Western WA Supercubers - Help Save Kendall Airstrip!

Hey Western WA Supercub Types,

I had an email forwarded from a friend. It turns out that there are some folks up near Kendall, WA (east of Bellingham) that have a little grass strip. That strip is in danger of being shut down because some outsiders (outside of the owners’ neighborhood that is) are trying to encroach on the strip with easements.

These folks need people to help save the strip by using it. So if you are looking for a new place to drop in, why not give this strip a shot. I haven’t had a chance to get there myself yet – I am still in annual and work is still kicking my butt – but I will have some time soon and I will get up there and post some pics when I do. If somebody can beat me to it so much the better. Here’s the skinny.

The strip is listed as WN08 – you can find it at http://www.airnav.com/airport/WN08 or http://www.globalair.com/airport/kendall_airstrip/WN08.aspx. It is approximately 1 mile east of Kendall, WA. The turf runway is east –west and slopes down to the west on about a 5% grade. There is a gravel pit off the west end of the strip. There are 20ft trees at both ends of the runway and the strip is approximately 1,000 to 1,200ft long with a 50ft width mowed. The websites say its 1,300 x 40 but the manger gave me the other information based on his measurements of current useable space. There is a windsock.

A fly-by would be in order to size up conditions and winds permitting land up hill to the east. Afternoons in that area winds are generally west – landing down hill (5% reported grade) into the wind may be in order. Its a bit rough but 8.5s could probably handle it - bushwheels would make it a piece of cake.

Please remember – responsible use helps the owners and gives us another neat little grass strip to use – irresponsible use hurts you as a pilot, hurts the owners and hurts general aviation – let’s make this a positive experience. There is a long line of evil bastards that want to take grass strips and little airplanes away from us – let’s not give them the ammunition to do it.

These folks want people to come use their airstip. You can consider this post permission to do so. You can contact the airport manager, Mike Soderlund at 360-599-1631 to confirm that or contact me Gunny (George Goundry) at 425-890-3260. I hope someone can get up there soon and post some pics – I will do it as soon as I can. Also we are going to include this strip on our poker run for the NW Supercub Fly-in this year.

Let’s try to give these folks a hand – Fly Safe and Have Fun!!

Strip

Thanks Gunny

I will try to organize a trip up there as soon as possible. Maybe we can plan for a Breakfast meeting to plan for our 5th SuperCub flyin then go up to that little grass strip for a visit.

Thanks again Gunny

Bill

Thanks Bill - sounds like a plan. I am hoping that maybe Jerry Burr will see this thread and maybe get over there and take some pics. I am about a week or two from being able to do anything.

PS: I just looked this airport up and it is in my Garmin 496. That should aid folks in finding it.

Meeting

Let us know Gunny what Sat. or Sunday would be good for you and we will post it. We could meet for Breakfast then go, or Lunch, what every you guys want to do. Looking forward to seeing a new grass strip.


Bill

I just had a phone call from one of the other folks at the strip - Bill Velacich. He wanted to let me know that he had cut down some 20-30 foot trees at the west end of the strip to make the approach more user friendly. Bill also report that the grass is a little rough but they hope to smooth it out some this year. Still kind of wet for that activity at this point.

I am ashamed to say that I am out of annual and waiting to get that sorted before I can get up there - I need a clear day to get over to YKM to get the annual done. In the meantime is there anybody else around that can drop in at Kendall?

Bill asked me to post his phone number 360-410-8660 as a contact point while Mike Soderlund is away on business. Anybody should feel free to call Bill and stop by if they want to walk the strip before they fly in.

We need to get some folks landing up there. The gravel guys may have funds to out lawyer the strip owners, but they can't argue with use. Maybe some of you other guys can take the ball until I get this annual thing sorted.

I am going to plan to drive up there next Saturday and take photos to post. Anybody else is welcome to join me. Who knows - maybe the WX will cooperate and I will get my annual done next week but I doubt it.

Gunny,

Just have Mike drive over the mountain to do your annual. He needs to get to the big city now and again.

We will be at the NorthWest flyin again this year. Are you planning to take some folks over to Kendall then? We will be glad to drop in there a few times while we are up there. Hopefully June will not be too late. It would be a shame to lose the strip.

Gary

Well – I got the annual done Friday and had a nice evening flight that day. Saturday Carey Gray and I made it up to Kendall Airstrip WN08 to check the place out. Started out early on Saturday morning – plugged in the block heater at 05:30 hoping to be in the air by 07:30. Miss D is a little fussy starting when the temps get below 40 so a little time on the block heater doesn't hurt. I know I like a hot cup of coffee before gettin' to it in the morning so why should Miss D be any different.

As usual, the Fall City morning ground fog was a factor.



The ground fog didn’t burn off until about 08:30 so I didn’t hook up with Carey in the air until about 09:00 when we got headed north for Kendall. Here’s Carey headed north for Kendall.



The scenery on the way up was righteous. It was a good day to be flying in the Northwest. Here’s a peek at the Cascades with Mt. Baker in the background.



