The Migration committee has one dedicated person to work arrival and departure procedures with ATC. Andy Brown (Naval Aviator). He does a fantastic job. I am sure he will take your info on NORMAL issues with him when he visits them. He has always gotten great support from ATC and even additional headcount on big arrival and departure days. My experience at 8 migrations is that departures are not what you say. I do adjust my departures so that I am not leaving when the majority may want to. If standing in a line is not what you like, don’t do it.
My experience is that we arrive at different times and we leave at different times. We have never had 380 aircraft leaving in one hour.
Like all transportation queuing issues, there are always choke points.
Your inside info is during maybe normal operations and I hope it does not discourage any COPA member in not attending THE annual event which I am sure was not your intent.
FYI, I have waited longer than your post at KHEF getting IFR release on many occasions. When there are big Class “B” airports nearby, IFR release is always fun. There are ways to deal with that also.
Rough Creek would be nice, but with limited timeframe Thursday, it could be impossible…as in 2 hrs by car in traffic. And, it could be over 100 degrees in Mid Sept.
Duh! I didn’t make the connection that you were the Chad from KGPM. I still have the apartments in Hurst. Drive by your place almost every week. Lets have lunch at that cool restaurant on the field. I still wear the cool T-shirt you guys gave me,
Did you ever get your paint shop opened? Does Isaiah still work with you?
One of the biggest issues is people trying to get out IFR. If it is VFR get your clearence Later , out of the class B. If it is VFR they have much more leeway go low and fast out of the B.
The data I see in RegOnline is that it varies by migration and location. For M12 at Las Vegas it was 31%, but that includes exhibitors, guest, spouses. M11 at Mobile, AL 43%
You certainly don’t have to fly your plane to attend migration. Our overseas members do not also.
Looking at past Migrations, John Y. was able to give you some “stats”. Without a doubt, many of us use Migration as a great excuse for cross-country flight! And, for lots of pilots (including me), just the act of flying is an end unto itself. However, when hopping into our own planes isn’t practical (distance?) or safe (weather?), flying commercial allows folks to still experience the value of the event, itself. For many years, we’ve known that Migration’s worth springs from interesting mix of camaraderie and social activities, aviation-related seminars, and our tradeshow. Where else can you get all of that over an extended weekend?!
Las Vegas is possibly skewed by lots of cheap fares to get there. Mobile is not as easy to fly to commercially or it might have been higher. Don’t know, speculating…
Speaking only for myself, having been to Migrations in Duluth multiple times, Las Vegas and Colorado Springs I have flown my Cirrus or caught a ride in a friends Cirrus to them all except one. That one I was recovering from shoulder surgery and was not released by the doc to fly yet. I think flying in is part of the fun.
But Migration is fun either way and worth attending. The flying in just adds to the event for me.
