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Non-published non-paved landing areas at airports

SC3CM

Registered User
Most of us have a list of airports we know of where there is grass to land on that isn't published. I'll start a list of ones I know and will add others as people send info. This will all be put into a spreadsheet for easy use. There's possibly a way to load this to a gps too, so I'll even look into that.

Suggestions are welcome!

Here's a sample of the info that will go into the spreadsheet:
State, City, Identifier, Surface Type, guesstimate on landing distance, Notes.
And an example
ME., Sanford, KSFM, Grass, Rwy 14/32 between rwy and adjacent taxiway from rwy 25 intersection to crossing taxiway. Not marked but good condition. Favor the side closest to pavement. >1000' available.

The idea is to have some local info available to those of us visiting or enroute to other areas.



Rene
 
I routinely land on the grass or gravel at any non controlled airport I'm visiting at. I'm talking the area usually between the taxiway and the runway, anything but landing on the asphalt if I can at all help it. It makes landing at a real airport (not any challenge at least if the wx is OK) more of an off airport thing. Drainage ditches and lights are the big hazards, another is someone thinking you blew your landing so bad you missed the hard surface.

I have only been admonished for it twice:eek:nce in Arizona where apparently I taxied across an area in the official passenger loading area, (no people or airliner were there, but when they are that's their place) so it became a Homeland Security type thing, briefly, I was able to somehow convince the agent that I was a dumbass Idaho hick in a homebuilt plane who didn't know any better. The other time was at Sandpoint Idaho, where the very friendly airport manager advised it was forbidden, no problem, I won't do it again there. I think the correct attitude in this is to just do it, don't ask beforehand and put someone on the spot, don't screw up, and don't do it if ever asked not to. Knowing before hand it's OK is great also of course.
 
It would be a lot easier to list airports that you cant land at. Don't ask, don't tell . 850 landings since I got bush wheels and started keeping track of where I land. 19 of them have been on pavement. Most the time no one is watching that close to notice if you are on the runway or beside it anyway.
 
Well I was looking forward to my first actual contribution to the sc.org community seeing as how I can't add any value on any of the mechanical questions, and you had to go an ruin it. Thanks Bill :lol:

Actually, I am on the same page as far as using it if you're comfortable it's clear of anything that can cause problems, just thinking it's nice to know ahead of time if you're going off into new areas. A lot of people on this site live in areas where you can pretty much land anywhere because the terrain is relatively open, flat, or in the case of the Ohio guys just doesn't have a chairlift in the way. Unfortunately other areas are a bit different. My thought was to have people chime in with some local knowledge, where is known to be a good spot to land to AVOID the ditch or other thing that can't easily be seen from above. I've always wanted to put something like this together, so figured now was as good a time as any.

Here's a few off the top of my head.

View attachment TURFAVAILABLE.xls

Add yours to the sheet and re-post, PM me, or post in the info in the thread and I'll update the sheet.
 

Attachments

  • TURFAVAILABLE.xls
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18 Meadows, Haines AK

Also, North east end along the taxi way of the main airport HNS, all they way to the helipad...

Better service at my house though. Should be published in the near future.
 
Cranland airport, Hanson MA grass on east side of the hard surface is usable full length. There is a drop off on the east side of the grass into a cranberry bog.
 
KFIT, south(left) side of 32, watch out for windsock, grass is good before runway 2, little bumpy after runway 2. I'm also told that the east side of 20 is good, although the grass was kind of tall when i went, i haven't landed there
 
Oh and concord, KCON DO NOT land on the grass. there is some rare butterfly or some BS and they dont like that at all if you land there in the grass. (there used to be a grass runway next to 35)
 
Burlington, NC- KBUY, to left of 24, 1/3rd of the way up. Nice and smooth ....and none of Tom's butterfly collection running around
 
Chehalis, Washington - the airport manager threatened to report me to the FAA as "careless and reckless" if I landed on the grass again. Preposterous!
 
How about while you are making this grass list, add ones that you can land on skis and get reasonably close to a gas pump.

I'll add 1S3 Forsyth MT Ski right up to the pump.
4+ different non published grass runways. The one South of the Main runway, West of intersection will get to the gas pump on skis.
 
Jordan Montana grass runway north of Main runway
Hysham Montana land long going West or short going East ( approx 1000 yds dirt at end of rwy.)
Broadus Montana land just south of the rwy lights east 2/3rds rwy
Miles City Montana land most places close to rwy lights
Colstrip Montana Land by rwy lights
Hardin Montana Watch the ditch when landing in grass south side of runway

If you can make this alphabetically by state for a quick reference, it might not be too bad
 
And Jaffery, KAFN. Left or right side of 36. I landed on the left side. Way smoother than the paved runway. One word of caution. Use your N number. The owner doest like it when you don't.
 
KVUO in Vancouver WA has a good grass strip area on the S. side of Ry 26. They had a temporary control tower set up for about a year due to construction closing 1 ry at PDX, 2.5 miles away. Their only request was to inform them that you were going to use the grass.
In my 11 years of flying BWs on the 12, I've tried to avoid pavement at all times.
On my first cub trip to AK in 2003, approaching Whitehorse I asked the tower if they had any grass available. The tower controller cracked me up with his reply, "I don"t smoke". I had to land the pavement. This year on approach with the 12, they asked if I was on BWs and offered me the gravel alongside 13 right. I related the 2003 incident to the tower controller and HE CRACKED UP!! Obviously not the same controller.
Mike
 
Landing beside the runway

I’d like to open a discussion on landing next to the runway. Only at places you’re familiar with? Any experiences both good and bad, lessons learned, dealing with airport managers who’ave never been off pavement. And the legal and insurance side. I fly off my own grass runway and land beside the runway at our local municipal airport for fuel. Airport manager doesn’t like it but looks the other way. I’m interested in how everyone else deals with it. Landed next to the runway not long ago and a guy in a Bonanza asked if I was ok? As if he thought it wasn’t on purpose! Let me hear from you. Hope all had a Merry Christmas and have a great new year! Ross D.
 
