Eastern Idaho is a rugged, yet beautiful place to live. It's also a great place in my opinion to fly around. It's a good place to to practice while dealing with constantly changing terrain and seasons with the Rocky Mountains. Not only that, but Eastern Idaho does have a few, but not too much interesting aviation-related things worth pursuing. After spending some time in the region, I think I've finally gotten enough information and spent enough time to thoroughly critique three Eastern Idaho airports for the sake of planespotting and aviation enthusiasm.
1. Idaho Falls Regional Airport (IDA) 2/5
There really isn't much to see at IDA but the airport does serve as a crucial destination for the region as the second or third most heavily-served airport by commercial standards after Boise. The airports in Idaho Falls and nearby Pocatello are currently the only two airports in the Eastern Idaho region served by commercial carriers. IDA see's service from Las Vegas-based LCC Allegiant Air with services to nearby focus cities like Phoenix/Mesa or Las Vegas with their MD-80 series and SkyWest Airlines based in St. George, Utah with service to Salt Lake City as Delta Connection and to Denver as United Express on CRJ regional jets. From a spotter's perspective, there really isn't much to see at IDA since you can look at Allegiant and SkyWest CRJs from better locations. However, there are one or two things worth checking out at least once at the Idaho Falls Regional Airport: There is a company located on the airport grounds known as Pacific Fighters, where they restore vintage (mostly World War II-era) aircraft for private owners and museums. Two different aircraft have been restored and currently on display by Pacific Fighters. One is an F-86L Sabre Dog (an all-weather jet interceptor variant of the famed F-86 Sabre) mounted on permanent display as the airport's official "Gate Guard." The other is a much more rare airframe to see because this is the only one of its kind left in the world. And I'm talking about the Douglas A2D Skyshark, a development spin-off of the successful A-1 Skyraider attack aircraft. The Skyshark can be usually seen just beyond some chain-link fences on the ramp where Pacific Fighters is located but it does get moved occassionally over to the general aviation ramp where the Utah Helicopter flight school is located. Currently, access to see the Skyshark is limited because no one is allowed to pass throught the gates and fences (as is the case with pretty much every airport known to man!) but Pacific Fighters does welcome anyone wanting to see the aircraft.
(See this link to see photos of the aircraft mentioned)
Overall, I give Idaho Falls Regional Airport a 2/5 for a lack of anything plus restrictions in place that make it hard to see anything. But at least there is something worth checking out at least once thanks to Pacific Fighters; they should consider opening a museum to display the planes they've restored! Idaho could use a few more aviation museums...
2. Rexburg-Madison County Airport (RXE) 3/5
While attending school at BYU-Idaho, I would know what airport an aircraft flying overhead would be be coming from or going to and that would be Rexburg-Madison County Airport, located approximately 30 miles north of Idaho Falls. The airport is nothing more than for general aviation usage. The only thing to serve RXE on a daily basis is cargo feeder service from Ameriflight, usually originating from larger airports like Boise, Salt Lake City and possibly even Idaho Falls. But Rexburg does have something worth checking out and that would be the Legacy Flight Museum. What's unique about this air museum is that all the aircraft owned and displayed are in air worthy condition. So it's no surprise if you see a SNJ-3 Texan or a P-51D Mustang flying around. The museum also hosts a bi-annual air show usually around mid-June. During the other years in lieu of the air show, the Legacy Flight Museum hosts an open house known as 'Airport Appreciation Day' for the public, serving a free breakfast and offering an opportunity to see the aircraft; in addition to that, the museum owners and operators take use this open house as an opportunity to take people flying so the planes fly regardless. The Legacy Flight Museum's most notable aircraft is aviation legend Bob Hoover's former P-51D Mustang all painted in yellow nicknamed 'Ole Yeller'; this aircraft is a piece of history not only because it's a premier American fighter aircraft of World War II, but because Bob Hoover used this P-51 as the pace plane for the Unlimited Class at the Reno Air Races many years ago along with the famous radio call coined by him, "Gentlemen, you have a race." The P-51 was painted yellow for the sake of high visibility.
Overall, I give Rexburg-Madison County Airport a solid 3/5. Traffic-wise, there really isn't much to see and it's not worth spending a lot of time there. But if you're there at the right time for the air show or the open house (depending on what year it is), you're bound to catch the featured stars of the airport based there. Solid 3/5 because of the Legacy Flight Museum and what any visitor can catch a glimpse of there. I wouldn't recommend planespotting a whole lot but I would definitely recommend a visit to the Legacy Flight Museum.
3.) Stanford Field (U12) 2/5
Also known as the St. Anthony Municipal Airport. It is located further north from Idaho Falls; approximately 45 miles from IDA and just 15 miles north of Rexburg. Like many small airports scattered across the United States, the purpose of U12 is to provide convenience to the general aviation pilots by having a nearby airport for them to base their aircraft, to have places to fuel up aircraft, as well as to relieve larger airports with commercial service of traffic congestion. One of my uncles keeps his Mooney M20 at this airport, along with his flying partners who all base several of their private aircraft here at U12 so I have a connection to allow access to the airport grounds. But there really isn't much to see here in the first place and I usually take photos here whenever I go out flying with my uncle so I am somewhat biased with this particular airport. But on one end of the runway, the main road going to the airport runs right next to it so it's possible to photograph departing aircraft or arriving aircraft. Again, there's just not that much to see and it's probably not worth the time to planespot at U12.
Overall, I will give Stanford Field a 2/5 for ease of accessibility and a decent vantage point to see any (if there is any) aircraft. But the lack of activity and traffic might not be worth the time.
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