Skip to content

KOBE – Okechobee – The Landing Strip Cafe

The Landing Strip Cafe – KOBE / Okechobee, FL

My good friend and occasional partner in crime Mike Harding called me and said “Hey bring your student (Sonia) with you, and we will go visit the Landing Strip Cafe in Okechobee for your $300 burger column.” I’ve been meaning to check the place out as I had heard good things.

Well I thought, this sounds like fun! Sure I rode in the back for most of the flight but hey – free lunch! Sonia and I met Mike at his hangar and boarded his really slick BE-24 Beech Sierra, N6698F.

The Flight

Mike had a great plan. He decided to go to KOBE via KTTS – yes the NASA Landing Strip. We got approval to do a low pass at 500 ft AGL and got some great pictures.

Sonia getting her camera ready
One of the shuttles and the NASA tower
The “Pregnant Guppy” used to carry large cargo to NASA
The VAB and the assembly area

After that we headed down towards KOBE at 2500 ft, limited by some scattered clouds. A little bumpy but Sonia is a trooper and enjoyed it. She was learning about the new avionics, reviewed her “six pack” and Mike let her do some course following.

She loves flying, and as a successful CPA – she might be a plane owner soon!

The Landing Strip Cafe

The FBO is an older building but was clean and neat
There is self serve fueling for Avgas AND JET-A! We might just wangle a king air flight down here soon …
The Cafe is on the left as you walk in the FBO. It’s dated, but friendly.
Prices are very good! Food was certainly acceptable.
We all got the grilled chicken sandwich with veggies. Sonia wanted us to eat healthy :)

PIREP

The cost ended up being nothing for me!

  • Aircraft Rental: None! Helps to have friends with planes
  • Fuel in KOBE = $75 (thank you Sonia!)
  • Fuel in KORL = None!
  • Restaurant bill: Lunch was on Sonia!
  • ——-
  • Total: $0 (!)
  • ——-
  • Total flight time 2.7

As we sat and watched planes taking off and landing, including a Black Hawk helicopter (very cool), Sonia remarked, “So I see the attraction now. I wouldn’t fly this far for what is good food but nothing exceptional. It’s the view that brings you here!” Yes Sonia, the $300 burger is all about the trip and the view.

Unusual for me to sit and not pay for anything, but I struggled through. I was there more as an observer and check pilot really. Mike and Sonia did all the flying, navigating and communications. My primary duty was pointing out traffic I saw on my iPad.

It was still a great time though and I would recommend KOBE for several reasons:

  • First, the food isn’t bad and very affordable
  • The fuel is much cheaper than about anywhere. Avgas was around $5/gal
  • They have JET-A!
  • It’s an uncontrolled airport. Yes I like that
  • Yes I really like uncontrolled fields!
  • It’s only about 40 minutes from KORL

Flying Home

The clouds had risen so we were able to get up to 3000′, which cooled off the cabin much more, and smoother air to boot. Sonia did a great job flying us to the Stanton power plant, entering left down wind for runway 7, and Mike mad another exceptional landing.

We were back at Atlantic at 3pm. Great day, great fun, great company and great flying!

This column is created and produced with assistance from the Florida Aviation Network

Back to $300 Burgers