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DanChief
11-26-2011, 09:13 PM
So far we've been blessed with some wonderful warm weather this November. We've had our share of rain and even and October snow but when it's nice, it's really nice.

Today was about as nice as we can get here in South Central Pennsylvania. I only had a couple of hours this morning so had to stay local, but enjoyed flying low and slow above the Lancaster County scenery.

Pictures and more: http://flightmusings.blogspot.com

rosiejerryrosie
11-27-2011, 12:29 PM
Great pics, Dan. Thanks. I didn't know there was a turf strip at Smoketown ? Charted or did you just make one?

Jim Hann
11-28-2011, 05:09 AM
My old haunts! I was a CFI out of York (THV) back in the early 90s. We used to take students over to Baublitz (9W8) or Bermudian Valley (07N) to work on soft and short field procedures. Had an instrument student with a Mooney at Lancaster (LNS). Actually flew in and out of Devener (2W7) before it closed and also spent some time teaching and living at Hanover (6W6). Along with many other airports in the area.

Thanks for the great pics and a little stroll down memory lane.

rosiejerryrosie
11-28-2011, 10:28 AM
I'm based at Bermudian Valley. Didn't know it was a short field :cool:

Jim Hann
11-29-2011, 04:39 AM
I'm based at Bermudian Valley. Didn't know it was a short field :cool:

How short it was depended on how many hours were on the C-150 or Tomahawk I was in that day! :eek: Back then THV was about 4,200 feet, some students needed all of that to land the mighty C-150 during training. A couple of trips to Bermudian Valley or Baublitz usually resolved that issue. :evil grin:

rosiejerryrosie
11-29-2011, 09:45 AM
True story. The local designated examiner flew into Bermudian one day to give a checkride to a local student and ran off he end of the runway, converting his rigid nosewheel into a retractable. Took about a month to get it repaired and off the field. I took my check ride with him about three months later. After a relatively easy checkride he said "Lets go park it and I'll fill out the paperwork". I asked, "What? No short field landings?", and he replied, "THIS IS A SHORT FIELD!". Gave me a chuckle, knowing the history....:)

steveinindy
11-29-2011, 12:25 PM
I'm based at Bermudian Valley. Didn't know it was a short field :cool:


True story. The local designated examiner flew into Bermudian one day to give a checkride to a local student and ran off he end of the runway, converting his rigid nosewheel into a retractable. Took about a month to get it repaired and off the field. I took my check ride with him about three months later. After a relatively easy checkride he said "Lets go park it and I'll fill out the paperwork". I asked, "What? No short field landings?", and he replied, "THIS IS A SHORT FIELD!". Gave me a chuckle, knowing the history....

That's just plain (plane?) funny there!:P:cool:

It's 2200ft of grass.....I guess it depends on what you're flying. That's a short field in my book. I was taught to operate by the POH value +50% (+100% if runway is wet, grass, downsloping, etc) just to be safe.


Back then THV was about 4,200 feet, some students needed all of that to land the mighty C-150 during training

I can beat that. One of the other students of my old CFI (now departed) famously ate up the entire 8,200 feet of RWY 5 at KMBS during his first solo landing (in a 172). Needless to say, there was much good natured ribbing and some remediation after that.

DanChief
11-29-2011, 06:09 PM
Landing's not the problem with short fields -- I can be down and stopped in 500 feet in the Chief, and routinely landed the C205 and BE-36 in less than 1000'

It's getting back out that may be problematic.

:cool:

KDoersom
11-29-2011, 06:39 PM
I taught out of York From 2000 till about 2006. I used to take my students to Bermudian shreveport and kampel. The cocky ones I would take to Clearview (2W2) and make them land downhill on 32. 1830 long and about a 30 foot drop in the first half.

Jim Clark
11-29-2011, 06:57 PM
Your all invited to our Fly Ins at Leo's Place Airport 1KS3 in the beautiful Kansas flint hills. 30 ft wide crossing runways with plenty of uphill downhill action. The long runway is 1100 ft. Keeps you on your toes.

malexander
11-29-2011, 07:24 PM
I got my PPL at Watonga, OK in 1977 in a 1966 C 150. The runway there at that time was asphalt 50 X 2200, seemed plenty long enough to me. The strip at the airpark I live on now is concrete, 30 X 2700, with cross country power lines about 1/4 mile off the south end. It's plenty long enough to land on & take off of, but not long enough change your mind on.:)


Marshall Alexander

DanChief
11-30-2011, 06:02 AM
The shortest 2000' runway I ever used was Maley Field in Shinnston, WV.

:eek:

More about that particular morning here (http://flightmusings.blogspot.com/2010/05/wet-grass.html).

rosiejerryrosie
11-30-2011, 11:20 AM
Nice writeup, Dan. You've had some interesting experiences (at least the writing is interesting ;)

steveinindy
11-30-2011, 06:03 PM
Landing's not the problem with short fields -- I can be down and stopped in 500 feet in the Chief, and routinely landed the C205 and BE-36 in less than 1000'

It's getting back out that may be problematic.

:cool:

To that end, I offer this: http://cargomasterraster.blogspot.com/2011/03/dc-8-landing-at-marble-mountain-vietnam.html

DanChief
12-01-2011, 06:44 AM
Thanks, Jerry! I'm putting together a book with entries from the blog and plenty else (it's mostly about flying).