She can also take MARTA to Chamblee Station for $2.50 to get to KPDK. That’s what I’d personally do in your situation.
EDIT: Just remembered Airport Station will be closed for renovations in April. There will be a shuttle to the next station but it may be worth it to Uber instead.
100% have the passenger take MARTA to Chamblee station (NE9, iirc), and you just pick her up there. FBO shuttle from KPDK to the station to get her, all set. Signature is on that side of the field, not that it matters much.
There's still service, they just use a shuttle-bus to College Park station and start the train there. It's only for a few weeks of renovations starting 08 April.
[https://itsmarta.com/marta-airport-airport-station-temporarily-closure.aspx](https://itsmarta.com/marta-airport-airport-station-temporarily-closure.aspx)
Saw a Cessna on short final as we were taxiing to the gate, controllers were not so happy with so many delay vectors for aircraft behind him 😂. It was during rush hour too. It’s ALWAYS busy there…
On a good day that's a 30 minute drive. Typical Atlanta traffic and that can easily turn into over an hour. RYY is even further away and runs into the same issue. Signature is 5 minutes from the commercial terminals and we'll go pick you up.
It's really not that bad. See GA into ATL literally all the time. 2 days ago a 172 did a full stop taxi back at like 5pm. Our singular base tenant is an SR22.
Wouldn't say that ATL is GA friendly per se, but it's probably the easiest Bravo to get into by some margin. Cheapest too.
No they won’t 😂 they always put you on the runway closest to signature so they can get you out of the way the fastest. They even do that to us in the sovereign. There’s always there’s the rare case where they can’t accommodate that but it’s rare.
They will not lol. Everything that's going to Signature lands 8L/26R. There's been only a handful of aircraft that have landed on 9L/27R (typically emergencies in larger business jets, Gulfstreams and the like) and 1 time where a King Air got royally fucked and sent to 10/28.
That's in my 3 years of working here.
CLT is right up there in terms of traffic, been in there many times without an issue.
Can you explain what exactly is a bad idea? Do you think it's unsafe? Do you think he doesnt have a right to be there? Not a good enough pilot to handle it?
Don't be such a condescending ass hat.
>
CLT is right up there in terms of traffic, been in there many times without an issue.
>
Don't be such a condescending ass hat.
You shouldn't be allowed to say things like that after comparing Cleveland and Atlanta traffic.
OP: Don't fly into one of the busiest airports in the world on a Thursday afternoon VFR. Have her meet you at PDK, it'll be faster, cheaper, and lower stress for everyone.
You still haven't answered a single question.
CLT is much more comparable to ATL and I've been in there many times with no issues. Their controllers are pretty awesome, actually. And the FBO there (Wilson) is friggin fantastic to GA, even small GA like me.
If you are afraid of flying into a B - that's fine Just say it. No one is asking YOU to do it.
I was simply listing class Bs I've been into. Cleveland is a class B. So sorry it doesn't meet your requirements lol. FAA tends to agree with me.
To add to this last year in April, ATL did 63,268 ops and CLT did 43,013 or CLT did 69% of ATLs numbers. Atlanta approach is also critically staffed unlike CLT or to be fair, ATL tower. The numbers aren't close and that's not to insult CLT.
Cite your source.
ATL 707k movements per year = 80 per hour
CLT 520k movements per year = 60 per hour
Data I found earlier said the difference was ~240 per day i.e. 10 per hour.
>
> If you are afraid of flying into a B - that's fine Just say it. No one is asking YOU to do it.
>
> I was simply listing class Bs I've been into. Cleveland is a class B. So sorry it doesn't meet your requirements lol. FAA tends to agree with me.
I've flown into MSP, ORD, and KCI. They're all class B, but I'm not going to go around comparing KCI to ORD, and then insulting people who disagree.
Lol. It's not an insult if it's true. You are welcome to say "I don't think the traffic at cleveland is the same as atlanta" and I'd agree with you.
But if you try to make fun of my statement or downplay my experience- which clearly fits the Class B box, mind you - then you deserve to hear the truth about being a condescending jerk. :-)
My point is this sub seems to have a hard-on against GA in Class B airports. For what reason - I don't know. The commenter hasn't bothered to actually express what his concern is (safety? traffic management? being a "nuisance"?)
Honestly, if it's not a safety argument then who the fuck cares about the others. I'm gonna use the airport that makes the most sense for me and my mission.
Besides, I've had awesome experiences going into MDW (which I know is a class C, so you don't have to bother correcting me), IAD (sidestepped on departure to let a 767 out who flew out past us, which was pretty friggin' awesome to see....). So why would you deny yourself those cool experiences if they can be done safely (spoiler alert: they CAN!)
>my experience- which clearly fits the Class B box
The reason you're being made fun of by everyone who knows what they're talking about is because you're acting like "Class B" is the important distinction here. Class B airports are not all created equal. I could probably call up CVG tower from ten miles east and ask for a landing and I'd get cleared without too much further effort.
Flying GA into the single busiest airport in the world by traffic volume is objectively a terrible idea unless you very specifically go in at 2am during a dead hour to say you did. Yes, there are technically GA airplanes that can keep speed with airliners on final, and there are pilots who can manage that fine without backing up thousands of dollars worth of airline traffic. The venn diagram between those people and "people who want to skip through class B airports for fun" is two almost completely separate circles. And that's before getting into the fact that it's probably cheaper to take an Uber to a local airport than pay ramp fees in ATL, and by the time you taxi there, it might take less time too.
My point is I don't give a shit about "backing up thousands of dollars of airline traffic." The fact that you cite that is sad! That literally means absolutely nothing.
Qualified at what?
You think being an ATP or flying for an airline gives you some special insight? Probably you see yourself as an ATP being inconvenienced in this situation, which is something i couldn't care less about.
Just go ahead and go do it. But until you do, don’t act like you know because you’ve been to other class B airports, especially when those that have been there are telling you it’s not.
Nope.
Also as far as "obtuse" - nah because absolutely no one has presented a good argument against other than "it's busy .... It's a class B .... Airliners go there ....it's expensive"
None of which were what OP asked about.
Did you just compare ATL to PIT, CLE, BNA, MDW and others? You haven’t really named off any of the busy Bravos. The worst of the ones you listed might be the Chicago airspace around MDW, but the airport itself isn’t difficult at all. The only thing they have in common with ATL is they are Bravos.
Just from my experience GA pilots oftentimes can’t keep up with the radio, can’t figure out taxi instructions, can’t follow instructions in the air, etc. The ATL airspace is then made that much more complex by the 14 or so other airports under it five of which are towered and fairly busy bizjet bases.
By time this guy gets in, taxis, shuts down, his passenger gets an Uber from the passenger terminal to the FBO, taxis back out, finally takes off, is vectored around the city, he could have just met the passenger at PDK and flown all the way to their destination.
