Olancha, CA Landing Strip -- Worsening Condition

I drove by the Olancha strip last week and found that it is in even
worse condition than the last time I saw it. Brush is starting to get
sizable on the "cleared" landing area. The strip was already marginal
even for 15M but the brush encroaching on the open area almost
guarantees a ground loop. If you absolutely must land there, don't use
the south half (south of the fencepost). Also, don't land at the very
northern end because there is brush that reduces it's width and large
steel standpipe about 3 feet tall on the west side right at the start
of the "clearing". Doesn't leave much for you to use -- alternatives
recommended.

Steve
AM

I drove by in January and again last week. In January
it was unrecognizable as a landing strip - the 'cleared'
area was about 400 ft long and 20 ft wide, waist-high
brush all around it. Last week it had been much improved,
as Steve describes. Land from the north, avoid the
55 gallon oildrum at threshold, you should be slow
when you reach the narrower part.

Talked to a rancher in Cartago [northern end of the
Olancha greenery] who maintained that the large meadows
to the east of the town are landable - maybe. Or maybe
he just didn't want me to choose his small paddock
again..

Ian



At 02:54 02 July 2004, Steve Pawling wrote:
I drove by the Olancha strip last week and found that
it is in even
worse condition than the last time I saw it. Brush
is starting to get
sizable on the 'cleared' landing area. The strip was
already marginal
even for 15M but the brush encroaching on the open
area almost
guarantees a ground loop. If you absolutely must land
there, don't use
the south half (south of the fencepost). Also, don't
land at the very
northern end because there is brush that reduces it's
width and large
steel standpipe about 3 feet tall on the west side
right at the start
of the 'clearing'. Doesn't leave much for you to use
-- alternatives
recommended.

Steve
AM

When I drove by in April, the alfalfa field directly across 395 to the east
looked good. Did I miss something?

"Ian Cant" wrote in message
...
I drove by in January and again last week. In January
it was unrecognizable as a landing strip - the 'cleared'
area was about 400 ft long and 20 ft wide, waist-high
brush all around it. Last week it had been much improved,
as Steve describes. Land from the north, avoid the
55 gallon oildrum at threshold, you should be slow
when you reach the narrower part.

Talked to a rancher in Cartago [northern end of the
Olancha greenery] who maintained that the large meadows
to the east of the town are landable - maybe. Or maybe
he just didn't want me to choose his small paddock
again..

Ian



At 02:54 02 July 2004, Steve Pawling wrote:
I drove by the Olancha strip last week and found that
it is in even
worse condition than the last time I saw it. Brush
is starting to get
sizable on the 'cleared' landing area. The strip was
already marginal
even for 15M but the brush encroaching on the open
area almost
guarantees a ground loop. If you absolutely must land
there, don't use
the south half (south of the fencepost). Also, don't
land at the very
northern end because there is brush that reduces it's
width and large
steel standpipe about 3 feet tall on the west side
right at the start
of the 'clearing'. Doesn't leave much for you to use
-- alternatives
recommended.

Steve
AM

When I drove by in April, the alfalfa field directly across 395 to the east
looked good

I checked that field out, a few years back and it looks good and is the only
landable place in that area. I know a guy that tried to land on Owens lake. He
thought everything was fine as he rolled along on what appeared to be the hard
surface near the southern end. Then he broke through the crust and sank 4 foot
into a muddy, alkaline quagmire. The rest of this story is too grim to relate,
but it took a gang of pilots to get the Nimbus 4 out of there. He told me the
alkaline actually started to eat at his landing gear.
Take the alfalfa field,
JJ Sinclair