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The Famous, Infamous Teterboro

They write songs about it. Pilots complain about it. If you’re going to the Big Apple, you will find yourself there, sooner or later.

[Credit: Jeppesen]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Teterboro (KTEB) is depicted as a challenging yet iconic airport near Manhattan, with a complex reputation among pilots and local residents.
  • The author's flying experiences with Teterboro span over 50 years, evolving from a novice private pilot navigating rudimentary airspace to a frequent professional commercial pilot and now a private jet owner.
  • The article details the unique operational complexities of KTEB, including early navigation difficulties, demanding weather conditions, air traffic control intricacies, and the airport's role in the author's significant personal and professional aviation memories.
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Teterboro. It’s an airport in New Jersey—known as KTEB. It is only 12 miles by car or bus from Manhattan. They write songs about it. Pilots complain about it.The neighbors abhor it. Many corporate drivers loathe it. Many private pilots fear it. If you’re going to the Big Apple, you will find yourself there, sooner or later.

My own Teterboro experiences go back a ways—a long ways. With a newly minted private pilot certificate, I first rented a Cessna 172 at what is now Atlantic Aviation in the fall of 1967, just 55 years ago. In those days, there was no Class B airspace over LaGuardia, Newark, and Kennedy airports (KLGA, KEWR, and KJFK, respectively). I was living in a dorm room in Manhattan. To get to Teterboro in order to rent an airplane involved a subway ride to the port authority bus terminal and a bus ride to the airport or, I should say, to the corner of the airport. The FBO was a good half-mile walk from the bus stop.

Dick Karl

Dick Karl is a cancer surgeon who appreciates the beauty and science involved in both surgery and flying. Dick’s monthly Gear Up celebrates the human side of flying. He writes about his enthusiasm for both the machines and the people who fly and maintain them.

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