Our Facility

The Land

The Triple Tree Aerodrome is one of the most magnificent properties you will ever see.   Created out of hard work and dedication, it is now Pat & Mary Lou’s gift to aviation.

This historical land traces its roots back to the Kings Land Grant of the 1600s from King  Charles II.   Since then, the land has been transformed into a one-of-a-kind venue that welcomes guests from across the globe. 

Our facility is over 400 acres in size and houses multiple physical buildings, over 100 motorhome campsites, a fuel farm, historical aviation assets, 3 lakes, miles of hiking trails, multiple types of machinery, 1 river, and of course, Monet’s Garden.

 To put that size of 400 acres into perspective, that is 2.5 times the size of Disneyland or roughly the same size as the French Quarter in New Orleans.

The Buildings

On our 400 acres, you will find multiple physical buildings, natural resources, and other items necessary to run our small city.  Some highlights include:

  • Kirby McKinney Hangar & Museum-  In this hangar, we house a collection of iconic and historic aircraft, including one of the first aircraft used in the Pepsi Delivery routes in the Carolinas, a Spartan Executive Aircraft, Boeing Stearman, Air Cam, and the J-3 Cub that toured the United States. Click here for a tour of the Museum
  • Joey Giriffen Restoration Center-Inside this building, you will find students and volunteers working on the latest aviation projects.  This building has given birth to some unique aviation designs, including the 85% scale radio control cub (the largest in the world.)  Inside this building, we can also do maintenance projects under the supervision of qualified Federal Aviation Administration personnel. Click here for a video of the 85% Cub project.
  • Robert Shaw Learning Center and Tom Davis Simulation Room- This building hosts our simulation center and can have large-scale learning seminars in the 100-seat theater and interactive STEM learning exhibits.  You will also find a museum-quality collection of over 100 control line aircraft inside this building.  Surely one of the largest of its kind in the world.
  • Saw Mill-If you choose to take the service road as you enter the property and head to the west, you will find one of our most unique buildings, a working 1974 Meadows. Model 1 Sawmill
    48-inch blade with a 20-foot-long cut
  • Control Tower- This historical asset was decommissioned from Donaldson Air Force Base after World War 2.  It now resides at the Triple Tree Aerodrome (after some unique backstory) to greet our pilots to the Home of Fun, Fellowship, and Hospitality.
  • “THE” Mower-How do you mow a 7,000 ft runway?  With a really big mower!  A 36-foot wide tractor-pulled mower holds generators that supply hydraulic power to 12 individual mower heads.  Each mower contains a 10-horsepower rotary head. Deck heights can be adjusted simultaneously at the touch of a button.  This mower will cut the runway in 3 passes in under 15 minutes! Click here for a video of “THE” Mower
  • Fuel Farm-A facility our size needs to ensure we can keep our equipment running!  Our fuel farm has three tanks:
    • 12,000-gallon AV Gas
    • 12,000-gallon diesel fuel
    • 5,000-gallon gasoline
Measuring over 7,000 ft in length, The Triple Tree Aerodroeme's Ruway is longer than most major airports
The Kirby McKinney Museum overlooking Lake Montana
"THE" Mower can cut our 7,000 foot runway in under 15 minutes.

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