Fly Out/Order In

by Karen Workman
Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine April/May 2022 online issue.

Food is always a good reason to fly, but fly-in breakfast season is still a few months away. So now what is our motivation? Food, still, with hundreds of oftentimes unknown great choices.

There are some airports with very good restaurants right on the field, within walking distance or even a short drive away if you are fortunate enough to get a crew car. Sadly, many of us are concerned about airborne illnesses (hello, Covid-19) and would prefer the comfort of social distancing. Solution: “Fly out/order in.” That is, fly to a random airport and have lunch delivered to you there.

“Fly out/order in” is a win/win/win! Maybe more wins, but three obvious ones are: 1) You benefit from the flying experience; 2) The airport may/should make a fuel sale (yes, you are using their services and you should feel obligated); and 3) The local economy gets a boost.

Many small towns in the Midwest have a pizza joint or sub shop with “freaky fast” delivery in proximity of the airport. They will bring your hot pizza or freshly made sandwiches right to the airport, so you can maintain your social distancing. You might even be able to borrow a crew car, run out and pick up food from the local diner to bring back to the FBO where you are in control of the environment. Relax and enjoy yourself in the relative quiet of a spacious, newly discovered airport “dining room” with the happy sounds of propellers spinning and comforting smell of avgas just outside the door while you eat.

There are well over 100 airports in Minnesota alone, and many of them have a quiet, comfortable FBO with plentiful seating and tables. Some FBOs are truly gems, such as Worthington, Minnesota (KOTG), with a cozy club-like feel; plenty of seating around casual high-top tables or the heavy wooden farmhouse table, as well as comfy leather armchairs for relaxing while waiting for your food to arrive.

Notable also are Airlake/Minneapolis, Minnesota (KLVN), where you can sit at the windows overlooking the runway while you dine; New Ulm, Minnesota (KULM), with a huge, round conference table that can seat six adults with plenty of spacing in between, and Albert Lea, Minnesota (KAEL), which was beautifully remodeled to include a well-equipped kitchen with dining booths at the edge of the lobby.

Bring your good etiquette to your “fly out/order in” adventure. Leave no trace after eating; no one should know you were even there. Tip the delivery driver or leave gas money for using the crew car. Buy fuel from your host airport. The airport may not have the cheapest fuel but consider the cost difference a tip for allowing you an interesting destination and comfortable place to enjoy a meal.

Fly-in breakfast season may be just around the corner, but “fly out/order in” is always a good option for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Grab your friends and go explore! You may find a new favorite airport, and if not, keep flying and look for them. It is all about the flying, after all. The food just makes the destination more interesting.

CHOOSING AN AIRPORT

It may take a little sleuthing to choose your destination airport. A VFR chart is a good place to begin. Find an airport within the distance you would like to fly, pull out your State Airport Directory or open ForeFlight to see what restaurants are nearby, and whether there is a crew car available. You can also zoom in on a Google map to see what eateries are in town and likely to deliver. A phone call can confirm your options before you takeoff. Place your order after you land. Remember to ask for extra napkins and utensils you might need.

AIRPORT RESTAURANTS

There are a few general aviation airports within a reasonable distance from Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota (center of the universe) that have excellent restaurants right on the field. Smack in the middle of the universe is St. Paul Downtown Airport (KSTP) featuring Holman’s Table, a white-linen eatery in the old art deco, quarried stone control tower. To the north is Brainerd, Minnesota (KBRD) with a freshly remodeled café next to the aircraft parking ramp. To the east, across the river in Wisconsin is Eau Claire (KEAU). Their Hangar 54 Grill is open only for lunch and dinner, as is the new Mexican restaurant, Avion Azul, to the south at Mason City, Iowa (KMCW). A popular breakfast destination is Tri-County Regional Airport (KLNR) in Lone Rock, Wisconsin. The restaurant re-opened in 2021 under the name Sam’s Airport Diner in the former Flight Service Station building within steps of aircraft parking. The Jet Room Restaurant at the Wisconsin Aviation terminal on the east side of Dane County Regional Airport (KMSN) in Madison, Wisconsin, has an elaborate menu for breakfast and lunch and is open seven days a week. (See advertisement on page 28 in this issue of Midwest Flyer Magazine.)

EDITOR’S NOTE: Karen Workman is an instrument-rated commercial pilot. She keeps her beloved 1968 Cherokee 180D at Faribault Municipal Airport – Liz Wall Strohfus Field (KFBL) in Faribault, Minnesota.

This entry was posted in April/May 2022, Columns, Columns, Columns, Fly & Dine and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

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