Luxury fly-in communities in Texas are becoming a more popular alternative to the traditional private gated communities. For anyone interested in these specialized housing options, the state of Texas is a terrific location to begin your search.
If you are on the hunt for the best fly-in communities in the Lone Star State, it may surprise you how many there are available. Instead of doing all the research yourself with each location, we make it easier for you by listing the top seven best fly-in communities in Texas.
What Are Fly-In Communities?
Fly-In communities are also known as aviation communities or residential airparks. Much like private subdivisions and master-planned communities, residential airparks are for a specific demographic of individuals.
Although you do not have to be a pilot to own property here, you will need to become accustomed to continuous flight noises if you choose to be a resident.
These airparks offer an active runway through the middle of the community rather than the main street. This feature allows the residents access to landing and taking off right from their neighborhood without using a separate private or public airport facility nearby.
Each resident will have options for a private hanger for their aircraft, making it easy to park and store a private plane at their home. Some residences will have the hangar attached to the house, while others can be elsewhere on the land, close by.
Many master-planned aviation communities have various design plans to suit residents of all ages and needs. So whether you are single and require a loft home or a family with children, there is a housing plan to fit your lifestyle.
How Many Fly-In Communities Are In Texas?
Texas airparks are abundant for those individuals and families who prefer to live with their plane. However, the number of fly-in communities can vary, depending on the source, as many websites and registration services require the airpark to add their details manually.
After some careful examination, we found the state of Texas has a whopping number of more than 70 different fly-in communities throughout its borders. Although this number is continually changing, this is an impressive amount of choices for flying enthusiasts.
Consequently, Texas is not the only state within the U.S. to host residential airparks. There are hundreds of other options throughout the country to explore if you are on the hunt for a terrific place to live with your aircraft.
The 7 Best Fly-In Communities In Texas
Here we break down each airpark living location so you can see just what each one offers for its residents. For example, some sites provide aircraft maintenance facilities with fueling options, while others have luxury amenities, including fitness centers and clubhouses.
#1 – Aerovillas
Aerovillas contains the exclusive West Houston Airport and has been operating since 1962. It includes a paved runway with parallel taxiways and a host of other luxury features.
You will find Aerovillas just south of the Pine Forest Country Club, at 18000 Groeschke Road, Houston, Texas, 77084. It is the closest full-service airport to the energy corridor and has convenient access to Interstate 10.
This airpark hosts 13 home sites with customizable floor plans to suit anyone’s needs. These versatile structures allow for residents to run a business right from their homes, providing a convenient space to live, work, and play all in one location.
The Aerovillas combine everything you need in one convenient place. This gated private community offers many amenities, including:
- Concierge plane service
- Pull out fueling
- 24-hour airport guard
- Dog walking area
- Private theatre
- Conference rooms
- Low-maintenance living
- Pilot supplies
- Aircraft sales, maintenance, and supply shops
The full-service West Houston airport provides everything you need while remaining in a small, friendly community. Aerovillas is local to many walking, hiking, and biking trails, Hearthstone Stables, the Houston Farm and Ranch Club, and the Texas Medical Center West.
For anyone looking at a fly-in community that will suit their work, living, and recreation lifestyle, purchasing living quarters at the Aerovillas is a terrific option.
#2 – Dry Creek Airport
The Dry Creek Airport community conveniently sits seven miles northwest of the Houston central business district and one mile northeast of Cypress. It spans almost 98 acres with a grass runway that measures 3,580 feet in length. You can find them at 14425 Dry Creek Drive, Cypress, Texas, 77429.
This privately-owned airport started operations in the early 1970s after two neighbors began construction in 1969. It is restricted to recreational use only and is home to approximately 54 flight crafts.
It is one of the few grass strip airports within the United States that contains its own GPS approach. This location offers PAPIs and pilot-controlled lights for safe evening flying.
One benefit for residents of Dry Creek is the option of getting fuel at cost, making it the cheapest in Texas. In addition, many properties on-site have space for horse owners, making this aviation community the best place to live and play in Texas.
#3 – Polly Ranch Estates
The Polly Ranch Estates is ideal if you need a private airpark community just south of Houston. It sits in Friendswood, in the Galveston county of Texas, and has been active since 1953.
You can reach the Polly Ranch Homeowners Association at P.O. Box 161, Friendswood, Texas, 77549-0161. It is a well-established aviation community that has an abundance of amenities.
Although the founder of Polly Ranch Estates, Raymond Kliesing, was not a pilot himself, it is a place where many aviation enthusiasts come together to live, work, and play. The original airstrip used crushed seashells, and with the help of residents, the airstrip is still a vital part of this community.
You can find a private park within Polly Ranch Estates that hosts many walking trails, a playground, and a lagoon with Monkey Island. It sits right where the Chigger Creek and Clear Creek merge.
This unique subdivision is home to many professionals, business owners, working-class residents, and retirees. The diversity of residents gives Polly Ranch a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. However, with approximately 250 residences on-site, only around 50 of them sit right at the runway.
The single-family homes in Polly Ranch Estates are large but reasonably priced. They range in size up to 5 acres to accommodate many residents’ lifestyles and interests. In addition, there are several schools on-site, along with ample shopping, entertainment, and restaurant venues.
