Where CAN you land your plane??

The guy complaining about the next door airport got me thinking more about
a question that's been rolling around in my head for some time.

I'm not a pilot (yet), don't own a plane, or even any significant land, but
I've kind of wondered..... If I owned enough land somewhere "could" I just
land my plane on an appropriate surface? or would it have to be a
registered airport? Would it matter if it was an Ultralight, or an "N"
registered plane??

What are the rules (federal) that govern this? or is it a state by state
thing (I'm in Texas if it really matters).

I know I here of planes in Alaska that land on a local road, pull up to the
rural gas station to fill up, and take off again (or is that an Urban
Legend?)


--
ET
(Future student pilot and future Sonex builder)


"A common mistake people make when trying to design something
completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete
fools."---- Douglas Adams

"ET" wrote in message ...

I'm not a pilot (yet), don't own a plane, or even any significant land, but
I've kind of wondered..... If I owned enough land somewhere "could" I just
land my plane on an appropriate surface? or would it have to be a
registered airport? Would it matter if it was an Ultralight, or an "N"
registered plane??

The FAA really doesn't have any rules about where you can land as long
as it doesn't violate the general prohibitions on careless/reckless operation.
A few years back the FAA tried to pervert the rule requiring 90 day notice
of intent to construct an airport to mean that any landing site required such
notice, but the helicopter factions quickly quashed that.

You will find that your local laws may very well forbid such use however.

ET wrote:


I'm not a pilot (yet), don't own a plane, or even any significant land, but
I've kind of wondered..... If I owned enough land somewhere "could" I just
land my plane on an appropriate surface? or would it have to be a
registered airport?

You can land on any private land you have permission for. You can land
on any designated Forest Service airport. You cannot land elsewhere on
Forest Service land. You may land anywhere on BLM land. You can never
land in a National Park. You cannot land on Federal highways or
Freeways. You might be able to land on state or local roads. If you
can there are varying regs. Here in Montana I can land on any non
Federal road as long as I look both ways. Check your state regs for
state land.


Would it matter if it was an Ultralight, or an "N"
registered plane??

No.


I know I here of planes in Alaska that land on a local road, pull up to the
rural gas station to fill up, and take off again (or is that an Urban
Legend?)

That's common. An airport near here has a self serve carwash outside
the airport fence. Open the gate and taxi over to wash your plane.

The guy complaining about the next door airport got me thinking more about
a question that's been rolling around in my head for some time.

I'm not a pilot (yet), don't own a plane, or even any significant land,
but
I've kind of wondered..... If I owned enough land somewhere "could" I just
land my plane on an appropriate surface? or would it have to be a
registered airport? Would it matter if it was an Ultralight, or an "N"
registered plane??

What are the rules (federal) that govern this? or is it a state by state
thing (I'm in Texas if it really matters).

I know I here of planes in Alaska that land on a local road, pull up to
the
rural gas station to fill up, and take off again (or is that an Urban
Legend?)


In Texas, you supposedly need Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept permission to land
a seaplane on a lake. At a couple of remote airports, I've taxied off
airport property down to a nearby gas station for fuel, having no idea if it
was legal.

"Gary" wrote in
:

The guy complaining about the next door airport got me thinking more
about a question that's been rolling around in my head for some time.

I'm not a pilot (yet), don't own a plane, or even any significant
land,
but
I've kind of wondered..... If I owned enough land somewhere "could" I
just land my plane on an appropriate surface? or would it have to be
a registered airport? Would it matter if it was an Ultralight, or an
"N" registered plane??

What are the rules (federal) that govern this? or is it a state by
state thing (I'm in Texas if it really matters).

I know I here of planes in Alaska that land on a local road, pull up
to
the
rural gas station to fill up, and take off again (or is that an Urban
Legend?)


In Texas, you supposedly need Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept permission
to land a seaplane on a lake. At a couple of remote airports, I've
taxied off airport property down to a nearby gas station for fuel,
having no idea if it was legal.



That's another question I had running around in my head for several
years... Didn't want to ask both at once... thanks for adding that.

--
ET


"A common mistake people make when trying to design something
completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete
fools."---- Douglas Adams

There was a guy down in Borrego Springs that used to always land his plane
on the road and taxi to his driveway. He lived out in the middle of nowhere
(which kind of defines Borrego Springs, anyway), but one day a local sheriff
decided to cite him for illegal operation of a vehicle on the public road --
no license plate, no tail lights, etc. So now he parks his plane at Thermal
and drives to his house.

It varies by state and local governing bodies.

Registered aircraft may have different rules from ultralights.
Where local zoning may ban registered aircraft, it may allow
ultralights.

Some states will allow you to land and take off from interstate
highways, others may require the aircraft to be disassembled and
trucked out.
In Alaska, as you drive down a two lane road, you may see signs that
state "AIRCRAFT HAVE RIGHT OF WAY ON ROAD".

On private land, the owners permission is, as a general rule, required.

The rules are all over the place.

EDR wrote in message ...
snip
In Alaska, as you drive down a two lane road, you may see signs that
state "AIRCRAFT HAVE RIGHT OF WAY ON ROAD".


In Alaska I landed on the Dalton highway (actually a 2 lane gravel
road) a few times to go camping. The locals didn't bat an eye, but
the tourists thought I was some kind of lunatic.

John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)

(John Galban) wrote in
om:

EDR wrote in message
... snip
In Alaska, as you drive down a two lane road, you may see signs that
state "AIRCRAFT HAVE RIGHT OF WAY ON ROAD".


In Alaska I landed on the Dalton highway (actually a 2 lane gravel
road) a few times to go camping. The locals didn't bat an eye, but
the tourists thought I was some kind of lunatic.

John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)


I went to an FAA Wings safety seminar last night. The topic was about
flying in Alaska. One of the speakers told me that Alaska permits aircraft
to use all public highways.

--
Marty Shapiro
Silicon Rallye Inc.

(remove SPAMNOT to email me)

In Alaska, as you drive down a two lane road, you may see signs that
state "AIRCRAFT HAVE RIGHT OF WAY ON ROAD".


In Alaska I landed on the Dalton highway (actually a 2 lane gravel
road) a few times to go camping. The locals didn't bat an eye, but
the tourists thought I was some kind of lunatic.

John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)



I went to an FAA Wings safety seminar last night. The topic was about
flying in Alaska. One of the speakers told me that Alaska permits aircraft
to use all public highways.

Yu can land on a road provided its not done in a careless
or reckless fashion. Some troopers may consider landing on a
highway reckless. Others will block traffic for you to let
you take off.

Of course, I only do it when I suspect low oil pressure, in
which case the landing is precautionary.

Alaska Statue 02.30.030. Reckless Operation.

(a) A person may not operate an aircraft in the air or on
the ground or water in a careless or reckless manner so as
to endanger the life or property of another. In a proceeding
charging careless or reckless operation of aircraft in
violation of this section, the court, in determining whether
the operation was careless or reckless, shall consider the
standards for safe operation of aircraft prescribed by
federal statutes or regulations governing aeronautics.


--

Peter D. Brown
http://home.gci.net/~pdb/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/akmtnsoaring/