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Grass Strips

dweyant

Well Known Member
Hope this is the right place to post this...

I have a grand total of 1 grass strip landing.

My wife and I would really like to move to an aviation community. We have found one that works great for us location, cost, etc. Except it is a turf field.

So my question is, how much should I let that bother me? Obviously I can/will get a little bit of time with an instructor to make sure my short/soft field technique is good, but is it realistic to fly a 9A (building still a couple years off), and a Cessna Cardinal off of a grass strip?

Thanks,

-Dan
 
That depends in part on the length and condition of the strip. An acquaintance of mine regulary operates his Comanche off a well-maintained, 2,700-foot grass strip with no issues. At least two Grumman Tigers use the same strip (it's a fly-in community, GA35).
 
Do it Dan. Get a good CFI master slow flight and enjoy softer touch. You will love it!
 
That depends in part on the length and condition of the strip. An acquaintance of mine regulary operates his Comanche off a well-maintained, 2,700-foot grass strip with no issues. At least two Grumman Tigers use the same strip (it's a fly-in community, GA35).

Field is 2500x 75 feet. Plenty wide enough, and should be plenty long enough.

-Dan
 
Thanks for the responses, they help.

I don't know why, but I've got a bit of a phobia about grass strips. I'm sure it's only because I have so few (1) landings.

Just wanting to make sure this makes sense before I convince the wife to move.....

-Dan
 
Grass is GOOD!

As an Army guy I've operated helicopters off just about everything, including water, snow, etc. But that doesn't count. My airplane experience, mostly Military, never included grass runways. When I went to fly the RV-7 with Mike Seager in Vernonia, OR I got my first chance to fly an airplane off grass. It was great! Down here in CA it's very hard to find a grass runway so I haven't been on one since then, and I really miss it. Grass has a great feel and just seems "right" somehow in the RV, you'll love it. I really need to find some grass to land on...

Vernonia is about 3000 feet long with trees on one end, it would need to be quite a bit shorter before it became a performance issue. Don't hesitate to get a little training to be comfortable, 2,500 feet shouldn't be any issue at all.

Doug
 
If I could tear up my asphalt and put in grass for the same level of maintenance, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Grass strips are the ultimate!
 
9A on grass

My 9A has known no other home than its 3000' x 100' lighted grass strip. At least one of every flight it has been on has had a landing on grass for the past 3 years and 270 hours. Grass is a non-issue. In fact, one of the benefits of landing on grass is the lack of wear and tear on the tires. Because of the grass landings my tires still almost look brand new. I have heard of others with much less time than my plane going through their second or third set of tires.

Living on a private runway is a fantastic opportunity. If you have that opportunity, Carpe Diem! :D
 
RV's were designed and developed by Van on a grass strip. He continues to this day to operate all of the models on that same strip so it shouldn't be an issue. Just ensure that the grass strip is well maintained (i.e. smooth, mowed, good drainage, no gophers, etc.) and good pilot technique for landing and take off is used. Your tires should last longer too as previously stated... :D
 
You're lucky for the opportunity - my airport at KLMO is paved. Grass is softer and more forgiving in a crosswind.

In my opinion, grass is more civilized.

Dave
 
...Down here in CA it's very hard to find a grass runway so I haven't been on one since then, and I really miss it. Grass has a great feel and just seems "right" somehow in the RV, you'll love it. I really need to find some grass to land on...

...Doug

Try Columbia (O22) about a half hour NW of you at RV speeds. 4600ft paved & 2600ft grass, campground on field, state park and motels within walking distance.
 
Thanks for the feedback everyone.


I'm warming up to the idea of living on a grass strip. Aside from the huge hassle associated with selling a house and moving I'm starting to get really excited.

Oh, and it will probably get into my building time for a while. But it will mean I don't have to move an almost finished plane to the airport! Something that I've been a bit apprehensive about anyway.

-Dan
 
Although I have a -9 and not a -9A, I am now based on an airpark with a 2500' grass strip and I wish I had started here.

One nice thing about the -9 is the lower landing speed is really well suited for grass.
 
Does it look like this.....you'll be fine. :D

9193f004411d328c40e15116662727d1_zpsb0e99224.jpg
 
Try Columbia (O22) about a half hour NW of you at RV speeds. 4600ft paved & 2600ft grass, campground on field, state park and motels within walking distance.

Excellent idea! I don't know what I was thinking... I've landed at O22 many, many times in the CH-47, how could I forget there's a grass (maybe dirt this time year...) runway up there?

I landed at Montague (1O5) on my way back from the San Juan Islands recently. It has a "turf" runway that was actually just plain dirt with a few weeds on it. Even that was better than asphalt.

Doug
 
One thing to consider is how afternoon temperatures might effect the Cardinal takeoff performance.
 
While looking into getting an RV-6A, my research brought me to all those discussions and photos of nose-overs. That made me slightly hesitant, until the local RV guru (A&P and CFI, currently building his third RV) assured me that it was nothing to worry about if I did things right: keep extra power in for a soft touch-down, keep the stick all the way aft, etc.

I got the -6A, and before long I wanted to fly it to Cavanaugh Bay. (Nice picture, Brian!). A few days before the trip, I flew to Arlington to land on the grass. (In case I messed up, my mechanic's hangar is right by the runway...). Took the wheel pants off just in case. And when I landed, man, was it bumpy! I felt like I was off-roading in a Jeep! I landed several more times, and since then once per summer I go up to Arlington and practice landing on the grass. Landing on that crappy, rough, bumpy grass gives me the confidence that I can land on any grass strip (including Cavanaugh Bay, which is silky smooth. The difference is night and day).

So, yeah, don't worry about it.

And while we're talking about this... Have people damaged their wheel pants when landing on the grass? Or should I not bother to remove them when I fly to a grass strip?
 
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