1 00:00:00,799 --> 00:00:03,139 Mike Dole's World number four thirteen 2 00:00:03,919 --> 00:00:04,419 for 3 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:05,700 the 4 00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:09,220 11/07/2025. 5 00:00:09,439 --> 00:00:11,619 I think it's time for Mike Dole's World. 6 00:00:36,940 --> 00:00:37,920 There it is. 7 00:00:38,700 --> 00:00:41,659 And there it is indeed. Hey. Today, we're 8 00:00:41,659 --> 00:00:42,674 gonna talk about 9 00:00:43,234 --> 00:00:44,375 the local airport, 10 00:00:45,155 --> 00:00:47,094 Traverse City Airport, KTVC. 11 00:00:48,354 --> 00:00:49,655 For those of you that 12 00:00:50,515 --> 00:00:53,234 follow such things, as you know, I'm a 13 00:00:53,234 --> 00:00:53,734 pilot, 14 00:00:55,009 --> 00:00:57,649 and I fly out of Traverse City, you 15 00:00:57,649 --> 00:00:59,250 know, when I go flying. I'm a, you 16 00:00:59,250 --> 00:01:00,469 know, I'm a completely, 17 00:01:01,969 --> 00:01:04,530 fair weather pilot and fly once in a 18 00:01:04,530 --> 00:01:06,609 while and all that good stuff. So but, 19 00:01:06,609 --> 00:01:07,989 yeah, fly out of there. 20 00:01:08,435 --> 00:01:09,954 But I thought it might be interesting to 21 00:01:09,954 --> 00:01:12,615 go into the history of Traverse City Airport. 22 00:01:12,995 --> 00:01:16,055 It wasn't always where it is now. 23 00:01:16,755 --> 00:01:17,975 Right now, it's 24 00:01:19,075 --> 00:01:19,575 literally 25 00:01:21,010 --> 00:01:22,310 a mile from me. 26 00:01:22,609 --> 00:01:25,489 No. It's actually less than that. If I 27 00:01:25,489 --> 00:01:27,329 go to the end of my driveway, I 28 00:01:27,329 --> 00:01:30,549 can kinda see the end of Runway 28, 29 00:01:30,770 --> 00:01:32,150 which is the long runway, 30 00:01:33,185 --> 00:01:36,325 coming from the, you know, planes land flying 31 00:01:36,385 --> 00:01:37,364 towards the west. 32 00:01:38,465 --> 00:01:40,724 And they fly right over three mile road. 33 00:01:41,104 --> 00:01:43,185 I think in my road trip episode a 34 00:01:43,185 --> 00:01:44,564 few days ago, I 35 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:45,939 I actually, 36 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:49,040 you know, drove past it and mentioned I 37 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:51,140 just crossed the center line on 28. 38 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:52,020 Anyway, 39 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:54,819 but it's right 40 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:57,520 in kind of on the East Side of 41 00:01:57,520 --> 00:01:58,500 Traverse City. 42 00:02:00,234 --> 00:02:02,334 Technically, the Traverse Heights, 43 00:02:04,875 --> 00:02:06,494 section of Traverse City, 44 00:02:06,875 --> 00:02:09,294 is on the West Side of it. 45 00:02:09,754 --> 00:02:12,094 And on the east side, of course, is 46 00:02:12,395 --> 00:02:14,555 three mile road in the north side, South 47 00:02:14,555 --> 00:02:15,615 Airport Road, 48 00:02:16,110 --> 00:02:19,169 appropriately named, I guess. And, on the 49 00:02:19,950 --> 00:02:22,370 north side of it is Parsons Road, 50 00:02:22,830 --> 00:02:25,330 which is, you know, kind of a, 51 00:02:25,950 --> 00:02:28,689 yeah, a semi main road that runs 52 00:02:28,995 --> 00:02:29,735 along well, basically, 53 00:02:30,115 --> 00:02:32,034 runs along the airport on the on the 54 00:02:32,034 --> 00:02:33,495 East side or on the 55 00:02:34,675 --> 00:02:37,814 North side. Jeez. I got my my directions 56 00:02:37,955 --> 00:02:39,094 all screwed up. 57 00:02:39,715 --> 00:02:41,875 Well, mainly because where I'm sitting in my 58 00:02:41,875 --> 00:02:43,575 studio, I'm facing south, 59 00:02:43,939 --> 00:02:45,960 so I always kinda turn everything, 60 00:02:46,500 --> 00:02:47,000 around 61 00:02:48,340 --> 00:02:49,800 unless I think about it. 62 00:02:50,740 --> 00:02:53,539 But, Traverse City Airport wasn't always where it 63 00:02:53,539 --> 00:02:55,240 is now, as I said. 64 00:02:56,925 --> 00:02:57,425 I 65 00:02:57,805 --> 00:03:00,784 guess the old airport was called Ransom Field, 66 00:03:01,485 --> 00:03:02,705 and it was located 67 00:03:03,324 --> 00:03:05,965 on what's now called Veterans Drive. And it's 68 00:03:05,965 --> 00:03:07,985 kind of a a bit of a shelf, 69 00:03:09,004 --> 00:03:11,245 on the West Side Of Traverse City, South 70 00:03:11,245 --> 00:03:12,305 And West Side 71 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:13,939 of Traverse City. 72 00:03:15,519 --> 00:03:16,979 I guess if you're a local, 73 00:03:17,439 --> 00:03:19,139 kind of where Memorial Gardens, 74 00:03:20,239 --> 00:03:21,379 Cemetery is 75 00:03:22,239 --> 00:03:25,199 is, kind of where the old airport was, 76 00:03:25,199 --> 00:03:27,620 and that was opened in 1929. 