Since my Montana shack will likely be on the chopping block very soon due to the divorce, I'm contemplating my next move for my summer residence in Montana. We have a small airport in Red Lodge, and recently I've sort of been kicking around the idea of building a custom hangar with an apartment of my design inside. This would accomplish a few things: affordable, quick to build, great place to store all my vehicles, and most importantly... a great conduit to plane ownership, which I've always wanted to do, but haven't prioritized. Anyone with experience and can comment on pros and cons? For myself, the big con is that its not a suitable place to leave behind for my kids and grandkids to visit in the summers and holidays after I depart.
General aviation is basically my entire life. I’d be glad to help. The airport I found in Red Lodge is a public airport. For the most part, it is illegal to live at a public airport (they call it “through the fence”). It also has issues that you often lease the land and the hangar becomes the property of the airport after a certain amount of time (sometimes a long time). When you hear of people living on an airport, it is usually a fly-in community. Those are private airports where they don’t have to follow all the federal laws. This is an over-simplification of course, but should help get you started. I wouldn’t look at it as an affordable financial decision. Everything to do with airplanes and airports is VERY expensive. You need to do it because you want to do it. My advice would be to start by getting your private license. You should see if you like it before you get too deep in any other plans.
I found two Montana fly-in communities with a quick search. https://alpineairpark.com/ Look like a hangar is a little over $1M and homes start at around $5M. I think I have a friend who lives here. I can ask him if you’re interested. https://www.refugeairranch.com/ I’ve seen these developers at events I’ve attended. They seem legit. Beware that aviation is full of dreamers and crooks, so it is important that you don’t get involved in someone’s scheme.
interesting... Ive only met a couple residents of those places and the intial impression is they smelled like the "crook" side of things. One of them didnt fly at all and was located in Jupiter, Fl...
I have it under somewhat good authority most wimmens dont wanna live at an airport. So if you are trying to stay single, this is a good plan!
When I ask my buddy at his deer camp why he doesn't put a toilet or running water in his answer is always the same: " If I make it too comfortable here, that bitch will follow us up here." The man is a genius
You’re right. Florida has tons of airport living. Spruce Creek has 1300 houses. I know some of the Leeward family and they have the Leeward Air Ranch with lots of on-airport living. You can have a grass runway at your house, but you are signing up for a big project and you are fairly limited on your airplane choices.
Forget fixed wing and go rotor. Then you can build wherever you like and only need about 150' diameter to land. Much more functinal option. Plus flying a helicopter is more enjoyable IMO.
buy a piece of land where you like, build a barndominium. hunt, ride, hike, from home. drive to the plane. Ski
