The Aviation Insurance Landscape

Will Fly To Food: Texas Airport Diners

ByHank Gibson September 27, 2019October 14, 2021

Looking for some good $100 Hamburger options in the state of Texas?  Here are some other good fly-in eateries around Texas.  These are ranked in no particular order because they are all just really good!  Most of these are located on the airport property, but a few are in town and worth the drive!

• Lockhart BBQ (50R):  With 4 BBQ options in Lockhart (and City Market BBQ 10 minutes away in Luling), you can’t go wrong with a stop in Lockhart.  Just grab the keys for the giant suburban, and away you go. Most folks who stop off in Lockhart will give it a legitimate claim over Hard 8 in Stephenville.
• Angelina County Airport Restaurant (KLFK):  This is pure East Texas eating here in Lufkin.  With greasy, tasty burgers and sandwiches, breakfast, and ladies who call you “Sugar” when taking your order, this is down home if I ever tasted it.  Lufkin and Brenham are currently neck and neck for the best Texas burger.
• Black Walnut Cafe (KCXO):  This airport diner, located at the Galaxy FBO in Conroe on the north side of Houston, is top notch.  The food is excellent (I have eaten several different sandwiches and have not been disappointed) and you can’t beat the 3rd floor runway view from the patio.  Not a bad place to spend the lunch hour, though make sure you get there before the lunch hour.  It fills up quick.

• Airport Diner (T82):  Right next to the Hangar Hotel, the Airport Diner in Fredericksburg brings back memories of the old soda fountains of the ’40s and ’50s.  With plates like the Warthog (their sausage sandwich with Fredericksburg made sausage) and the Whirly Bird (their chicken tenders wrap), the Airport Diner fully embraces the airport theme.  Better to stop for lunch on a weekday rather than a weekend as their isn’t a whole ton of seating.  Check your NOTAMs as the restaurant is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
• Radial Engine Cafe (KGPM):  A good little stop in the Dallas area for a simple burger, fries, and a Coke. Don’t get the smaller 17/35 runway at GPM confused with the much larger 16/34 runway at GKY just to the west.  Approaching from the south, this can be easily done.
• Clear Springs Restaurant (KBAZ):  Come for the onion rings, stay for the fish.  Clear Springs is just a 5 minute drive from the airport and there are always plenty of crew cars available.  You could probably make a whole meal out of the onion rings themselves, but the fish is top notch too.
• Gate 12 (KCLL):  The College Station Airport now has the 12th Man!  Aggie Fans will appreciate the Gate 12 experience with all the Texas A&M decorations scattered throughout the restaurant.  Bring an appetite if you want to tackle the burgers.  They are huge!  Parking is only at the FBO.  Only military planes get to park in front of the restaurant.
• Cooper’s BBQ (KAQO):  Llano, TX is known for BBQ.  Just fly in to the airport, get a car, and after a 10 minute drive, you can take your pick of any kind of BBQ under the sun.  Careful, as it’s easy to over order!
• Hangar 6 Restaurant (KUVA):  The newest restaurant on the list, located on the ramp at the Uvalde Airport, Hangar 6 tips it’s hat to the military history of the Uvalde airport while serving really good food.  Taxi in and walk up to the quaint little joint.  They even have a playground for the kids!
• Sky Restaurant (KVCT):  Not quite within walking distance, but just a short drive from the FBO, Sky Restaurant specializes on the seafood, but they also have good burgers and steaks.  VCT is popular amongst the Air Force and Navy trainers in the area, especially around lunch!
• Runway Cafe (KLBX):  The best place I have found for seafood along the Texas Gulf Coast.  With a huge runway to land on and a beautiful FBO next door, this is my go to for Fried Shrimp when I’m in the Houston area.
• Delta Charlie’s (KRBD):  With quite an extensive menu (and a full bar for those overnight trips), I will definitely make RBD one of my routine stops. Dallas Jet Center recently opened in the terminal, so fueling your stomach and your plane can all be done in one spot.
• The Red Baron Restaurant (KDHT):  The Panhandle of Texas hides many surprises and the Red Baron restaurant in Dalhart, TX is no exception.  For those early morning flights, The Red Baron makes a solid breakfast and a mean cup of coffee.  Lunch satisfies even the hungriest pilot.  Dalhart has a very spiffy modern FBO to sleep away that burger and fries until your passengers show back up too.
• Hogg’s BBQ (KDUX):  I came hungry and I left very happy.  Hogg’s makes some good West Texas BBQ.  Huge helpings and an aviation themed dining room makes for a good choice.  Restaurant is located just behind the terminal building.  I was there for dinner and it wasn’t too crowded, but I bet lunch is hoppin’!
• Aviator’s Grill (KDWH):  Located in the Gill Aviation, FBO, Aviator’s Grill has a great selection of creative sandwiches.  Hooks can be a little tricky to navigate while taxiing, but just tell ground you are going to Gill, and they will direct you to lunch.
• Bill’s Burgers (KBMQ):  A short drive from the airport in the Burnet FBO’s new courtesy van deposits you at Bill’s Burgers, the largest burger this side of the Mississippi.  Always a popular lunch spot, especially on weekends, hitting lunch early or late is a good plan.  Don’t get a full order of fries unless you want to share.  It’s huge!  Closed on Mondays.