#4 – Silver Falcon Estates
Silver Falcon Estates is one of the quickest-growing fly-in communities in North Texas. It is home to the Sherman Municipal Airport and sits less than 30 minutes North of McKinney. You can find it at 1200 S Dewey Ave Sherman, Texas, 75090.
This fully-gated private community includes a 4,000-foot lighted runway and full-service aircraft support. One terrific element of this location is the affordable fuel options this location offers. In addition, it uses electronic security gates, CCTV monitoring, and perimeter fencing around the boundaries.
This aviation community offers over 90 residential properties for residents of all interests and lifestyles. There is an ideal residence for anyone in Silver Falcon Estates with over five alternative home plans to choose from.
Home choices at Silver Falcon Estates include runway frontage properties, 2-car garage options, 3-bedroom hangar residences, and 3-bedroom patio options.
Silver Falcon Estates offers a wide array of special amenities, including:
- Clubhouse with swimming options, gym facilities, briefing rooms, and entertainment areas
- Restaurant
- On-site fueling with some of the cheapest gas options in North Texas
- A complimentary aircraft washing station
- Kestrel hangars
For a terrific fly-in community that offers luxury living close to work, Silver Falcon Estates is ideal for those North Texas residents.
#5 – Silver Wings Fly-In Ranch
Silver Wings Fly-In Ranch is a private fly-in community situated 100 miles west of Austin, and 80 miles northwest of San Antonio, between Fredericksburg, Kerrville, and Harper. You can find them at 1643 Aviation Loop, Fredericksburg, Texas, 78624.
It has a 3,800-foot paved runway, parallel taxiways, and has radio-controlled runway lights. In addition, there is a complete aircraft maintenance and repair facility on-site, making it ideal to live here full-time or as a recreational property.
Silver Wings Fly-In Ranch offers 37 different residential properties to suit any owner’s needs. Residing only 15 miles west of Fredericksburg makes Silver Wings Fly-In Ranch perfect for those who enjoy:
- Fine dining
- Shopping
- Yearly events
- Festivals
- Local wineries
Many of the residences include outdoor swimming pools, and there are various home sizes to choose from in this aviation community.
#6 – Spicewood Airpark
The Spicewood Airpark community sits just two miles east of Spicewood, south of the Grelle Recreation Center, on 21 acres of land. It is southeast of the Colorado River and adjacent to Lake Travis. So if you are searching for a terrific airpark only 45 minutes away from Austin, this location is ideal.
This aviation community has been in operation since 1972 and consists of an asphalt runway. There is no runway or taxiway lighting on-site. The mailing address is 111 Piper Lane, Spicewood, TX, 78669.
Although it is home to a privately owned and operated airport, it is open to the public for many year-round events and for refueling purposes at the self-serve station.
This friendly aviation community consists of pilots, hanger owners, and flying enthusiasts who want to preserve aviation activities and promote them throughout the area.
There are many residences on-site to suit various needs, from small apartments with hangers to deluxe living quarters with possibilities for operating a business, such as a flight school or sandwich shop.
So whether you are looking for a place to live with your plane or want to use your retirement time to start a business, Spicewood Airpark can be the perfect location.
#7 – Tailwind Airpark
Tailwind Airpark is the perfect location for many aviation enthusiasts looking for a place to live where they can fly. You can find it at 690 VZ County Road 3119, Edgewood, Texas, 75117. It offers 48 various hangar homes and 47 custom home options.
The Trinity Mother Frances Health Clinic is close by, making access to exceptional healthcare convenient for residents of Tailwind Airpark.
The fly-in community of Tailwind offers an abundance of recreational activities close by for residents of all ages. In addition, there is a fitness center only two miles away with 24-hour access, seven days a week.
If you prefer to golf, play tennis, or swim, there are many amenities within Canton and Garden Valley at the Van Zandt Country Club and Garden Valley Country Club.
Residents who want to enjoy their time outdoors can explore the nearby parks, including:
- Cedar Creek Reservoir
- Lake Tawakoni
- Lake Tawakoni State Park
- Lake Fork
- Mill Creek Reservoir
- Purtis Creek State Park
You can enjoy many shopping opportunities when heading to Canton, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Terrell, or Tyler, all within a short drive from Tailwind Airpark.
Tailwind Airpark is ideal for anyone looking for the perfect location to live and fly. It offers flight instruction and aircraft rental on-site, along with multiple mechanics and servicing options for your plane.
Conclusion
Did you know that Texas was home to dozens of residential airparks? These alternative lifestyle choices are not new and have been around for decades, but are growing more popular with time. It is suitable for singles, families, and retirees of like-minded individuals who enjoy sharing a passion for flight.
Consequently, not all aviation parks are the same, as each community will have its own benefits and amenities. So, if you are not satisfied with one location’s features or residential plans, you have several other choices, all within close distance to major centers in Texas.
Is there one of these on our list that catches your eye as a potential new home? Leave us a comment if we missed including one of the best fly-in communities in Texas. If you want to explore life outside of Texas with your aircraft, feel free to check out our other fly-in community pieces that detail similar properties around the United States.
Related: 10 Best Fly-in Communities in Florida
