The Toughest Airstrip I ever Saw....

[CloudDancer]

The DC-3's in Columbia video made me feel right "at home". Except for the jungle, crocs, and what's with that wearing a tie thing? But the airstrip looked just right.

So I thought it would be worth starting a thread bout "The Toughtest Airstrip I Ever Saw"

There's a gold mine I used to go into just outside of Kiana. Torch has probably been there. Damned if I can remember the name right now. But the runway way was cut outta' of the side of the hill. About 1150 feet in length, it curved to the right (landing uphill) so much so, that from touchdown to the far end of the runway, I think it was about a 14 to 16 degree heading change. No go arounds(*), at least loaded inbound. Maaaaybe you MIGHT get away with one empty inbound. And depending on whether you were taking off or landing your left or right wingtip would be no more than four feet away from the "un"carved side of the hill; close enough to reflect the wingtip light color if it was getting real close to dark.

Used to go in there with a Twin Otter and the sled (Cessna 207). A liddle tight (width-wise) with the Twatter.

Oh yeah. It's called Cleary Creek and is about six mi. north-northeast of Kiana. Don't even know if it's on a map.

(*) Cape Ramanzof, Cape Newingham (on the coast and subject to heavy fog), and Indian Mountain are (were) my favorite instrument approaches....NOT! (NDBs) You fly into a very tight horseshoe shaped ring of mountains, and the strips are running righ up the middle. About 5000 feet long or so, the upper end(s) average about 100 feet higher than the lower ends. You gotta' love it when, on the Jeppeson Approach plate there is, in BIG BLACK letters. "WARNING! SUCCESSFUL GO-AROUND HIGHLY IMPROBABLE"

Cloud(shelooks"doable"tome)Dancer

 

[Trapperty]

Is that strip down in the bottom of cleary creek? I have seen it from the air but it is blocked by a bunch of mining junk. It does look like it would be tough especially in a fully loaded 207.

 

[Zk Boy]

Got told about a strip by my father, southern North Is NZ, He said he had seen Topdressers use it. I was on a flight one afternoon with my brother inlaw in our C180J and came across it! Approach was over a 300 ft high cliff with a fence on top, then very rough looking tussock for a short stretch then a rise of about 10 or 15 feet then another short stretch of tussock and an old super bin with very steep hill climbing up behind. Well it was calm and cool so I thought we should try it out, all went well until I realised how rough it looked but by then there was no over shoot. We landed hard about 60 yards in and bounced high, I stood on the brakes even though we were about 15 feet in the air, Lesson 1 brakes are not related to horsepower. We touched again on the upper level, 3 point and I rolled her up on the mains for maximum braking. On stopping I decided to roll a cigarette but the tobacco was shaking out the end of the paper, we had come to a halt so close to the Wooden bin structure that we had to get out and push back to turn around, the takeoff was a little better. On looking at our marks before we left I had bounced 80 yards and stopped in the second 80 yards. On talking to my father afterwards he remarked that the Topdressers he saw were in the 1950's! I have not been back but my super cub is nearly finished so it might be time for a re visit.
Happy landings
Zk Boy

 

[CloudDancer]

Hiya Trapperty -

Yep. That be the one. Approach from the south, descending along the downslope of the hillside to the south of the strip. Last time I landed there was in 1988. Maybe they have a better strip somewhere now?

CloudDancer

 

[Cub Kid]

Been into Klery a few years back, went in to look at the dredge. Keeps a guy on his toes. Lisburne and Tin City can keep you busy Ramonzof as well. No new strip at Klery Creek. Gambell can keep you busy with crosswinds and an icy runway. Lotsa prospecting strips that I would not like to go back into, unless I had some hull insurance.
Bill

 

[mvivion]

Tom Wardleigh told me once "If the approach plate says "Cape...anything" on it, don't go" And, he flew the flight check airplane into all those places for years.

MTV

 

[marker60]

And let's not forget to mention Sparrevohn!

