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Do You Collect Grass/Un-Improved Strips?

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I may just go ahead and steal your paint scheme. :cool:

You're welcome:) If I was painting the plane again, I would choose brighter colours.

...and one more picture on grass.

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I with my elder son arrived to a weekend fly-in.
 
P96 Jersey Shore, KLHV Lock Haven and 1H4 Greenville

Three more grass fields to the collection :)

P96 Jersey Shore. Very good surface. It's in PA though...








KLHV Lock Haven rwy 27L. There are several "soft spots" on it.











1H4 Creenville, NY. Don't go there it's boggy. No pictures I was VERY busy :)
 
08ME Lingbergh field, ME17 Roxbury, 50PA Pegasus

At Lindbergh Field they have very nice annual breakfast. I missed it but there was a Sunoco gas station couple yards away with good Food Mart.








Pegasus airpark was deserted. I deviated to there because of weather. They have very tall trees on both ends of runway. Don't come fast.








 
NJ25 Peaslees, 90ME Zinck, 3B5 Twitchell and 8ME4 Crow Island

Last month I added several more grass/turf/non paved airfields to my collection :)


NJ25 Peaslees airstrip. Write up here.






There was a Piper Cubs gathering in Rumford, ME at Zinck private airfield. I was invited. Does my RV look like a Piper Cub? Write up to follow...






Twitchell airport 3B5 has three runways. Asphalt, grass and water. Guess from which one a gaggle of Cubs took off?







Crow Island 8ME4 is a private airfield. There was a CIA fly in. Grass smooth as a pool table. Nice place to swim nearby.






This one is an undisclosed location I didn't land there.



 
9VG Campbell Field

Somebody gave me food stamps long time ago and I didn't use them. Heard there is a fly in soup kitchen and I went on Sunday to cash the stamps. The soup stand was closed :)












The field is rough and soft it's definitely not Salmon Farm. Graded 3.
 
Towered grass KHFD Hartford CT

I got a lot of grass here for my herbarium. A pound in each wheel pant. Hartford-Brainard has a parallel turf runway. Thanks Andy for great idea!






 
Bayport 23N and Kroelinger 29N

Bayport Aerodrome 23N seats under Class Charlie airspace. Very nice little airport with well maintained runway they actually have two runways. One is usually closed but you can taxi on it. My DAR hangar is on the south east side. I didn't see him since June 2011. Now he is building a Breezy.










Kroelinger 29N is located in Southern New Jersey. It has very smooth grass strip but nobody is on the field on a perfect August evening.






There is another public use grass field just east of Kroelinger it's called Bucks. The name is absolutely correct the deer own it. I did several passes and bucks couldn't even thought of leaving the runway. I buzzed several feet over them trying to scare. They moved a bit but still remained on the runway.


 
Closing Grass Season 2013

50 new non paved runways were added to my collection in 2013 which brings total of 68 different grass/gravel/other-then-hard surface strips.

Some of them were restricted and I was invited. Some were not but I was politely asked why I am here. Once I was demanded to leave because nobody received my messages and knowing a key person didn't help.

Great lessons learned and wonderful experience added to my flying experience bag. Below are some views I am sure you visited some of them.





























 
nice collection of runways! given how varied most grass strips and private strips are, they make great opportunities for pilots to improve and refine their skills.

Your mention that "check before land" (both get permission *and* inspect teh conditions) is good advice for all of us.
 
2nd Favorite ID backcountry strip...

Vlad,

Here is one you need to add to your visits, Wilson Bar Airstrip(C48) in the Idaho Backcountry.
http://www.airnav.com/airport/C48


My RV4 The Bandit circa 1998 on one of many visits...the first Catto RV prop bolted on it's nose...

V/R
Smokey
 
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Grass Season 2014 is open!

Grass Season 2014 is opened. Private strip in Upstate NY not on the charts by invitation only. Personal thanks to Fred Edmunds.








Later in the day I flew into famous Bayport Aerodrome 23N, picked up my friend Greg and we went for a great ride to Slatington PA. At the end of the trip he landed my RV9A on grass from the right seat. Don't believe me? Ask him :D
 
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open invitation to wandering Ruski's

You're welcome to add 12VA to your collection of grass runways, Vlad. Let us know you're coming, and don't land on top of me if I'm on the lawnmower.

I haven't jumped the hoops yet for posting pictures but we're on Airnav

Looking forward to having you visit and becoming your 101st friend... :D

-Bill
 
KOWI finally opened Runway 13/31 several weeks ago after re-seeding last fall. The rains last week have kept me off until now, it's dry and the grass is defenitely growing! I now have grass stains all over the wheelpants.
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I stopped my my friends private strip but nobody was home except some cows. I should've got a pic of the cows, maybe next time.
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I recognize Basin Harbor, VT. Probably been 10 years since I was last there.

