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Flying into
Woodlake CA ! |
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The Runway Cafe at Woodlake Airport
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Best time of the year to go? |
Anytime |
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Flight time in a Super Viking from KAJO? |
1.3 |
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Food on the airport? |
Yes - The airport cafe was outstanding.
Plan to wait for a seat because the locals swamp this place. |
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Fuel on airport? |
Yes |
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Landing or Handling fees? |
No |
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Comments about arriving and departing. |
The east end of the taxiway was in very poor condition. I
choose to back taxi on the runway. |
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Things to do at or near the airport. |
You can walk to town... But why? |
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Rate this stop with 10 being best, 5 average. |
8.0! Good stop for breakfast or lunch.
The Runway Cafe staff are ALL very friendly. Fun little airport
but the airport is all there is. |
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Few pilots seem to know
about this $100 burger stop ! |
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Sometimes I simply search the internet for
a new place to fly. I bring up AirNav, AOPA Airport Directory and
Adventure Pilot all on different tabs and compare pilot comments for
the same airport. I found few comments on Woodlake but what I saw
sounded encouraging so I put it on my list for a future trip.
Sunday before daylight I was debating on a breakfast run to my
old standby, Big Bear. I pulled out my list and choose Woodlake and
the Runway Cafe. A quick weather brief and all looked good so
I woke the wife.
Three hours later I turned final and the
runway at o42 appeared in the windscreen. The TSA hasn't found
Woodlake yet, the ramp doubled as auto parking for the Runway Cafe
and it was full. The recently remodeled restaurant isn't large but
the locals arrive by the bus load.
The menu looked good and
just a few minutes after ordering our breakfast arrived. Large
omelets, home made biscuits and gravy, fresh salsa. The staff of the
Runway Cafe couldn't be nicer. Just one word of caution. Be aware of
the breakfast bowl. It's a large mixing bowl
full of gravy with biscuits, bacon and eggs on top. Before ordering
the Breakfast Bowl remember the runway is only 3300' long.
Other than eating and telling lies to other pilots there is little
else to do at this stop but it's a fun airport. The food is
outstanding too, I'll be returning.
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Pictures from Woodlake! |
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Woodlake's runway is a little short. Don't worry, it's
a little narrow too. I am finding it really hard to believe
it 3300' long. |
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Traffic landing at Woodlake Airport. |
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Landing Traffic |
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Local traffic in the pattern. |
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More landing traffic. |
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The Runway Cafe |
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The Sierra Nevada Range. We were at
10,500, about 4000' below Mt. Whitney's summit. |
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We flew past Edwards Air Force Base and Rogers Dry
Lake bed.. Whoops. It might be awhile before the Space
Shuttle lands here again. |
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