Short field for the Jab

[Guest brentc]

On my way home from a little fly-in near Rushworth on the weekend I was feeling brave so decided to drop into a mate's strip on the side of a hill.

 

It's 300 metres, on the side of a hill as you can see with trees at one end and a drop-off into a valley at the other.

 

Touched down one up at around 58 knots and pulled up with around 100 metres to spare.

 

For those contemplating operating the jab out of a short strip like this I'd recommend the long wing model such as J170, 230 or 430 plus you'd need to set a minimum width to operate from. This strip is simply too skinny for a Jab! The large tail of the Jab makes it prone to being affected by crosswinds and with limited traction on the front wheel on grass, directional control may be compromised.

 

Takeoff was pretty much uneventful, 1 stage of flap applied about 80% of the takeoff roll and liftoff at around the 200 metre mark with approximately a 10+ knot tailwind for operational reasons.

 

 

 

 

 

[quentas]

nice and challenging, keeps you on your toes. Its good to see unusual photos of airstrips. I probably wouldnt have picked it from altitude. Thanks Brent.

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

...... I probably wouldnt have picked it from altitude.

As another South Aussie, I understand that sentiment, I wouldnt have picked it either.... after all what is all that green stuff??

 

Andy

 

 

[Guest brentc]

Interesting comment regarding the terrain.

 

I was on my way back from an Aerochute fly in with my old flying buddies.

 

It's quite amazing to think that only 38 minutes flight from the pics above (close to Melbourne - east) were the conditions in the left pic below. The right hand pic was taken near Colac last weekend.

 

We also dropped in to see Werner Becker for those that know him. He showed us a video of a flyin at his house from a few years back. It looked like my first pics, but now looks like my second lot of pics.

 

He also told me about a well known gent from the Trike brigade who is quadreplegic (spelling?) David Jackar I think his name was? He is in the process of converting a J230 so he can fly it. He has no strength in his hands, but very strong arms.

 

 

 

 

[Tomo]

He is in the process of converting a J230 so he can fly it. He has no strength in his hands, but very strong arms.

That would be interesting to see how he does it...would he make the stick rotate around for the rudder or something....??

 

 

[Guest watto]

That is interesting Brent as I have a 230 and am builting a short strip at my place and have 300mtr of prime slightly down hill and at the end is a slight ramp and another 150 mtr for a good measure and it would be generally a one way strip as there is a hill after one end.

 

So it is good to know I am not wasting my time!

 

Watto

 

 

[Bruce Robbins]

Here's one from New Zealand. Touchdown on the first section which slopes uphill, then hang a right hand turn at the bald patch soon after, and finish the rollout slightly downhill.[ATTACH]6806.vB[/ATTACH]

 

 

 

[motzartmerv]

nice job brentc... would love to have seen it..be a bit dicey in a 160 like you say..

 

 

[BigPete]

Unless I'm mistaken - that's a 160 in the photo.

 

No - I'm just going blind (Sigh)

 

or am I?

 

regards

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Yes, i think your right... holy snappers you are a brave man brentc..

 

 

[Guest watto]

Hi guys, I have seen some amazing footage of some poky little strips and some at quiet high altitude to add to the degree of difficulty perched up on the edge of hill etc! you have to take you hat off to the guys who fly passengers in and out of them on almost a daily basis, I imagine though weather and conditions play a huge role in the accessability of these strips and there would be a lot of time when you would simply call up and find out what the conditions are like because as with my place the weather can be very different tucked in where I am compared to just a few km away on the coast (sometimes it is better, other times worse eg wind mainly).

 

Brent I am sure will agree these locations on approach depend on the point of focus, not to be mesmorised by the narrowness or length but to look straight down the centre of the field at the other end in a nice straight line is a way of getting a good landing.

 

 

[Tomo]

Brent I am sure will agree these locations on approach depend on the point of focus, not to be mesmorised by the narrowness or length

Or what's off the end...

 

check this one out, and it's just two of many that MAF fly into in the Papua New Guinea area...

 

Got a friend who flew there for something like 20yrs...He's got some good story's to tell that's for sure...!

 

 

 

 

[Guest watto]

Wow, now that is what I mean, I worked in the Solomon islands for a while and it is very similar!!!!!

 

Watto

 

 

[Guest brentc]

I can't believe the insult thrown at me here suggesting that my J400 is in fact a J160 ! arrrggg

 

I've gotta say the J400 is very handy with the extra seats. Had occasion to throw an extra pax in the rear today to give someone a ride back to their field. No worries, jump in the back, no worries with W&B or performance. Pity that RA is limited to 2, however depending on many things it can go from a sports-car to a Mack truck in performance so great care is needed.

 

Watto, thinking about your 300 metres, I think the width is the important part and not just the length on its' own. With a bit of extra width there's room for a bit of a run-up. This strip had no run-up area. Worst case, one up and you'll be fine. As I was saying the 230 is quite suseptible to a cross-wind, I wonder if others have noticed this.

 

 

[Guest watto]

I have managed to get at least 50 mtrs at the narrowest part and openning out so the angle of attack can vary a fair bit. and at the end on landing the last 20 mtrs is ramped up hill a bit to wash off the last bit of speed if needed and give a good run up on take off

 

Watto

 

 

[bushpilot]

So Brent, what is your short field take-off technique?

 

On grass or roughish ground, do you think it is worth pulling the a/c off the deck as early as possible to get into ground-affect?

 

 

[Guest brentc]

Interesting question Chris.

 

This is specifically with regard to the Jab. I find with more than 1 POB getting into ground-effect is not always possible early, in that it still needs quite a bit of speed to come un-stuck from the ground which makes me wonder if sometimes it's best left on the ground until it's going faster.

 

The problem is that by attempting to get the aircraft of the ground as quickly as you can, this invetibly leads to lifting of the nose wheel and as a result an instant reduction in acceleration. The shortest takeoff can be achieved by leaving the nose as low as possible for as long as possible with flaps up and the applying flap and rotating. Downsides of this may be that you may lower the flaps too late and you could have taken off sooner.

 

I guess you just need to find a happy medium that doesn't destroy your undercarriage.