77 00:03:28,694 --> 00:03:31,034 And then in 1936, 78 00:03:31,094 --> 00:03:34,074 they moved to what was then known as, 79 00:03:35,415 --> 00:03:38,134 Traverse City Naval Air Station or Naval Air 80 00:03:38,134 --> 00:03:40,875 Station Traverse City. I guess it's probably the 81 00:03:40,935 --> 00:03:41,435 nomenclature, 82 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:45,520 but, they took over that. It was owned 83 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:46,020 by 84 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:50,259 Grand Traverse and Leelanau Counties, a joint ownership 85 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:51,620 in it. 86 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:54,659 And now it's owned by the Northwest Michigan. 87 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:57,540 Here, I'll I'll read it, 88 00:03:58,264 --> 00:03:59,884 just so I remember, 89 00:04:00,585 --> 00:04:01,564 what it's called. 90 00:04:02,585 --> 00:04:03,944 Where is it? Where is it? Where is 91 00:04:03,944 --> 00:04:05,884 it? I think it's the Northwest 92 00:04:06,185 --> 00:04:07,165 Regional Airport 93 00:04:08,264 --> 00:04:09,324 Commission or 94 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:13,460 airport authority. There we go. 95 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:14,479 And, 96 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:17,600 so that that was just that's just, you 97 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:18,420 know, an 98 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:20,339 entity that was 99 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:22,259 created by the two counties, 100 00:04:23,305 --> 00:04:26,185 to oversee the airport. But, it's a it's 101 00:04:26,185 --> 00:04:27,165 a pretty big 102 00:04:28,105 --> 00:04:30,605 chunk of land, especially where it is. 103 00:04:31,064 --> 00:04:34,185 They've talked about moving it again. But, anyway, 104 00:04:34,185 --> 00:04:35,544 1946, 105 00:04:35,544 --> 00:04:38,259 they moved to the the Naval Air Station 106 00:04:38,259 --> 00:04:41,379 grounds, which was kind of inactive after World 107 00:04:41,379 --> 00:04:42,120 War two. 108 00:04:43,220 --> 00:04:44,519 The naval air station 109 00:04:45,060 --> 00:04:46,519 pioneered a lot of, 110 00:04:47,539 --> 00:04:49,879 believe it or not, drones or, 111 00:04:50,595 --> 00:04:51,095 you 112 00:04:51,555 --> 00:04:53,334 know, non piloted vehicles, 113 00:04:53,954 --> 00:04:56,055 aerial vehicles. Now not 114 00:04:56,435 --> 00:04:58,274 to the extent that we're using them now, 115 00:04:58,274 --> 00:04:58,774 but 116 00:04:59,475 --> 00:05:01,634 that was kinda what they did back in 117 00:05:01,634 --> 00:05:02,214 the day. 118 00:05:02,750 --> 00:05:04,830 And originally, it had four runways, and I 119 00:05:04,830 --> 00:05:06,850 cannot find an old chart to 120 00:05:07,470 --> 00:05:09,569 figure out where those runways were. 121 00:05:10,189 --> 00:05:12,670 Currently, it has two pieces of pavement, which 122 00:05:12,670 --> 00:05:14,930 is technically four runways, but, 123 00:05:15,470 --> 00:05:17,629 for the sake of of what this says, 124 00:05:18,509 --> 00:05:21,285 there would have been eight possible runways with 125 00:05:21,285 --> 00:05:23,764 four pieces of pavement, or maybe it was 126 00:05:23,764 --> 00:05:25,464 some of them were grass. I don't know. 127 00:05:26,564 --> 00:05:30,584 But currently, it's Runway 28 And 10, 128 00:05:31,125 --> 00:05:32,805 you know, depending on which way you're coming 129 00:05:32,805 --> 00:05:35,819 in. And then there's another runway North South, 130 00:05:35,819 --> 00:05:38,480 it's 36 And 18. 131 00:05:39,259 --> 00:05:39,759 And 132 00:05:40,620 --> 00:05:43,199 I sort of remember 23, 133 00:05:43,900 --> 00:05:46,080 which kind of crisscross those two. 134 00:05:47,535 --> 00:05:49,235 That wasn't that long ago, 135 00:05:49,694 --> 00:05:51,314 that they got rid of that runway. 136 00:05:52,335 --> 00:05:54,275 Oh, I don't know. Probably in the seventies 137 00:05:55,215 --> 00:05:56,194 or early eighties. 138 00:05:57,055 --> 00:06:00,035 I do remember a story from my Saturday 139 00:06:00,095 --> 00:06:01,875 morning coffee klatch where 140 00:06:04,220 --> 00:06:06,779 the North Central Airlines, I believe it was, 141 00:06:06,779 --> 00:06:10,139 or Republic Airlines, one of those, airlines back 142 00:06:10,139 --> 00:06:10,879 in the day. 143 00:06:11,740 --> 00:06:14,699 We're bringing the first d c nine into 144 00:06:14,699 --> 00:06:16,160 Traverse City, and 145 00:06:17,404 --> 00:06:19,245 the pilots, they were all expecting them to 146 00:06:19,245 --> 00:06:21,584 land on 28, which is the longest runway, 147 00:06:21,644 --> 00:06:24,544 and they came in on 23 148 00:06:24,845 --> 00:06:28,204 or whatever that crisscrossy runway that doesn't exist 149 00:06:28,204 --> 00:06:28,704 anymore 150 00:06:29,339 --> 00:06:32,060 was, which was the shortest runway. So it's 151 00:06:32,060 --> 00:06:34,319 sort of sort of surprised everybody. 152 00:06:36,220 --> 00:06:36,720 But, 153 00:06:37,259 --> 00:06:37,759 anyway, 154 00:06:38,620 --> 00:06:39,120 it 155 00:06:40,139 --> 00:06:41,899 and now, you know, it it changed to 156 00:06:41,899 --> 00:06:44,805 a Coast Guard air station in 1946. 