How would one determine what size land or what acreage is needed and what dimensions to build an airstrip big enough for a J-3 or similar low horsepower airplane, with space for a small hangar and average size home.(once permission form the state is granted of coarse) Seeing land prices level off a little, maybe now is a good time to buy property in the N.W. Any quick rules of thumb? or Websites? Thanks
Airstrip Acreage?
- Thread starter Josh
- Start date
Fortysix12
Registered User
RanchAero Grand Vista, Brooksville
A square acre is roughly 208 by 208 ft.
If you could by a 10 acre end to end layout you would have 2080 runway.
A typical runway say 100 wide by 3000 feet is only 6.8 acres.
couple acres is nice for house and hangar.
If you could by a 10 acre end to end layout you would have 2080 runway.
A typical runway say 100 wide by 3000 feet is only 6.8 acres.
couple acres is nice for house and hangar.
F
FiftyNineSC
we had a farmer's "lane" that was about 25' wide by 2500'. About 3.5 acres IRRC. On the end of that we had another 3.5 for the house and the hangar.
On the other hand, depending on proximity to town, neighbors, power lines....150 acres may not even be enough. A loud prop can quickly raise the number of acres you need and determine where that acreage lies in relation to roads, towns and trees.
On the other hand, depending on proximity to town, neighbors, power lines....150 acres may not even be enough. A loud prop can quickly raise the number of acres you need and determine where that acreage lies in relation to roads, towns and trees.
Jon B.
Registered User
Willmar, MN (KBDH)
Mrs. B. and I are soon moving (next week) to a farm site. It's only 11.5 acres total. I plan on grading a 610 foot strip on the north side. It's wide open on both ends, so it shouldn't be a problem in or out.
The Champ can probably land in 600 feet without brakes. Cubs, too. With hard braking, 200 feet is possible. Getting back out when heavy and on a hot, calm day, could be ugly.
The 'hangar' is 50 by 90 (or so) but the building guy wants over $11 thousand to re-vamp the endwall with a 40-foot opening. That's with a cheap sliding 'ag' door, not a bi-fold. I have to come up with a Plan B.
Jon B.
The Champ can probably land in 600 feet without brakes. Cubs, too. With hard braking, 200 feet is possible. Getting back out when heavy and on a hot, calm day, could be ugly.
The 'hangar' is 50 by 90 (or so) but the building guy wants over $11 thousand to re-vamp the endwall with a 40-foot opening. That's with a cheap sliding 'ag' door, not a bi-fold. I have to come up with a Plan B.
Jon B.
Bill Ingerson
Registered User
Snohomish Washington
air park
Josh, Check out Frontier Airpark east of Arlington there are some places forsale there and the prices will just keep going up. Call me if you need to.
Bill
Josh, Check out Frontier Airpark east of Arlington there are some places forsale there and the prices will just keep going up. Call me if you need to.
Bill
spinner2
MEMBER
Montana
More than the actual length of the strip you should also take into consideration the distance from the strip to neighboring property. The FAR's seem to indicate 500' from objects or people though there is a landing and takeoff exception. I have a strip on 40 acres. The 40 acres is approximately 1000' wide and 1800' long. The strip runs the long distance for the full 1800' and that leaves about 500' laterally to the neighbor's properties. The strip is oriented on a 26/08 heading which is into the wind.
So the main decision is, in my opinion, how much length do you need pointed into the prevailing wind and then how much buffer?
Since putting the strip in, the property on one side was subdivided and in about 2 years time a dozen houses sprung up right next to me. And this is in rural Montana - close to town though.
The FAA also wants to know about private strips and has a form to fill out; 'A Landing Area Proposal'. It is called a 7480. They can't keep you from having the strip, they just want to know about it. But local jurisdictions can stop you.[/url] http://forms.faa.gov/forms/faa7480-1.pdf
So the main decision is, in my opinion, how much length do you need pointed into the prevailing wind and then how much buffer?
Since putting the strip in, the property on one side was subdivided and in about 2 years time a dozen houses sprung up right next to me. And this is in rural Montana - close to town though.
The FAA also wants to know about private strips and has a form to fill out; 'A Landing Area Proposal'. It is called a 7480. They can't keep you from having the strip, they just want to know about it. But local jurisdictions can stop you.[/url] http://forms.faa.gov/forms/faa7480-1.pdf
redrooster
Registered User
western Washington
A square 160 acre piece (a "quarter-section") is 2640 x 2640, a square 40 acres is 1320 x 1320, half of one of those is 20 acres at 1320 x 660. Common parcel sizes, and probably why you see a lot of 1200' and 2500' farm-field type airstrips.
