• If You Are Having Trouble Logging In with Your Old Username and Password, Please use this Forgot Your Password link to get re-established.
  • Hey! Be sure to login or register!

How many acres for a strip?

A country Landing Strip

Steve : If you are serious about a Strip out of town, I know of a STRIP Out in the deep woods that is about 3600 ft. long with two hangers and a long shed without doors that will probably hold about four planes!! It has a beautifull home in the woods and is about seven miles from town. It has been an established , legal airport for about 20 years,and there is only one nearby home in the flight pattern and that owner loves airplanes!! The kicker is --- The owner wants to sell !!! I would be interested, but I already have my dream and I don't want to move. If you are interested, call me or E-mail me John
 
SimonK,

The boys up North are a little concerned with your intention of building a runway on 10 acres of land in the Mat-Su Valley. After witnessing the performance of your plane this last summer, we feel that you should consider no less that 100 acres.

We have started to pass the hat around town in order to raise money for you.

C-185
 
I appreciate your concern Mike (and Tony, lurking in the background). However, I am pretty sure that a move back to Nome is imminent and with the proposed runway extension to 8,000' in mind I should be okay.

I'm in Nome now (staying at the reindeer plant- 2477) and have beer in the fridge so if you want to come over and tell me how great you and your airplane are, I'm sure that I would learn a lot.

Let me know when you guys have collected enough cash to strap an O-360 on front...
 
Folks, I sure appreciate all the input, pm's, emails, and other info you have given me on this. My next step is to review the guidelines the the county I am looking, although this should be easy since there are a number of charted strips in the same county.

It makes sense to me that I should do this BEFORE buying another airplane, thereby saving myself the hangar rent. I hate it when things like this make sense to me, but it does. But who knows if the right bird rolls up at the right price...

I again think that we need to take up a collection and hire a site librarian to organize all the useful info we collect at times like this and make it more accessible.

sj
 
Still looking for a 180 ?? Got a line on a float equipped one up here if your still looking. Give me a call later.
 
Mrs. B. and I are (just barely) considering a move back into the country for the same reason(s). One thing that I'm going to do (if/when we're ready to do it) is find a farm site with a *long* driveway. That way, there's no additional maintenance - mowing, rolling, snow removal, etc. Get the power company to bury the lines, and voila; you have a runway.

Of course, you need to find a place with no immediate neighbors and far enough out so that the chances of development are slight. Here in farm country, that's pretty easy.

Good luck in your search!

Oh yeah; make sure the utility company can provide at least a DS3 connection for your server(s)!

Jon B.
 
Jon B. said:
Oh yeah; make sure the utility company can provide at least a DS3 connection for your server(s)!

Jon B.

Believe me, I have thought about that...
 
It is always interesting, that no matter what part of the country, one has to get special gov. permission to fly your own aircraft off your own property.You can keep your car, truck, boat, tractor, motorcycle, hot rod, disassembled non flyable aircraft, lawn mower, or anything else that moves with a motor, except for your flying airplane. Why is that ? :-?
 
Steve's Aircraft (Steve) said:
It is always interesting, that no matter what part of the country, one has to get special gov. permission to fly your own aircraft off your own property.You can keep your car, truck, boat, tractor, motorcycle, hot rod, disassembled non flyable aircraft, lawn mower, or anything else that moves with a motor, except for your flying airplane. Why is that ? :-?

That's not true at all. I think it depends on the state and locality. There are many places in Pennsylvania, I believe, where you don't need any approval. And in New York too. You don't need to have an established airstrip (can indeed land in a farm field).
 
Also in Missouri and Kansas I believe - except in counties that have prohibitied it without approval - around big cities and some other places.

sj
 
You don't need any government approval in many areas of Alaska. I checked with everyone, and there were no requirements for my property.
 
Although there may not be 'requirements' in some states, it does not mean it is a guaranteed right. The risk is that a upset neighbor creates the reason for new requirements to be established. These states do not necessarily provide protection for a personal strip to stay which puts some risk in the venture. States that require approval may be a better guarantee against complaints.
 
640 acres! Boy, I thought this site was about landing supercubs SHORT. Steve, you should be setting us an example!

I am landing in a square-ish 12.5 acre field from more or less any direction at the moment. It is perfectly adequate and a supercub is a pretty inoffensive aircraft to most folks.

