What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

What is the narrowest runway your RV has landed?

tc1234c

tc1234c

Well Known Member
A week ago I let my son practice touch and goes at several airports in Indiana. When we approached Boone County airport (6I4) he commented about how narrow the runway was. It is 30' wide. Just curious what is the narrowest GA runway you have landed your RV.

03664.jpg

6I4 runway, 3,600' x 30'. Picture from AirNav.com
 
20' is not a problem.

I've landed at quite a few runways that were 20' wide.
As a matter of fact, MY runway is about 20'. It started out 25' but grass encroachment has it down to about 20'.
Of course it's 1500' long.
 
Harris Ranch (308) also 30' wide with a great place to eat at the end.
 
narrow rw

My -9A will be hangared at 1N1 (Sandia Air Park).

The rw is about 30x5200 or so.

It looked pretty skinny to me when my instructor & I did a couple of landings there.

I've been a student pilot flying out of AEG with a 150' wide rw.

I was worried at first but I think I'll be able to handle it when the time comes.

Dave
-9A finish kit
N514R reserved
 
Polly Ranch

Polly Ranch, where Paul and Louise are based is almost square. The elevation is 24' and the runway width is 22'. I think that the closeness of the houses is much more noticeable than the width, although when I landed there I noticed that I waited to reach a driveway (taxiway) until turning around.
 
Home base - 2300' x 30' Sure teaches you to use your rudder!
 
Last edited:
7ND8

Airnav.com lists it as 3400x50, but the actual dimension of the asphault runway is 3400x18. The turf makes up the actual difference. Yep, 18 little feet to plant an air tractor on and the cross winds are never easy up there. This is a private strip used for crop-dusting planes but it is by my in-laws house. I have not attempted it yet. Maybe after I get certified on aircraft carriers:D! At least it doesn't move.
 
I learned to fly at White Rock Airport and the width of the runway pavement was down to 12'.
Although I didn't have my RV at that time, I did regularly land my Globe Swift there.

If you haven't landed a Swift, you don't know how.......Oh, wait. That was a different thread.
 
Last edited:
Since I never allow my RV-6 to deviate from the centerline, I guess I land on a runway that is the width of the landing gear. :D :D

Let's see somebody top that one!!!!;)
 
n5lp said:
Polly Ranch, where Paul and Louise are based is almost square. The elevation is 24' and the runway width is 22'. I think that the closeness of the houses is much more noticeable than the width, although when I landed there I noticed that I waited to reach a driveway (taxiway) until turning around.
Click to expand...

Actually, I don't worry about turning at a taxiway/driveway. The RV-6 turns just fine on the 22' wide runway. (But, I bet I did the same as Larry my first few times coming in. It is spooky on your first....or any night....landing.)
 
Sam Buchanan said:
Since I never allow my RV-6 to deviate from the centerline, I guess I land on a runway that is the width of the landing gear. :D :D
Let's see somebody top that one!!!!;)
Click to expand...

If you just land on the left main and the tailwheel, you'd need only half of that!

Still need a full width taxiway though, I guess. :)

--Paul
 
Not in a RV, but ... One time I decided to land on the grass next to the runway after turning final and seeing the runway lights. Turned out to be the right decision: The runway was 40', and I was sitting in a glider with 49' wingspan that will put one wing down once you are too slow for the ailerons ... ;)
 
Louise Hose said:
Actually, I don't worry about turning at a taxiway/driveway. The RV-6 turns just fine on the 22' wide runway. (But, I bet I did the same as Larry my first few times coming in. It is spooky on your first....or any night....landing.)
Click to expand...

Plus, the runway lights are offset to one side giving the impression there's more pavement out there in the blackness - that isn't :eek:
 
Gsuit said:
Plus, the runway lights are offset to one side giving the impression there's more pavement out there in the blackness - that isn't :eek:
Click to expand...

Most folks are so keyed up and stunned after their first night landing at Polly that they have no recollection of how they cleared the runway...;)

I can't think of anyplace narrower than the "home field" that I've landed the Val - seemed a bit spooky at first, but you can get used to anything.