In my book, these are the other great places to stop on a flight in Texas.  Always make sure to come hungry! I probably missed a few along the way, so please feel free to add others to the list!

Note:  Some of the above restaurants are either closed for COVID, or are only doing takeout.  Make sure you call before hand.  Google doesn’t always have updated information.

Merry Christmas 2018

ByHank Gibson December 19, 2018December 19, 2018

So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son (John 1:14).

From the Texas Top Aviation family (Hank, Kelsey, Everett, Cooper, and Cord) to your family, we wish you a Merry Christmas!  We are thankful for how the Lord has blessed us this year.  We pray for blessings on your family this coming year.

Keep the wheel side down and the sunny side up!

Merry Christmas!

Fly Away Destination: Sedona, AZ (KSEZ)

ByHank Gibson October 21, 2014October 21, 2014

Looking for somewhere to take a trip this fall?  Sedona, Arizona should warrant strong consideration.  Just shy of 100 miles north of Phoenix, Sedona is one of the most beautiful areas in the southwest United States.  From Texas, depending on how fast your airplane travels, you could make it to Sedona in a day, with a couple of stops in between.  You’d definitely want to spend a few days to enjoy the scenery and maybe jump over to the Grand Canyon while you’re in the area.

The Airport

As you approach the Sedona Airport (KSEZ), you become somewhat distracted by the scenery around you.  Don’t be too distracted as the approach is a little tricky.  If you are landing north, on Runway 3, the calm wind runway, don’t let the surroundings fool you.  Stay on that PAPI and don’t be short, as the runway is on a 500 foot mesa.  In instrument conditions, the MDA for the RNAV approach to Runway 3 dumps you out about 1,300 feet above the airport elevation, giving you plenty of time to set up to land.

When using runway 21, don’t make your pattern too wide as there are some pretty tall rocks (around 7,000 feet) north of the field.  The Airport/Facilities Directory gives a warning to pilots in strong southwesterly wind conditions.  Be aware of strong downdrafts coming in on final for runway 21.

The runway itself is in excellent condition, and plenty long at just over 5,000 feet.  The FBO is a little dated, but the folks there are great.  They were redoing the ramp this summer, so beware of that.  Airplane parking is no problem, but actually getting to the FBO is a little tricky.  The Mesa Grill is a very nice good restaurant just a short walk from the FBO.  When I was there, I chowed down on a buffalo burger.  It definitely hit the spot.

What To Do

Sedona is the outdoorsman’s paradise.  Starting off, to get a great overview of the area, hop on the Red Rock Scenic Byway (SR 179) about an hour before dusk.  You’ll get to see some spectacular views while it’s still light, then you can’t beat the sunsets in Sedona.

