How much runway do you need ?.
 

I'm getting really interested in buying a Farm that's for sale near where I live. Basically, I'm planning to use a grain store as a hangar and put in a new grass runway.

The details will be

- 1300' length (400m)
- 80' wide (25m)
- There is a slight downslope - 11' over the 1300' length
- At one threshold (the "lower" end) are some power lines - 20' timber pole for domestic supply running 90 degrees to the runway
- Both approaches are clear and straight for at least a mile
- The soil is "Type 3" and I'm expecting it to be well drained most of the year
- There's Drainage ditches at both ends - so no run off's
- It's about 100' above sea level
- The direction is pretty much the best compromise for prevailing winds

My aircraft is an RV-6 taildragger, 160hp, fixed "vans" sensenich prop, 1066lb and I'm fairly proficient in flying it.

I would appreciate any thoughts / comparisons from other RV owners who fly from similar runways.

Hi,

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.7254.../data=!3m1!1e3

Baltrum. A little Island in the North Sea.

360m=1180ft pavement

http://www.baltrum-flug.de/content.php?view=360

Rv6A, IO360, fixed Pitch, Travell Prop, no problem even with 12 Knots Cross

Achim

Well... Achim is a better man than me.

I land at a 1700' grass strip here in Massachusetts and I call that my personal minimum for at least the time being.

I know that I can do less, but you know...

1300' if you know it pretty well and nail it everytime... ok!

My two...

:) CJ

You planning to fly over or under the power lines? :eek:

See comparison above. I have no problems. I wouldn't want much less.

Richard

I would have thought that the guys you already know at Netherthorpe would be a good sounding board for RV performance.

I think it is well within the capabilities of the airplane - Isn't Vans personal strip pretty short?

And I also think you grow into your requirement. I have 2600 x 20 of pavement which I think is luxuriously long, but plenty of people find it intimidating. I also have a crosswind dirt runway that is 1800 feet long and can get the Rocket down and stopped by the intersection (900 feet) without much drama.

I suspect that you will learn to bring your "A game" every time, and that 1300 feet is going to eventually feel excessive.

Really depends on your comfort level
 

I think Michael makes a good point. I came from a world of flying fast twins (landing speed well over 100) to buying my RV-7 and being VERY uncomfortable during the first 6 months. It was embarrassing at first but I didn't let that bother me... just worked at getting to know the plane better.
I remember going to a couple of fly-ins where the grass strip was 2200 or 2300 feet and I would fly there, look at it, and turn back because I didn't want to take a chance. After about 6 months of getting to know the plane I became very comfortable with the 2000 + feet grass strips. I find myself now landing half the distance on some of these strips and have been in and out of a few that around 1000 feet.
The airplane is certainly capable of what you are trying to accomplish, it's just being able to safely slow it down enough.
One other thing to consider is you can alway have the power lines buried just before the path of the runway. If you have a mile on each direction without obstacles, burying the power lines will give you a much safer approach and departure.

Correct

The bottom line what do you think?

If you are already quite proficient in your airplane, you likely already know what you would feel comfortable with (or you could do some test flights and find where that point is).

Take-off performance is not likely to be a problem. Getting stopped after landing is the concern.

Questions to ponder:

• What is the shortest strip you are comfortable using with your aircraft today?
• There may be days when landing proves difficult, either because the winds are not as you thought, or because you simply aren't as sharp as normal. Will you have a convenient alternate strip you could land at, if your strip proves to be a poor choice after you are already airborne?
• How will you get home after using this alternate strip?
• Do you have the discipline to go around if you are off speed, or too high or the aircraft isn't nicely on the ground before you have used up too much of the available distance?