Years ago, we wanted a grass runway at POU, a County owned and towered Airport. The County agreed and marked out a section next to 6-24 and designated it 7-25. The tower which was only a part time federal tower wouldn’t let us use 7-25 however. Now keep in mind, at the time, the GS pay scale for tower operators was based on traffic count.we got frustrated with the tower, and organized early morning flights (deform the tower opened) and would do multiple touch and goes on 7-25. When the tower opened and wouldn’t clear us to land on the grass runway, we would make a final landing and announce that the just lost XX number of traffic counts while taxiing in. After about a month, they realized what was going on and finally started clearing Aircraft to the grass runway if requested.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I have fixed a couple of Super Cubs that landed beside the runway in the grass and had mishaps. One went too far right and rolled down a hill, bent the axle and the rear spar. The other hit a concrete culvert and ripped the gear off and got the engine and prop. Someone said something at my local airport about me landing on the grass. I told them if I screw up it is on my, if they buy my tires I will land on the asphalt. Lee and I mow two grass areas at RPH that are at least 800' long. One is west of 18/36 and the other is north of 21/03 and adjacent of the tetrahedren and wind sock. I have landed on the side of several runways over the years and flown over many more and opted for the hard surface after determining in some cases the risk of not knowing is not worth it to me. I went and got my daughter from school recently and texted a guy based there to find out what they used there a landing area. Worked out perfectly.
 
I’d like to open a discussion on landing next to the runway. Only at places you’re familiar with? Any experiences both good and bad, lessons learned, dealing with airport managers who’ave never been off pavement. And the legal and insurance side. I fly off my own grass runway and land beside the runway at our local municipal airport for fuel. Airport manager doesn’t like it but looks the other way. I’m interested in how everyone else deals with it. Landed next to the runway not long ago and a guy in a Bonanza asked if I was ok? As if he thought it wasn’t on purpose! Let me hear from you. Hope all had a Merry Christmas and have a great new year! Ross D.

Ross,

Where do you land a Brenham, I’ve been in there maybe 25 times in the past two years in my 180 but will likely be in the cub next month for my last trip.

Kirby

Ps. Any chance of the diner reopening?
 
The tower at Bozeman, MT (KBZN), when a pilot requests to land “adjacent to Runway 3” will respond with “Landing adjacent to Runway 3 will be at pilot’s own risk”, which is a substitute for a clearance to land. A number of pilots here land adjacent the west edge of 3. Tower has never offered any objection, and I assume the Airport manager is aware this goes On. The Airport mows the grass immediately adjacent the runway, but not for this purpose.

MTV
 
In Kerrville (KERV) I routinely use the median between 3-21 and the taxiway. Landing North, touchdown North of the midfield taxiway. Landing south do not overfly anyone holding short of 21 for takeoff, but that's just common sense. Never had a complaint. We are untowered here, except when MAP has a gathering.

Willy
 
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We do it all the time at WLW. The old manager always fussed about it but he was also a prize ass. Thank God he finally quit. The new guy couldn't care less.
We have another local strip where many of us land in the grass/dirt between the runway and parallel taxi. Back in the days of Flight Guide (man I miss that book) it was published as OK to land there. Way back when I was about 16 or 17 I landed my Mom's Decathlon in that area just because I hadn't done it before. After shutdown, this old guy (60-something) walks up and says it looked like I was having trouble because I missed the runway entirely. I explained the situation and offered to show him the page. He just rolled his eyes and walked away without further comment. Somehow I've always seemed to have that effect on people...
 
Kirby, in the past we landed west of the runway south of C. There is a big speed bump at C. This was landing South. Landing N again on the west side after the slope indicator and before D. In the last few weeks I’ve been experimenting landing between the runway and taxiway. Landing N, touchdown south of D and exit at D and landing S between C and D again exiting at D. There’s a slight dip when exiting on to D going both ways but it’s not bad, just slow down. The only concern I’ve found is just North of D there is a white pvc pipe showing mowers a pipe not to run over. I’m going to stick an orange flag on it. The restaurant owner wants to open a pizza place but as of now nothing is happening. I do believe if he doesn’t do something soon the city may force a change. I’ll let everyone know if something happens there. Feel free to contact me if you’re headed this way. 979-203-1636
 
We closed a runway for a year! I mapped out a Cub runway 2000' long with proper spacing. Management said no - the biologists wouldn't allow it. Same thing when they sealed off a maintenance facility for six months to use the taxiway for paving equipment. Biologists, plus threat of lawsuits for prop damage prevented use of perfectly good dirt roads.

It is mind up and locked on final approach for these good ideas. Same for windsocks at the approach ends.

We do mow the flowers early and often - biologists seem ok with that.
 
One reason I don't live in the Republic of Kalifornia!

We closed a runway for a year! I mapped out a Cub runway 2000' long with proper spacing. Management said no - the biologists wouldn't allow it. Same thing when they sealed off a maintenance facility for six months to use the taxiway for paving equipment. Biologists, plus threat of lawsuits for prop damage prevented use of perfectly good dirt roads.

It is mind up and locked on final approach for these good ideas. Same for windsocks at the approach ends.

We do mow the flowers early and often - biologists seem ok with that.
 
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