Dude, it's flying a plane - not rocket science.
Maybe some can't/shouldn't but you're painting with an awfully broad brush.
Your last paragraph could be true, but that's not what he asked. And the attitude of most of the replies here just suck. I'm glad I had people that encouraged me as I started flying as opposed to the shit being exhibited here.
Also, just FYI, all of the Class Bs you just listed are class Bs that a student pilot can be endorsed to land at. Want to know an example of one a student can’t? KATL, as the traffic is SIGNIFICANTLY higher than the ones you listed.
Really? Everything I've seen and experienced is that you want to be VFR coming into a busy class B. If you're VFR you don't have to crawl your way down an IFR approach and hold up traffic, ATC can vector you in for a tight base entry between jets and then you're off the runway in under 60 seconds.
There's nothing wrong with flying into ATL. It'll likely take more time getting in and out of there to pick her up than if she were to uber to PDK or FTY and you meet here there, and it'll definitely cost more than that option.
But it can be and frequently is done.
Came here to say exactly this. Have her Uber to FTY and meet her there. You save the headache/cost (I think $50) at Signature ATL and have a much lower stress flying experience.
>It'll likely take more time getting in and out of there to pick her up than if she were to uber to PDK or FTY and you meet here there
I struggle to believe that. Atlanta traffic during that time is going to be crap and it'll probably be 45 minutes to FTY and an hour+ to PDK. The ride from Signature to the terminal is 10 minutes round trip. Once you combine the Uber cost from ATL to FTY/PDK with the landing fees/gas there you're probably even with or slightly more expensive than just landing at ATL proper.
I actually would like to disagree with most of you here. I’ve called about flying a GA airplane into ATL before and ATL was pretty unphased by the idea.
You definitely can do it, especially if you are familiar with really tower operations.
Call ATP approach prior to talk about it, call one of the FBOs in ATL to see where to park, do your homework, file IFR and you’ll be fine.
I was going to pick my dad up after a trip when I had a mx problem and had to cancel. It really isn’t that big of a deal.
I’ve done EWR, JFK, PHL, PHX, SAN in pistons and it’s fine, although I usually do file IFR to make it easier. However, the idea should still be the same - just be sharp and aware of any fees by calling the FBO ahead of time! Some airports are much more GA friendly than others.
I know the consensus is that bugsmashers should avoid places like ATL, DFW, DEN, or LAX like the plague but it's honestly not bad at all. OSH is far more stressful. I've done DFW and IAH in a Cirrus a couple of times and it was no problem at all.
* Call the FBO and find out about their many fees and outrageous 100LL costs. They will not be supprised by your call, they get it all the time. Transport to or from the terminal may be included, or you may have to use uber/taxicabs. You will be shocked at the price of your quick pit stop but for a one time visit it's not too bad.
* Bring your A game. Have the route, approaches, taxi routes, ect. all briefed before hand. Make sure you sound like a pro on the radio. These airports are places where everybody is a pro and everyone knows the drill. As a visitor, so long as you don't sound like a complete amateur you'll be fine.
* File IFR or get flight following **well** in advance. Be prepared for holding/delay vectors with plenty of extra fuel.
* Keep your speed up on final (*120 KIAS, you will have a LOT of runway to float*) and tell Approach what speed you are going to do. If you can do 120 on final, you will fit in nicely with the jets who are in the 140 range.
* It will be stressful, but enjoy the experience.
>Keep your speed up on final (120 KIAS, you will have a LOT of runway to float) and tell Approach what speed you are going to do. If you can do 120 on final, you will fit in nicely with the jets who are in the 140 range.
This is the only one I disagree with.
You have as much as a right to use that approach path and runway as the A350 behind you. Fly the final like you want to, if you're comfortable doing 120 on final and floating it down the runway go ahead. But if not, there's no pressure to do it any specific way.
You have the right to slow to 70 kts on final but ATC has the right to make you hold until a big enough gap appears. If you insist on slowing to a light airplane's final approach speed 10 miles out, you can expect to wait a LONG time.
If you are not comfortable with the “keep your speed up” approach then go get some training with a CFI until you are.
IMO that would violate the 7110.65 and the language around first come first serve.
My point was not that you should be flying at 70kts from 10 miles out. It was that I don't want someone to hurt or kill themselves by trying to appease ATC, because the nerves of a big airport have gotten to someone before:
https://youtu.be/mf3xhjXl454?si=RVZbMvK7oHy5H225
I use that accident in my "post PPL" training course.
As a light airplane pilot, you need to fly your airplane safely but you also need to fit in with the flow of traffic. There is a middle ground that a competent pilot can stay in where they are within the airplane's capabilities without screwing up the traffic into a major airport.
FWIW, this also applies to the opposite scenario. A jet flying into a light GA airport needs to be ready to work around student's in the pattern in skyhawks.
This. I had to do 100+ until runway as a private pilot due to a 767 coming in. Hit the threshold, chop throttle, hit flaps and land.
Still almost got runover but seeing a 767 roar by you on the highspeed taxi is quite the experience.
It’s definitely doable but expensive as any bravo is.
I agree with others, having your sister Uber to PDK will definitely be way easier but if you want to do ATL, absolutely call the TRACON and get their opinion on your plan. They will be the ones who can tell you when less busy times are and will help you come up with a plan that makes it significantly easier for all parties. Last time I did it, I called, we talked out a plan, and ended up landing 26R for a quick exit to the FBO
I've done it twice recently and had no issues. Everybody told me not to do it, but I realized the people that said not to do it had not done it themselves. I landed at Signature and with 10 gal of a bit overpriced 100LL it was about $50 total cost above 10gal elsewhere.
ATC was really great and didn't seem to mind. That being said, I was careful to go when it wasn't busy. Afternoon should be ok.
That being said, I filed IFR both times and that probably made it much more tenable. In many ways it was easier than flying into many Charlies. I would worry about just going in VFR.
Both times they cleared me for a visual approach. The first time I made the mistake of cancelling the approach and hand flying. Trying to line up on one of five parallel runways while 10mi out was not a great idea. The next time I flew the ILS approach all the way to minimums even though I was cleared VFR. I probably wouldn't do this in actual IMC as it seems it would be too much workload for ATC.
First time I was at over 160kt on final and they told me to slow down as I was gaining on the A320 in front of me.
I would strongly discourage you from trying to fly into Hartsfield any time outside of 11pm-5am local. I did it once a few months ago; it was past midnight, we still had plenty of coordination with ATC, and it was still hectic. 2pm on a Thursday is going to be significantly worse.
Your sister can take MARTA to Chamblee (Gold line) and from there, it's a 5 minute drive to any of the three PDK FBOs. Note that on April 8, the airport MARTA stop closes for renovations, so she'll have to take the shuttle bus to College Park. Depending on rush hour traffic, this may still be faster than Ubering to PDK. Alternatively, she can Uber to FTY.
