For the high end track addict

[peterz]

Check out this new housing development in Georgia, complete with its own private track (4.5 miles) - the straight doubles as a runway for your G5/Lear/etc. Limited to 120 homes and track is for owners and guests only.

Victory Lane



Oh yeah, it has a golf course and equestrian center as well.

-Peter

[signit98]

...where can I sign up?

[PFFOG]

Yea, all those up tight people will LOVE having cars and bikes running around the track. You are probably restricted to an hour a month.

[arbik]

I wonder if you get like 6 car garage, or you get a place on the track to keep your cars/bikes there.
..thats just too awesome.

[varmint]

i know people who've lived in air park communities similar to that. it always starts out fine, then some power mad ***** gets in charge of the homeowners association.

soon, you're not allowed to take off or land before ten a.m. and threatening letters come about the oil stain in your driveway.

[Moybin]

Yet another proof that America has more money than brains...

[peterz]

Originally posted by arbik
I wonder if you get like 6 car garage, or you get a place on the track to keep your cars/bikes there.
..thats just too awesome.

Not quite a 6 car garage, but you can spring for your own paddock



This actually seems like a decent deal if you have the coin. The web site is a bit of a pain to scroll the various pages but there seems to be good intent by the developers to satisfy the well heeled auto/motorcycle track crowd.

And yes there are already restrictions on when the track can be used (8am-6pm or something) and no use of the air strip while the track is in use.

Lots of hi-tech in the track facilities as well.

Check the web site:
Victory Lane

-Peter

[Doogie Howser]

Echoing what Varmint said:

I used to live in a place called Spruce Creek Fly-In in Florida. A 4,000 ft. runway in the middle of the neighborhood, the roads were also taxi-ways. Most homes had hangars attached with enough room for most any combination of toys you can imagine. Mostly retired airline Captains....which for someone with a passion for flying was a great place to make friends. 3,000 residents.....10,000 motorcycles. You get the picture....great place for a gearhead.

Then John Travolta (who was a resident) started bringing his GulfStream into Spruce Creek. Barely enough landing distance to stop the thing before using up all of the over-run and ending up either on the 8th hole green at the end of Rwy 5, or into a house at the end of Rwy 23. That is when the homeowners association started in. Another problem was residents leaving/arriving in jets at late hours. NASCAR drivers like Mark Martin and Ernie Irvin were a particular problem in the eyes of the association. There is nothing like a GulfStream using thrust reversers at 3:00am 200 ft. from your house to wake you up. Needless to say, Travolta took his toys and left.

Then the helicopter restrictions started. Seems there was a Helicopter training operation on the field, and residents (all pilots, mind you) didn't like the noise. Then the taxi-way access was restricted to aircraft, golf-carts, and small scooters. Now to get across the neighborhood, you had to take the main road all the way around. Then they started in on the neighborhood children (not many...but grandkids did show up occasionally), and how dangerous they were to having playing near where aircraft were taxiing. Oh yea, the oil spots on the ramp in front of your hangar, improperly trimmed hedges, and grass that was not green enough. Forget about having everyone taxi to your house and have a few drinks after a day of flying....security would be on you and asking you to move the aircraft in a second....even if you lived at the end of a taxiway and weren't affecting anyone.

There seemed to be a bit of an economic battle between the guys with a lot of toys, that wanted to preserve their standing in their own minds. They took over the association, and made everything so sterile, that by 2005 it lacked the "everyone waves at everyone" charm that it had in just 1999. Whether due to these rules, or simply due to the jump in prices in FL real-estate, lots of people (myslef included) left what we once considered paradise....a pilots Mecca, if you will.

I'll never live in a community that is dominated by a homeowners association again. Niche communities are cute. Nice to visit. Kind of like DisneyWorld. No place to live though. I'll keep my airplane at the airport, and my motorcycle in my garage. If I ever get into boating, I doubt I'll move into one of those FL communities with canal access to the water unless there is no association.

Oh...did I mention the $500/month in association dues? Funny thing is, the only thing I miss are the friends and airplane noise.

[Hoots]

I think a group buy is necessary.