May Manda’s life may look a little distinct without aviation. Mandal had a family history of flying, but he had never been able to pursue any private aircraft instruction until recently.
He and his young brother, both of whom are teenagers, both started taking flight lessons at the same time as his father, who has a passion for flying. His upcoming youngest son, who just started getting ready for his personal certificate, and his three younger sons, who may also be interested in doing the same, have just begun training.
Manda has just recently purchased an aeroplane of his own and an asphalt airstrip in Missouri after just a short while since taking to the skies. But having an airstrip was n’t the reason he purchased the property.
” My wife and I own a landscape business up here in Kansas City]Missouri] and as part of that business, we grow sod”, Manda said. ” Three years ago or so, we bought 130 acres from a guy…and developed a bastard farm. The man wanted to sell more of his estate, and we were looking to expand our business. We ended up purchasing 75 more acres, including the airport and the property.
The airport has been around since 1979 and sports a new name following the transition, Blue Cedar Landing Airport ( 43MO). According to Manna, his company’s current operations on the property only need to pay a small amount of attention to maintaining the aircraft. He has plans for upcoming fly-ins and says his privately held airport will be a vivid GA-focused outpost.
The 7,300-square-foot rental apartment at Blue Cedar Landing Airport can accommodate a large group of people. ]Courtesy: Cozy in KC]
Manda is eager for other pilots to visit and enjoy the airport just as much as he and his family do.
” We mow our bastard once a week, and when we do, we simply mowed a little bit more and mowed up to the runway”, he said. Therefore, it will always be a wide-open area because of the fields I have around me that I will not produce or plant branches. That made me consider having a fly-in where people can simply area their planes in the foliage. We may do flour-bombing competitions, foods vehicles right next to the helicopters, and other things you may not be able to perform at a provincial airport. We will help aircraft by doing various things to take people together.
A sizable farmhouse that came with the following land purchase, according to Manda, would make a good short-term rental, providing pilots with another option for a place to spend the night next to their aircraft.
We made the decision to create this house a Vrbo for truly anyone, but I’m going to make it a Vrbo for the fly-in community, he said,” so we looked at doing something unique that not a lot of places you do.” Three or four people can join there and have a great time. They can travel in and retain their flight here and lease the home that’s actually 100 yards from the 2, 430-foot-long-by-30-foot large asphalt runway. Additionally, they can rent a vehicle on Turo to travel the place.
There is” a 15-minute drive to downtown Lee’s Summit, where there is a lot to do.” There are stores, eateries, and dining, like a small beer and a wine bar. It’s situated about 10 minutes away from city Pleasant Hill, where there are diverse stores, restaurants, and Rock Island Trail, which connects to the Katy Trail, which at 240 yards long is the longest developed rail-trail in the country. Since it’s difficult to travel with a motorcycle, we have collaborated with a bike shop to offer bike rentals.
A smaller one-bedroom ‘ captain plate’ is being added to the home, which is a small car from the personal carrier’s runway. ]Courtesy: Cozy in KC]
The 7, 300-square-foot home sleeps up to 20 and rents for an average of$ 800 per night. Manda is adding a distinct one-bedroom solution to the house that will be priced more commercially,$ 200 per day on regular. He thinks that more aviators did consider taking the opportunity to fly in because of this smaller lease and the available on-site rental car.
He said,” On the property we also have a little pilots lounge that we are currently finishing called” The Stables Event Space at Blue Cedar Landing.” It can be used for rental for events up to 150 individuals. When the room is n’t rented, pilots who fly in during the day and want to have coffee or simply getting up can use it.
Lee’s Summit Municipal Airport (KLXT ) is 11 miles south of Blue Cedar Landing.
Grant Boyd is a private pilot with eight years of experience in aerospace company, including advertising, writing, customer support, and sales. Boyd holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s of Business Administration degree, both from Wichita State University, and a Doctor of Education education from Oklahoma State University. He was chosen as a NBAA Business Aviation” Major 40 Under 40 “award receiver in 2020.