April 30, 2004 - The Agua Dulce Airpark has attracted many transitional
flyers over the last several years due mainly to the low price of aviation fuel.
The price of LL100 aviation fuel currently is the cheapest of any airport
west of the Rockies (see http://www.airnav.com/fuel/greatdeals/long?type=1).
Although this airport is located at the bottom of a bowl (valley) with the
ridges near the runway generating high cross winds and thermals, it is
interesting to look at the pilot view's. They are not centered on the safety of
these winds and terrain, but on the cheap gas and sandwiches.
Here are some selected pilot comments regarding the Agua Dulce Airport (the source of these comments is airnav.com with the full comments at: http://www.airnav.com/airport/L70/A
29-Mar-2004 Great place to stop for fuel…
25-Jul-2003 Great facilities for a noontime stopover on a weekend.
Friendly, quiet, relaxing. Don't worry about the 10 people or so in the area
that don't like planes. There's 3000 who do. Fly safe, fly quiet, no complaints!
15-Jul-2003 Just flew in yesterday to check out the airport after not
flying in for over 8 or 9 years.. WOW, was I impressed, that place is just
beautiful! The guy running the office gave me a small tour of the facilities
after filling up the tanks of my Bonanza for under $2.10 a gallon... Great deal!
I will be back, even with the comment from the guy below (Obviously a airport
hater.. haha). Thanks Agua Dulce, just a super job!
02-Jul-2003 As a resident of this quiet, rural community, I am requesting pilots to avoid using this airport as it was only intended for local/limited use and emergencies ONLY! Thank you for respecting our airspace!!!
26-Mar-2003 Great place for (what I reckon) the cheapest 100LL in the state.
20-Feb-2003 …Cheap fuel(100LL) and nice people. Check it out!
29-Dec-2002 We had a great holiday flyout of SoCAL RVs with 12 RVs attending :-) Agua Dulce is a great place to stop in for fuel and enjoy the Bar-b-que and new facilities! Stop in and say hi to Barry & Kristen :-)
13-Aug-2002 …refueled with cheap gas. A beautiful pilot lounge facility. Very Helpful. I love you guys! Thanks, CK
22-Apr-2002 I have been flying over L70 for years, but had never landed there until I saw how reasonable fuel prices are…
All of these "wonderful comments" by transient pilots and others praising the airport, it's staff, the BBQ, "the cheapest 100LL gas and Jet A fuel in the state" of California, etc are from the owners and pilots who benefit from the airport being in the middle of our residential community -- and of course not in their neighborhood. And they mock those of us who complain about their contribution to our concerns of safety, noise, water, environmental and fire issues.
These fine people will fly an extra 100 miles or more out of their way for Agua Dulce's "cheap gas" because they, along with Barry Kirshner, are always looking for a good and cheap deal that they can profit or benefit from. They love this, and in their minds there are no negatives in Agua Dulce -- as far as they are concerned -- except the residents who complain about their activities.
Watching this increasing number of "transient pilots" attempt to land, take-off and navigate from Agua Dulce airport is an unusual experience that allows one to wonder "who will be next"? On a windy day they try and land with wings wagging and flapping and their aircraft gyrating like a "Hula Dancer" -- with a final sigh of relief from the flyer when the landing is completed without accident.
Taking-off can be another interesting challenge. The up-hill runway 4. The rapidly changing crosswind patterns of the area. The diminishing lift needed for aircraft to take off and attain normal flight from the hot summer air. The high velocity head winds and crosswinds where planes lose much of their forward motion and rise-up like a high speed elevator or drop like a stone. You wonder how much actual control is or can be exercised by the pilot?
Within the past few years there have been over 15 aircraft crashes within the Agua Dulce area north, west and east of the airport, causing deaths and brush fires. Up the canyon to the east. On the hillsides to the west. Close to the airport in town west -- very near the grammar school, and out of town east. North of Sierra Highway, and within the boundaries of the airport -- and for many reasons.
The death and injury from these accidents and the serious risk of fire from any aircraft accident should always be in the airport operators and in the pilots minds - as it always is in the minds of the nearby residents!
Ever watch the many pilots who fly directly over the Agua Dulce grammar school almost daily? Apparently they don't have a clue about what they are doing. Perhaps their thoughts are on the BBQ or? The rules are there! The rules are being broken every day! NO ONE is doing anything about the broken rules! It appears that NO ONE CARES -- certainly not Barry Kirshner and staff, who see and hear the same violations and other negative things that we experience! When will they start being a "good neighbor"?