Length of Airstrip.

[adrian222]

I want to put a airstrip out the front of home and was wondering what would be a good length. The plane that I am considering getting is a stol type plane. So for me I can just about land any where on the property.But for your average bush strip what would be a good length?. Maintenance is the main factor why I am asking. I could make it 2km long but I don't think that would be viable.

 

Adrian.

 

 

[Camel]

I think if you have clear approaches and departure and is not limited to a one way operation because of obstacles then my opinion would be that most light aircraft would handle 500 meters, bear in mind if you have a stiff xwind you may require extra length to land flap less or fast to deal with turbulence, also grass require more length than other surfaces, if you have the room 800m grass would be ample for most as long as the approaches are not obstructed in my opinion ! Just my two bobs worth !

 

 

[SSCBD]

The question is what aircraft do you want to land on it eg friends aircraft ? Are any GA?. If not and just looking for RAA types then 500m ish should be fine. It also relies as you are well versed on skill level and hours.

 

Other thought is get a bigger slasher that goes faster to cut the grass (I assume) and with a 2km strip we can all have a fly in. Even CASA could land on a 2k strip!*****

 

 

[kasper]

As they say - depends on who will operate what from it.

 

500m will see most RAAus aircraft operate in and out and its a big enough area of grass to manage.

 

I'm not a fan of mowing so I've 200m of "keep away its not a runway, nothing to see here" paddock

 

 

[adrian222]

I don't have to worry about too much grass living out west of the mountains.We have black soil here on the plains and can be made into a super smooth runway just by dragging a bit railway line welded together back and forth a few times. But when it rains things can get a bit sticky, but that doesn't often happen enough.

 

So what is a comfortable length for your average GA plane?

 

Adrian.

 

 

[SDQDI]

If you aren't worried about grass and are happy with a bare black soil strip and you want to land GA aircraft there regularly I reckon a 1000 metres would be ok and any longer would be an nice bonus.

 

As far as upkeep of a bare dirt strip goes make it the same width as your boom and keep it dosed up with roundup and preemergents and it will stay nice without too much time spent on it. Wet black soil isn't good on aircraft wheels but if you are happy with that limitation alls good. (Maybe Sus out some gravel roads close by and take note of guideposts (if lowwing) and signposts and powerlines so you can have an emergency backup if needed.)

 

 

[jetjr]

I think length for a fully loaded AT 802 is 1200?? Thats what fire guys look for.

 

Way overkill for RA but if your grooming and fencing, the extra length doesnt need to be perfctly maintained, you should try to get rain to run off

 

 

[Camel]

I don't have to worry about too much grass living out west of the mountains.We have black soil here on the plains and can be made into a super smooth runway just by dragging a bit railway line welded together back and forth a few times. But when it rains things can get a bit sticky, but that doesn't often happen enough.So what is a comfortable length for your average GA plane?

Adrian.

A C172 with 160HP will easy handle 500 m lightly loaded but max weight, hot day, soft surface or slope may be a very different story ! A 140 Cherokee will not be any good on that short a strip !

 

You want to build an airstrip for anyone and everyone then you need a tar sealed 1500meter runway with clear approaches and departures !

 

I have a grass farm strip, 800m and use a J230 ! At full weight! the grass is wet and long plus hot it would be dangerous to take off as it won't accelerate fast enough or get enough lift ! I also have trees and a power line to watch for ! With short dry grass, 24deg, 600kg MTOW there is no need for more than 500m,

 

I don't encourage others to fly in as I do not want neighbours to complain, so as Kasper said " nothing to see here, " .

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

I have 2 of 350mtr strips at my farm...Savannah is my normal ops but plenty have landed there but strictly Stol aircraft realistically. For Jabs etc you would need at least 600 mtrs

 

 

[djpacro]

Back in the good old days, before CASA, the govt was much more helpful - my recollection was that the old airstrip guide stated that 1500 ft was long enough for many light SE aircraft.

 

One example:

 

 

 

[kgwilson]

I'd just build the strip to suit myself so if I had a STOL aircraft that could easily land & takeoff in 350 metres, that's what I'd build. If I had flat land for a Km either end I'd just make sure there were no obstructions like fences, scrub or trees so in the even of an overrun there would be little or no damage.

 

 

[Bruce Tuncks]

If you can, I would recommend a cross-strip. Two strips of 500 m would be better than one of 1000m.

 

And as camel said, the approaches really matter. If they are nice and clear, you can really use all the strip.

 

 

[KRviator]

It depends on your planned use. I routinely fly an RV-9A out of a 700m strip with a 2% slope, use around 150-200m for takeoff downhill and around 350m for landing uphill, with a pretty crappy approach path. If you can get by with that, great. But if you plan on inviting some mates who may not be as familiar or have marginal performance with a strip that is adequate for you, then obviously longer than you need is better, and safer.

 

 

[Bruce Tuncks]

I operate from a 550m strip at the farm and the approach path has the shearing-shed in the way with about 50m of sheep-yards between the shed and the runway.

 

I don't like using it but then I've been spoiled by the ex ww2 strips at Gawler. Even truncated by the expressway they are hundreds of metres longer than the farm strip and there are 2 of them so the max cross wind can only be 45 degrees.

 

So I'm planning to move to the town strip, 11km away but 1000m of asphalt.. but still only one strip. If I ever get caught by a strong westerly wind, the alternative will be 50 km away at Naracoorte.

 

 

[adrian222]

Funny how you mention sheep yards Bruce I just spent the day pulling some old ones down . Getting rid of obstacles that can come into play.The runway will be running east - west with the westerly end starting near the house ,Then I have got 2km to a fence line.Plus the approaches that I will have are clear for miles as it is mainly flat farming country. But the numbers you guys are giving me have helped a lot.

 

 

[turboplanner]

I operate from a 550m strip at the farm and the approach path has the shearing-shed in the way with about 50m of sheep-yards between the shed and the runway.I don't like using it but then I've been spoiled by the ex ww2 strips at Gawler. Even truncated by the expressway they are hundreds of metres longer than the farm strip and there are 2 of them so the max cross wind can only be 45 degrees.

So I'm planning to move to the town strip, 11km away but 1000m of asphalt.. but still only one strip. If I ever get caught by a strong westerly wind, the alternative will be 50 km away at Naracoorte.

You’ll get good food there though!

 

 

[Aldo]

If you can afford 1000 then put in 1000 we could only manage 960 but we can get most things in and out fully loaded.

 

 

 

[boleropilot]

Still in the process of setting up a STOL 'strip at our property in Woolooman S E Qld - it's only 200m long (runs North/South) but has rising ground on all sides. Approach from the South is the 'best', straight in approach down a gentle slope, no problem for the Drifter - approach from the North is a little 'problematic' - you need to come in initially from the North West, fly down the slope with rising ground to the left, then do a little 30 degree turn to the right on short final. Sounds awful but a local lad recently did videos for me with his drone and I gotta say both approaches look a lot better than I expected - the videos show a perfect representation of what a pilot would see so it can't be wrong...can it?

 

As far as take-offs are concerned, I would stay low (I mean one metre) and build up as much speed as possible and then zoom up with a big pullback on the stick - from that point (in either direction) I will have enough height to turn to the West, where there is quite a lot of open ground, all sloping down away from me...not something I'd like to happen (naturally) but I will practice those zoom take-offs so I've got a good idea of where to go if the crap hits the prop...

 

It will be a fair weather strip, needing light wind on the nose, definitely no passengers, and probably half fuel as well - all of those factors will help if Murphy raises his ugly head...I'll try to get the video on BluNoob asap

 

cheers

 

BP