Nice shot!

Wow. Love that place. My brother got married there a decade ago, right before I became a pilot. We even watched the Northern Lights from there the night of his wedding! I always figured I'd fly in there one day. Maybe after I finish the Glastar I'll head east to visit some of the family.
 
Another one to add, MO9 Kingsley Missouri. My wife finally had a Wednesday off, I was giddy when she suggested we fly somewhere for lunch! It's a crop dusting strip with a "Hangar Kafe." Loved the place, great food, great people and unbelievable prices.
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Food shot.
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Runway has a slight hill that peaks about midfield at the restaurant.
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MO9's grass strip was in decent shape I thought, 6 out of 10 maybe. It was rolled pretty smooth (no tin-canning echoing though the rear fuse) but had some bare spots/ruts (filled with what looked like a sand/dirt/grass seed mixture) I avoided on landing/takeoff/rollout. It has the hill in the middle of it by the restaurant, you can only see half the runway when on the ground.
Good Luck!
 
Couple more

open invitation to wandering Ruski's
You're welcome to add 12VA to your collection of grass runways, Vlad. Let us know you're coming, and don't land on top of me if I'm on the lawnmower.

I haven't jumped the hoops yet for posting pictures but we're on Airnav

Looking forward to having you visit and becoming your 101st friend...

-Bil
l



Thank you Bill Boyd for good time. Nice place you have there in VA. Glen and I visited Hop Along 12VA.









This is another great location Massey Aerodrome in Maryland MD1. They had their annual chili cookout and I stopped by for couple minutes. Next year I will come for two hours.














 
49clipper

I live on a grass strip so I have literally hundreds of landings here and way too many other strips to even try to count. Most (probably 80%) of my landings in my RV and whatever else i have had are on grass. Not really a big deal.
Jim
 
9W8 Baublitz

An airport friendly to transients. 9W8 Baublitz in Brogue PA. The runway is long and has a dip in the middle. If you are landing a nosedragger and didn't stop in first 1/3 then add a bit of power and jump over soft low midpoint. You will have plenty of uphill runway left to stop. At the time of my visit their lawn mower tractor went caput. They managed to mow the sides and couldn't make the middle. All the bugs of the field were hiding in tall grass in the middle. I smashed couple three thousand then spent an hour washing them out.













Loretta Baublitz, widow of the owner, lives on the field and can tell you some stories. There is a clean mobile home used as an office/FBO. I wish they had those in Alaska.









There is self serve fuel on the field and terminal accepts all kinds of plastic even roubles. :)





No food in the walking distance there was a restaurant 1 mile out but closed its doors recently.



 
12N Andover, PA92 Blue Mountain Academy, KLHV Lock Haven

12N Andover has a nicely manicured grass close to their brand new asphalt. The closest distance from parking to swimming. Exit grass at an angle there is a rut :D









Blue Mountain Academy field a picturesque place. Watch the road when turning cars don't see you and they don't care about limit posted.



















Lock Haven Piper Memorial. I go there every year in the middle of the week after work. Their Sentimental Journey. I inject myself in Piper Cubs' crowd and use the grass (27L/9R) runway.





Hi Jim :D



 
I live 5 min from blue mt academy, I'd like to build a hangar there but you can't fly on Saturday due to their religion.
 
This colors reserved for russians only. Nice plane Alex. Nice video but dont forget belts next time

Udachi
Ulian
 
Time to update the collection

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first time I landed in grass in my rv-4 last Saturday


Great idea Travis! I landed my RV9A on the same grass first time in MO. The highest elevated grass I've ever been to.










Dry Bay, Alaska AK3. The roughest and the harshest surface my RV landed on. One time is enough lots of adrenaline :D














Cordova Municipal airport CKU in Alaska. The most bird infested airspace in the world. Parking is on the other side of the road. Forget your wheel fairings at home...






 
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Isabel 3Y7, Lower Granite State 00W

Isabel, SD. Stopped there just because I can :)




Quick walk to town. Sparky's Bar and Grille opens early morning...





We haven't seen airplanes here for quite some time said a farmer :D








Little heaven in WA. 00W Lower Granite State airport.












You walk straight to the Snake River beach it's 100F+ outside. The beer of your choice is waiting for you already cooled by the river. Don't pay attention to scratched ale can. It went through the dam...





Swim and enjoy the food is hanging above you.


