Things To Do After Landing In Great Barrington

This year-round hub for vacations and weekend getaways is especially well-suited to general aviation travelers

Jonathan Welsh

Friday, July 01, 2022 at 07:55 AM ET

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The view from Monument Mountain in Great Barrington, Massachusetts [File photo: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

Great Barrington Airport (KGBR) is described as "the friendliest airport in the Northeast," offering a welcoming atmosphere and unique pilot-centric amenities like an airport dog and "after you" radio calls.
A key benefit for visiting pilots is the provision of complimentary crew cars, which significantly enhances their experience by allowing easy access to the town.
Great Barrington offers diverse attractions accessible via these crew cars, including historical sites (Guthrie Center, W.E.B. Du Bois National Historic Site), cultural venues (Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center), natural beauty (Monument Mountain), and a vibrant downtown for dining and shopping.

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As I approached Great Barrington Airport in the 172P earlier this week, I was happy to hear other airplanes in the pattern for the same runway that I was planning to use after checking wind direction on the AWOS (automated weather observation system).

Over the years, I have found the wind to be rather fickle at this field, also known as Walter J Koladza Airport (KGBR), named for a World War II test pilot who used to own the place. I didn’t want to be the pilot who, from 10 miles out, declares “inbound for Runway 29” only to hear that 11 is the active. Darn—did that wind shift again?