Fly Like A Local was featured in General Aviation News. We are so thankful the app Fly Like A Local was included in this publication on February 5th 2025. The article goes thru how the idea for the app came about and the great work my stepson is doing. My step son is handling the coding and bug fixes along with the upgrades. we have included an excerpt of the article below.
Fly Like A Local
By Janice Wood · February 5, 2025 · 2 Comments
Who knows an airport better than the pilots based there?
That’s why it makes sense to reach out to pilots at an unfamiliar airport to learn about everything from traffic to local restaurants to help with maintenance. And that’s why Les Vancil created the iOS app Fly Like A Local.
The app brings together the general aviation community by providing two key components: Communication and information, he says.
“Before takeoff have you wondered about the status of your destination’s airstrip? Or where the fuel is located? After landing have you needed a local mechanic? Or maybe even where is the best place to get dinner?” he asks.
The idea for the app was born several years ago when Les got a flat tire on a cross-country flight at a small airport with no one around.
“It took about a day to get a mechanic to come and fix it,” he recalls. “But if I had a local contact, I could have probably got it fixed right then and there.”
A friend’s experience cemented the idea for the app.
“He was trying to get fuel,” he says. “He tried two or three airports, but the credit card readers weren’t working. He finally had to start making phone calls and it took him about a half a day. Somebody finally showed up at the airport and took 10 gallons out of airplanes so he could fly someplace and get fuel.”
These experiences got Les thinking there’s got to be a better way.
He realized the best source of information would be local pilots. Connecting with them would be “invaluable” for other pilots, he notes.