Paul
 
Sudan

I mentioned Polly Ranch but I was thinking some more and Sudan, Texas came to mind. I looked it up and the width is listed as 20'. As is the case with Polly Ranch, the landable width is actually wider. It is more challenging to land on a ranch road that has drainage ditches and fences right along side.

I thought of Sudan, because I found it trickier than Polly Ranch because the undulations have caused me to lose sight of the entire runway during the flare. Maybe that would be a good time to do a tail low or wheel landing. I have been to some great Lubbock EAA lunches at Sudan.
 
Practice

It's good practice to land on a narrow strip. It makes a big airport seems truly spacious. Sycamore (9F9) is 30 feet wide, but grass is creeping over the edges. With a crosswind, and the apartment complex wall to your left as you land on 17, and especially with a train passing on your right, it'll make you sit up and take notice. After that, landing just about anyplace else is a breeze.
 
Roosterville, MO

After I landed and remarked to the fellow on how narrow the runway seemed he pointed to the sign in the window which reads "you've just landed on the narrowest runway in Missouri, 2780 x 20 ft".

The wheels were on the runway but that's about it, wings over the edge on both sides. Airplane of course loaded to the gills with 2 people, full baggage and full fuel.

We were on our way Osh for the first time and they were advertising the cheapest fuel. Mental note to self from now on to check runway width and length :eek:
 
One day in East Texas, we got caught in deteriorating ceilings and put down on a 40' wide paved strip with 3' or 4' tall sagebrush right up to the pavement on both sides. I figured I had about 8' of clearance on each side and that if I got a wingtip into the sagebrush, the entire airplane would probably follow.

I paid a lot of attention to staying on the centerline that day.
 
Twin oaks, TX 2225/30

Another favorite landing was at Twin Oaks TX, just N of San Antonio Intl. It's under their class C and when I called approach they said "are sure you want to land there?". Of course I said yes but I did not have it in sight yet so he said "follow the road East until you see the burger King, make a right go about 2 blocks and make another right and you should see it". He was right, it was more like an alley in between some houses than a runway, of course it had the obligatory trees on both sides and at both ends which really helped the pucker factor :cool:
 
Two Candidates

Spicewood, TX (88R): 9 meters (that sounds narrower)
I have heard of one VAF member who landed his T-6 on this runway.

01359.jpg



Platte Valley, CO (18V): 12 meters (local fuel depot)

00184.jpg
 
Last edited:
Pacific City, Oregon.

30' x 1875'. Most interesting thing about my first trip in there is that I was above clouds on the downwind, and couldn't see the runway until almost turning final. Locals said the clouds would stay right there and they did. For departures southbound, one taxis right up to a little barricade adjoining the main street. People walking on the sidewalk 10' from your wing during runup is interesting. Had to turn 20 degrees inland on takeoff as the clouds were about right over the runway. The clouds just sit like that all day.

Another interesting strip is a friend's strip in Wisconsin. I suppose the grass is 60' wide, but there are trees right on the sides, so one tends to keep things on center line there. 2000' long, with wires on the south end and trees on the north.
 
Last edited:
But, it's being nice...

Gsuit said:
Plus, the runway lights are offset to one side giving the impression there's more pavement out there in the blackness - that isn't :eek:
Click to expand...

...to any gliders that may come in...:)

Our airpark runway is 44 ft wide, but we spaced the runway lights 75 ft apart - but offset equally on both sides.
 
Not in an RV, but Texas Soaring (TA11), 3400' x 25' with a lot of closely spaced undulations that tend to bounce you back in the air. The grass is a better choice unless it's soggy or cracked and dry. CT's wingspan is 30', Duo Discus is 65'. No lights to worry about :)

TSA-NW_web.jpg


TODR
 
Every day

There are parts of the strip I currently fly from (2TX1) where the usable surface is about 25 feet wide, with a pretty good crown. Couple of narrow areas bounded by ditches with a culvert running under the runway. Keeps me on my toes. :)
 
Walt said:
Another favorite landing was at Twin Oaks TX, just N of San Antonio Intl. It's under their class C and when I called approach they said "are sure you want to land there?". Of course I said yes but I did not have it in sight yet so he said "follow the road East until you see the burger King, make a right go about 2 blocks and make another right and you should see it". He was right, it was more like an alley in between some houses than a runway, of course it had the obligatory trees on both sides and at both ends which really helped the pucker factor :cool:
Click to expand...