157 00:06:45,285 --> 00:06:47,925 Coast Guard air station Traverse City is still 158 00:06:47,925 --> 00:06:50,185 there, the Guardians of the Great Lakes, 159 00:06:51,285 --> 00:06:54,644 but they kinda compose about an eighth of 160 00:06:54,644 --> 00:06:55,305 the property 161 00:06:55,685 --> 00:06:56,425 there now. 162 00:06:57,430 --> 00:06:59,269 They're over on this side of the in 163 00:06:59,269 --> 00:07:00,009 fact, they're 164 00:07:00,310 --> 00:07:02,009 right close to where I live 165 00:07:02,389 --> 00:07:03,529 here on 3 Mile, 166 00:07:04,229 --> 00:07:04,550 and, 167 00:07:05,029 --> 00:07:07,349 they've got some helicopters. And, you know, over 168 00:07:07,349 --> 00:07:09,689 the years, they've had other things. I remember, 169 00:07:09,750 --> 00:07:10,569 you know, living 170 00:07:11,029 --> 00:07:12,649 10 miles west of town, 171 00:07:12,995 --> 00:07:15,574 I could hear the Coast Guard, 172 00:07:16,995 --> 00:07:18,214 or the albatrosses. 173 00:07:19,395 --> 00:07:21,014 Albatross is an amphibious 174 00:07:22,115 --> 00:07:24,855 plane with big radio engines on it, and 175 00:07:25,220 --> 00:07:27,620 those things were loud. And we could hear 176 00:07:27,620 --> 00:07:29,319 them take off and or land, 177 00:07:29,860 --> 00:07:32,020 mostly take off because they're, you know, full 178 00:07:32,020 --> 00:07:34,020 power, but we could hear them 10 miles 179 00:07:34,020 --> 00:07:36,020 away. Yeah. I can't imagine what it would 180 00:07:36,020 --> 00:07:37,860 have been like living, you know, where I 181 00:07:37,860 --> 00:07:38,600 live now. 182 00:07:39,245 --> 00:07:41,805 It's, you know, not bad, but, you know, 183 00:07:41,805 --> 00:07:42,785 I hear airliners 184 00:07:43,564 --> 00:07:44,464 and helicopters 185 00:07:44,925 --> 00:07:45,425 and 186 00:07:45,884 --> 00:07:46,785 all the stuff. 187 00:07:47,324 --> 00:07:49,645 Traverse City, believe it or not, is the 188 00:07:49,645 --> 00:07:52,785 fourth busiest airport in the state of Michigan. 189 00:07:54,269 --> 00:07:56,689 Only two that are busier are 190 00:07:57,069 --> 00:07:57,889 Wayne County 191 00:07:58,669 --> 00:08:00,449 or whatever it's called now. 192 00:08:01,149 --> 00:08:03,709 Detroit Metro Airport. That used to be called 193 00:08:03,709 --> 00:08:06,370 Wayne County. But Detroit Metro Airport, 194 00:08:06,990 --> 00:08:07,730 in Detroit 195 00:08:08,285 --> 00:08:09,504 and Grand Rapids, 196 00:08:10,925 --> 00:08:13,884 are the two other busiest airports, and Traverse 197 00:08:13,884 --> 00:08:14,704 City's third. 198 00:08:15,245 --> 00:08:17,725 And if you know anything about airspace, Traverse 199 00:08:17,725 --> 00:08:19,425 City is a class delta 200 00:08:19,884 --> 00:08:21,345 airspace, which is 201 00:08:21,964 --> 00:08:22,625 the least 202 00:08:24,449 --> 00:08:24,949 restrictive 203 00:08:25,410 --> 00:08:27,269 airspace compared to, 204 00:08:27,730 --> 00:08:28,389 you know, 205 00:08:29,329 --> 00:08:30,870 that has a control tower. 206 00:08:31,250 --> 00:08:33,750 Deltas are the ones that have control towers. 207 00:08:34,210 --> 00:08:36,929 Then Charlie's are usually bigger. That's what Grand 208 00:08:36,929 --> 00:08:37,909 Rapids is. 209 00:08:38,274 --> 00:08:38,934 And then, 210 00:08:39,315 --> 00:08:42,195 there's Bravos, and the Bravos are like, you 211 00:08:42,195 --> 00:08:43,575 know, Detroit, Chicago, 212 00:08:44,115 --> 00:08:46,615 you know, all the really big ones, Atlanta. 213 00:08:47,794 --> 00:08:50,355 But, Traverse City is a Delta, so that 214 00:08:50,355 --> 00:08:53,039 means they own the airspace from the ground 215 00:08:53,039 --> 00:08:56,559 to 3,600 216 00:08:56,559 --> 00:08:58,799 feet. Oh, jeez. I should know that. I'm 217 00:08:59,199 --> 00:09:01,199 that doesn't really matter because I don't fly 218 00:09:01,199 --> 00:09:03,120 over the airport, and I fly to it 219 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:05,839 and and from it and around it, but 220 00:09:05,839 --> 00:09:06,339 not 221 00:09:06,774 --> 00:09:09,575 over it. But, some 3,000 222 00:09:09,575 --> 00:09:13,595 something feet, to the ground and four miles 223 00:09:13,894 --> 00:09:14,394 approximately, 224 00:09:15,334 --> 00:09:17,414 and it looks like just a cylinder of 225 00:09:17,414 --> 00:09:20,134 airspace. And and to fly into that, you 226 00:09:20,134 --> 00:09:22,509 have to have two way communications with the 227 00:09:22,509 --> 00:09:23,009 tower, 228 00:09:23,789 --> 00:09:24,289 and 229 00:09:24,669 --> 00:09:26,610 that's really about the only restriction. 230 00:09:27,230 --> 00:09:28,669 You know, you gotta kinda do what they 231 00:09:28,669 --> 00:09:30,669 tell you when you're in their airspace, of 232 00:09:30,669 --> 00:09:31,570 course. But 233 00:09:32,110 --> 00:09:32,610 again, 234 00:09:33,834 --> 00:09:36,654 it's not a super restrictive airspace 235 00:09:37,595 --> 00:09:39,934 compared to, say, Grand Rapids and Detroit, 236 00:09:40,875 --> 00:09:41,375 and 237 00:09:42,235 --> 00:09:44,235 and we're we're almost as busy. Well, we're 238 00:09:44,235 --> 00:09:46,235 not as busy as Detroit, not even close, 239 00:09:46,235 --> 00:09:47,934 but, I'd say we're 240 00:09:48,919 --> 00:09:50,919 on par at least in the summer with 241 00:09:50,919 --> 00:09:51,740 Grand Rapids, 242 00:09:52,679 --> 00:09:55,000 although they might, ramp up too in the 243 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:55,799 summer. But, 244 00:09:56,839 --> 00:09:59,159 compare winter in Grand Rapids versus, 245 00:09:59,559 --> 00:10:01,720 summer up here, it's probably about the same 246 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:04,139 amount of traffic. There's two big flight schools. 