 
Gastons in Arkansas

Now that I live on a grass strip in Shell Knob, MO, we have been exploring the local establishments. Gastons Resort (3M0) is a great place to have a Sunday brunch.




 
Now that I live on a grass strip in Shell Knob, MO, we have been exploring the local establishments. Gastons Resort (3M0) is a great place to have a Sunday brunch.






I see wetlands there. Any swimming holes Bud? :)
 
88C Palmyra WI, 3KK Kankakee IL, 9A9 Shiflet NC

Great smooth runway at Palmyra WI but fuel is locked on the weekends and nobody around.






Kankakee, Illinois 3KK has two intersecting runway but they are not for RV use. Surface is rough. Lots of antiques in their hangar but gas farm is empty when you need it the most. No picture for that :D




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Shiflet 9A9 in North Carolina is super friendly any time of the day. There is always a pilot or two around who will gladly give you a ride to a food place and run fuel pump with their club discount. Bring cash for that :)



 
5TN4 McGraw's Backyard

If you never been to McGraw's Backyard I strongly recommend to obtain a permission to land there. Absolutely unique strip well hidden behind the Smokies.






Study the terrain there is a pleasant surprise. The runway has an upslope don't dive over approach end. Runway will meet you :D





You don't need brakes if you manage your energy right you roll all the way to the top.






On take off you don't need power just release the brakes, wait for rotation speed and voila you are airborne :D






Pure dam enjoyment after that.







 
The runway has an upslope ...
You don't need brakes if you manage your energy right you roll all the way to the top.

Manage you're energy ?! I had to ADD throttle to get to the parking area :D

It is a great strip and outstanding hospitality!
 
5TN4 - McGraws Backyard

Vlad,
I wish I had been home when you stopped in, work got in the way. The runway does have a 5% upslope. That is actually the new runway, my previous runway was 15% :eek: it's still there I just don't mark and mow it. I use it personally when I get bored:)
 
Secret Ks location, best grasshopper farm west of the Mississippi. I had large chunks of those critters scattered everywhere when I returned home.
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Secret NY location. The lead brought me in and stayed at an altitude ready to support if needed :D






Critters here are big you don't want to mess up with them.






 
grass strips

My first couple hundred landings (and take offs) were in Taylorcrafts at Evergreen Airport where I learned to fly from Wally Olsen (Olson?) a long, long time ago. Dick V used to perform there in his RV3 at the NW Antique Aircraft Airshow each year. How many of you VR's were around and saw Dick perform - flawlessly I should add - back then?
 
My first landing on grass just a few hours after the maiden flight was at Engel?ya (ICAO code ENEN) in Steigen, Northern Norway.
Beautiful day on a great place!
Check the video here http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=90Zs5IOKDi4

It's lying just e few hundred meters from a wartime German coastal fortress called "Batterie Dietl" as far as I remember, which can be seen down on my starboard side when I'm on downwind.

Morten Raustein
 
SC82, SC00 and unnamed

Oakhill airpark runway is super smooth. It doesn't look plush like Triple Tree but you won't feel the difference when you touch down.








Famous Triple Tree.







This spot is terrible







it's even worse then this :D




 
My 1st Grass Strip

Van Sant. Really cool working my way in in front of a slow glider. I thought there was an event going on with all the peopl and motorcycles and cars and planes but the guys that landed in front of me told me it was like that all the time. They also had a Big Band band of sorts playing to a crowd in one of the main hangars.

Any smoother runways in the area Vlad? This wasn't too bad but a little bumpy. The runway also had a LOT of character, which was a good thing. As close to bush flying as I've been!;)


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Size Doesn't Matter!

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That's awesome! I had hoped to get some stearman time when I was getting my endorsement but I had to move on to RV's because the instructor was really hard to book time with. I've jumped out of a Navy N3N before I began flying myself. I had a parachute on!!:) Love the open cockpit!!
 
2VA3 Merlin Aerodrome

Merlin Aerodrome! Put it on your bucket list! Look at the grill they have. Volunteers were roasting full pigs on it all night :D





Nice surface long runway.





The owner is a very nice gentleman. A friend of mine from Canada (to the right) was recognized as the longest flyer to the event.





Mugsy Airshows put a smoking nice one man performance. I was occupied with cockpit duties and couldn't reach for the camera :D















Great place to meet old friends and make new ones. 2014 Grass Season is about to close...
 
The grass field in Canada at the top of the page is Hawkesbury (CNV4) Ontario along the Ottawa river between Montr?al and Ottawa. It belongs to the Montreal Soaring Council.
My son started flying glider with them this summer. I dropped him off with my RV6 one morning for his day at the club.
A couple of members also fly RVs.
 
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