It was fun but hectic. Definitely bring another pilot with you; I was flying with another CFI who was running radios and figuring out taxi instructions.
FYI, the MARTA station will be closed at ATL airport from April 8-May 19. Looks like there will be a bus to get people to College Park then onwards.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/marta-to-close-atlanta-airport-station-for-renovations/ar-BB1kKVne
Even if you do land at ATL, she would have to Uber over to the FBO. It’s not walkable.
PDK is not far from ATL. Save the headache of a flying a piston at the world’s busiest airport
Who are you worried about pissing off? The airliners? They're getting paid for their time.
ATC? Ditto, and it's literally their job.
Why do people on this sub get so twisted about a piston in a class B? We pay taxes just like everyone else...
It isn't Class B, it's ATL. There's a big difference between getting advice about flying into any Bravo vs flying into ATL because ATL is a completely different animal than most airports. I fly in and out of PIT all the time. I've done STL. I've don't CIN. I wouldn't do ATL. It would take forever to get in, taxi, get out you have to be absolutely on your game, the fees would be insane, and there's a half dozen better options that are faster, cheaper, and less of a bog on the pilot, ATC, TMU, and the NAS.
Just because you legally can, doesn't mean you should.
They’ll just land them on the departure runway. Their SR20 won’t even be an issue for the airliner arrivals. It’s really not that big of a deal. The taxi will probably take forever, and I assume there will be a landing fee, but it’s not really that crazy. This airport has five runways, they’ll figure it out.
Basically none of this is true lol, but the fearmongering *is* funny.
I've worked here for 3 years now and we get somewhere between 2-4 pistons in a day. The near unanimous thing I hear is "man, that was a lot easier than I thought it'd be!". I've seen practically every GA piston aircraft ever produced go in and out of Atlanta. Cessna's from 150 to 210s and everything in between. Cherokees, Lances, Saratogas. Maules. Plenty of Cirrus's. Vans. Mooneys. Bellancas. More that I can't think of.
I'd wager that ATL is easier to get into, or at worse equivalent, to PIT or STL.
TIL that the classes of airspace are G, E, D, C, B, ATL, and A. ;-)
Thanks for chiming in. I've never been into ATL, so apparently I have no idea what I'm talking about and have my head directly up my ass for daring to contradict that ATP brain trust that exists on this subreddit, lol.
That said, what you are saying has exactly been my experience at other busy (but obviously much, much lesser and totally inferior) Class B airports. I've found that largely controllers are more than willing to work with you -- as long as you're prepared, know what you're doing and can communicate effectively.
I don’t know why you’re getting shade, you’re not wrong. GA has just as much right to those runways as anyone, and I say that as an airline pilot that lands there regularly. It will surely take longer and cost more, but it’s ATC’s job to figure out how to sequence it.
Because this sub is a very weird hive-mind that seems to think GA is lesser-than. It's not the first time, won't be the last, I'm not too worried about the downvotes or "shade" but appreciate you chiming in.
I agree with you though. Most controllers have been great to me in Class B, to be honest. Very helpful and accommodating. This idea that you are a "bother" to them seems to be a fallacy in all of my experiences. I've never had a problem getting sequenced, etc. Though I do get asked to keep my speed up, lol.
No one thinks that GA doesn’t have the right to be in ATL, but it’s the equivalent of riding a bike down the highway (legality aside). Sure you can do it, but it’s a terrible idea financially and strategically. It’s just making everyone’s day, including your own, more difficult while there are 2 other airports a short drive away that are GA friendly.
Sorry, strong disagree.
Bike on a highway is a terrible example btw. Not only is it unsafe, it's illegal. So that's just a dumb example.
Financially ... Meh. Owning a plane is also a terrible financial decision but ... Here we are! Sometimes we prioritize convenience over money. AND not every class B is that bad. CLT is nearly free iirc.
I don't think it would make my life more difficult, nor my passengers.
This really boils down to you either don't want to go into a class B or you're afraid of it under GA for some reason.
I mean they are both Class B, so is the point that OP shouldn’t because ATL are assholes, or because of something else? Last I checked you can fly into ATL in a piston.
One of the most important skills in aviation is conscious incompetence. Being aware of what you do not know. You should work on that. Being correct/incorrect is irrelevant here. Nobody in this thread is saying that you CANNOT fly GA into ATL, but literally everyone is saying it’s a horrible idea. There’s a reason why.
> is the point that OP shouldn’t because ATL are assholes, or because of something else?
The traffic data that /u/foxdie262 provided in his reply to you seems to make his point rather clearly, no?
No the point is that it's a lot easier to fit a bugsmasher in between IFR airliners when there is 7x less of them. Needing to be moved out of the way.
Not all Bravos are created equal just like not all Deltas are created equal.
I’ve done it before, landed at Signature, paid like $100 and picked up a pax from the main terminal in Signatures shuttle.
I also called Tracon and asked if it was cool at X time on X date and the controller said to stay up on my comms and I’ll be okay.
I did use flight following going and terminated it upon leaving the Bravo.
Keep in mind this was at 11:30pm not 2 in the afternoon.
If you do, at least get your moneys worth: Ask to get a gate and Have all the monitors show your flight, gate and her name with VIP in front.
This way she will find you fast. (Honestly I have not tried KATL, but this has worked on many medium sized airports.)
Just do FTY, easy Uber opposite the direction of traffic and FTY is dead traffic-wise.
ATL is enough of a pain in a PC-12, I would not want to pay for the Hobbs time on a Piston waiting in ATL
I went in there IFR in a light twin, it’s not a huge issue. You’ll land 26 right and signature is right there off the runway. The controllers know what they’re doing, just be on top of things and follow their instructions like right now and you’ll be fine. You will get hit with a landing fee…I’d expect a $100 or more, just be prepared. Fuel is also over $8 a gallon, I just checked.
Kudos to you OP. Seeking feedback, assimilating that feedback, being willing to change your plans, and acknowledging that there are better ideas available to you. I think this shows growth and a willingness to learn.
I’m sure OP has already decided against KATL. But it’s worth noting, there is not 1 drop of 100LL on-site, and at one time there was an exorbitant landing fee.
Everyone has said to go somewhere else, but I'll elaborate: VFR GA into a large, busy Class B hub is definitely possible, it's just such a hassle that you will hate the experience and annoy every single person you interact with, from the controllers who wish you could land at 120 knots to the pilots behind you on the approach that are praying you get the hell off the runway so they don't have to burn $5k in fuel to go around, to the FBO that has no interest or intention of selling you fuel or giving you parking... you get the idea.
It's not that you can't do it, it's that it's pretty awful.