247 00:10:05,295 --> 00:10:07,455 Well, a big flight school and another flight 248 00:10:07,455 --> 00:10:10,175 school on the field here in Traverse City. 249 00:10:10,175 --> 00:10:11,875 The Northwest Michigan College 250 00:10:12,815 --> 00:10:15,615 has a flight program, and they have quite 251 00:10:15,615 --> 00:10:17,535 a bit of airplanes and and, 252 00:10:17,855 --> 00:10:18,995 quite a few students. 253 00:10:19,970 --> 00:10:22,850 So at any one time during nice weather, 254 00:10:22,850 --> 00:10:23,350 there'll 255 00:10:23,889 --> 00:10:24,389 be 256 00:10:25,730 --> 00:10:28,790 several students in the air around the airport. 257 00:10:29,889 --> 00:10:32,529 And then, Giving Wings Aviation, that's where I 258 00:10:32,529 --> 00:10:33,430 fly out of. 259 00:10:34,290 --> 00:10:36,664 They, you know, usually have three or four 260 00:10:36,664 --> 00:10:37,625 airplanes flying, 261 00:10:38,345 --> 00:10:39,485 during nice weather 262 00:10:40,105 --> 00:10:42,184 and a lot of training going on and 263 00:10:42,184 --> 00:10:43,965 lots of comings and goings. 264 00:10:44,424 --> 00:10:44,924 But, 265 00:10:45,865 --> 00:10:48,184 yeah, it can get busy. I remember that 266 00:10:48,184 --> 00:10:49,865 was probably a month ago. I was in 267 00:10:49,865 --> 00:10:50,445 the pattern, 268 00:10:51,379 --> 00:10:51,879 and, 269 00:10:52,820 --> 00:10:55,000 let's see. There was two or three airline 270 00:10:55,059 --> 00:10:55,559 flights, 271 00:10:56,179 --> 00:10:59,059 a bunch of business jets, and there was 272 00:10:59,059 --> 00:11:00,500 at least three or four of us in 273 00:11:00,500 --> 00:11:01,160 the pattern. 274 00:11:02,340 --> 00:11:05,220 I still ended up getting 11 takeoffs and 275 00:11:05,220 --> 00:11:06,440 landings. So 276 00:11:07,014 --> 00:11:09,034 the the controllers here are pretty darn good. 277 00:11:09,414 --> 00:11:11,014 I don't know if they really like the 278 00:11:11,014 --> 00:11:13,014 fact that a bunch of little airplanes are 279 00:11:13,014 --> 00:11:15,014 circling them all the time, but, they they 280 00:11:15,014 --> 00:11:16,855 deal with it. And then they get the 281 00:11:16,855 --> 00:11:18,554 big airplanes in as well. 282 00:11:21,450 --> 00:11:23,870 But, yeah, it's it's a it's a nice 283 00:11:23,929 --> 00:11:24,669 nice airport. 284 00:11:25,450 --> 00:11:26,750 I wouldn't call it little. 285 00:11:27,289 --> 00:11:30,089 Again, you know, Runway 2810 286 00:11:30,089 --> 00:11:30,589 is 287 00:11:30,889 --> 00:11:31,709 7,000 288 00:11:32,009 --> 00:11:33,629 plus feet long, 289 00:11:34,365 --> 00:11:38,125 and the crossing runway is 5,000 feet, which 290 00:11:38,125 --> 00:11:41,424 is plenty for most aircraft. We've had 291 00:11:41,884 --> 00:11:42,384 everything 292 00:11:43,245 --> 00:11:45,245 in here. You know, the Air Force One's 293 00:11:45,245 --> 00:11:46,784 been in here a few times. 294 00:11:47,570 --> 00:11:50,450 We we get routinely, you know, airbuses and 295 00:11:50,450 --> 00:11:53,169 seven twenty seven or seven thirty sevens, not 296 00:11:53,169 --> 00:11:54,950 so much seven twenty sevens anymore. 297 00:11:55,889 --> 00:11:59,350 DC nine variants like the seven one seven. 298 00:12:01,035 --> 00:12:03,615 Lots of regional jets, a lot of, 299 00:12:04,154 --> 00:12:05,835 fighter jets come in here. You know, we 300 00:12:05,835 --> 00:12:07,835 always have an air show every year. Usually, 301 00:12:07,835 --> 00:12:09,855 the Blue Angels or the Thunderbirds 302 00:12:10,235 --> 00:12:12,174 are here for Cherry Festival, 303 00:12:12,539 --> 00:12:15,100 for the air show, and they fly in 304 00:12:15,100 --> 00:12:16,959 and out of here just just fine. 305 00:12:18,940 --> 00:12:20,539 He said not a not a problem. You 306 00:12:20,539 --> 00:12:22,539 know, one time I was in the pattern 307 00:12:22,539 --> 00:12:25,579 and got told by the controller, extend your 308 00:12:25,579 --> 00:12:27,279 downwind. I'll call your base. 309 00:12:28,014 --> 00:12:31,154 Okay. And I said your your traffic is 310 00:12:31,455 --> 00:12:33,235 a flight of four f eighteens, 311 00:12:34,254 --> 00:12:34,995 on final, 312 00:12:35,534 --> 00:12:38,095 four two eight. And then, ended up, 313 00:12:38,894 --> 00:12:40,514 they passed me, same altitude, 314 00:12:41,455 --> 00:12:42,995 about a half mile apart 315 00:12:43,799 --> 00:12:45,960 and go in the opposite direction, and then 316 00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:48,440 right after that controller said, okay, you can 317 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:51,279 follow those f 18. So caution weight turbulence. 