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Life at Casa

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Living at Casa de Aero

What's it really like to live at Casa de Aero? It is quite pleasant, thanks for asking. I have lived here since 1987, so my comments are based on memories of life before casa as well as the observations of people who visit.

The first thing visitors from the city notice is that it is quiet. A city is never quiet, and even a suburb has it's share of sirens, horns, engines and neighbors engaged in some form of noise production. Short of weekly mowing and the few days when a north wind blows tollway noise our direction, Casa is quiet.

People ask if the airplanes are noisy. I suppose they are, for a moment. But it's not airplane noise, it's Rick on his way to work, or Fred doing his daily flight to somewhere. We lie in bed and guess who it is by the sound, then peek through the blinds to see if we were right. Usually we are.

After all, airplane noise is one reason we live here.

The best airplane noise is the faint cadence of a round engine growing nearer. Who will it be? A T-6 from Landings out for a run? The TBM or Sea Fury back for a visit? Hmm, a note of prop sync, perhaps it's the Beech 18?

We do get visits from interesting airplanes. Flybys of the past have included P-51s, P-40s, Sea Furies, F-18s, C-130s, Staggerwings, Ford Trimotors, on and on. A few land, and some make multiple passes. We love that.

From the street side, we look like the usual rural community. Custom homes, nice lots, well-kept yards, signs of children at a few homes. Our streets are in good repair and the neighbors of our community are horse farms and corn fields. From my second story window I can see Hampshire, 5 miles away, and miles of fields in other directions.

It is on the runway side that things are different. People are brought together by our common and unique interest in airplanes. The taxiways are our common area, where we walk, bike and drive golf carts around to see what's new at the airport.

We really do know everyone at the airport. It takes a little while, perhaps a year or two, to meet new people. And for a while a new resident will be known by the name of the last (or long ago) person who used to live there. But there is a real interest in getting to know new folks, and they do seem to feel welcome.

When new people move in, we usually get to meet their airplane first. Everyone flys a lot when the first arrive, thrilled to be close enough to fly on a whim. Our first year here we flew 365 hours.

After a while that tapers off. We don't have 120 airplanes flying every night. But those perfect summer evenings to tend to bring out the taildraggers, and we can get a half dozen Cubs and Tailorcrafts in the pattern at once.

So yes, we know the airplanes the best. Cars come and go, but when an unfamiliar airplane lands people notice and wonder. We are a private airport so anonymous drop-ins are not encouraged. But visitors invited by a resident are welcome, especially if they follow our simple rules and don't taxi fast or run up at the end of the runway, prop-blasting the neighbors there.

The social avenue is the taxiway. People take morning or evening walks, sometimes with kids, dogs, wagons or cats trailing behind. Bikes are common, and the occasional go cart or minibike scoots back and forth. Peope wave or say hello, or stop to chat with others sitting out or working in the yard.

People ask about safety. After all, some airports lock down their back yards with statements like 'It's an airport, not a park'. We have discussed this many time at community meetings. And the consensis is always the same: we're not willing to give up living on the basis of 'what if.'

We are agressive in teaching our kids the rules of the airport: No playing on the runways, either asphalt or sod. Cross only at the end. Look both ways, up and down, look and listen before crossing. And so on, a safety meeting is held every year to get all the kids together and remind them of the strict rules.

Personally I am much more concerned about cars. Teenage visitors, unfamiliar drivers, delivery trucks, neighbors dodging stray horses... I would much rather have my kids in the back yard where the 'drivers' are being careful and the kids know the rules.

So we enjoy our common property and use it to stay in touch with our neighbors. It really is a friendly place.

One of the common passtimes for visitors is a walk around the airport. Each house is different, each interesting, and each has a story. What airplanes live there, what used to live there, changes that the house has gone through in it's history.

Over time, as one gets to know people, we realize what a great resource we can be to each other. Some of us understand computers, others understand steel or welding. There are expert riveters here, and talented fabric wing recoverers. At times there have been flight instructions between neighbors, and there is no shortage of opinions about mechanical issues, some of them from certified mechanics.

At those rare moments when a problem occurs, a flat tire on the runway or one prop of a twin features during taxi, the place comes alive with assistance. It is at these times, a pilot in need, when our community shines.

Even in the quieter moments, when a spark plug breaks or you need a little machining done, it is nice to know that you can make a call or two and usually resolve the problem.

There are connections unrelated to airplanes. A group finds it's way to a nearby restaurant for breakfast each day. Another group gathers to fly out on weekends. A few play cards, some golf together. Small groups gather for various reasons and in a variety of ways.

We also have full community gatherings from time to time. The annual pig roast is a scheduled event, and there have been parties at Christmas and St. Patrick's day put on by residents. One can connect as much or as little as one prefers.

And there are ways to work together. The annual trash pickup removes the litter that has gathered over the winter, and various teams get together at times to perform more substantial projects for the airport, such the group that aquired, overhauled and installed the VASI system.

On a more personal note, we enjoy living in the country where you have room to breath. Of course if nothing blocks the view, not much blocks the wind either. There are days in spring or winter when it's quite unpleasent to be outside.

And when a thunderstorm rolls through, our homes are more likely to be targets than one might in a big city. Although it's possible that we simply hear more than you do in the more typical community. Whatever the case, there are rather more lightning rods visible here than one usually sees.

It is very nice to be near one's airplane. Those little projects that just take a few minutes can be handled between supper and bedtime, without the long drive out to the airport. Loading bags for a trip is simple matter, rather than filling the car then transferring to the airplane.

Perhaps the most content are those who airplane camp. It's great to load up the airplane directly from the camping storage shelf, then unload the same way.

One of the challenges I recall before living here was where to keep my tools. With a hangar, a basement shop and bench in my garage, the tool I needed always seemed to be somewhere else. Now that all the tools are in the hangar shop it's amazing how many tools I have.

Each person will have their own favorite thing about the airport. From the look of some homes, there is a great joy in having enough space to grow plants and flowers. Other homes show pleasure with enough space for the kids to really play. A few show signs of loving to entertain, with a grand deck and best in class grill.

Whatever your passion, chances are that you'll find a way to express it at Casa de Aero, as long as airplanes fit into your life as well.

Keith Peterson
May 31, 2003