I'd have a look at Orange County (MGJ, Montgomery, NY).  It's a little more than an hour from Manhattan but you can drive up the West Side Highway to the Taconic Parkway which avoids lots of traffic and slow bridge or tunnel crossings.  Rather than Long Island, I'd also look at airports to the west though you may have to go quite a way to find one that has hangar space available for under $400/mo.   ...Clark Still (95% LIVPT N750S)