TECHNIQUE
L
et’s be honest, strip flying is fun. There’s no doubt that for some pilots there comes a time when airfields, however good, just don’t cut it anymore and thoughts turn to finding new, more interesting destinations. While licensed airfields are constructed in accordance with CAP 168 which lays down runway standards, obstacle clearance, signage and surface markings, many unlicensed ones have their own individual and sometimes quirky facets and conditions which is, of course, what makes them intriguing to visit.
But as with many challenges in flying there are often a number of extra factors involved if you want to avoid an unseemly interaction with, say, a hedge or tree… Aircraft flight manual performance figures for landing and take-off might generally be based on basic, hard surface nil wind figures, but when it comes to strips you’ll need to factor in the effects of temperature, tailwind, slope, altitude and surface state, all of which make quite a difference to the basic hard surface, nil wind figure.
So let’s talk factoring. How long is the strip? What’s the surface like? Is it smooth grass or rough, how long is the grass, has it recently been cut, is it wide enough? Will it be dry or wet? And how about obstacles? Trees, wires and buildings can be a lot closer to the centreline. At some strips crops might be grown right up to the edge of the strip area, so will your wings be clear of the (sometimes tall) crop?
One strip I went into was 500 metres of grass and easy for my Cub, but that same strip would be a problem for a PA-28. The owner usually has cattle in the field and keeps them off the strip with an electric fence. Trouble is the fence is only just outside the width of the strip. So, while it was easy in a Cub because the wing would be above fence height, it wasn’t necessarily so good for a PA-28 where the fence and the wing could have an argument with each other. The moral of that story is don’t be complacent, know how much width you need.
Is the ground level or is there a slope to consider? Some strips will require landing uphill and take-off downhill, irrespective of wind direction. Lateral slopes can be dangerous and should be avoided without experience of them.
Then there’s the general terrain around
the site and it’s likely effect on the wind. Will there be turbulence or a crosswind just where you really don’t want it, will obstacles — a gap in trees, for example — affect the wind direction or speed over the strip area.
However hard you look, a flight guide’s layout diagram might not necessarily give a full feel for the terrain around, nor will it necessarily show the contrast in different field surfaces, but a good way to find out is to head over to Google Earth, or similar, to have a good look at the terrain; it’s also good for spotting useful landmarks to orient yourself with the strip. Remember too, however good a flight guide is, its picture might not always give the full story. At one strip there were trees across the approach end standing about 20ft tall, what the diagram didn’t show was a power wire running level with the tree tops on the strip side which you couldn’t see until you’d almost flown over the trees. Maximising the landing distance there could tempt you to get the wheels as close to the tree tops as is sensible, but in this case that meant there would be a good chance of the wheels catching the wire. The moral is, when landing at strips always expect the unexpected. Because of their very nature, strips don’t always stand out well against the fields surrounding them, so make sure you get the correct field, landing in the crops in the wrong field alongside is embarrassing at the very least (yes, it’s been done)… Grass cutting can change the look of the land too, so make doubly sure before committing to a landing. What about checking for a website? Some of the more regularly used strips have their own and there’s usually plenty of useful local information on them for planning purposes, and possibly warnings such as the power line behind the trees mentioned above. Aircraft noise is always a hot topic, so check for noise sensitive areas and keep clear of them. Built-up areas should also be avoided, which means the approach might not be the nice rectangular circuit you’re used to. Needless to say, a phone call to the strip owner is a must to obtain PPR and also to get any additional briefing required. If you’re planning to stay for a few days or even just a few hours, consider carrying intake blanks, pitot cover, tie downs, etc. and use them. Wildlife and birds (of which, surprisingly the countryside is plentiful…)
SUMMER 2019 CLUED UP 21
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