For hiking, you have a myriad of options, from the Cathedral Rock, to the Oak Creek Canyon, to the Devil’s Bridge Trail, all are beautiful, though most are not for the faint of heart (especially the Devil’s Bridge).  Even though the fall is cooler, make sure you pack plenty of water for the hikes.

Want something to do in the evening?  Go up to the Chapel of the Holy Cross to watch the sunset.  After the sun goes down, go do some stargazing.  You’ll get to take a tour of the stars at the Sedona Star Gazing location in Oak Creek.  You are shown all the constellations and stars by professional astronomers, and blankets and chairs are provided.

Art connoisseur?  You’ll find plenty of art galleries around town with a ton of beautiful, original artwork.  There are also several theaters and golf courses around Sedona, giving everyone a little bit of everything.

If you’re up for it, the Grand Canyon is about a 2 hour drive north of Sedona, or a quick flight up to the Grand Canyon Airport (KGCN).

In search of a good getaway?  Try Sedona.  You’ll be sore from lots of hiking and sight seeing, but it will definitely have been worth it.

Night Flying

ByHank Gibson October 16, 2018October 16, 2018

Ah, fall is finally here.  In Texas, it arrived about a month late, but showed up with a vengeance.  A strong cold front caused a 40 degree temperature drop in 12 hours earlier this week, bringing rain, lower freezing levels, and lots of wind.

Fall means cooler temps, but fall also means less light.  The sun begins to set sooner, plus the fall back time change in November cause darkness to spring upon an unaware pilot.

Before getting in to too many night landings tips, just a friendly reminder, passengers can only be carried at night if the PIC has completed 3 takeoffs and landings to a full stop in the last 90 days during the time period of 1 hour after sunset to 1 hour before sunrise.

Lots of us have been landing long before sunset for most of the past couple of months, so those night flying skills might be a little rusty.  The best way to remedy night flying rustiness?  Call an instructor and go get some practice.

In the meantime, here are some tips as to what to expect for your next night flying experience.

1. Your Eyes Are Very Important.  This may seem like an obvious statement, but night vision can be affected by many things.  Before you takeoff, you want to make sure you can see in the dark.  The FAA recommends no bright lights 30 minutes prior to takeoff.  They also recommend using oxygen at night as this greatly improves night vision, even at low altitudes.  Use off center viewing to help spot traffic or other objects in the air.  Finally, when preflighting, use a red flashlight as much as possible, but if you do have to use a white light, close one eye to keep one eye from being blinded.
2. Utilize Approach Lights on Landing.  Night landings are very different then day landings.  It is very difficult to get the proper depth perception, not too mention see obstacles below you on your final approach to a runway.  PAPI’s, VASI’s, and instrument approach glide slope’s become very important.  If you are VFR only pilot, if your airport has a PAPI or a VASI, keep 2 white and 2 red (or 1 white and 1 red) lights.  If you see 3 red (or 2 red), climb.  If you see 4 red, definitely climb.  If you are an IFR pilot, I highly recommend always flying an approach at night.  What if your airport doesn’t have a PAPI, VASI, or approach with a glide slope?  You might not want to utilize it at night.  One side note on VFR flight: Clouds are nearly invisible at night.  If you do fly into a cloud (a clue is your strobe lights start reflecting back at you), don’t panic.  If you have an autopilot, turn it on and execute a 180 degree level turn.  If you don’t have an autopilot, start scanning your instruments, keep your attitude indicator blue side up, and make a shallow 180 degree while maintaining altitude.  Then call ATC, advise them what happened, and ask for help.  One more note:  I highly recommend that if a pilot finds that he/she will fly at night at lot, get an instrument rating and fly IFR at night.  It’s much safer.
3. Practice Landings Before Carrying Passengers.  The tendency when landing at night is to level off too high before flaring, causing the airplane to bleed off speed and energy too high above the runway.  This can lead to a stall, a hard landing, and/or too high of a pitch attitude at touch down causing a tail strike. A good tip is start your level off when you can see the tire marks on the runway.  Make sure you practice night landings, preferably with an experienced instructor who is night current and proficient, before carrying any passengers on board, even if you are night current, but haven’t landed at night in a while.
4. Night Emergencies.  For engine failures at night, you are very limited on options.  Unless you have a Cirrus equipped with a CAPS parachute system, you really have two options if an airport isn’t within gliding distance.  Find a wide, lighted road that appears to be lightly trafficked.  A word of caution, though:  be careful of light poles, fences, concrete medians, cars, and buildings.  The LA freeway would not be a good option (though there are exceptions to this rule as is evidenced by the picture below).  The second option is find a dark spot and pray it’s a field (or the Hudson River).  As you get closer, you can turn your landing light on to see what the ground looks like.  If it looks good, keep the light on and continue.  If you don’t like what you see, turn your landing light off and continue….