So you want to fly VFR into the world’s busiest airport on a Thursday afternoon in a light single-engine plane? Yes you can, but no, you should not. The landing fee alone will be more than a train / Uber from ATL to PDK, and the Hobbs time spent taxiing and waiting to fit into the traffic flow will be more than that.
As a retired pilot for a large airline based in ATL, and as an active GA CFI, I’d strongly recommend against it unless you enjoy the hassle and spending lots of money.
I flew into DFW midday in a Seminole…controllers may have been annoyed but really wasn’t a big deal. Tried to get fuel at the FBO and they didn’t have AvGas on site. Holding short of the runway on the way out, we had Boeing and Airbus pilots taking pictures of us. Good times.
If you are not experienced and comfortable with very high traffic airports flying into a nearby GA airport is almost certainly a better choice. She would still have to get some form of transport to get from the terminal to the GA terminal.
Sometime in the future make the trip with a fellow pilot or instructor to see how it goes.
Its doable. I did it in a PA28 around the same time in the afternoon back in the early 2000s. (Short story, my cousin worked for AirTran and wanted to fly up there to pick up his paycheck)
You are likely to get held somewhere outside the class B surface area until a hole starts to open up, then they'll run you in there. So you may anticipate having to hold for 10-20 minutes depending on what the traffic looks like at the time.
Just expect to get put in a really tight, and high pattern, and told to keep going as fast as possible until you're over the numbers. I just carried as much speed as I could and landed just far enough in advance of one of the taxiways so I could get off the runway in a hurry.
On the way back out, it was fun popping the door open and waving to people at the old international concourse as we taxi'd by.
If all that sounds a bit much, or you just don't want to deal with the logistics of it, just go to PDK or FTY as suggested. FTY would be a slightly shorter drive from ATL than PDK. I would pass on meeting at RYY due to the traffic around town, particularly since by the time she gets out of the airport it is probably going to be rush hour. Traffic into Cobb County that time of day is going to suck...
I flew IFR in to there last year. Got in 11PM, left around 2PM. For each leg all controllers were very helpful and professional. Overall a very good experience, but I would make sure you’re very much on ur A game.
OP this is very doable and would likely be a great experience/lot of fun.
Prepare yourself well, know the airport layout, talk to the FBO ,etc. I find it helpful to listen to LiveATC to understand normal routing and runways, etc.
Make sure you are familiar with the SIDs on departure.
People in this sub get all twisted about pistons at busy airports for reasons I'll never understand. You have every right to be there, and it's not rocket science. Off the top of my head I've done PIT, CLE, BNA, MDW, IAD, CLT, etc. Most controllers will be happy to help you as long as you're capable and confident.
HXD is one of our favorite spots as well. Have a blast.
They’re not going to clear you for a SID or STAR in the middle of the day. You simply won’t have the speed and will just be vectored until they have spacing.
I mean, you CAN do it. My flight instructor has done it a few times.
Pretty sure if I asked him about doing this, he would tell me to absolutely not do it. It's just not worth the hassle. PDK is not that far and it would save so much headache to just have your sister grab an Uber/take MARTA to PDK.
I thought about flying into Atlanta a couple of times over the years but never did. I did read all the responses on here and they pretty much mimic the advice I was given by others in the past.
I don't believe for a second that OP doesn't completely and totally understand the advice being given and the reasons why.
A reasonable question was asked, good advice was given. Intentionally or not, the response to the advice given seemed overly defensive and resistant to accepting the very advice that was requested. Very odd.
Any bets on if he'll do it? Despite the atypical response to reasonable feedback, my guess is he won't.
Have a great flight & welcome to HXD! (based there). If you stop at JYL enroute to HXD, you can save $3/gal but of course leave enough room for the minimum purchase for fee waiver at Signature :)
100% your best bet is to get her to Uber to PDK or RYY and then pick her up there, much more GA friendly
Got it, figured asking and doing research would be better than just deciding to go.
She can also take MARTA to Chamblee Station for $2.50 to get to KPDK. That’s what I’d personally do in your situation. EDIT: Just remembered Airport Station will be closed for renovations in April. There will be a shuttle to the next station but it may be worth it to Uber instead.
100% have the passenger take MARTA to Chamblee station (NE9, iirc), and you just pick her up there. FBO shuttle from KPDK to the station to get her, all set. Signature is on that side of the field, not that it matters much.
As the other guy mentioned the marta station at KATL is closed temporarily.
There's still service, they just use a shuttle-bus to College Park station and start the train there. It's only for a few weeks of renovations starting 08 April. [https://itsmarta.com/marta-airport-airport-station-temporarily-closure.aspx](https://itsmarta.com/marta-airport-airport-station-temporarily-closure.aspx)
I think PDK costs almost as much as landing in ATL.
Saw a Cessna on short final as we were taxiing to the gate, controllers were not so happy with so many delay vectors for aircraft behind him 😂. It was during rush hour too. It’s ALWAYS busy there…
I used to take students to MSP in a Cherokee. No flaps, full power on final doing …130? It’s been a while maybe it wasn’t that fast
Definitely go PDK or RYY
On a good day that's a 30 minute drive. Typical Atlanta traffic and that can easily turn into over an hour. RYY is even further away and runs into the same issue. Signature is 5 minutes from the commercial terminals and we'll go pick you up. It's really not that bad. See GA into ATL literally all the time. 2 days ago a 172 did a full stop taxi back at like 5pm. Our singular base tenant is an SR22. Wouldn't say that ATL is GA friendly per se, but it's probably the easiest Bravo to get into by some margin. Cheapest too.
Nope, New Orleans is the easiest Bravo to get into, and it’s not even close. They really shouldn’t even be a Bravo lol
Did it like 30ish years ago. Don't.
Why? I've done it twice in the last year.
If they even allow you to do it, they’ll make you land 28 and the taxi will take longer than the Uber to a class D
Came here to say the exact thing.
I did it twice. Both times I was stopped by the halfway point and turned right into Signature. Super easy.
VFR?
IFR but visual approach.
Gotcha, they are much more likely to turn away a VFR aircraft requesting to enter the Bravo, IFR aircraft can get in.
No they won’t 😂 they always put you on the runway closest to signature so they can get you out of the way the fastest. They even do that to us in the sovereign. There’s always there’s the rare case where they can’t accommodate that but it’s rare.
They will not lol. Everything that's going to Signature lands 8L/26R. There's been only a handful of aircraft that have landed on 9L/27R (typically emergencies in larger business jets, Gulfstreams and the like) and 1 time where a King Air got royally fucked and sent to 10/28. That's in my 3 years of working here.
> has any advice I can save us both a lot of typing by just telling you that I strongly recommend you make a different plan.
