Difficult Strips

"CB" wrote in message ...
"Teacherjh" wrote in message
...

http://www.quantity-surveyor.org.uk/P0005328.JPG

The picture of this one give a good idea. (Excuse the dead bugs on the
windshield). The view is on final with the dogleg to straighten up over
the
runway. Fortunately the runway soon goes uphill after the touchdown point.


Color me stupid, but is that the runway, parallel to the highway? If so,
this
is SOME dogleg! It looks more like you're on base to very short final...
and
you're still pointing pretty close to the gas station, though admittedly
not
directly in line.

Where is this strip?

The runway is runs parallel to the highway.

The strip is in England these are some additional tips

a.. If the wind is SW, expect a bit of sink over the small wood about a
mile out on finals.
b.. If the wind is NW, start the last second turn onto the 26 runway
slightly earlier than you want to - you'll be blown onto the centreline
during the turn. You can always reduce the turn if not, and it's much easier
than tightening it if you don't turn early enough,
c.. if the wind is anywhere south of west, USUALLY you get smoother air in
the last 20 feet. The runway is either shielded by the wood to the south, or
at very low levels the wind is funnelled round it straight down the runway.
d.. If it is your first time on26 at Popham, I recommend that when you
come down the angled approach to 26, you deliberately come in slightly high.
The only problem with 26 is the psychological problem of that final last
second turn onto the runway. If you come in low, you end up doing the turn
and landing at almost the same time and if you get it right it works.
(Conversely.. .etc). There is actually a fair amount of runway, and the
final bit slopes up, so if you complete the last minute turn slightly high,
you have time to ensure you are properly aligned, and your momentum is down
the runway before landing. I often advise new Popham renters to have a look
at the two large trees bordering the fuel station and make sure they are not
below their tops as they pass them on short finals - this is about right for
having enough height to turn the final corner and still have runway left.
However, at Popham you should always prepare for a landing but be ready for
a go-around!

Difficult strips as the particular may be altered to the
general aspects of difficult strips.

And the worst aspect is the flight in and out, because the speed
makes the danger higher.

And for the small or large strip user the altitude of go arround
decision making is the worst aspect in my mind.

Having to decide to go arround at 100 feet is a very nasty
air strip. Because if the landing is attempted and the
setup was bad, then a late go arround is wishful thinking.

Only a crash would result.

So airstrips need special local knowledge for this reason.
Even ones on the East Coast at sea level.

So a complete list of special knowledge required, air strips
is a good idea.

Except the type of plane and its abilities defines the extent
of the hazard. So take the C-172 as the average airplane,
and load to maximum and then select the hazardous air strips.

Also make the air temperature, 90 degrees F, and very humid.

And then many strips are hazardous. So in retrospect, this type
of aircraft caused hazard is able to be predicted without local
knowledge.

So, start over here.

Select the strips whose local knowledge is unavailable to the
flying pilot. So remove runway length, obstructions, etc from the
cause of the hazard.

And we are left with things like, illusions, birds, cars, wind,
etc.

Making the rather common list of small hazards that can ruin your
day. And these are so common that all strips are hazardous
due to the fox family living near the runway.

So starting over again.

Maybe the quality of the obstruction or the nature to the
angle is the best determiner of the local knowledge strip.

And here is the meaning of experience. A pilot litterally
has to fly the airstrip with a guide, in order to safely
negociate the hazard.

The first time will encounter the emergency.

That is a real nice list of air strips. A list where a guide
is necessary, the first time.

A person driving there and walking the runway first is able to
reduce the hazard level, but it is not the same as flying.

So strips where the hazard is uniquely distinct, is the defined
dangerous airstrips.

So the list is in relation to the guidence of the guide booklet
of the FAA. And here the list is left to accident statistics to
define. A short field takeoff, required, 3000 foot runway at sea level
is going to have C-172 accidents. Uncommonly high pine trees
and the lack of knowledge of the exact height can cause this.

Going back to the defined hazardous strip. Are the hazard's that
dangerous. And the answer appears a rush to take of and land as the
failure.

Who would rush into the Rockies to land at the airport for a hamburger?

And so the answer is the quality of the FAA booklet. Little
warning is communicated. Tree hazards are so common that the
uncommon deadly hazard is written identically.

So the FAA could just have a local knowledge required for the airport
without the wind sock.

Except all the air standards are to make a uniform air system. Not
one full of odd hazards.

So at this point I give up the analysis and return to the list
of favorite runways to warn of. As a local hanger flying list.

And arround here there are several odd runways.

I expect the odd runways are every where. They are generally
ill fit as airports and are privately owned. I want to
make one of the 20 degree slope runways for the fun of it.

And making the hazard the fun extreme slope is the problem
with ill fit airports. The level part would be barely sufficient
to land on, requiring the aircraft carrier landing on the slope.

These are common in some mountainous areas. Fun air strips.

The hanger flying warning reduces to, in general, "do not
hamburger fly into little airports".

So the challenge of finding fun airstrips to land at is
a true pastime. And it is to not be practiced with a full
load of sightseers.

Just a light loaded C-172 is all that is allowed for
landing the first time at odd airports. Follow this
rule and the list becomes the fun air strip list.

Bangin up a C-172 is OK as long as the people inside are OK
afterwards.

Hand here begins the change of topic, to off field landing.
Bush pilots do it, and landing instead of continuing flight
into bad weather is another topic.