod runway, on a hot day, I
really don't like seeing the chipmonks in the tree tops eye to eye.
I called a friend of mine who lives not too far away who is heavy into
aviation. he's a CFI, A&P, EAA weenie etc. He mentioned that he had
heard some "funny stuff" about the owner of the field. He also reminded me that
Idaho had Sales tax, property tax, AND income tax ! I called my daughter who
lives in Spokane about 50 miles away and she discussed winter heating
bills.
By this time we weren't as excited as we had been when we first saw the ad.
We're retired on a fixed income and would have to sell our present home to swing
the deal. For the asking price, we could count on the buildings not being in the
best of repair.
We asked how we could come up with the price of a new roof on the hanger
for instance, or some other major repair.
Next the information from someone who landed there that the runway was
pretty rough, best suited for conventional gear rather than tricycle was the
deciding factor.
The fact that this chap was met by a nut case didn't help either.
<Grin>
Thanks all for the information especially for the link to the pictures. I
couldn't for the life of me remember where those pictures from space were found
at.
Cheers
Paul
NC2273H
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