Grass Runway Improvement Update

[breister]

Originally Posted by rocketbob

One can make pavement last 10x longer by simply brooming on portland cement onto asphalt and misting it with water to get it to cure. This is a trick I've seen pavers do doing driveways in FL. The cement will lighten up the pavement which keeps the temps down and also seals it. You will never have to seal it if you do this trick. From a distance it looks just like concrete.

I think they used to do that at Zaragosa, Spain.

We were lined up behind a 4-ship of Spanish Phantoms running up for take off, when the lead two-ship's engines blasted several chunks of the surface off the runway and into the engines of the second two ship.



I don't think this would be a problem for our little toys, but I would be interested to know if such a thin layer has a tendency to "flake off" over time? Or, if "sealing" the asphalt makes the runway cause water to pool when wet?

[David-aviator]

Originally Posted by breister

I think they used to do that at Zaragosa, Spain.

We were lined up behind a 4-ship of Spanish Phantoms running up for take off, when the lead two-ship's engines blasted several chunks of the surface off the runway and into the engines of the second two ship.



I don't think this would be a problem for our little toys, but I would be interested to know if such a thin layer has a tendency to "flake off" over time? Or, if "sealing" the asphalt makes the runway cause water to pool when wet?

Surface sealing asphalt is expensive. It appears that no county, state or federal road with an asphalt surface is surface sealed. Cracks are filled as they occur but surface sealing is not done - except with private driveways - it looks good.

We considered concrete, it would be better, but the bottom line is money. I read one article on the internet that stated 94% of the roads in this country are asphalt, it is all about money. An asphalt road, like an asphalt runway, is so much better than dirt - why go to the expense of concrete. The feds can afford it spending deficit money but we can't.

[breister]

Originally Posted by David-aviator

Surface sealing asphalt is expensive. It appears that no county, state or federal road with an asphalt surface is surface sealed. Cracks are filled as they occur but surface sealing is not done - except with private driveways - it looks good.

We considered concrete, it would be better, but the bottom line is money. I read one article on the internet that stated 94% of the roads in this country are asphalt, it is all about money. An asphalt road, like an asphalt runway, is so much better than dirt - why go to the expense of concrete. The feds can afford it spending deficit money but we can't.

It may be a different deal for the super-heavies (they might just make big grooves in the asphalt), but I agree that asphalt is the best landing strip for little birds. Smooth, doesn't cause water to pool (leading to hydroplaning); easy to repair, etc.

[plehrke]

Originally Posted by David-aviator

For those considering such an improvement - total cost will be about $145,000 including the grass rework. We think it will enhance property value, improve safety and provide for more regular flight operations.

Dave, Any lots available on your airpark? If your plan goes through I would be interested in a lot (or home). I love my RV off pavement and my C-140 off grass. Tell the council their property value just went up as someone is interested in purchasing a lot.

[rocketbob]

Originally Posted by breister

I think they used to do that at Zaragosa, Spain.

We were lined up behind a 4-ship of Spanish Phantoms running up for take off, when the lead two-ship's engines blasted several chunks of the surface off the runway and into the engines of the second two ship.



I don't think this would be a problem for our little toys, but I would be interested to know if such a thin layer has a tendency to "flake off" over time? Or, if "sealing" the asphalt makes the runway cause water to pool when wet?

Friend of mine has a pretty long driveway and did this cement trick to it. Ten years later it still looks like new, no cracks. Unless you look closely the driveway looks like its concrete.

[breister]

Originally Posted by rocketbob

Friend of mine has a pretty long driveway and did this cement trick to it. Ten years later it still looks like new, no cracks. Unless you look closely the driveway looks like its concrete.

Nice to know, and doubtless completely safe - I'm pretty sure no 70,000 lb airplanes are taking off from my driveway any time soon!

[rv7charlie]

On the issue of asphalt vs. concrete, I once talked to an asphalt contractor who told me that the only way asphalt will 'stay put' is if it's regularly re-compacted. He said that's why roads survive better than parking lots or tennis courts. (Very easy to see here in MS, where we have very unstable soil.) One of the owners here on our strip has an asphalt driveway & I believe that it's been resurfaced twice in its ~20 year life. To be fair, I doubt that it has a proper base under it.

I'm interested in the portland cement trick; that's a new concept to me. Is this effectively a 'paint job' to seal over the asphalt, or an actual layer of cement? I need to pave my driveway & haven't even considered asphalt because of the problems I've seen around here.

Thanks,

Charlie

[RV8RIVETER]

As a board member of our airpark we had to address our runway asphalt condition just last summer. Initially we had some of the same thoughts, sealcoating is just for the "new" look. But we did a lot of research and it is needed if you want it to last. Highways are different as stated earlier.

The good news is you don't have to sealcoat right away. Our runway and taxiways were approx 10 years old and were just showing signs of the binder starting to breakdown on the suface (can see color of stones and stones start to come loose) Last July we had the runway and taxiways sealcoated and repainted. It wasn't as bad as we thought, getting a good bid, coming in at around $27k, for 3,000ft runway and 2ea 3,000 foot taxiways. Were told we should be good for another 7+ years.

Might want to plan on buying a crack melter, so you can seal cracks as needed yourselves much cheaper. Something like an MA10

One good reference;
http://www.pavementpro.org/understanding.htm
http://pavementpro.com/forum/

[SHIPCHIEF]

We only have 19 members at WN55.
It was a gravel strip, and had gravel added several times over the years.
My wife is a board member, ( I was on the homeowners assoc.) and the cost of paving is just too high. Chip seal is too thin and temporary.
AOPA published the results of a State of Alaska trail to plant grass on high latitude gravel strips to reduce damage to aircraft.
This was affordable to us. Some communication with a local university for the best grass variety (a mix) and a Hydroseed contractor got us a plan.
The excess gravel overburden was removed and the grass seed applied last fall.
Now it's sprouted and starting to set, getting ready for spring.
We have good pumice drainage and native grass clumps in the 'taxiways' so we land on that for now. After a wait and see period there may be a sprinkler system, or more grass to replace the native clumps in the easments err, taxiways.

[Ron Lee]

My research states that an asphalt sealcoat is needed about every three years. Maybe you can go longer but we have examples of ZERO maintenance on asphalt at my airport and you can tell the difference once you know what to look for.