<chuckle> that is my mother's neighborhood. I grew up there and spent way more years there than I care to admit. We fly into SAT with full service with a smile as opposed to dealing with the grumpy old guy that lives on the field. Not worth it at all. I've been watching people drop into the houses on each end of the field since the mid '70s, even before some moron developer decided (and got approved) to put up some two story houses on the SE end of the field. SAT is way easier. Landmark North FBO.
 
Ironflight said:
Most folks are so keyed up and stunned after their first night landing at Polly that they have no recollection of how they cleared the runway...;)

I can't think of anyplace narrower than the "home field" that I've landed the Val - seemed a bit spooky at first, but you can get used to anything.

Paul
Click to expand...

After all the landings that Gary "Seismo" Zilik and I have all around the country, we didn't even think anything of the runway being narrow: we just landed :D We found it much harder just trying to find the airport, and eventually found it when we were directly overhead: It's in the middle of a huge neighborhood! Here we are leaving Paul & Louise's house at Polly Ranch earlier this year :) Rosie

Polly_Ranch1.jpg


Polly_Ranch.jpg
 
IA24

This is the runway I've just finished learning to fly on:

ITK6843.jpg


One positive thing about it - if you learn how to land on this, you can land pretty much anywhere.
 
Home Base

DeltaRomeo said:
http://www.airnav.com/airport/61TE

20' wide runway......(the RV-6 wingspan is 23')

17579.jpg


Great homemade pies walking distance from tiedown <g>.
Click to expand...

I've been based at Keezer since 2005. It is a very nice, well kept place and the owner is a great guy. Runway is 20' wide and I haven't run off the side yet. I think the bigger deal is the hill in the middle that doesn't allow you to see the other end. On the other hand it can help your landings. You just flare and let the runway come up and meet you. One negative though, if the pies DR was talking about were at the Wild Onion, they are closed. Looks like for good this time.

On a side note. I once landed an A-10 on a 40' wide runway. The wingspan is 57'. Needless to say I flared late.
 
The skinniest runway for me...

so far has been Westheimer O07, west of Houston. 28 feet wide, no centerline and a lip off the concrete. The taxiways are just as interesting, taking no more than the gear. Stay on your toes!
 
I was commenting to my instructor one time about how narrow the runway was at a particular airport and he said, "Funny thing about those runways, they put the centerline in the same place on every one of them...":)
 
At the opposite end of the spectrum, the last time I flew was out of Amarillo International - what a huge runway!

I'm pretty sure the little Aero Commander could have perpendicular to the runway.
 
42' is the narrowest my RV has been on (1O3 - Lodi, CA) but how would you count a non-runway landing? (Not that I've done one, but I'm sure someone has by now.)
 
I landed at KAMA last week

BikePilot said:
At the opposite end of the spectrum, the last time I flew was out of Amarillo International - what a huge runway!
Click to expand...

Good grief, I taxied a long way to get to TAC Air. That runway is long. Lots of military traffic such as the Harriers we were parked beside. (See pic link) Also, we had an Osprey Tilt rotor land on the taxi way behind us as we were doing the runup. I inched towards the runway line trying to get more room between us as I was concerned about the down wash. That was the first time I'd ever seen one in real life. All I can say is, incredible! Nice cafe' on the field as well.

I think I could have been at 3 times pattern altitude by the end of the runway when we took off.

Bmon1JHoGo8ms2ndhCRwtg
 
Cool! Fantastic picture. I really like the paint on your plane too.

I've only flown there once and didn't see any military planes, but did see many civil planes of all shapes and sizes. The instructor I flew with arranged to land near our taxiway so we didn't have to drive around on the ground too much. I'm told the runway was built so huge so that it could serve as a shuttle alternative (don't know if that's true or not).
 