318 00:12:51,279 --> 00:12:52,860 I said, yeah, no duh. 319 00:12:54,519 --> 00:12:55,740 My airplane weighs 320 00:12:56,294 --> 00:12:57,115 1,300 321 00:12:57,254 --> 00:12:58,615 pounds or so, and, 322 00:12:59,014 --> 00:12:59,654 yeah. It's, 323 00:13:00,695 --> 00:13:02,855 that can be dangerous. So I extended out 324 00:13:02,855 --> 00:13:05,254 a little bit longer and, made sure I 325 00:13:05,254 --> 00:13:07,595 landed beyond where they touched down. 326 00:13:07,975 --> 00:13:10,455 Yeah. No no problem with wake turbulence, but 327 00:13:10,455 --> 00:13:11,674 that was kinda cool. 328 00:13:12,110 --> 00:13:13,009 One other time 329 00:13:13,550 --> 00:13:15,470 during the 2024 330 00:13:15,470 --> 00:13:15,970 campaign, 331 00:13:17,629 --> 00:13:19,330 I was taxiing out 332 00:13:19,870 --> 00:13:21,710 and had to taxi to 36, so I 333 00:13:21,710 --> 00:13:23,570 had to cross 28. 334 00:13:24,269 --> 00:13:24,769 And 335 00:13:25,875 --> 00:13:28,695 he said, you know, hold short of 28, 336 00:13:29,154 --> 00:13:30,934 incoming 737. 337 00:13:30,995 --> 00:13:32,054 Oh, okay. Cool. 338 00:13:32,434 --> 00:13:33,554 737 339 00:13:34,274 --> 00:13:35,154 and it was, 340 00:13:35,554 --> 00:13:36,455 JD Vance, 341 00:13:37,394 --> 00:13:39,634 campaign plane. And as we were taxing out, 342 00:13:39,634 --> 00:13:40,855 I looked over and 343 00:13:41,399 --> 00:13:43,799 I saw a whole bunch of, state police 344 00:13:43,799 --> 00:13:45,820 cars over by one of the hangars. 345 00:13:46,519 --> 00:13:48,440 Wondered what was going on and then, okay, 346 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:50,759 I figured it out. JD was coming in 347 00:13:50,759 --> 00:13:51,579 for a campaign 348 00:13:51,879 --> 00:13:54,860 appearance. So, anyway, then as soon as he 349 00:13:55,345 --> 00:13:57,424 landed and got down the runway a bit, 350 00:13:57,424 --> 00:13:59,825 I crossed the runway, went over to 36, 351 00:13:59,825 --> 00:14:01,284 took off, got out of here. 352 00:14:01,664 --> 00:14:03,365 But, that was kinda cool. 353 00:14:04,705 --> 00:14:06,865 Of course, when the president's here, and he's 354 00:14:06,865 --> 00:14:08,544 he's come in here a couple times as 355 00:14:08,544 --> 00:14:10,404 well, there's a a TFR, 356 00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:15,399 temporary flight restriction, so they don't allow you 357 00:14:15,399 --> 00:14:17,720 to fly when he's on the ground here 358 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:18,539 at the airport. 359 00:14:19,399 --> 00:14:21,720 But, anyway but back to the airport, you 360 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:24,120 know, Cherry Capital's turning and that's the the 361 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:26,379 official name of it, Cherry Capital Airport. 362 00:14:27,725 --> 00:14:28,465 And it, 363 00:14:30,044 --> 00:14:31,424 it's getting kinda large. 364 00:14:32,924 --> 00:14:34,865 You know, back in the day, they had 365 00:14:35,965 --> 00:14:38,225 a terminal building on the 366 00:14:38,605 --> 00:14:39,345 south side 367 00:14:40,709 --> 00:14:42,789 of of the main runway, south side of 368 00:14:42,789 --> 00:14:45,110 the airport. And, you know, it had a 369 00:14:45,110 --> 00:14:47,909 couple of gates, and that was really about 370 00:14:47,909 --> 00:14:48,409 it. 371 00:14:49,029 --> 00:14:51,209 There really wasn't a lot there. 372 00:14:51,829 --> 00:14:54,745 And they built a new terminal across the 373 00:14:54,745 --> 00:14:57,485 field. And this, I believe, was somewhere 374 00:14:59,544 --> 00:15:00,605 in February, 375 00:15:01,544 --> 00:15:03,784 early two thousands. What had to be because 376 00:15:03,784 --> 00:15:04,605 during the, 377 00:15:05,944 --> 00:15:08,125 what was it, February, 378 00:15:09,459 --> 00:15:11,080 president Bush came in here, 379 00:15:12,019 --> 00:15:14,339 and he was the first user of the 380 00:15:14,339 --> 00:15:16,580 new terminal. They parked Air Force One out 381 00:15:16,580 --> 00:15:18,820 on the, airline ramp at the new terminal, 382 00:15:18,820 --> 00:15:19,320 and 383 00:15:19,700 --> 00:15:22,339 he, walked through the new terminal building to 384 00:15:22,339 --> 00:15:24,794 get to his motorcade and to go to 385 00:15:24,794 --> 00:15:26,894 whatever event he was going to. 386 00:15:27,274 --> 00:15:28,875 So they got pictures of him in that 387 00:15:28,875 --> 00:15:29,375 new, 388 00:15:30,394 --> 00:15:33,034 airport terminal. And I say new because it 389 00:15:33,034 --> 00:15:35,514 was from 2004. It's almost twenty years ago 390 00:15:35,514 --> 00:15:36,975 or over twenty years ago. 391 00:15:38,399 --> 00:15:40,740 But now they're they're expanding it again. 392 00:15:41,279 --> 00:15:42,899 We have quite a few flights. 393 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:45,600 You know, it used to be that the 394 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:47,600 only place you could go out of Traverse 395 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:48,899 City was on, 396 00:15:50,485 --> 00:15:52,664 I believe it was Republic Airlines 397 00:15:53,204 --> 00:15:53,764 and then, 398 00:15:54,245 --> 00:15:57,225 North Central Airlines, and then it switched to 399 00:15:57,365 --> 00:15:59,384 Northwest Airlines and then Delta, 400 00:16:00,485 --> 00:16:01,865 as all these have 401 00:16:02,490 --> 00:16:04,730 merged together. And then a little while later, 402 00:16:04,730 --> 00:16:06,570 American came in, but they're really the only 403 00:16:06,570 --> 00:16:09,870 flights we had were between here and Detroit 404 00:16:09,929 --> 00:16:10,909 and here in 405 00:16:11,370 --> 00:16:11,870 Minneapolis. 