- WINDS IN EXCESS OF20 KT /RADOME WINDS 25 KT/ MAY PRODUCE SEVER TURBC; RADOME WINDS NOT ALWAYS AVBL.
- TKOF RWY 16 ONLY; APCH FM S LND RWY 34 ONLY; SUCCESSFUL GO-AROUND IMPROBABLE; DAYLIGHT OPNS ONLY.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6IivdQDcXo

Piece o' cake in a C206, different story in a DC-6 or C-130. AT&T comes in in their Citation.

 

[Dick Williams]

Sounds interesting, Cloudy! The tightest I've done in the Twatter is Lower Loon in Idaho, formerly known as Simplot. It's a one way at 4000' and 9 to 1100' long. The bird looked REAL big on that strip!
For the cub, Si Simond's in Idaho is the tightest I've seen. It's about a mile high and 900' long on some sidehill with BIG trees on either end. It wasn't too bad 20 years ago but I went in a few years ago in a 200+hp cub and was damn impressed with how much the trees had grown. With my currency right now I'd think real hard about it before going in today.
Of course the guys these days with these SUPER cubs go about anywhere they want. Some of their off-field landing spots are just incredible!

 

[HydroCub]

Used to drop into an indian village in Bolivia, Once Por Ciento (11% in English, don't recall the story behind the unique name) that required landing on main street. Would buzz to check for ruts from the last rain and then on short final hope the kids would keep the dogs and pigs from running out into the street from behind the buildings. Had to turn the plane (C-180) around by hand as the street was narrow and the buildings about two wingspans on the sides. Fortunately only made a few trips into it... figured my odds were dropping rapidly with each trip.

And... thinking of animals, did witness a C-46 land on an Andes Mountain strip once, having to go over a couple beef calves that hadn't been run off the runway. It was a one way in, one way out strip. Always did wish I could have seen the look on the pilot's face when he came around the last river bend prior to landing. I had heard the aircraft fly overhead to outfly for the return.... and when I arrived at the pista, could hear the rumble of its engines coming down the river gorge as I saw the runway that wasn't clear yet. I was too far away to help.... and unfortunately, didn't have a camera to record the good luck ending.

 

[GumpAir]

Cape Lisburne is the one that always terrified me.

Gump

 

[aktango58]

Tom Wardleigh told me once "If the approach plate says "Cape...anything" on it, don't go" And, he flew the flight check airplane into all those places for years.

MTV

Only met Tom once, and by golly I still remember most of what he said...

and I repeat it often to my students!!!!

 

[mghallen]

The capes are easy, just got to know when to say no. Not a big fan of Dutch, always feels like I am stretching fuel to make Dutch. 3 hrs to Dutch, Hour of reserve to make Cold Bay and I still feel quesy. Oh any everyones fav. The slope yick, yick, yick. Big legs not a lot of fueling options. Chena Marina, I always feel like somebody is going to pull out in a car from behind a tree, worse than hondas in the village. I will take the capes, at least you know it is a messed up deal, but they have good food, any any pilot knows the greatest danger in aviation is starvation.

 

[GumpAir]

The capes are easy, just got to know when to say no.

Amen!!!

Gump

 

[aktango58]

PAHN...

First Solo

Sweating bricks

 

[CloudDancer]

Yeah Cub Kid - St. Lawrence Island is one of those places I'll never ache to get back too. Awful lotta' people killed on that rock over the years.

I'll never forget my "checkout" ride with Vic. 180 knots indicated with the altimeter reading everything from minus 20 feet to 250 feet at the highest. Spray from the 8 to 10 foot waves splashing onto the front windscreen for more than half the trip and visibility 1/2 to 3/4's all the way out there.

I used to wonder if Vic was like Harold (Thrill'em, spill 'em, no-kill-'em) Gillam as the old Eskimos used to call him. Gillam flew successfully in weather that grounded every other pilot in the Territory in the old days according to Jean Potter's "The Flying North". Vic would make SVA and GAM on days when the rest of us couldn't even find the rock, much less the village.

Those islanders worshipped him.

More than once I slid onea' Dick's Grand Commanders sideways at a 45 degree angle to the runway at GAM for half the length tryin' to straighten out an' slow down, before giving up and layin' the whip to 'er to get out.

Thank you God for protecting children and FOOLS!

CloudDancer