One of my favorite things to do here at Sporty’s is create new products. Whether we are working on the next big radio or just a better barf bag, coming up with functional products for the aviation industry is what gets me up every morning. The manager of our aviation gifts store came up with the idea of a bird feeder that looks like an airport. The play on birds/airplanes might lead to some fun marketing. Sketches lead to samples, and the Flyaway Airport Feeder started to take off.
But as with most things aviation, we pilots often want to take things to the next level. If a bird feeder that looked like an airport was a good idea, what if we made a whole airport complex around this idea? Skybeak Birdport (KSIB) was born that day, though it immediately faced bureaucratic headwinds from the "Feather-al Aviation Administration" (FAA).
Our initial plans were technically denied for violating AC 91-71A regarding "non-standard seed-to-surface distance," but I pushed through the red tape. The project was further complicated by my wife, whose oversight agency I've dubbed "Tiff Says Ain’t-gonna-happen" (the TSA), and the "Department of Hana Security" (DHS), named after our dog who manages the perimeter. Despite these operational challenges, the Fly-Thru Airport bird feeder was just the beginning of what has become a slightly obsessive hobby.
I’ve detailed the progression of my delusional bid feeder complex. I hope other fellow AvGeeks can appreciate the aviation nuances and puns that went into making the Skybeak International Birdport.
AvGeek Level 1: Night Ops and Surveillance
I created a 4-foot long wooden runway with all the correct markings, but it quickly became clear that 24-hour operations were necessary. I mounted bird feeders over the runway, but what about night arrivals? Some modifications to strings of solar-powered Christmas lights, combined with PVC pipes and black tape, provided the necessary lighting. To monitor traffic, we added a camera for remote viewing, which we have officially dubbed "bird surveillance."
AvGeek Level 2: The Oshkosh Connection
We gave the birdport an official identifier: KSIB. This stands for Skybeak International Birdport. Traffic got so busy that the FAA demanded an increase in perches and a control tower. I modeled the tower after the iconic structure at KOSH in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. We matched the shape and aesthetic, but I took it into true AvGeek territory with a rotating beacon that flashes the correct white-green-white-green sequence for a land airport. It’s a beautiful sight at 2:00 AM, though it did lead to a formal "noise and light pollution" complaint from the Department of Hana Security.
AvGeek Level 3: Infrastructure and Counter-Terrorism
As KSIB grew, we realized our 2026 Airport Master Plan required parallel taxiways. This was a massive undertaking involving a raised flowerbed with supporting pillars and simultaneous lighting installation. The result probably has me on a watch list somewhere. However, security remains a concern. We are in an ongoing battle against "terrorist" squirrel activity at our fuel (seed) depots. These ground-based insurgents constantly attempt to bypass the DHS (Hana the dog) to reach the high-octane sunflower seeds. We’ve even added green and orange landing dots, just like runway 9/27 at Oshkosh, to help the birds navigate the chaos during "Birdventure."
AvGeek Level 4: World’s Largest PilotShop
An airport is just a strip of pavement until you start adding tenants. The first building on the field is a small replica of Sporty’s Pilot Shop. After all, birds will need their supplies too. If we could convince all of the sparrows to use ADS-B, it would drastically reduce mid air collisions in the airport environment. Add in FeatherFlight with obstacle alerts, window collisions could be cut in half.
With plans for a VOR on the field, PAPI lights, and new hangars, the master plan is moving forward. My wife is more annoyed than amused at this point, but she is tolerating my new hobby for now. I haven’t had to sleep outside with the birds just yet, though if I install one more solar-powered taxiway light, the TSA might officially revoke my "living room privileges."
Want to start your own Birdport? Start with Sporty’s Flyaway Airport BirdFeeder.