Rooster
Rooster
WWhunter
FRIEND
Near the Headwaters of the Mighty Mississippi Rive
Jon,
That seems a little steep to me. I had a 14x40 bi-fold door built and installed by Midway (they are in Fargo,ND and were great to work with) for $5,000. Now this was several years ago but even if prices had doubled I would NOT go with a slider type door up here in the north country. The door they built for me was heavier built and a couple thousand dollars cheaper than Brand S.
I'll get you the number if you are interested.
Keith
That seems a little steep to me. I had a 14x40 bi-fold door built and installed by Midway (they are in Fargo,ND and were great to work with) for $5,000. Now this was several years ago but even if prices had doubled I would NOT go with a slider type door up here in the north country. The door they built for me was heavier built and a couple thousand dollars cheaper than Brand S.
I'll get you the number if you are interested.
Keith
superchamp
Registered User
COOK MINNESOTA
Josh - are wanting a strip in Florida or MN. Up here in northern MN ? In northern MN most guys just build it and land there, and don't get into all the FAA stuff re private strips etc. The best plan is to find a place with no neighbors, then do what you want. Keith will attest to that -you are registered with the FAA right Keith?
Jon B.
Registered User
Willmar, MN (KBDH)
WWhunter said:
Yeah, I thought it was high, too. The shed is about 30 years old, so the sheeting is nailed on with "threaded" nails. It can't be reused when it comes off. The end wall rafter won't span 40 feet between poles, so it has to go. The track has to be replaced, as it no longer matches the new stuff. The doors will get scrapped. There's nothing on the whole end wall that can be reused. Materials were quoted at $7500 or so, with $4000 in labor.
Jon B.
D
Dinorwic
We did this vary thing ourselves on a machine shed 15 years ago and went with a laminate truss to support the open end. The price of the truss was high even then. I went with a bi-fold door and have not regretted it. With sliders you have to contend with snow, ground heaving and other problems. May be hard to spend the money now, but would be something to consider.
moneyburner
FRIEND
Western Washington
They're probably putting in a shear wall - did you have one before? Might be why the quote came in high. It'll (help) keep the place from racking in a big wind from the side. They're harder to do than they look. If you think about a typical garage, for example, the two short sections of wall on either side of the garage door opening have to resist the entire side-load; if they don't have enough strength engineered in, a good gust from the side can bring the whole place down. Pre-engineered shear walls are code requirements in most areas for that reason. Here's a better explanation from one manufacturer's website:
http://www.azobuild.com/news.asp?newsID=922
http://www.azobuild.com/news.asp?newsID=922
behindpropellers
Registered User
NE Ohio
superchamp said:
Register it with the FAA. That way when they change the local zoning they cannot make you stop landing there.
Does anyone know how to find the prevailing wind for a specific property in an area? For example, i'm looking at buying some land out in the country and would like to get an idea of the most common direction for the prevailing wind in this specific area.
I would look at the direction of other strips in the area, but there seems to be a difference (strips to the right are NW, strips to the left of the property are N).
I would look at the direction of other strips in the area, but there seems to be a difference (strips to the right are NW, strips to the left of the property are N).
glaciercub
Registered User
knik glacier
airstrip
Have built several airstrips, currently live on parcel which is 330X1320
Ten Acres...strip in 1320 feet long More than enough room for anything
worth flying, as well as home-hangar and other buildings. When looking at property for airstrips consider soils! drainage...... There's something special about having your own strip, after all these years I couldn't imagine going it any other way. I'm spoiled....
p
Have built several airstrips, currently live on parcel which is 330X1320
Ten Acres...strip in 1320 feet long More than enough room for anything
worth flying, as well as home-hangar and other buildings. When looking at property for airstrips consider soils! drainage...... There's something special about having your own strip, after all these years I couldn't imagine going it any other way. I'm spoiled....
p
high time cub
Registered User
NY
skunkertx said:
http://www.stockphotography.co.uk/Store/Zoom.aspx?ProdID=26904
The effect of prevailing winds can shape landscapes.....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind
Flag Trees....
http://www.where.ca/canadianrockies/article_feature~listing_id~100.htm
is 1300ft strip enough for a low time pilot with only 15hrs ? haha. I'm currently training in a J3 Cub 65hp...I'm 160lbs but it can get hot in Texas and I'm wondering if I should try and force 1500ft on the strip if I swing some more acreage into my parcel (haven't bought the property yet).
stevensonjr
Registered User
Lafayette La
Buy every ft you can! A 65 horse cub with 2 adults on board on a 95 degree day with 90% humidity will make you wish you had more strip. Especially with trees on each end. I'm in south La, I know from experience that only more strip or 90hp will be comfortable for you. Bill