In the UK, you can use any piece of ground for anything, including an airstrip, for up to 28 days a year without planning permission. As long as the neighbours aren't counting, you're fine.

BCB
 
Steve, saw your interest, we gotta talk, no...just go up to my place and try out the new runway, 1,400 feet, uphill to the north. Got room for your cabin! 150+ acres of other stuff, need to build a hangar though.
Eric
 
Eric,

Quite a drive up there, ain't it? I'm thinking about eventually moving out there so I would still like to be able to get coffee at Starbucks... 8) Plus there are reasons for Kansas which we can chat about. I do want to get up and check it out!

By the way folks, Eric is the MAN who printed the calendars (well, at least the guy who runs the show that printed them). If he had it to do over again he would probably rather poke sharp sticks in his eyes while being slowly eaten by ants. We see which he chooses next year.

That said, he also has a REAL nice Scout.

Thanks, Eric!

sj
 
No "approval" required ANYWHERE in Canada...other than within built up cities where airports must be licenced. The provinces, counties/townships have no constitutional power to access any planning power over an aerodrome. It is a federal statute and the only requirement to define an aerodrome is that it has been used to land and take off from in an airplane. Once that's done your property is under federal jurisdication as to the runway and any buildings deemed necessary for use and maintanence. This includes hangars..which may be built without permits or the necessity of being built to code. I am always amazed at this with the USA having so many constitutional rights that you lost this one to the local municipality stage....although I guess they had to allow us something up here where we're taxed to death. LOL
 
Anne, 54tw,

Any interest here?
".........
1000 X 3000 = 68.9 (acres)
............

Just some figures from my notebook, not that I have ever given it any thought. I have seen a lot of homegrown water ski lakes that folks have put in. I think it would be entirely possibly to purchase some land, invite a couple of your good friends to become your neighbors and put in a floatplane strip also. Steve, let me know if you need a neighbor. "

Bill

I have thought about the ski lake idea quite a bit and to add an airstrip along the side would be the ultimate set up. Or just start with a private strip and add the lake for skiing and float operations.

Keith
 
Wayne's place is a real gem. The hangar is huge - you could store five or six planes in there with no problem. There's plenty of runway, too. There's a separte garage for your car collection. And the house is nicely built and attractrively decorated. In short, it's pretty much the optimimum setup. I think the problem with a place like that is that it's so nice you'd have a pretty steady stream of visitors, and you'd probably have to chase a few off with a broom.

Wayne, are you heading for Florida?

Eric
 
Wayne
I do believe the structures have to be built to the national building code.I thought about building my hangar this was but felt the municipality would be watching if I ever had anything not air related going on.
 
Building does not need to be built to any code...other than possibly the electrical code. Maybe in the act that any stucture must meet National code...BUT there is nobody from the federals to inspect for building code and the municipality has no jurisdiction. DO NOT apply for a building permit for a hangar or related structure. If too many people do so you will set precidence for them and we will lose one of the few loop holes we have left in Canada. Once the municipalities get jurisdication....nobody will be putting in strips or hangars in this country.

I know the process all too well and the township tried to have me charged with building without a permit and the $25,000 fine they tried to attach to it. COPA's lawyer took care of them in less than a day...after I pulled my hair out for a couple months trying to fight them on my own.

And ERIC...LOL...not that we'd know anything about vistors out for a quick loop around the great lakes! Wife makes a good sandwich ....don't she! IF I was heading south Eric I wouldn't be stopping that soon! Costa Rica...Grenada... be more like it. I wouldn't know what to do without a runway in the yard though...but I have actually been thinking of pulling stakes and heading further NORTH of all things since selling my plastics business to spend more time with Leah as her heath continues to diminish. Bought a cottage up on Lake Temagami last year and the summer out of the smog belt for her really helped. Thinking full time in cleaner air could do wonders and buy her a few extra years.

Cheers,
Wayne
 
Howdy folks,

Thanks for all your comments. I thought I would give you an update on the current thinking here at chez Johnson concering farms, fields, strips, etc.

Dana and I looked at some land and it was very nice land. It was also expensive, and it was also going to be a LOT (no pun intended) of work to build a house, put in a strip, build a hangar, and hope that they neighbors don't take us to court.

