Warbird Information Exchange

As you can see by my posts, I'm juggling a couple of job opportunities. One is at Centennial Airport, Colorado and the other is near Rockwall, Texas. Any opinions out there? Cost of living, property taxes, etc. are big factors. Thanks.

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"Everyone wants to live here (New Jersey), evidenced by the fact that it has the highest population per capita in the U.S..."

I am a Dallas native who has lived in Aspen for the last 35 years. I don't know much about Rockwall. Texas has better football, Bar B Q, and more small friendly airports. Colorado has more liberal people, cooler nights in summer, and of course the mountains if you like to ski or board or just visit em. Denver is a pretty big city, lot's of traffic, some polution, some crime but probably less so than Dallas or Houston. There are some good schools in Denver like Cherry Creek, I can't speak to economy, taxes etc. too well. There is a Colorado state income tax, not too big, but property taxes tend to be much lower than Texas. People seem to like the Denver area.
I just left Dallas today where it was 100 degrees in the shade, or at least would have been if there was any shade.It is now about 70 in Denver this eve. Winter in Denver can be cold, but many days are above freezing and snow may not stay on the ground. You learn to check the weather before going out so you may need a sweater or a parka.

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

I've lived in both locations and overall the cost of living is lower in Dallas than Denver, but the quality of schools and such are about equal between the two once you get outside of the "city and county proper" in both locations. The economy in North Texas has been stated to be more recession resistant than Denver, but I've never seen any report quantify it more than a list with Denver ranking lower than DFW. There's also more to do and places to go within a tank of gas in Dallas than Denver without talking about spending several hundred dollars at a Ski Area. If you like to Ski or Snowboard, there's plenty of affordable packages available to go up to Colorado from Dallas anyway.

The real question you need to answer is what climate you want to live in. This is the only major difference between Denver and Dallas. Do you want to live in a place with a winter that composes mostly of ice events on 3 or 4 days a year and cold the rest (usually in the 40s and 50s) and summers with a very humid heat, or do you want to live in a place that has thinner air, hot, dry summers, and plenty of snow and cold (0 degree lows are not uncommon) in the winters?

To be honest, I've worked the ramp in Denver and Dallas both in winter and summer. That's about the only difference I've found between the two. It's sticky heat in the summer and sticky cold in the winter in Dallas, and dry heat in the summer and very cold in the winter in Denver. It just depends on whether you'd rather sweat a lot in the summer in Dallas or freeze your butt off on the ramp during winter in Denver.

I'd pick Colorado over Texas, due to the real four seasons. But Texas has (in my very humble opinion) better hunting and MUCH better fishing opportunities, at least in the SE. You honestly couldn't pay me enough to live in Dallas, but only only because I'm a cajun. There are genetically programed resistances for me...

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"I knew the jig was up when I saw the P-51D-20-NA Mustang blue-nosed bastards from Bodney, and by the way the blue was more of a royal blue than an indigo and the inner landing gear interiors were NOT green, over Berlin."

[quote="muddyboots"]I'd pick Colorado over Texas, due to the real four seasons. But Texas has (in my very humble opinion) better hunting and MUCH better fishing opportunities, at least in the SE. You honestly couldn't pay me enough to live in Dallas, but only only because I'm a cajun. There are genetically programed resistances for me...[/quote]

I see a Coonass.. how do you get your fix of Cajun cooking out there... Mighty slim chance of getting gumbo out here .. There are putting in a house of blues down the road and they have pretty good red beans and rice.

Jeeze Muddy...I thought all Cajuns knew that there were only three seasons.....mudbugs, crab and deer seasons...

I grew up in my formative years in a Cajun/ CoonA. part of Texas on the Sabine River/ Paradise Island area. Gumbo, creole, shrimp, mudbugs, etouffee, dirty rice.......mmmmm....

The sign at teh border says "Sabine River Turnaround"

I always do.

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"I knew the jig was up when I saw the P-51D-20-NA Mustang blue-nosed bastards from Bodney, and by the way the blue was more of a royal blue than an indigo and the inner landing gear interiors were NOT green, over Berlin."

Dumbest questin EVAR! Every coonass, in addition to genetically coded resistances to Texasitis, is also geneticaly coded to be able to make a roux, cook red beans, and make jambalaya, thus ensuring taht we will never starve on the rest of teh countries nasty ass cooking. Well, there is also always Denny's. But only in the direst need for a chicken fried steak.

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"I knew the jig was up when I saw the P-51D-20-NA Mustang blue-nosed bastards from Bodney, and by the way the blue was more of a royal blue than an indigo and the inner landing gear interiors were NOT green, over Berlin."

I put tobasco on everything even spagetti and pizza... I wish I had a big bowl of RB & rice now.... Yum..... I like it down there in La ... Lots of fun! California must be a shock to ya.... I went to a art show at luguna .. Hadn't been there in years and when I came back houses everywhere! Califoria must have been nice back in the 60's A real shame what they have done to the land.. I flew several aircraft back from California and there is still alot of neat places out in the desert. though..

If you work the ramp at Centennial you'd be dealing mostly with corporate jets. It is not airline, yet, but APA is a very busy business type airport, with some gen aviation, 2 flight schools and a handful of warbirds. I guess it is like Addison quite a bit, but not as close into Class B space. It seems to be growing and busy. Two light jet businesses , Adam for one, recently went bankrupt and shut down.

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

More warbird stuff in Texas, no state income tax, not many tree hugger/save the earth types.

Humidity in Dallas; no humidity in Denver. On the airline we used to say that you could spot a Dallas crewmember because they could blow their noses but the Denver guys just picked theirs! <G>

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It's what you learn after you think you know it all, that counts.

Good hunting on the job front, Scott.

We enjoyed North Texas for the nine or so years we lived there. I had hoped to be able to move back there at some point.

Practically sells me! But I did spend a couple months at Sheppard AFB, so that puts me off a little... Funniest thing I heard the whole time I was there was a quote on "King of the Hill"- Bobby Hill had just lost an opportunity to go to some football camp, but was going somewhere else. Hank Hill didn't think much of the place, but his ending comment on the subject was "Well, at least it isn't Wichita Falls!" Being IN Wichita Falls at the time, I thought it hilarious... He had a point! As the bumper sticker(and coffee mug, and tattoo) at the BX said, "Happiness is Wichita Fas in your rear view mirror"

I haven't been to the whole state, but the Texas! travel catalog I got from the state of Texas looked interesting... So I guess there is life beyond Wichita Falls!

Robbie

Yup!