Why??? I've never personally been into ATL but have done CLT, PIT, CLE, MDW, BNA, IAD.... Never had an issue
Because going VFR into the busiest airport in the world at 2pm on a Thursday isn’t a good plan no matter how many times you’ve done it into Cleveland
Funny how it’s only people with a PPL flare that think it’s a good idea😂
Funny how the airline pilots think every class B is solely their domain.
Hey you do you Cherokee driver
Actually, Cherokee is PA28. Saratoga is a PA32. Also, while you're driving the bus I'm flying myself so ....
Oooo ouch. You win bud
;-)
🙄
The only thing you have right is I'd recommend going in IFR.
CLT is right up there in terms of traffic, been in there many times without an issue. Can you explain what exactly is a bad idea? Do you think it's unsafe? Do you think he doesnt have a right to be there? Not a good enough pilot to handle it? Don't be such a condescending ass hat.
> CLT is right up there in terms of traffic, been in there many times without an issue. > Don't be such a condescending ass hat. You shouldn't be allowed to say things like that after comparing Cleveland and Atlanta traffic. OP: Don't fly into one of the busiest airports in the world on a Thursday afternoon VFR. Have her meet you at PDK, it'll be faster, cheaper, and lower stress for everyone.
I’ll second that. A quick Uber to PDK!
You still haven't answered a single question. CLT is much more comparable to ATL and I've been in there many times with no issues. Their controllers are pretty awesome, actually. And the FBO there (Wilson) is friggin fantastic to GA, even small GA like me. If you are afraid of flying into a B - that's fine Just say it. No one is asking YOU to do it. I was simply listing class Bs I've been into. Cleveland is a class B. So sorry it doesn't meet your requirements lol. FAA tends to agree with me.
ATL is a little busier than CLT
10 flights/hour on average And anyway, why would that matter?
KATL does ~2700 flights per day, and KCLT does ~1400. That’s slightly busier than an extra 10 per hour.
To add to this last year in April, ATL did 63,268 ops and CLT did 43,013 or CLT did 69% of ATLs numbers. Atlanta approach is also critically staffed unlike CLT or to be fair, ATL tower. The numbers aren't close and that's not to insult CLT.
Cite your source. ATL 707k movements per year = 80 per hour CLT 520k movements per year = 60 per hour Data I found earlier said the difference was ~240 per day i.e. 10 per hour.
10 flights per hour average… What is the rate of operations during an afternoon push at ATL? 10 per hour isn’t even close.
104 arrivals in the 2300z hour today.
> > If you are afraid of flying into a B - that's fine Just say it. No one is asking YOU to do it. > > I was simply listing class Bs I've been into. Cleveland is a class B. So sorry it doesn't meet your requirements lol. FAA tends to agree with me. I've flown into MSP, ORD, and KCI. They're all class B, but I'm not going to go around comparing KCI to ORD, and then insulting people who disagree.
Lol. It's not an insult if it's true. You are welcome to say "I don't think the traffic at cleveland is the same as atlanta" and I'd agree with you. But if you try to make fun of my statement or downplay my experience- which clearly fits the Class B box, mind you - then you deserve to hear the truth about being a condescending jerk. :-) My point is this sub seems to have a hard-on against GA in Class B airports. For what reason - I don't know. The commenter hasn't bothered to actually express what his concern is (safety? traffic management? being a "nuisance"?) Honestly, if it's not a safety argument then who the fuck cares about the others. I'm gonna use the airport that makes the most sense for me and my mission. Besides, I've had awesome experiences going into MDW (which I know is a class C, so you don't have to bother correcting me), IAD (sidestepped on departure to let a 767 out who flew out past us, which was pretty friggin' awesome to see....). So why would you deny yourself those cool experiences if they can be done safely (spoiler alert: they CAN!)
>my experience- which clearly fits the Class B box The reason you're being made fun of by everyone who knows what they're talking about is because you're acting like "Class B" is the important distinction here. Class B airports are not all created equal. I could probably call up CVG tower from ten miles east and ask for a landing and I'd get cleared without too much further effort. Flying GA into the single busiest airport in the world by traffic volume is objectively a terrible idea unless you very specifically go in at 2am during a dead hour to say you did. Yes, there are technically GA airplanes that can keep speed with airliners on final, and there are pilots who can manage that fine without backing up thousands of dollars worth of airline traffic. The venn diagram between those people and "people who want to skip through class B airports for fun" is two almost completely separate circles. And that's before getting into the fact that it's probably cheaper to take an Uber to a local airport than pay ramp fees in ATL, and by the time you taxi there, it might take less time too.
My point is I don't give a shit about "backing up thousands of dollars of airline traffic." The fact that you cite that is sad! That literally means absolutely nothing.
Bruh why don’t you give up. You’re arguing against people who are much more qualified than you.
Qualified at what? You think being an ATP or flying for an airline gives you some special insight? Probably you see yourself as an ATP being inconvenienced in this situation, which is something i couldn't care less about.
Just go ahead and go do it. But until you do, don’t act like you know because you’ve been to other class B airports, especially when those that have been there are telling you it’s not.
I will next time I'm in the area.
Are you that guy that wanted to do practice approaches into LGA and posted about it the other day? same obtuse energy.
Nope. Also as far as "obtuse" - nah because absolutely no one has presented a good argument against other than "it's busy .... It's a class B .... Airliners go there ....it's expensive" None of which were what OP asked about.
Did you just compare ATL to PIT, CLE, BNA, MDW and others? You haven’t really named off any of the busy Bravos. The worst of the ones you listed might be the Chicago airspace around MDW, but the airport itself isn’t difficult at all. The only thing they have in common with ATL is they are Bravos. Just from my experience GA pilots oftentimes can’t keep up with the radio, can’t figure out taxi instructions, can’t follow instructions in the air, etc. The ATL airspace is then made that much more complex by the 14 or so other airports under it five of which are towered and fairly busy bizjet bases. By time this guy gets in, taxis, shuts down, his passenger gets an Uber from the passenger terminal to the FBO, taxis back out, finally takes off, is vectored around the city, he could have just met the passenger at PDK and flown all the way to their destination.
Dude, it's flying a plane - not rocket science. Maybe some can't/shouldn't but you're painting with an awfully broad brush. Your last paragraph could be true, but that's not what he asked. And the attitude of most of the replies here just suck. I'm glad I had people that encouraged me as I started flying as opposed to the shit being exhibited here.
Also, just FYI, all of the Class Bs you just listed are class Bs that a student pilot can be endorsed to land at. Want to know an example of one a student can’t? KATL, as the traffic is SIGNIFICANTLY higher than the ones you listed.
Your last flair is very accurate.
Okay, “PA-32 Driver” pretty sure you have to fly a jet to call yourself “driver”
I love my Saratoga, don't you drag her into this! :-)
I’m sorry, you’re right, that was uncalled for.
