AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 38

PILOT BRIEFING

MUSINGS

|

Building a magical place
Grassroots aviation brings an airport back to life
B Y J E F F AU E N

38 | AOPA PILOT October 2019

appears much shorter and narrower as it is tucked down into the
trees. The local pilots will tell you about the Runway 34 mystery
gusts that seem to blow even on calm days. The approach to 16 may
surprise newcomers with a gentle bump as they pass the opening
in the trees that leads to the old seaplane base. For the grassroots
pilots here, like me, these little quirks contribute to the Skypark's
charm, and they become part of a flying routine so predictable as
to go unnoticed. Don't worry about the radio-controlled airplane
pilots. They have their own pristine runway near the tree line,
and they monitor the CTAF to ensure the little airplanes are on
the ground when we are flying the big airplanes.
Essex Skypark is unique in the United States and maybe the
world. The land is owned by Baltimore County, subject to a restrictive conservation easement and subleased to the pilots on the
field. In 2013 the pilots' association, with the welcome help of

PETER HORJUS

MY HOME AIRPORT, Essex Skypark (W48), is the poster child of
grassroots aviation. Located near Baltimore, Maryland, on 588
pristine acres of land protected by a conservation easement, the
airport is the central focus on a peninsula bordered by the Middle
River to the north, the Back River to the south, and the wide
expanse of the Chesapeake Bay to the east. A narrow, treelined
drive of more than half a mile gently welcomes drive-in visitors,
ending at a small parking area that overlooks the runway. It is
a favorite spot for take-out lunch eaters to watch the airplanes.
Fly-in guests must contact the tower at Martin State Airport,
as Essex Skypark is just within its Class D airspace-the controllers are used to safely guiding folks into W48. The approaches to
Runway 16 and 34 are over water and offer a spectacular view,
constantly changing with the seasons. Fly your numbers to the
somewhat challenging 2,100-foot-by-30-foot paved runway. It



AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019

Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - Intro
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - Cover1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - Cover2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 4
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 5
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 6
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 7
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 8
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 9
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 10
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 11
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 12
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 13
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 14
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 15
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 16
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 17
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 18
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 19
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 20
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 21
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 22
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 23
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 24
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 25
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 26
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 27
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 28
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 29
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 30
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 31
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 32
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 33
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 34
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 35
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 36
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 37
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 38
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 39
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 40
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 41
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 42
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 43
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 44
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 45
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 46
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 47
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 48
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 49
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 50
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 51
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 53
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 54
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 55
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 56
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 57
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 58
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 60
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 61
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 62
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 63
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 64
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 65
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 66
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 67
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 68
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 69
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 70
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 71
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 72
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 73
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 74
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 75
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 76
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 77
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 78
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 79
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 80
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 81
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 82
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 83
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 84
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 85
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 86
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 87
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 88
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 89
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 90
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 94
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 97
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 98
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 99
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 100
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 101
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 102
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 103
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 104
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 105
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 108
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 109
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 110
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 111
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 112
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - Cover3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - Cover4
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