Seems a bit low on aviation content here lately, so help me with a decision. Whenever my overhaul is finished I’m deciding between 2 airports as to where to call home. I own a Mooney M20J and have tried to sell a half share but not been successful and so the finances weigh heavily on my decisions.
First option is my old base EIWT which is 20 minutes from my house. Anchor tenant is a flight school. It is full ATC in Class C, 800×25 m tarmac runway but up to 1500 m when stopway is included. Has a VOR approach with minimums 545’ AGL. Parking rates are roughly €220/€330/€500 for grass, tarmac, and hangar respectively and each landing is €15. It typically closes pretty early and there is a break in service of 30-45 mins around lunch time.
Second option (though I haven’t asked the owner yet if he will take me in) is a private strip about 50-55 minutes from my house. The tarmac runway is 600×10m (also 600×30m grass perpendicular to the tarmac which could potentially come in handy). Quite short but completely unobstructed (M20J landing performance is below). A2A radio in Class G. I heard that the hangar rate there is about the price of grass parking. Open for use (I assume) during civil day time. I have been there before to have work done, so I know maintenance is allowed in the hangar.
I’m kind of torn between the obvious financial advantage and better opening hours and the fact that an extra 30 minutes drive each way might lead to me not flying it as much, or ‘resenting’ having to make a longish journey to go for a flight to keep the engine happy. Also short runway and no IAP a bit of a concern? Though a 545’ VOR approach is barely useful and 200ft ILS at EIWF is 20 minutes away for bad days.
Ultimately I guess it comes down to whether hangar and nicer opening hours vs outside parking is worth an hour drive per flight.
Normal Landing
Short Field Landing
Out of my own experience, I have chosen to be base (as long as they let me) on an international airport 3 minutes from my doorstep rather than cheaper options 50 mins away. In the past, I have worked here at ZRH while my plane was at LSZR/ACH about 60 mins away, that situation resulted in me selling the plane because this distance meant I did not have time to fly it at all.
There is nothing like being able to decide short notice to go for a hop and the closer the plane is, the easier it becomes. Also from what you describe, infrastructure wise EIWT does sound better to me. Also not sure how things will be for flights to Britain in the future, you will probably appreciate customs and immigration if needed.
The M20J should be ok with the 600m tarmac (the other 600m grass is worthless, need 900m when it is wet or hot day and it has to be smooth as silk for regular landings), the other 800m tarmac with 545’ VOR is barely good, to me that has same usefulness as 600m tarmac, personally, I never had an issue operating at Stapleford 600m 1/2 tarmac in good weather
zuutroy wrote:
Also short runway and no IAP a bit of a concern? Though a 545’ VOR approach is barely useful and 200ft ILS at EIWF is 20 minutes away for bad days.
Yes short 600m/800m runways is a concern even for MVFR let alone IFR
I always fly M20J to Southend ILS, just to see the sea or ground first, then I either land at Southend or continue for 10min to Stapleford (base) or North Weald (backup) or revert to Southend, neither of the formers has a published IAP but the 2km long runway in North Weald is highly appreciated when weather is between VMC in class D and VMC in class G
Usually the weather at Southend is always better that anywhere in south-east, once bellow class G minima, I had to stick to Southend the first go, they were busy with diverted City airport IFR traffic, so no point going east 
Runway lenght of more than 600 m should be more than sufficient for a M20J, we train with my C model (180hp) quite regularly on 500m asphalt. 800 m should be more than sufficient, seeing that Ireland does not regularly have 40°C. Landing in any Mooney always is a question of proper speed control but if you have that, both 600 and 800 m asphalt should be no problem. Grass if it is of good quality also is no problem most of the time.
There is nothing like being able to decide short notice to go for a hop
Deciding short notice whether to go for a flight? At LSZH? I had a look at their slots as while ago and did not had the impression being able to decide spontaneously whether to go flying or when to return? But I guess I had a wrong impression then??
I operate a Malibu Mirage off a 750 m grass runway year round. The trick is always to be very light, and really careful on speed control on the approach. I pop over to a nearby ‘proper’ airport when I need fuel or to pick up passengers. I roll the runway myself with a big agricultural runway several times a year to keep it really smooth.
It depends what your time availability is. If you feel as if the hour and a half going to the more distant field and back will put you off frequently going for flights, or be tight on time then you’re maybe better being closer and flying more and enjoying it. I would say though that being in a hangar is far far superior for the aircraft.
A grass runway might be useable in a crosswind which made the hard runway unusable – into a 25 kt wind will reduce groundspeed at touchdown.
MikeWhiskey wrote:
Deciding short notice whether to go for a flight? At LSZH? I had a look at their slots as while ago and did not had the impression being able to decide spontaneously whether to go flying or when to return? But I guess I had a wrong impression then??
In my case you are right, on weekends particularly. I actually never had a flight not happen due to the slots because I mostly flew during the week and slots were almost always available if not always at the times I would have wanted.
At the time I was referring to when I had my then airplane based at Altenrhein but worked at ZRH, the latter had no slots yet. Once I moved my Cessna to ZRH, I flew a lot more. So in the OP’s question neither of the two has this problem but they have a significant distance in between. I know from my own experience that I would not drive a much further distance to go flying spontaneously but I would go fly if i could do so on a whim and with a shorter drive.
It’s a question of how much your time is worth.
If your time is worth a lot, then the closer option will be less expensive even though the fees are higher there.
Otherwise take the farther away option.
Chances to sell a share in the plane are probably better at the first option as well.