406 00:16:13,450 --> 00:16:14,830 So now year around, 407 00:16:15,450 --> 00:16:16,090 they have, 408 00:16:16,570 --> 00:16:17,629 Allegiant Airlines, 409 00:16:18,434 --> 00:16:20,934 and they fly to Fort Lauderdale, Phoenix, 410 00:16:21,715 --> 00:16:23,335 Saint Petersburg, Florida. 411 00:16:24,595 --> 00:16:26,774 And then seasonal, they do Orlando, 412 00:16:27,154 --> 00:16:30,274 Sanford, and Punta Gorda, Florida. Those are all 413 00:16:30,274 --> 00:16:30,774 nonstops. 414 00:16:31,649 --> 00:16:33,829 Allegiant, you know, they're an up and comer 415 00:16:34,769 --> 00:16:37,409 discount airlines. My my wife flies them quite 416 00:16:37,409 --> 00:16:39,409 a bit when she goes to Florida. It's 417 00:16:39,409 --> 00:16:40,149 kinda cool 418 00:16:40,690 --> 00:16:43,250 and I believe they're seasonal for the two 419 00:16:43,250 --> 00:16:45,730 other Florida flights in the winter, where most 420 00:16:45,730 --> 00:16:47,324 of the rest of these that have seasonal 421 00:16:47,324 --> 00:16:47,824 flights 422 00:16:48,684 --> 00:16:49,084 are, 423 00:16:49,564 --> 00:16:51,105 are summer only 424 00:16:51,564 --> 00:16:53,504 seasonal flights. Like, American, 425 00:16:54,125 --> 00:16:55,804 they most of the time, they fly back 426 00:16:55,804 --> 00:16:58,284 and forth to Chicago. That's kind of their 427 00:16:58,284 --> 00:16:59,184 their gig. 428 00:17:00,125 --> 00:17:00,605 But, 429 00:17:01,004 --> 00:17:01,664 in the 430 00:17:03,429 --> 00:17:05,609 in the summer months, they have a 431 00:17:06,390 --> 00:17:08,730 a direct flight to Charlotte, Dallas, 432 00:17:09,029 --> 00:17:10,410 and Washington National. 433 00:17:11,029 --> 00:17:12,630 And what was cool about that is I 434 00:17:12,630 --> 00:17:14,089 was able to use those 435 00:17:14,390 --> 00:17:14,890 flights, 436 00:17:16,595 --> 00:17:18,595 or at least the Dallas one and the 437 00:17:18,595 --> 00:17:19,095 Washington 438 00:17:19,474 --> 00:17:19,974 one. 439 00:17:21,234 --> 00:17:22,055 And, also, 440 00:17:22,515 --> 00:17:25,815 on another airline, I was able to 441 00:17:26,355 --> 00:17:28,410 use one to Denver, a non stop flight. 442 00:17:28,410 --> 00:17:29,809 We don't get a lot of non stop 443 00:17:29,809 --> 00:17:31,490 flights here, you know, like when I fly 444 00:17:31,490 --> 00:17:34,150 out I'm usually going to Detroit or Chicago 445 00:17:34,289 --> 00:17:35,350 to switch airplanes, 446 00:17:36,289 --> 00:17:40,070 but anyway, American, the mainline American has Charlotte, 447 00:17:40,210 --> 00:17:40,710 Dallas, 448 00:17:41,515 --> 00:17:44,974 Washington, and then American Eagle, the 449 00:17:45,355 --> 00:17:45,855 the, 450 00:17:47,994 --> 00:17:49,694 you know, affiliate, obviously. 451 00:17:50,315 --> 00:17:52,654 They do Chicago, O'Hare, Boston, 452 00:17:53,035 --> 00:17:53,535 Charlotte, 453 00:17:54,315 --> 00:17:54,815 Dallas, 454 00:17:55,980 --> 00:17:56,480 LaGuardia, 455 00:17:56,779 --> 00:17:58,240 New York, and Philadelphia. 456 00:17:59,180 --> 00:18:01,420 All but the Chicago one is seasonal in 457 00:18:01,420 --> 00:18:02,000 the summer. 458 00:18:03,420 --> 00:18:04,640 AVEO Airlines 459 00:18:05,180 --> 00:18:08,044 or Avelo or I don't know how to 460 00:18:08,044 --> 00:18:10,444 pronounce that, but they only have one flight 461 00:18:10,444 --> 00:18:11,744 and they go to New Haven, 462 00:18:12,125 --> 00:18:12,625 Connecticut 463 00:18:13,085 --> 00:18:15,744 of all places and that's just seasonal. 464 00:18:16,525 --> 00:18:18,944 Delta, that's kind of the main airline 465 00:18:19,565 --> 00:18:21,265 here, but not necessarily 466 00:18:22,710 --> 00:18:23,750 anymore because, 467 00:18:24,390 --> 00:18:26,069 United is here as well. But, 468 00:18:27,109 --> 00:18:29,769 they mainly go to Detroit and seasonally 469 00:18:30,230 --> 00:18:31,049 to Minneapolis 470 00:18:31,509 --> 00:18:32,409 and New York. 471 00:18:33,990 --> 00:18:35,929 And, they just added a 472 00:18:36,995 --> 00:18:39,315 year round flight to Atlanta. I just saw 473 00:18:39,315 --> 00:18:41,575 that in the news. And then Delta Connection, 474 00:18:42,355 --> 00:18:45,875 which is Delta's affiliate airline there. They also 475 00:18:45,875 --> 00:18:47,575 do seasonal to Boston, 476 00:18:48,355 --> 00:18:50,055 which, and then Minneapolis. 477 00:18:50,434 --> 00:18:53,279 But, Anyway, kind of cool. JetBlue just got 478 00:18:53,279 --> 00:18:54,660 here, and they're doing 479 00:18:55,039 --> 00:18:57,220 seasonal routes to Boston. So 480 00:18:57,519 --> 00:18:59,599 they're probably not here in the wintertime, but 481 00:18:59,599 --> 00:19:01,140 they're here in the summer. 