Entry of the three, or four letter identifier for the Block Island State Airport, (KBID) in Rhode Island, a popular destination, is greeted with “unknown airport”. How come?
It is valid, but it is very small so no idea. Here is the link I found info and pics KBID.
Thats all wonderful information, but thats not what he was asking.
Others have asked this as well.
here
and here
I guess the staff hasnt gotten around updating the database to include this airport yet.
If by “very small” B-747500 means that Block Island State Airport is not busy, then he has never been there on any day, especially a weekend day, in the Summer.
This time of year, it has to be the busiest 2500 foot runway on the East Coast and one of its most dangerous, given the great number of VFR types, many rookies, who make this an early, first flight destination. It has tricky crosswinds and a very limited overun. One weekend, July 4th of '03 if I recall, there were half a dozen planes wrecked, in three incidents within 48 hours.
There was a fatal nearby today and I was looking for the flight (out of HPN) when I realized that Flight Aware is UnAware of KBID
I probably know one of the guys who wrecked that year. He was in a Bonanza and overran the end after coming in too fast on the approach. (hes not a very good pilot, even after buying an new identical plane)
Yes, and I’ll bet that Bo pilot’s initials are HH, right?
I was at the Island that weekend staying at a house about 1/4 mile from the airport. My trip in was delayed by the second of the three events that weekend. While over Groton, the Providence Controller advised me that “Block Island Airport is closed…state intentions”. I landed at GON and waited about 90 minutes for the FAA to finish their preliminary of the second accident (the Grumman pilot who lost control on landing a took out three or four parked aircraft on the ramp).
Later that weekend I strolled by the fence and I took about a dozen photos of that beautiful, wrecked V Tail Bonanza with its wings punched right through the fence…what a shame. I still have those photos if you want to see them, give me an address. I would attach them here but cannot figure out how. My guess is that he came in the night before on the VOR 26, ducked under minimums and touched down long and hot and could not stop before the end came.
Youre exactly right! Small world. He’s based at the airport I used to instruct at. Ive known him (or of him) for probably 10 years. Last winter he was coming in to land from Block Island and he did his usual “Fly the plane into the runway” type of landing and ended up running off the side and into the grass at about 80 knots. My wife and I, as well as a few other people were in the FBO (which is unusually close to the runway and is surrounded by glass windows) and one of the guys yelled and actually dove for cover! He was able to somehow get the airplane straightened out on the parallel taxiway and slow down. Get did a 180, called for fuel on the radio and went back to his parking spot as if nothing had happened!
I knew the guy flying with him, during the accident at Block. A person who I have some respect for as a competent pilot, but who must have had a momentary laspe of brain activity that night. The third person onboard was him grandson, who I instructed as part of our ‘Teen flying camp’.
Check your PM’s. (way up at the top of the screen.)
I have about 8 photos of the wreck.
I have tried to sent you four of them.
My anti virus scanner is scanning the outbound now.
If the file is too big, I will send them as separate emails.
And here you always told me nothing interesting ever happened at the airport!
Weren’t you in 669AF on 3JUNE? I’ve got to start logging which planes you’re flying each week, I’m losing track.
Redwing,
One way to post photos is to get an account at PhotoBucket.com:
http://www.photobucket.com/
After you register (it is free), you can upload your photos, and then post the address of the photos you want to share.
Thanks, nose.
I think I will
There was a recent crash out of KBID the other day: wnbc.com/traffic/9472758/detail.html (N5012S)
Is there any updated status we can get regarding the addition of KBID to the database?
Thanks,
Jason
In a few weeks, it’s not going to matter because BID will be closed for runway maintenance this fall.
An excerpt:
New England Airlines owner William Bendokas said he wants federal regulators to consider allowing airplanes to land on a grass strip during the runway repairs. The airport resorted to that option during a resurfacing 20 years ago, he said.
“We have an island community,” he said. “There is a potential for the community being cut off. It’s as simple as that.”
A grass landing strip could prove dangerous and disturb a sensitive beetle habitat, said Mark Brewer, president of the airport corporation.
Heaven forbid something should happen to a sensitive beetle! (For the youngblood on this forum: that is sarcasm. I say run over the damn bugs! People are more important than any bug.)