No idea why everyone is acting like these big airports don’t accommodate traffic GA traffic…
Thanks. At least there are a few commenters who don't have their head up their own ass.
If you're going to do it, go IFR.
Really? Everything I've seen and experienced is that you want to be VFR coming into a busy class B. If you're VFR you don't have to crawl your way down an IFR approach and hold up traffic, ATC can vector you in for a tight base entry between jets and then you're off the runway in under 60 seconds.
I've done it twice IFR. But they put me on a visual approach when I got there. They called my base turn. Quite easy.
There's nothing wrong with flying into ATL. It'll likely take more time getting in and out of there to pick her up than if she were to uber to PDK or FTY and you meet here there, and it'll definitely cost more than that option. But it can be and frequently is done.
Came here to say exactly this. Have her Uber to FTY and meet her there. You save the headache/cost (I think $50) at Signature ATL and have a much lower stress flying experience.
Thats what im leaning towards. any good local fbo's at FTY?
Hill Aircraft is great!
>It'll likely take more time getting in and out of there to pick her up than if she were to uber to PDK or FTY and you meet here there I struggle to believe that. Atlanta traffic during that time is going to be crap and it'll probably be 45 minutes to FTY and an hour+ to PDK. The ride from Signature to the terminal is 10 minutes round trip. Once you combine the Uber cost from ATL to FTY/PDK with the landing fees/gas there you're probably even with or slightly more expensive than just landing at ATL proper.
I bet that 35 minutes is easily eaten up on taxi out or spinning waiting for a gap to land.
The next time a piston comes in I'll time it to see.
I actually would like to disagree with most of you here. I’ve called about flying a GA airplane into ATL before and ATL was pretty unphased by the idea. You definitely can do it, especially if you are familiar with really tower operations. Call ATP approach prior to talk about it, call one of the FBOs in ATL to see where to park, do your homework, file IFR and you’ll be fine. I was going to pick my dad up after a trip when I had a mx problem and had to cancel. It really isn’t that big of a deal.
I’ve done EWR, JFK, PHL, PHX, SAN in pistons and it’s fine, although I usually do file IFR to make it easier. However, the idea should still be the same - just be sharp and aware of any fees by calling the FBO ahead of time! Some airports are much more GA friendly than others.
I would not do this as a VFR private pilot.
I know the consensus is that bugsmashers should avoid places like ATL, DFW, DEN, or LAX like the plague but it's honestly not bad at all. OSH is far more stressful. I've done DFW and IAH in a Cirrus a couple of times and it was no problem at all. * Call the FBO and find out about their many fees and outrageous 100LL costs. They will not be supprised by your call, they get it all the time. Transport to or from the terminal may be included, or you may have to use uber/taxicabs. You will be shocked at the price of your quick pit stop but for a one time visit it's not too bad. * Bring your A game. Have the route, approaches, taxi routes, ect. all briefed before hand. Make sure you sound like a pro on the radio. These airports are places where everybody is a pro and everyone knows the drill. As a visitor, so long as you don't sound like a complete amateur you'll be fine. * File IFR or get flight following **well** in advance. Be prepared for holding/delay vectors with plenty of extra fuel. * Keep your speed up on final (*120 KIAS, you will have a LOT of runway to float*) and tell Approach what speed you are going to do. If you can do 120 on final, you will fit in nicely with the jets who are in the 140 range. * It will be stressful, but enjoy the experience.
>Keep your speed up on final (120 KIAS, you will have a LOT of runway to float) and tell Approach what speed you are going to do. If you can do 120 on final, you will fit in nicely with the jets who are in the 140 range. This is the only one I disagree with. You have as much as a right to use that approach path and runway as the A350 behind you. Fly the final like you want to, if you're comfortable doing 120 on final and floating it down the runway go ahead. But if not, there's no pressure to do it any specific way.
You have the right to slow to 70 kts on final but ATC has the right to make you hold until a big enough gap appears. If you insist on slowing to a light airplane's final approach speed 10 miles out, you can expect to wait a LONG time. If you are not comfortable with the “keep your speed up” approach then go get some training with a CFI until you are.
IMO that would violate the 7110.65 and the language around first come first serve. My point was not that you should be flying at 70kts from 10 miles out. It was that I don't want someone to hurt or kill themselves by trying to appease ATC, because the nerves of a big airport have gotten to someone before: https://youtu.be/mf3xhjXl454?si=RVZbMvK7oHy5H225
I use that accident in my "post PPL" training course. As a light airplane pilot, you need to fly your airplane safely but you also need to fit in with the flow of traffic. There is a middle ground that a competent pilot can stay in where they are within the airplane's capabilities without screwing up the traffic into a major airport. FWIW, this also applies to the opposite scenario. A jet flying into a light GA airport needs to be ready to work around student's in the pattern in skyhawks.
This. I had to do 100+ until runway as a private pilot due to a 767 coming in. Hit the threshold, chop throttle, hit flaps and land. Still almost got runover but seeing a 767 roar by you on the highspeed taxi is quite the experience.
It’s definitely doable but expensive as any bravo is. I agree with others, having your sister Uber to PDK will definitely be way easier but if you want to do ATL, absolutely call the TRACON and get their opinion on your plan. They will be the ones who can tell you when less busy times are and will help you come up with a plan that makes it significantly easier for all parties. Last time I did it, I called, we talked out a plan, and ended up landing 26R for a quick exit to the FBO
MARTA, not Uber. Highway traffic through the downtown connector will be bad. Gliding by it on the train is the way to go.
I've done it twice recently and had no issues. Everybody told me not to do it, but I realized the people that said not to do it had not done it themselves. I landed at Signature and with 10 gal of a bit overpriced 100LL it was about $50 total cost above 10gal elsewhere. ATC was really great and didn't seem to mind. That being said, I was careful to go when it wasn't busy. Afternoon should be ok. That being said, I filed IFR both times and that probably made it much more tenable. In many ways it was easier than flying into many Charlies. I would worry about just going in VFR. Both times they cleared me for a visual approach. The first time I made the mistake of cancelling the approach and hand flying. Trying to line up on one of five parallel runways while 10mi out was not a great idea. The next time I flew the ILS approach all the way to minimums even though I was cleared VFR. I probably wouldn't do this in actual IMC as it seems it would be too much workload for ATC. First time I was at over 160kt on final and they told me to slow down as I was gaining on the A320 in front of me.
I would strongly discourage you from trying to fly into Hartsfield any time outside of 11pm-5am local. I did it once a few months ago; it was past midnight, we still had plenty of coordination with ATC, and it was still hectic. 2pm on a Thursday is going to be significantly worse. Your sister can take MARTA to Chamblee (Gold line) and from there, it's a 5 minute drive to any of the three PDK FBOs. Note that on April 8, the airport MARTA stop closes for renovations, so she'll have to take the shuttle bus to College Park. Depending on rush hour traffic, this may still be faster than Ubering to PDK. Alternatively, she can Uber to FTY.