482 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:03,539 And, Sun Country 483 00:19:03,865 --> 00:19:04,765 flies to Minneapolis 484 00:19:05,224 --> 00:19:06,524 only, and it's seasonal. 485 00:19:07,304 --> 00:19:10,845 United, that's another big one. They do Chicago 486 00:19:11,224 --> 00:19:11,964 year round, 487 00:19:12,904 --> 00:19:15,784 and United Express does Chicago year round. And 488 00:19:15,784 --> 00:19:19,565 then, seasonally, they do Denver and Washington, Dulles, 489 00:19:19,680 --> 00:19:20,180 and, 490 00:19:22,080 --> 00:19:24,880 and then in Houston, I guess, and New 491 00:19:24,880 --> 00:19:26,500 York. Newark. Newark. 492 00:19:27,680 --> 00:19:29,840 Anyway, so that's quite a bit for a 493 00:19:29,840 --> 00:19:31,220 little airport like this. 494 00:19:31,850 --> 00:19:32,350 Definitely 495 00:19:32,894 --> 00:19:34,575 not what it used to be like. 496 00:19:34,894 --> 00:19:36,734 You know, I'd go to Kofi Klatch with 497 00:19:36,734 --> 00:19:39,295 a lot of, ex airline pilots that were 498 00:19:39,295 --> 00:19:40,115 around here, 499 00:19:40,414 --> 00:19:42,515 you know, back when Republic and 500 00:19:42,934 --> 00:19:43,434 and, 501 00:19:44,174 --> 00:19:44,994 North Central 502 00:19:45,700 --> 00:19:47,700 were the things. And, one of the guys 503 00:19:47,700 --> 00:19:49,640 was saying, he says, yeah. They'd leave 504 00:19:50,420 --> 00:19:50,920 Detroit. 505 00:19:52,019 --> 00:19:53,480 They would fly to 506 00:19:54,259 --> 00:19:57,140 Grand Rapids and then Muskegon and then Traverse 507 00:19:57,140 --> 00:19:59,140 City and then Pellston, which is kind of 508 00:19:59,140 --> 00:20:01,365 an interesting little airport. I'm gonna do another 509 00:20:01,365 --> 00:20:03,865 episode about aviation up north here 510 00:20:04,164 --> 00:20:05,785 and I'll be talking about Pellston 511 00:20:06,085 --> 00:20:06,805 Airport, but, 512 00:20:08,565 --> 00:20:11,045 anyway, you know, they would do, you know, 513 00:20:11,045 --> 00:20:13,305 eight, ten stops and end up in Minneapolis. 514 00:20:14,369 --> 00:20:16,210 They don't do that kind of thing anymore. 515 00:20:16,210 --> 00:20:18,390 Now it's all hub and spoke with 516 00:20:18,690 --> 00:20:21,089 the little commuters with the exception of some 517 00:20:21,089 --> 00:20:23,570 of these newer airlines that are now doing 518 00:20:23,570 --> 00:20:25,109 some non stops, but 519 00:20:25,410 --> 00:20:27,410 for the most part it's hub and spoke. 520 00:20:27,410 --> 00:20:27,910 So 521 00:20:28,275 --> 00:20:30,595 you know, they don't have these routes that, 522 00:20:30,994 --> 00:20:32,855 the airliners used to fly. 523 00:20:33,555 --> 00:20:35,955 You know, they save the bigger airplanes for 524 00:20:35,955 --> 00:20:39,234 the longer flights and the smaller airplanes getting 525 00:20:39,234 --> 00:20:40,615 people to the bigger airports. 526 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:42,840 Nothing wrong with that and, you know, Traverse 527 00:20:42,840 --> 00:20:44,460 City is not a hub to anywhere. 528 00:20:45,080 --> 00:20:46,859 I don't believe it's it's 529 00:20:48,039 --> 00:20:51,160 normal for somebody to fly through Traverse City 530 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:54,680 to get somewhere else. They usually originate here 531 00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:55,820 or end up here, 532 00:20:56,505 --> 00:20:56,825 not, 533 00:20:57,305 --> 00:20:59,065 not flying through. So there's not a lot 534 00:20:59,065 --> 00:21:01,305 of switching airplanes in Traverse City. It's, 535 00:21:02,345 --> 00:21:04,265 at least that's not normal. Now once in 536 00:21:04,265 --> 00:21:06,345 a while, if the weather in Pellston's bad 537 00:21:06,345 --> 00:21:08,605 and the Delta flight that's going up there, 538 00:21:09,299 --> 00:21:11,559 has to land in Traverse City instead. 539 00:21:12,580 --> 00:21:14,980 Some sometimes they'll hang out and then fly 540 00:21:14,980 --> 00:21:17,940 up to Pellston, and other times they'll bring 541 00:21:17,940 --> 00:21:20,200 a bus and, just haul them up there 542 00:21:20,259 --> 00:21:22,420 on the bus. Yeah. You know, I paid 543 00:21:22,420 --> 00:21:24,019 for an airline ticket. I don't wanna go 544 00:21:24,019 --> 00:21:24,759 on a bus. 545 00:21:25,775 --> 00:21:26,275 Anyway, 546 00:21:26,654 --> 00:21:27,694 haven't had any, 547 00:21:28,095 --> 00:21:28,914 any major 548 00:21:29,294 --> 00:21:31,615 wrecks here at Traverse City as long as 549 00:21:31,615 --> 00:21:33,474 I can remember. We've had some interesting, 550 00:21:33,775 --> 00:21:35,154 you know, small plane, 551 00:21:36,335 --> 00:21:38,734 you know, quote unquote crashes, but, 552 00:21:40,099 --> 00:21:40,599 nothing 553 00:21:40,980 --> 00:21:43,619 too crazy, you know. Usually, it's gear up 554 00:21:43,619 --> 00:21:45,640 landings or collapsed gear 555 00:21:45,940 --> 00:21:48,279 or something on the runway totally expected 556 00:21:48,580 --> 00:21:49,400 or unexpected. 557 00:21:50,339 --> 00:21:51,480 But they did have 558 00:21:52,580 --> 00:21:54,759 a CRJ run off the runway 559 00:21:56,125 --> 00:21:59,025 landing in Traverse City back in 2007. 