Narrow Runway 6I4

Ted is right about Boone County. It is narrow. I have been in there twice. My daughter lives near there. It is the airport of choice when we visit our grandchildren. We were there the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I think the local pilots prefer the parallel grass strip. One of them was flying off the phase 1 test in a nice RV9A. He has not installed the wheel fairings. I watched him land on the grass just befor my wife and I departed.
 
A friend of mine landed his RV-9A on 18 feet wide road last year. The air was still and thick (-25C) and the road was long enough for a hundred T&Gs.

Somewhere in Russia

flyingcar.jpg
 
BikePilot said:
Cool! Fantastic picture. I really like the paint on your plane too.

I've only flown there once and didn't see any military planes, but did see many civil planes of all shapes and sizes. The instructor I flew with arranged to land near our taxiway so we didn't have to drive around on the ground too much. I'm told the runway was built so huge so that it could serve as a shuttle alternative (don't know if that's true or not).
Click to expand...

The shuttle has landed there on its piggyback 747. At least there was a pic in the restaraunt that showed it there.

I just got back from the Amarillo area again 20 minutes ago. I have an interest in exploring the old west battle grounds from the air and am currently hot on the trail of the Red River Indian Wars.

Thanks for the compliments Josh. Now we return you to the narrowest landing strip thread...
 
I dropped off a friend to pick up a Ag Tractor at a cropduster's strip where the wings of the 8 was wider and the edges were a six inch drop off....I stayed on my toes. The width didn't get my attention as much as the nonforgiving edges.
I do touch and goes on a county highway that is about 22 feet. It is in a area that is very sparsely populated and seldom used.
 
12 Feet

12 Feet wide. A private paved strip north of KDEN. One of our guys in a TW 6 got his tail wheel stuck in the mud trying to turn around after back taxiing.
 
OT - WIDE

Landed at Plattsburg, NY. It is a SAC B-52 base that has been converted to civil use. The runway was, I believe, 12,000 X 300 ft wide! They re-striped to to just 150 feet wide and just let the grass grow up on the left over 75 feet on each side.

The ramp - where they used to park rows and rows of B-52's was equally impressive. We were in a Citation and could have taken off in any direction from the ramp. Maybe 8,000 X 5,000?!


My runway is as wide as I care to mow it. Usually do 8 passes = 40 feet. What's the record on this thread? 18? Do I need to post a picture to break it? :D

Edit - 12? Now that's just crazy!
 
Neenah, WI (Brennand, 79C)- 20ft wide pavement. On the day I landed the RV-7A there the surrounding grass was extremely wet, so the incentive to stay on the asphalt was high, to say the least. At that time there were 3 windsocks around the runway, each was showing a different direction!

Looks like a RC strip from the air, figuring out where to flare is interesting due to the altered perspective.

http://www.airnav.com/airport/79C

Mark Olson N407V RV-7A ~600hrs
 
Plattsburg, Pease and Clark

JDRhodes said:
Landed at Plattsburg, NY. It is a SAC B-52 base that has been converted to civil use. The runway was, I believe, 12,000 X 300 ft wide! They re-striped to to just 150 feet wide and just let the grass grow up on the left over 75 feet on each side.

The ramp - where they used to park rows and rows of B-52's was equally impressive. We were in a Citation and could have taken off in any direction from the ramp. Maybe 8,000 X 5,000?!


My runway is as wide as I care to mow it. Usually do 8 passes = 40 feet. What's the record on this thread? 18? Do I need to post a picture to break it? :D

Edit - 12? Now that's just crazy!
Click to expand...

I was a navigator on tankers flying out of Plattsburg. That is the standard SAC runway.

We were on a fighter drag headed to the mideast. We took off out of Pease, another 300' by 11,000' runway. That time the tanker was loaded to 285,000 lbs. We still had the old J79 engines. Let's just say we go a much better view of the departure end of the runway than I ever want to see again.

There was also one like it at Clark in the Philippines. Flying C-130's out of Clark we always requested a midfield departure. The Herk did not need much more than 3500 ft. That is more to my liking.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top