While we were looking at land, I happened to go to a semi-nearby privately owned, but public airport in Kansas to make an offer on a C-180 (which was rejected, but hopefully the negotiations will continue post insult to owner). Well turns out they are trying to do some small airparkish development around this little airport and are just in the planning stages.

A couple of very significant things happened:

1. I liked it, and I like the fact that the airport is public and that they encourage flight instruction, etc. As you know, many airparks do not.

2. Maybe more importantly, Dana really liked the area and thought it was worth exploring.

3. There is a lot with a house on it already. Not the house I would build for sure, but it is a jumpstart. Worth considering, that is for sure.

We wait now for zoning machinations, etc, to proceed to see if it can even be pulled off. We currently view this as a second property since it is about 52 miles away, but who know what will develop.

So, shoot some holes in this plan if you would, or slap me on the back, or the face, It all seems pretty good to me, so I need to think of all the angles.

Thanks!

sj
 
I wish I had bought land and built a hanger and a house instead of buying a hanger on a municipal airport and then a house. Time and hindsite are 20/20. Remember the grass has to be cut and there is other upkeep that you might not think about but for me it would be worth it. My kids wouldn't like it, they don't like the 2 acres they have to help with now but oh well.
 
steve said:
Howdy folks,


While we were looking at land, I happened to go to a semi-nearby privately owned, but public airport in Kansas to make an offer on a C-180 (which was rejected, but hopefully the negotiations will continue post insult to owner). Well turns out they are trying to do some small airparkish development around this little airport and are just in the planning stages.

:

1. I liked it, and I like the fact that the airport is public and that they encourage flight instruction, etc. As you know, many airparks do not.

2. Maybe more importantly, Dana really liked the area and thought it was worth exploring.

3. There is a lot with a house on it already. Not the house I would build for sure, but it is a jumpstart. Worth considering, that is for sure.

We wait now for zoning machinations, etc, to proceed to see if it can even be pulled off. We currently view this as a second property since it is about 52 miles away, but who know what will develop.

Saw a neat little grass strip somewhere around Holt or Lexington on our detour around KC this fall. Have you landed there?
 
Steve,
There is a pretty little strip at Vinland Valley (K64) west of Olathe. I had dreams of buying the old, unused church on the east side, and converting it into a home. Like so many other things in life, it was only the money that stopped me! Don't know what kind of shape it would be in now. Last saw it about 26 years ago.
 
Ron, that is the one we are looking at - not the church which is a historical site (and still there - barely), but the airport.

sj
 
Neat place! Why don't you buy the church, and you can start having services for SC.Orgs. Lord knows, we need it!
 
steve said:
Howdy folks,

So, shoot some holes in this plan if you would, or slap me on the back, or the face, It all seems pretty good to me, so I need to think of all the angles.

Thanks!

sj

Steve,

For me, the best situation was buying a 3.5 acre lot with an existing 50x60 hanger/apartment located on a private strip. It was 2600' x as wide as we wanted to mow it and only had 3 neighbors. It really only had to be mowed about 10 times a year. Having a short little "cub strip" is cool, but as much as we hate to admit it we all have friends that fly mooneys and bonanzas. :D

The thing I didn't like about it at first was that there was no commerical entities allowed...none. No instruction, A&P's, BFR's. It turned out that I liked it better anyway. I've been to way too many "runway communities" without those restrictions and most seem to turn into broke plane/RV/Boat storage and eventually car rebuilding/light manufacturing. Also, the private but public strips often turn into the place where the flight schools do their short/soft field landings. I like airplanes but some places have turned into mad houses around here. Many say that "it won't happen here" but just check out the mature communities around Dallas and Houston. I'm just saying consider it...and of course that's only my opinion.

Also, my dream is to have my own place in the country as well. If found that it's not as easy as some may think. You really have to consider the area, geometry and most of all neighbors. You could very easily end up with 300 acres, a nice home, a nice hanger and strip all with a neighbor that builds a house right on the property line and calls the cops everytime you taxi. It's certainly happened before.

Good luck and let me know how the 180 search is going. What years are you looking at? I know at Reklaw we talked briefly, but the market sure is weird right now.

Bill
 
Back
Top