Flying at night can be the best time of day to fly.  It’s usually smoother, cooler, and you get to see all the city lights.  It is a very different environment, however, so make sure to get some training before darkness settles in on your next trip.

2018 Houston, TX CPPP

ByHank Gibson October 9, 2018October 9, 2018

The Cirrus Pilot Proficiency Program is once again returning to Houston, TX the first weekend in November. Henrickson Jet Center at the Houston Executive Airport (KTME) will be the host FBO this year.  If you are a Cirrus owner in the South Central US, the Houston CPPP weekend is definitely worth your while.

What is it?  The Houston CPPP is a combination ground and flight training weekend.  With ground classes ranging from engine management, to loss of control prevention, to avionics best practices, an attendee will not lack a better Cirrus education by the time he or she leaves.

The flight training side of the weekend gives an attendee several options.  A Houston CPPP attendee can do 1 or 2 flights with a highly qualified Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilot (CSIP), one on Saturday and one on Sunday (if the 2 flight option is selected).  The Cirrus Owner’s and Pilot’s Association (COPA) brings in exceptional instructors for each of the CPPP events, so the training is top notch.  Folks who want to take in more ground school, but still want to fly a little bit have the option of just doing 1 flight, either Saturday or Sunday, in order to increase their Cirrus knowledge.

The Houston CPPP event will be November 2nd, 2018-November 4th, 2018, a Friday through a Sunday.  The weekend kicks off with a welcome dinner Friday night, then ground sessions and flying on Saturday and Sunday, plus a dinner on Saturday night.

For those who want to challenge themselves, there are simulator sessions available with a challenging instrument approach that doesn’t quite meet up with the normal, ho-hum type of approach.

The Houston CPPP also provides a Partner in Command course for those right seaters out there wanting to learn more about what to do in an emergency situation.

Hank Gibson of Texas Top Aviation will be at the Houston CPPP as a flight instructor.  For more information and to sign up, please click here.

Hope to see you there!

Texas Top Aviation at the AOPA Fly-In

ByHank Gibson May 9, 2014

Where were you on April 26th?

Texas Top Aviation was at the AOPA Regional Fly-In at the San Marcos Regional Airport (KHYI).  If you weren’t there, you certainly missed out spending time with 2,500 other airplane and flying enthusiasts!

The day began somewhat gloomy and windy with the threat of rain.  Organizers feared that weather would keep a lot of people from coming.  Boy, were they wrong!

There were many classic airplanes, many modern and pretty nicely equipped airplanes, and everything in between.  There were aviation celebrities, Rod Machado and the Kings of King Schools fame, to name a few.  Not to mention the fabulous BBQ!

Texas Top Aviation had several drawings for free training and 3 lucky winners.  We also had a Lancair Super ES for sale, N132BB (which made the San Marcos Record newspaper!). It definitely stood out with it’s unique paint job.  The flames on the tail drew many oohs and aahs.

Departing the San Marcos Airport after the fly in was like battling traffic in Austin at rush hour (though, Austin doesn’t have any air traffic controllers).  The San Marcos controllers probably hadn’t seen that much traffic since the airport was an Army Air Base back during WWII.  It was quite a sight to see all the exhibitor’s airplanes lined up ready to head skyward.

Thanks to all of you who stopped by the Texas Top Aviation booth!  It was a pleasure meeting all of you and we look forward to working with you in the future!