I do enjoy flying into Sun Valley, I'm sure I'd enjoy it alot more flying a G-550 into there, but there are certain things about the 121 operation out of there that make it difficult or more time consuming.
Ex: Winter Ops mostly get diverted to Boise (or Twin Falls in the past) due to any number of factors. I flew there 5 times this winter, diverted to Boise each time due to Braking Action "NIL".
Summer Ops: High altitude, high temps, rising terrain, and potentially heavy aircraft...alot of flights that go out full have to make a fuel stop in Boise because they couldn't take off with MIN total out of Sun Valley.
As for the visual approach, our proceedure calls for us to "fly along the east side of the valley and plan to cross the SW corner of Bellevue" that puts us somewhat close to the 6739' mountain that's just off the train tracks...Hailey Tower asked us to go further east and EGPWS doesn't really like it when you do that.
The airport you were probably at was Pullman (KPUW). It is hokey, I'll give ya that...but our Ops Specs state:
"Due to the close proximity of the parallel taxiway to the runway at KPUW procedures in addition to normal Radio Remote communications outlined in section 4. Communication are necessary during arrivals and departures of large and/or Cat C aircraft. The FAA has required ALL large and Cat C aircraft operating at KPUW use these procedures. This note is also in the A/FD for KPUW"
Thus we have to annouce on CTAF that we are a "large" or "approach category C" ...
So don't bust our chops about it, we do it because someone at the FAA makes us and will levy a fine if we don't...
(side note: Q400 Wingspan - 93 ft 3 in, G550 Wingspan - 93 ft 6 in, Global Express - 94 ft...so yea, all of 3 inches and 7 inches difference)