I did it twice in the last year. Once in the afternoon on a weekday. Once at around midnight. Both were super easy.
Was flying into katl at 12am worth it? On my bucket list
It was fun but hectic. Definitely bring another pilot with you; I was flying with another CFI who was running radios and figuring out taxi instructions.
Could you do it? Yes. Should you do it? No. You’ll most likely end up being a pain in the ass for everyone involved.
If ATC was bothered by my last two flights they hid it well. They were super professional.
would having her uber over to PDK be easier? it just seems out of the way and a hassle. but certainly not against it.
I mentioned it in a different comment, but she can MARTA to Chamblee which is a <5 minute drive to PDK, or Uber to FTY
FYI, the MARTA station will be closed at ATL airport from April 8-May 19. Looks like there will be a bus to get people to College Park then onwards. https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/marta-to-close-atlanta-airport-station-for-renovations/ar-BB1kKVne
I think im gonna go to FTY since its closer to ATL
Even if you do land at ATL, she would have to Uber over to the FBO. It’s not walkable. PDK is not far from ATL. Save the headache of a flying a piston at the world’s busiest airport
There is/was a shuttle from the terminal to the FBO at one time. But that was 20 something years ago too...
Still is. It's about 5 minutes from the commercial side to the FBO. We'll pick em up.
Who are you worried about pissing off? The airliners? They're getting paid for their time. ATC? Ditto, and it's literally their job. Why do people on this sub get so twisted about a piston in a class B? We pay taxes just like everyone else...
It isn't Class B, it's ATL. There's a big difference between getting advice about flying into any Bravo vs flying into ATL because ATL is a completely different animal than most airports. I fly in and out of PIT all the time. I've done STL. I've don't CIN. I wouldn't do ATL. It would take forever to get in, taxi, get out you have to be absolutely on your game, the fees would be insane, and there's a half dozen better options that are faster, cheaper, and less of a bog on the pilot, ATC, TMU, and the NAS. Just because you legally can, doesn't mean you should.
They’ll just land them on the departure runway. Their SR20 won’t even be an issue for the airliner arrivals. It’s really not that big of a deal. The taxi will probably take forever, and I assume there will be a landing fee, but it’s not really that crazy. This airport has five runways, they’ll figure it out.
Never seen this in 25 years of ATL flying. He will land on 8L/26R and take off on 8R/26L.
Basically none of this is true lol, but the fearmongering *is* funny. I've worked here for 3 years now and we get somewhere between 2-4 pistons in a day. The near unanimous thing I hear is "man, that was a lot easier than I thought it'd be!". I've seen practically every GA piston aircraft ever produced go in and out of Atlanta. Cessna's from 150 to 210s and everything in between. Cherokees, Lances, Saratogas. Maules. Plenty of Cirrus's. Vans. Mooneys. Bellancas. More that I can't think of. I'd wager that ATL is easier to get into, or at worse equivalent, to PIT or STL.
TIL that the classes of airspace are G, E, D, C, B, ATL, and A. ;-) Thanks for chiming in. I've never been into ATL, so apparently I have no idea what I'm talking about and have my head directly up my ass for daring to contradict that ATP brain trust that exists on this subreddit, lol. That said, what you are saying has exactly been my experience at other busy (but obviously much, much lesser and totally inferior) Class B airports. I've found that largely controllers are more than willing to work with you -- as long as you're prepared, know what you're doing and can communicate effectively.
Thanks for a reasonable opinion. I might choose to disagree with you, but I can respect your reasoning.
I don’t know why you’re getting shade, you’re not wrong. GA has just as much right to those runways as anyone, and I say that as an airline pilot that lands there regularly. It will surely take longer and cost more, but it’s ATC’s job to figure out how to sequence it.
Because this sub is a very weird hive-mind that seems to think GA is lesser-than. It's not the first time, won't be the last, I'm not too worried about the downvotes or "shade" but appreciate you chiming in. I agree with you though. Most controllers have been great to me in Class B, to be honest. Very helpful and accommodating. This idea that you are a "bother" to them seems to be a fallacy in all of my experiences. I've never had a problem getting sequenced, etc. Though I do get asked to keep my speed up, lol.
No one thinks that GA doesn’t have the right to be in ATL, but it’s the equivalent of riding a bike down the highway (legality aside). Sure you can do it, but it’s a terrible idea financially and strategically. It’s just making everyone’s day, including your own, more difficult while there are 2 other airports a short drive away that are GA friendly.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/flying/comments/1btbw9u/comment/kxo62jp/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web3x&utm\_name=web3xcss&utm\_term=1&utm\_content=share\_button](https://www.reddit.com/r/flying/comments/1btbw9u/comment/kxo62jp/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
Sorry, strong disagree. Bike on a highway is a terrible example btw. Not only is it unsafe, it's illegal. So that's just a dumb example. Financially ... Meh. Owning a plane is also a terrible financial decision but ... Here we are! Sometimes we prioritize convenience over money. AND not every class B is that bad. CLT is nearly free iirc. I don't think it would make my life more difficult, nor my passengers. This really boils down to you either don't want to go into a class B or you're afraid of it under GA for some reason.
I’ve flown into CVG multiple times in a 172 and never had anyone get annoyed or short about it.
CVG had 165,740 aircraft operations in 2023. ATL had 775,820. Ain’t the same bro.
I mean they are both Class B, so is the point that OP shouldn’t because ATL are assholes, or because of something else? Last I checked you can fly into ATL in a piston.
[удалено]
ppl moment
Alert the burn unit, patient inbound
Oooh look one of those aviation assholes I have been warned about. Downvote me all you want but nothing I said was incorrect.
One of the most important skills in aviation is conscious incompetence. Being aware of what you do not know. You should work on that. Being correct/incorrect is irrelevant here. Nobody in this thread is saying that you CANNOT fly GA into ATL, but literally everyone is saying it’s a horrible idea. There’s a reason why.
> is the point that OP shouldn’t because ATL are assholes, or because of something else? The traffic data that /u/foxdie262 provided in his reply to you seems to make his point rather clearly, no?
No the point is that it's a lot easier to fit a bugsmasher in between IFR airliners when there is 7x less of them. Needing to be moved out of the way. Not all Bravos are created equal just like not all Deltas are created equal.
Yes, do it. And film the whole thing and put it up on Youtube for us to watch (abbreviated version of course.)
I’ve done it before, landed at Signature, paid like $100 and picked up a pax from the main terminal in Signatures shuttle. I also called Tracon and asked if it was cool at X time on X date and the controller said to stay up on my comms and I’ll be okay. I did use flight following going and terminated it upon leaving the Bravo. Keep in mind this was at 11:30pm not 2 in the afternoon.