After about an hour in the air from Fall City, we spotted Kendall Airstrip. It’s in my Garmin 496 which made it easier to find. The strip is in the intersection of two valleys, one running north-south the other east-west. You can see the gravel pit at the west end. The owner’s recently cut some trees along the west end approach to make it more user friendly. The strip is oriented east-west.



After dragging the strip a couple times to look it over Carey and I landed. The strip is plenty serviceable – a little bit rough at the east end where there is a mound of earth that kind of protrudes into the runway but with bushwheels it’s not much of a factor. Besides by the time we reached it on rollout we were just taxiing. Here’s a shot looking towards the east end showing the bulge.



Here’s a shot from the east end looking west. You can see the gravel pit beyond the west threshold.



Here’s a shot of the gravel pit from the west threshold – note the barb wire fence at the west threshold.



Looking east from the west threshold



Midfield looking west



Midfield looking east.



Miss D at Kendall



Carey’s Cub at Kendall



Miss D and Carey’s Cub at Kendall.



A last look departing the area.



Our arrival generated a lot of interest from the folks that live there. A lot of them came out and took some pictures. The guy that lives next to the east end raises golden retrievers – he’s got some nice looking pups about a year old I would guess. Everyone was real friendly and glad to have us drop in.

As you can see from the photos the strip slopes uphill to the east. With that mound at the east end (which you would want to miss if landing west) together with the taller trees at the east threshold, landing west might be a bit tricky and the downhill rollout is definitely going to be shorter. We landed east with a light tailwind that basically disappeared once we were below the treeline. So unless the wind is howling out of the west landing uphill to the east should not be a problem for a Supercub with bushwheels.

Finally I have to say that this would be a great little base camp to explore gravel bars on the North Fork Nooksack River or even the South Fork Nooksack River. We saw a bunch that had some potential. There are also a bunch of other private strips in the area that kind of beg to be explored with potential new friendships as a reward. Nearest fuel in the area near as I can tell is Bellingham (KBLI) which is 18.3 NM west from Kendall Airstrip according to Airnav.

I called Bill Velacich after we got back and left him a message. We missed him at the strip. He called me back later and couldn’t have been happier to hear that we landed there. I will provide him the photos from our trip so that they can use them in the battle with the gravel pit guys. Some of you other guys head on up there and drop in. Take pictures of your airplanes at the strip and contact me so we can forward them to Bill and the rest of the folks up there and hang on to this fine airstrip. I’m planning to make regular runs up there. It’s a nice little two hour run round trip which is just perfect for a summer evening run to keep current and put a little time on the Cub

It is a righteous day for flying in the NW today - so of course I am sitting in the office with a report deadline for Monday legal hearings - friggin lawyers can't plan and always impose on free time dadgummit.

If I was not sitting in the office I would be flying Miss D up to Kendall today. I hope someone - anyone here in the NW will see this and head up there and drop in PLEASE.

You will meet some very nice folks and being doing them a service. No need to call first they want you to come - but if you would feel better calling then call Bill Velacich at 360-410-8660. If Bill is not around just go - and take photos and post them here.

Well, we got to make another run up to Kendall after too long a time. Why hasn’t anybody else been up there to drop in yet? I hooked up with Jason and we headed up Saturday afternoon.

Here’s a shot of Jason enroute.



We got a warm welcome when we arrived there, bigger crew than last time. Spent a good long time talking and getting to know everybody, but by the time I remembered to take some pictures everybody had gone back to Saturday chores.

Jason is hanging out talking with the airport manager Mike Soderlund and his wife.



Another shot of our Cubs at Kendall Airstrip



Here’s Jason with the airport manager Mike and his wife Susie.



On the way back we caught a little light rain running through some virga but even on a partially scuddy day, the Northwest is still kinda pretty. The mountains look different with the gray sky. It was a good run that was made better by the hospitality of the folks up at Kendall. Mike has been working hard and has the grass mowed down nice. Sure the ground is a little bumpy but with bushwheels its not a big deal. Have your airspeed under control because there is one bump near the approach end that could “launch” you – don’t ask me how I know that…

Here are some shots from the ride home.







Come on guys – let’s get some more NW pilots landing at this strip. The more we use it the less likely these folks property rights will get run over by the gravel pit. I posted Mike and Bill’s contact numbers in previous posts above if you want to call before you go. Mike said again yesterday that you don’t need to call first – just drop in. I know there are other guys in this area that can take a run up there – this is an aviation resource that is worth keeping and all we have to do is use it. So LET’S USE IT!!

Gunny,

Great pictures! I really appreciate your efforts to encourage some usage of Kendall strip to help the owners fight off the encroachment of the quarry operation. We all need to do everything we can to help keep these little strips open.

With all good intentions I have set out twice to visit Kendall in my J3. Unfortunately both times I started running out of daylight and had to turn back.

Keep up the good work!

John Scott

John - Thanks for your kind words. May I suggest packing your camping gear in the airplane next time so that instead of turning back you simply have to land, pitch camp, cook chow, tuck in for the night and then continue west in the morning. Repeat this process as necessary until you arrive at Kendall - you won't regret it!!