560 00:21:59,884 --> 00:22:01,105 And, he just 561 00:22:01,404 --> 00:22:02,464 overran the runway 562 00:22:02,845 --> 00:22:05,105 and ended up in the in the snowbank 563 00:22:05,325 --> 00:22:06,785 at the end of the runway. And 564 00:22:07,779 --> 00:22:09,619 they did a little damage to the airplane, 565 00:22:09,619 --> 00:22:12,579 but, there were 52 people on board, and 566 00:22:12,579 --> 00:22:13,720 nobody was injured. 567 00:22:14,579 --> 00:22:16,759 And, it was a really snowy 568 00:22:17,700 --> 00:22:18,339 night, and, 569 00:22:18,900 --> 00:22:19,619 I don't think, 570 00:22:20,134 --> 00:22:21,894 the pilots realized that when they got on 571 00:22:21,894 --> 00:22:23,735 the ground, the brakes aren't gonna work that 572 00:22:23,735 --> 00:22:24,555 good and, 573 00:22:25,255 --> 00:22:27,815 apparently didn't get the thrust reversers in enough 574 00:22:27,815 --> 00:22:29,835 to, get it stopped. But, 575 00:22:30,455 --> 00:22:32,134 like I said, no harm, no foul. That 576 00:22:32,134 --> 00:22:32,634 airplane 577 00:22:33,015 --> 00:22:35,250 sat on the ramp probably a couple of 578 00:22:35,250 --> 00:22:37,570 weeks before they, got it fixed and flew 579 00:22:37,570 --> 00:22:39,089 it out of here, so it was no 580 00:22:39,089 --> 00:22:41,670 big deal. Had one of the college airplanes 581 00:22:41,809 --> 00:22:43,109 land in the graveyard 582 00:22:43,970 --> 00:22:45,830 off the end of one eight 583 00:22:46,289 --> 00:22:47,349 or not the graveyard. 584 00:22:47,730 --> 00:22:48,390 That's right. 585 00:22:49,825 --> 00:22:51,585 That would be a good place to land 586 00:22:51,585 --> 00:22:52,805 if you had to, but, 587 00:22:53,505 --> 00:22:55,664 no. They, they landed at the Traverse City 588 00:22:55,664 --> 00:22:57,744 Civic Center. That's right. And so they landed 589 00:22:57,744 --> 00:22:58,884 on a ball diamond 590 00:22:59,505 --> 00:23:00,144 there and, 591 00:23:00,865 --> 00:23:03,009 and it ran up against a fence. They 592 00:23:03,009 --> 00:23:05,910 had an engine failure on, on final and 593 00:23:06,130 --> 00:23:07,190 couldn't make the runway 594 00:23:07,490 --> 00:23:08,710 from wherever they were. 595 00:23:09,410 --> 00:23:12,849 And, that airplane's still flying. In fact, I 596 00:23:12,849 --> 00:23:14,929 know they're not flying today. It's kinda crappy 597 00:23:14,929 --> 00:23:16,769 out, but, I see it all the time 598 00:23:16,769 --> 00:23:17,990 on flight radar 599 00:23:19,065 --> 00:23:20,444 on, you know, the ADSB 600 00:23:21,304 --> 00:23:23,724 thing that you can watch airplanes on. 601 00:23:24,345 --> 00:23:24,845 And, 602 00:23:25,704 --> 00:23:28,345 so that one's five November whiskey. It's the 603 00:23:28,345 --> 00:23:29,964 last part of his call sign. 604 00:23:30,664 --> 00:23:31,164 But, 605 00:23:31,544 --> 00:23:33,630 yeah, they they got it hauled back to 606 00:23:33,630 --> 00:23:36,029 the airport, fixed the engine, and a couple 607 00:23:36,029 --> 00:23:37,730 little dents from hitting the fence. 608 00:23:38,670 --> 00:23:41,410 And it was back flying no no time 609 00:23:42,269 --> 00:23:43,250 in no time. 610 00:23:44,109 --> 00:23:46,509 So, anyway, that's kind of the rundown Traverse 611 00:23:46,509 --> 00:23:47,325 City Airport. 612 00:23:47,724 --> 00:23:49,984 Pretty important to Northern Michigan, 613 00:23:50,605 --> 00:23:52,284 as far as, you know, getting in and 614 00:23:52,284 --> 00:23:53,024 out of here. 615 00:23:54,125 --> 00:23:56,524 I mentioned Paulson Airport. They actually have a 616 00:23:56,524 --> 00:23:58,524 Delta flight that flies out of there. That's, 617 00:23:58,684 --> 00:24:01,005 pretty close to the Mackinac Bridge, so it's 618 00:24:01,005 --> 00:24:03,329 it's a bit north of us and a 619 00:24:03,329 --> 00:24:05,089 lot of the Yoopers, you know, fly in 620 00:24:05,089 --> 00:24:07,730 and out of there. Although there's another airport 621 00:24:07,730 --> 00:24:08,690 on the other side, 622 00:24:09,970 --> 00:24:12,049 used to be the old Kinslow Air Force 623 00:24:12,049 --> 00:24:12,549 Base. 624 00:24:13,490 --> 00:24:16,529 And, they have a couple of Delta flights 625 00:24:16,529 --> 00:24:18,230 in and out of there every day. 626 00:24:19,025 --> 00:24:21,765 That's part of that essential air service thing. 627 00:24:21,984 --> 00:24:24,384 There's a airport about an hour away by 628 00:24:24,384 --> 00:24:24,884 driving 629 00:24:25,664 --> 00:24:28,724 called Manistee Airport, and, they have an airliner 630 00:24:28,784 --> 00:24:31,365 there that just goes back and forth to 631 00:24:32,950 --> 00:24:35,690 Chicago. I've actually taken that a couple times, 632 00:24:36,470 --> 00:24:38,250 in my travels just because 633 00:24:39,750 --> 00:24:41,829 sometimes it's easier just to go over there. 634 00:24:41,829 --> 00:24:44,169 Although, I'm a mile from the terminal building 635 00:24:45,125 --> 00:24:47,204 at Traverse City, so it's really not a 636 00:24:47,204 --> 00:24:48,504 big deal. But, 637 00:24:49,924 --> 00:24:52,504 anyhoo, that's it for today. 638 00:24:52,884 --> 00:24:54,664 And, let's see. Tomorrow, 639 00:24:55,605 --> 00:24:57,144 I got a rant for you, 640 00:24:57,845 --> 00:24:59,625 so stay tuned for that.