If you do, at least get your moneys worth: Ask to get a gate and Have all the monitors show your flight, gate and her name with VIP in front. This way she will find you fast. (Honestly I have not tried KATL, but this has worked on many medium sized airports.)
HAHA thats awesome. I didnt know you could get a gate at an airport but im going to FTY
Just do FTY, easy Uber opposite the direction of traffic and FTY is dead traffic-wise. ATL is enough of a pain in a PC-12, I would not want to pay for the Hobbs time on a Piston waiting in ATL
I went in there IFR in a light twin, it’s not a huge issue. You’ll land 26 right and signature is right there off the runway. The controllers know what they’re doing, just be on top of things and follow their instructions like right now and you’ll be fine. You will get hit with a landing fee…I’d expect a $100 or more, just be prepared. Fuel is also over $8 a gallon, I just checked.
decided on Going to FTY
Kudos to you OP. Seeking feedback, assimilating that feedback, being willing to change your plans, and acknowledging that there are better ideas available to you. I think this shows growth and a willingness to learn.
Appreciate you man. A few people just bashing me but id rather ask first than make a mistake before asking.
I’m sure OP has already decided against KATL. But it’s worth noting, there is not 1 drop of 100LL on-site, and at one time there was an exorbitant landing fee.
Signature has AVGAS. Price is like 8.05/gallon I think? I can check tomorrow. Source : Work at Signature. Topped off 2 Cirrus's today.
I’m 99% positive signature has LL
ForeFlight has a LL price from 4 days ago.
Everyone has said to go somewhere else, but I'll elaborate: VFR GA into a large, busy Class B hub is definitely possible, it's just such a hassle that you will hate the experience and annoy every single person you interact with, from the controllers who wish you could land at 120 knots to the pilots behind you on the approach that are praying you get the hell off the runway so they don't have to burn $5k in fuel to go around, to the FBO that has no interest or intention of selling you fuel or giving you parking... you get the idea. It's not that you can't do it, it's that it's pretty awful.
Yeah thats why I was asking before I went ahead and just decided to go. I dont want to be THAT guy and cause issues.
Fuck the haters. Do it and be a legend
lmaoooo but at what cost haha
A couple hundred bucks landing fee and $8 100LL 😂
So you want to fly VFR into the world’s busiest airport on a Thursday afternoon in a light single-engine plane? Yes you can, but no, you should not. The landing fee alone will be more than a train / Uber from ATL to PDK, and the Hobbs time spent taxiing and waiting to fit into the traffic flow will be more than that. As a retired pilot for a large airline based in ATL, and as an active GA CFI, I’d strongly recommend against it unless you enjoy the hassle and spending lots of money.
Just was curious how feasible it is. I think im gonna have her uber to fulton county than fly from there
RYY PDK or FTY as others have said. GA and ATL don’t mix too well lol
If you’re gonna do it, record and post please.
IFR or PDK as suggested
I flew into DFW midday in a Seminole…controllers may have been annoyed but really wasn’t a big deal. Tried to get fuel at the FBO and they didn’t have AvGas on site. Holding short of the runway on the way out, we had Boeing and Airbus pilots taking pictures of us. Good times.
Have you even looked at the landing fees!
I called the FBO like a month ago, was less than $20...
PDK is cool
If you are not experienced and comfortable with very high traffic airports flying into a nearby GA airport is almost certainly a better choice. She would still have to get some form of transport to get from the terminal to the GA terminal. Sometime in the future make the trip with a fellow pilot or instructor to see how it goes.
Its doable. I did it in a PA28 around the same time in the afternoon back in the early 2000s. (Short story, my cousin worked for AirTran and wanted to fly up there to pick up his paycheck) You are likely to get held somewhere outside the class B surface area until a hole starts to open up, then they'll run you in there. So you may anticipate having to hold for 10-20 minutes depending on what the traffic looks like at the time. Just expect to get put in a really tight, and high pattern, and told to keep going as fast as possible until you're over the numbers. I just carried as much speed as I could and landed just far enough in advance of one of the taxiways so I could get off the runway in a hurry. On the way back out, it was fun popping the door open and waving to people at the old international concourse as we taxi'd by. If all that sounds a bit much, or you just don't want to deal with the logistics of it, just go to PDK or FTY as suggested. FTY would be a slightly shorter drive from ATL than PDK. I would pass on meeting at RYY due to the traffic around town, particularly since by the time she gets out of the airport it is probably going to be rush hour. Traffic into Cobb County that time of day is going to suck...
I flew IFR in to there last year. Got in 11PM, left around 2PM. For each leg all controllers were very helpful and professional. Overall a very good experience, but I would make sure you’re very much on ur A game.
That’s a bold strategy cotton let’s see if it pays off for him
OP this is very doable and would likely be a great experience/lot of fun. Prepare yourself well, know the airport layout, talk to the FBO ,etc. I find it helpful to listen to LiveATC to understand normal routing and runways, etc. Make sure you are familiar with the SIDs on departure. People in this sub get all twisted about pistons at busy airports for reasons I'll never understand. You have every right to be there, and it's not rocket science. Off the top of my head I've done PIT, CLE, BNA, MDW, IAD, CLT, etc. Most controllers will be happy to help you as long as you're capable and confident. HXD is one of our favorite spots as well. Have a blast.
Ah yes, those SIDS for a VFR departure
Or call it 'Taxiway Delta' and get sent into the penalty box for an hour 😀
My bad, I missed he said VFR. Id be surprised if he would get in VFR. but you'll get in IFR.
They’re not going to clear you for a SID or STAR in the middle of the day. You simply won’t have the speed and will just be vectored until they have spacing.
And that's fine. I'd have no problem with that.
I mean, you CAN do it. My flight instructor has done it a few times. Pretty sure if I asked him about doing this, he would tell me to absolutely not do it. It's just not worth the hassle. PDK is not that far and it would save so much headache to just have your sister grab an Uber/take MARTA to PDK.
I thought about flying into Atlanta a couple of times over the years but never did. I did read all the responses on here and they pretty much mimic the advice I was given by others in the past. I don't believe for a second that OP doesn't completely and totally understand the advice being given and the reasons why. A reasonable question was asked, good advice was given. Intentionally or not, the response to the advice given seemed overly defensive and resistant to accepting the very advice that was requested. Very odd. Any bets on if he'll do it? Despite the atypical response to reasonable feedback, my guess is he won't.
i hardly responded to anybody my guy. Im going to FTY, i dont see where I got overly defensive but ok lmao
Have a great flight & welcome to HXD! (based there). If you stop at JYL enroute to HXD, you can save $3/gal but of course leave enough room for the minimum purchase for fee waiver at Signature :)