Ideas, Information, and Opinions from Frank Derfler

These are great belts for pilots.  Look at the price!  Good looking, manly, adjustable.  Get a bunch of them. 

Dunnellon (X35) Dunnellon/Marion County Airport is about 75 miles North of Tampa and about 7 miles West of Interstate 75.  The big X-shaped runway layout just calls out for you to land.  This is also the home of GrayBird AirSports, a full service personal flight training center. 

Immokalee (IMM)  Looking for a good place to get work done on your aircraft?  It's in Immokalee.  Airspace that isn't busy, big runways, friendly folks.  Not long on luxury, but very practical.  Also, mark my words, Naples only has one way to grow and that's right through this little town. 

Lakeland Linder Regional Airport (LAL) Lakeland Linder Regional Airport  about as close as a GA pilot gets to heaven. Whatever you want in the way of aviation is here. LAL is our number 1 recommended destination for pilots.

This beacon is your best life insurance.  Down in the Everglades? Want to be found quickly?  This device has the features you need.  BEWARE of other products that cost less.  Some don't really have an internal GPS.. just an interface.  Others don't have the homing beacon.  This is the real thing that every pilot flying over Florida needs! 

Lake Wales (X07) is located just off State Route 27 about 25 miles South of Interstate 4.  That puts it SE of Lakeland.  There is a nice field there, but the main activity is skydiving.

Leesburg Regional (LEE)  Leesburg is a great vacation destination located in the freshwater lakes in the middle of the state.  It's convenient to the Orlando attractions, but it has plenty of attractions of its own.

Marathon (MTH) and the Florida Keys This is more than a write-up of Marathon.  I've tried to give you a lot of good information about flying in the Florida Keys from Ocean Reef to Key West. 

Marco Island (MKY) is one of our top aviation vacation destinations. You'll find every normal vacation activity here plus some unusual ones involving alligators.

Kendall-Tamiami (Miami) (TMB) Ordinary citizens of Maimi think that MIA is their primary airport, but GA pilots know it's Tamiami.  This is the destination for all of SE Florida.  The airport hosts many training activities, it has two FBOs and other facilities for all types of maintenance, and now it even has a modest restaurant on the field. 

Naples Municipal (APF) Anything you need... anything you want... it's either at the airport or nearby.  A controlled field with easy access and deep resources.  A great destination.

Okeechobee (OBE) up at the North end of the lake. It has big beautiful runways and no airspace restrictions to worry about.

Pahokee (PKH) Dial up the VOR and off you go. This airport is far away enough to qualify as a cross country from Miami and other parts of south Florida . It has no traffic and an interesting view of the lake.

Pilot Country (X05) is listed under "B" for Brooksville.  See it above. 

Punta Gorda - Charlotte County (PGD)  Two broad runways. A restaurant. A first class avionics installation facility.  January Air Show, summertime sailfishing.  Rental cars waiting at the FBO. The beaches are only 45 minutes (or so) away.  This is a great vacation destination and a pretty good place just to shoot touch and go landings! 

Sebring (SEF) Sebring is a wonderful destination.  There is a classy new terminal with an excellent restaurant, a resort hotel nearby, and a world-class motorcross speedway within walking distance.  But, what about those restricted areas to the East? 

Tampa -  Albert Whitted Airport (SPG) is on the edge of Tampa Bay in St. Pete. Although you don't hear much about it, it's one of the best destination airports in Florida . Once you tie down here you have access to world class hotels, golf greens, gulf beaches, and fantastic restaurants --much of it within walking distance!

Tampa - Peter O. Knight (TPF) in Tampa is a prime destination in Florida . It's Tampa 's Downtown Airport and it offers quick access to almost everything going on in Tampa .  Also, an excellent general aviation maintenance facility.

Tampa - Vandenberg Airport (VDF) on the East side of Tampa only qualifies as a destination if you have already have a plan for somewhere to visit in East and North East Tampa. The facilities are good, but be warned, even the locals can't find it by road.

Zephyrhills Municipal (ZPH) is another example of the fine municipal airports we have in Florida . It is a very complete and friendly place for GA pilots.