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Bonneville Salt Flats

Vlad

Well Known Member
Bonneville Salt Flats is a backcountry strip 10 nm northeast of Wendover KENV.

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It runs NE-SW parallel the Speedway and is in great shape.

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The white color of salt flats makes it harder to identify. Make a pass or two. There is no windsock and no parking area. Just miles and miles of the runway. Take your weather report from Wendover.

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View to the NE.

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View to the SW.

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Surface is nice and smooth with great braking action. Looks like Alton Bay ice runway but not slippery.

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If you venture off the runway there are crusty salt risings which may mess up your nice wheel pants. 2" max but sharp. Not Alvord Desert where you can land in any direction.

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Great experience overall.

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My buddy flew a drone and was wondering what are those yellow spots on white. I was puzzled too till had to walk a mile to make one...

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Sweet! I've been to Wendover a couple times, love flying over the salt flats but never thought of landing there. Now I've got another item on my checklist for the next trip up there!
 
Just be sure to wash the plane really well. That salt can do nasty things to aluminum.
 
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Went to the Salt Flats just over a month ago to crew for a land speed racer buddy. When I got back, I blew as much of the salt off my car as possible with compressed air to avoid turning it into salt water that could seep into nooks and crannies. Then went to the self serve car wash and washed as much of the salt off as possible with the high pressure wand.

Salt is still falling off my car onto the driveway. Next time, I'll rent a car. The RV will never go there as long as the engine is still running. We'll stick with IBEX https://utahbackcountrypilots.org/airports/view/IBEX

Cheers, David
RV-6A - KBTF
 
Went to the Salt Flats just over a month ago to crew for a land speed racer buddy. When I got back, I blew as much of the salt off my car as possible with compressed air to avoid turning it into salt water that could seep into nooks and crannies. Then went to the self serve car wash and washed as much of the salt off as possible with the high pressure wand.

Salt is still falling off my car onto the driveway. Next time, I'll rent a car. The RV will never go there as long as the engine is still running. We'll stick with IBEX https://utahbackcountrypilots.org/airports/view/IBEX

Cheers, David
RV-6A - KBTF

I would never land any aircraft there. I parked my motorhome there for a couple of days while doing some race car testing and it rusted many things underneath overnight. It doesn't matter how much you wash it, it will never be the same. The surface can change very quickly where you thought it was a hard surface it can turn to salt slush without any warning.
george
 
I have never landed there but have been there in cars many times from my teens into my 30's watching speed trials. It is a blast and one of my favorite memories. Never had any issues with rust. Cars, motorcycles, and every other weird type of land vehicle you can imagine ran there. Most being every bit as complex as our planes and I don't remember rust being that big of a deal. People washed their cars or bikes.

If you get a chance to go watch the speed trials, go. If you dont want to fly in - drive. It is an experience you will always remember.
 
Driving cars over the flats for prolonged time and landing an RV on a groomed concrete-like dust free surface are too different things. Usually after landing on a dry lake bed my floor carpet is full of dust and clay. The shoes were nearly clear this time. Go don't worry. :D

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Cool place

We have been out to wendover twice.
Interesting airport and the salt flats and mountains make a pretty Sight.


https://youtu.be/N5Fhojlk-3U The f...at Wendover [/https://youtu.be/Ok0AYtgpAKg
 
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Nice ride over evaporators ponds. Very close to the flats. My good buddy from KY showed up the other day and we went to the flats. He loved it.

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Great Report Vlad!

After reading about the yearly exploits of Speed Week and other Bonneville Salt Flats reports over 50 yrs, I finally went to speed week a few years ago. Apparently, it is a roll of the dice to find the salt in a dry, hard condition.

I think Vlad has the skills and a hidden superpower of luck!! Great report Vlad, I wondered about landing there myself. It would be great for someone to report the salt conditions for a repeat.

The salt on the rental car was hard as a rock where it was thrown on the rocker panels. To walk around on it, it felt like squeaky beach sand, with a specific water content. More than a couple of vehicles were pulled out as they suddenly sank driving in various areas off the race and return paths. In one case there was the sinker#1, then helper (#2) and helper (#3), followed by a track type tractor to pull them all to solid "salt".

OK, test, - who knows how the salt is deposited there?
 
Went to the Flats during Speed Week. The runway is freshly groomed.

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Speedsters.

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Zoomed.

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Short final. A row of port-a-potties helps to judge the height :)

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Do you see a truck heading my way from the operations area?

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Is there a problem Sir?
There are not suppose to be any flying objects over the races...
It's a backcountry strip here and I see no NOTAMs prohibiting operations ...
.... Nice plane you have.
Thanks want a ride?
No I am busy with the event.
You have a nice day Sir!

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Today's salt was very sticky. I could't scrub it off my shoes and had to bag them. The salt held some moisture from previous rain. Don't come this week wait till it dries. :)
 
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Vlad, it has been a few years since we crossed paths (before you were flying!), but that hat is just comical to a Texan. Sized just a few gallons small. Come on through and we'll get some brisket and beer, but I'll never be able to fix that picture of the hat :).

Nice operation!
 
Vlad, it has been a few years since we crossed paths (before you were flying!), but that hat is just comical to a Texan. Sized just a few gallons small. Come on through and we'll get some brisket and beer, but I'll never be able to fix that picture of the hat :).

Nice operation!

Thanks Scottski! I don't have much choice on the gallons it's a uniform Stetson :) Hmmm brisket and beer sounds great! Mid November?...

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Thanks for the inspiration Vlad… taken this morning at sunrise :D
 

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Dan you are breaking record after record... no foreign aircraft ever landed at Bonneville Flats... and somewhere else... :)

Good job Globe Trotter looking forward to see you at my place...

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Dan you are breaking record after record... no foreign aircraft ever landed at Bonneville Flats... and somewhere else... :)

Good job Globe Trotter looking forward to see you at my place...

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Vlad, is that your plane here in Vegas? I saw one with this paint today.. If it is you, what’s with those brackets poking out of the wheel pants?
 
Do I really look like Vlad :confused:
;)

PS
The “brackets” plates are for the hangers in the hangar back home…
 
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Do I really look like Vlad :confused:
;)

PS
The “brackets” plates are for the hangers in the hangar back home…

Haha I misread the posts.. now I understand! I thought Vlads plane wasent painted.. and is US registered. Beautiful plane! I saw it out on the ramp today!
 
Dan stopped by the other day.

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Cleaned the salt from the tailwheel and greased it.

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Then left in unknown direction. Anybody knows where he is heading? :)

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