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Grass Runway Length??

stancaruthers

Well Known Member
Just stepped off north/south and I could do 1200' easy and 1500' if I move a cattle lot. The east west would be 1700
Understanding longer is better Who feels 1200 is too short
 
Field elevation and Obstructions?

With a good, smooth, turf field, low density alt, and no Obstructions. It is quite doable based on my experience with a 180hp and a fixed pitch cruise prop. That is not for beginners and you will need to be on your game approaching near the bottom of the flight envelop. Practice at a wide open, paved airfield with touchdown markings. If you can consistently take off and land well short of the touch down markings, you should be have reasonable margin to account for the induced drag of the grass.

All that said, 1700 is much better and if you have it why not use it? Does the wind favor north and south?

Just my 2 cents. Be careful, have fun...
 
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I have 1500' (17/35) and wouldn't want any less for consistent operations. I have asphalt now but used grass for many years.

Yeah, I could get by with 1200' but wouldn't be comfortable long term.
 
Agree

If no trees or obstructions, then 1200 is ok. I've got 1400 with trees and I wouldn't want it any shorter.
 
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Sure, it's doable. But find an accommodating grass strip & mark off 1200' in the middle. Pick a summer day right after a hard rain when it's still gusty & the wind is switching directions. Fly over there & do it, after you've worked on something all morning.

Not every day is perfect, and you'll need to come home some day when it isn't.

Charlie
 
With 1200' you had better be on your game every single time.

Also, if there is a bumpy crosswind, you will want a bit longer.
 
1400' with clear approaches would work just ok for me but be ready to go around if you find yourself a little fast on final. A gustily crosswind would be a problem as would wet grass. Do you have anther more suitable airport nearby to use if you can't get into yours?
 
1400 with clear approach so you can put the wheels on the threshold would be fine, especially when you have a breeze down the runway. Use the longer East West strip for calm winds and heavy take offs. I have 1700' slightly downhill with highlines 200' from the threshold that I like to give plenty of room. Sometimes I have to use my brakes pretty heavy if its calm and I'm loaded pretty heavy.
 
1400' with clear approaches would work just ok for me but be ready to go around if you find yourself a little fast on final. A gustily crosswind would be a problem as would wet grass. Do you have anther more suitable airport nearby to use if you can't get into yours?

Yes, I have a 50X60 complete with living quarters at KXBP (6 miles away) but I'm almost ready to start construction on my LAST house which is on my farm property.
My dream was to sell my hanger at KXBP and have everything right out my back door, can't get any better than that.
This was part of the reason for selling the Bonanza and buying the 8, also reduce taxes and insurance. Taxes on Ag exempt property is way cheaper than City taxes at my home drone.
PLUS ++ I can't think of anything more enjoyable than having my new found RV friends fly in and bull_hit.

I will figure this out one way or the other, and thanks again for the feedback.


Many phrases come to mind with 1300'
*don't try this at home*
*not for beginners*
*enter at your own risk*
*hold my beer at watch this*:eek:
*watch for cows*

LOL :D
 
You should be fine, as long as there's never a 'must' involved. If you never 'have to go' and are always willing to divert to a longer and/or paved runway if conditions are bad when you return, then it makes a lot of sense. I live on an airpark with 4800 feet of grass, and there are times we don't use the runway.

Not to wander off into the weeds, but don't forget that creating the runway is the easy part. Once it's there, someone will have to mow it almost weekly in summer, you'll likely need fertilizer every year, you'll likely need a roller to keep it compacted, etc etc etc. I'm grateful that I have 10 co-owners at my strip, so we can split up the work load. I was a partner in a plane based here before I bought my land, and I flew more when I lived in town than I ever have since I moved out here....

It's certainly great to have the plane at home, both for flying convenience and for a/c maintenance, if you can find time to fly after keeping the runway flyable. :)

Charlie
 
runway maintenance

Truth be told, two horses kept my runway mowed. Last year I cut the runway one time.
 
I can't think of anything more enjoyable than having my new found RV friends fly in ...

Over time you may get good enough for 1400' or 1700' but the transiting RV pilot will often find it too short.

I had several comments by experienced pilots who visited my 1900' strip a few years back. Some opted for the fall-back plan of landing at the nearby 4000' paved airport and getting ground transport.
 
Over time you may get good enough for 1400' or 1700' but the transiting RV pilot will often find it too short.

I had several comments by experienced pilots who visited my 1900' strip a few years back. Some opted for the fall-back plan of landing at the nearby 4000' paved airport and getting ground transport.

That does bring up another point. It's worthwhile to make sure your state has 'recreational use' land lawsuit 'insulation' in effect. Yours might already include aviation in the language, or might be vague enough to give some protection but still require defending it in court. I know my state has the legislation, but at last check, did not include aviation language. Here's a good place to start:
http://www.theraf.org/

Charlie
 
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