Hammer --
In response to your questions about my Bravo experiences, they varied quite a bit. Some places charge no landing fees (such as CLT) and I went in there a LOT as I used to instruct nearby. Often dropped people at Signature for airline connections, etc. Buy a minimum amount of high-priced fuel or pay a ramp fee. DTW I did twice ... dropped and picked up pax, quick turns both times, took fuel, reasonable landing fee and no ramp fee with minimum fuel purchase (this is usually the case at any Signature, though they will charge you for all-day parking or overnights). PIT was always great ... I would park there for several days in a Bonanza while visiting family and would pay only the landing fee ($12-15 I think) and fuel ... AvCenter would waive ramp fees with fuel purchase. PHL actually has really cheap avgas certain days of the week ... call Atlantic Av and ask ... actually made a tech stop there flying to the Carolinas from PVD because the fuel was close to $1 a gallon cheaper than PVD. Most Signature locations will do 50 cents off avgas on weekends. ATL was great ... minimal landing fee and Mercury is a great FBO. IAD is easy, reasonable landing fees and two FBOs, I usually use Piedmont. Tip there is let them know which FBO you're parking at and unless it is REALLY busy they'll arrange for you to land on the runway on the same side of the airport (Piedmont is on the 1L/19R side and Signature on 1R/19L) ... on initial contact say "Bonanza 123AB, 8000, Bravo, parking Hawthorne" and they'll usually offer you 1L/19R if they can to save you a LOT of taxi time ... the only way from one side to the other is across the airline ramp which isn't bad, just a lengthy taxi and having to talk to ramp control. BWI was a dinner stop one night going home ... pouring rain but they gave us a crew car and directions to a nearby (and pretty decent) Italian place to have a bite.
Best Bravo I've ever been to is MEM. Wilson Air Center is the BEST FBO in the country, bar none ... they have a great rate at the Peabody downtown if you want to stay in "The South's Grand Hotel" as it's known. I have used Memphis many times. In my current job on the King Air we go to EWR regularly ... we choose to go there rather than TEB because we find it easier to get in and out of, actually. Landing fee is $25 or so for a lighter plane (first time I did it was in a Duchess) and less than $50 for the KA. They will charge you the $100 "peak time" fee at certain hours of the day. Note that Signature will not charge this fee on your fuel ticket, the Port Authority will send a bill afterward to the registered owner of the aircraft, so be forewarned especially if you're using someone else's airplane for the trip. Signature EWR has excellent service (but fuel is pricey, $3.50 ish) and good rates at nice hotels in the area. They're also happy to drive you to area restaurants and pick you up again. My personal recommendation if you have a couple hours there is Shula's Steakhouse ... it is at the Wyndham Hotel nearby. If you tell the desk "Shula's" or "the Wyndham" they'll know exactly where you mean. Other nice thing about EWR is the Signature van will drop you off at the airport train in the "P4" parking area. This train will take you to airport station to connect to rail service to Manhattan. Takes maybe 30 minutes to Penn Station and $11 each way. Slightly more expensive than NJ Transit buses, but Penn Station is a lot nicer than Port Authority Bus Terminal and the trip is quicker. Best way to get to Manhattan that I know of, unless you want to cough up the big bucks for a town car.
I never did touch-and-goes at Bs but did a late-night low approach at MCO during instrument training. Check with the tower at a B and they can tell you when "slow times" are ... between the banks of the hubbing airline. Some airports (such as CLT) publish this information on their web site. Even if you're going in at peak time, it's not a big deal really. Two pilots is not a bad idea.
Anybody who wants more specific information about any of the Bs I've been to can feel free to e-mail me (flywithruss@yahoo.com) and I will be happy to tell you anything I can about my experiences with your specific airport(s) of interest.
Fly fun, fly safe!
FL270
