Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
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By TopCat
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1883476
The thread about the Troutbeck fatality has got me thinking, and I'd like to know more.

At risk of a dumb question, what is a strip, and more to the point, what's special about strip flying?

I have an illusion of comprehension - in my mind it's not a licensed airfield, probably owned by a farmer, quite possibly one or more of: short, narrow, uneven, sloping, difficult to find without Skydemon, with a surface quality and the possibility of obstructions on the strip or nearby that you'd be an idiot to make assumptions about.

And obviously, that you'd have to be a complete dick to turn up at without permission.

Equally obviously, any combination of the above features are likely to put someone without suitable skills and a suitable aircraft at considerably more risk than landing on 2km of tarmac, but is that, and suitable preparation what it all boils down to?

I'm interested because I'm a bit bored with the usual crop of airfields that I've been to loads of times before, and I'd like to ring the changes a bit.

It's not going to be practical to get access to another aeroplane, so wherever I go it's going to be in the AA5A, but I've been to places like Truro (ages ago), Branscombe (several times), Wadswick (very recently), Maypole before it closed, and other shortish fields like Bodmin and Clacton.

Any thoughts appreciated.
#1883481
I would recommend a visit (PPR) by car to establish what the strip is like at ground level, obstructions if any at each end or sides of the runway - anything, to get a feel if there is anything above your flyin abilities.
#1883486
@TopCat here is a short video of a departure and approach on our easterly runway.
Probably answers most of your questions but it shows, crops, trees, power lines, under and overshoot options, offset approaches and short length.

What it doesn't show is wildlife appearing unannounced, farm machinery, waterlogging....



edited to add.... I treat every approach as a go-around that may turn into a landing.
David Wood, Lockhaven, PeteSpencer and 7 others liked this
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By gaxor
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1883487
My attitude to visiting private airstrips

Absolutely, preparation is the key, as with all flying, but also knowing your own limits, and skills. How adept are you at landing precisely on a 450m runway.

Flying into a "strip" with all of the non-compliances that it may be exhibit in comparison to a licenced runway, requires a lot more preparation on the pilots part. By the very nature of the destination, the Take-Off/Landing area does not have to mitigate any minimum safety levels. It is primarily there for the owners convenience, and that is in a nutshell is the overriding reason you need PPR
Sooty25, PA28 liked this
#1883491
To repeat the first bit of the question, is there any semi-objective definition of what you'd count as a 'strip' in the first place? Does it not depend on where you're used to flying?

I learnt at Deanland; it's 400m, has a bit of a lump on it, but having done 95% of my training there that's my baseline: most other places I now fly seem so much easier in comparison! But, I'm assuming no-one would consider that a 'strip'; it's smooth, well maintained, no rabbit holes, not owned by a farmer, no sheep on the runway etc.

What make a strip a strip vs just an airfield?
Last edited by flyingearly on Fri Nov 19, 2021 2:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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By David Wood
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1883493
I suppose that it may be easier to define a Strip by what it isn't. It isn't licensed; it often (but not always) isn't open to the public; it usually (but not always) doesn't conform to any standard runway dimensions or markings.

It will also often (but not always) have unusual gradients, may have unusual approaches, will probably be short, possibly have ususual hazards such as trees, hedges, wires etc, and will not necessarily even be mown! Some may also only be usable in one direction (ie, land uphill and take-off downhill).

At the lower end of the spectrum a 'strip' may be as basic as literally a field full of sheep (I used to operate a microlight many years ago from a large paddock that's only noteworthy charactaristic was that it was over the fence from my garage). On the other hand, at the top end of the spectrum some of the smarter strips are scarcely distinguishable from a 'proper' airfield in terms of length, breadth, level etc.

Strip-flying is great fun and you get to meet some really interesting people and go to some great places. But it's not to be undertaken lightly. From the point of view of flying skills you need to be good at short-field landings and short-field take-offs (very often the latter is the limiter). From a technical perspective you need to be very familiar with your aeroplane's performance - and not just the book stuff but also the other stuff like: are the spats likely to get full of mud; will the wheels sink into soft ground; does it have the power to taxi up steepish inclines or through soft ground? There are any number of poo-traps set to caught the unwary.

So, PPPPPPP; always. And time spent in reconnaissance is never wasted.
#1883494
This is one facet of many in flying that would benefit from a structured mentoring programme.

The PPL does not mean a pilot knows everything, there is so much more to learn.
I am no longer surprised by the lack of knowledge in the heads of even some PPLs, many of whom would struggle to calculate weight and balance calculation or fuel endurance.

I gained a lot from flying with others, including many professionals. That sort of thing is encouraged by clubs but some many flying schools are just that, schools not clubs.

Posting how to on an internet forum is a great help (and might make someone think) but is no substitute for going with someone.
David Wood, T6Harvard liked this
#1883497
What's special about a farmstrip? Solitude, communing with Nature. What do you need for a farmstrip? A STOL capable aircraft.

Having been an established tarmac/concrete user for most of my recreational flying, I switched to farmstrips some twenty years ago. Every time you use a strip your skills are re-examined. Strips will increasingly be the future of recreational aviation.
lobstaboy, Lockhaven, Robin500 and 2 others liked this
By TopCat
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1883499
Sooty25 wrote:@TopCat here is a short video of a departure and approach on our easterly runway.
Probably answers most of your questions but it shows, crops, trees, power lines, under and overshoot options, offset approaches and short length.

Nice. How long is it, and how wide?

Is the whole space between the crops ok to land on, or just the paler bit on the left?

Assuming firm condition and short grass, the only thing that would concern me about that approach is the actual length and width - width between the crops being more relevant than the width of the bit that the wheels need to roll along.
#1883500
TopCat wrote:........what's special about strip flying?

I have an illusion of comprehension - in my mind it's not a licensed airfield, probably owned by a farmer, quite possibly one or more of: short, narrow, uneven, sloping, difficult to find without GPS, with a surface quality and the possibility of obstructions on the strip or nearby that you'd be an idiot to make assumptions about.

And obviously, that you'd have to be a complete dick to turn up at without permission.

Equally obviously, any combination of the above features are likely to put someone without suitable skills and a suitable aircraft at considerably more risk than landing on 2km of tarmac, but is that, and suitable preparation what it all boils down to?

Seems like you've answered your own question.
#1883501
TopCat,
As you already have discovered the AA5 is not really a suitable machine to be attempting short strip flying.!
I absolutely love AA5's and have owned several but owning one you definitely have to come to terms and accept that you have really got a tarmac runway machine.
I used to work on a basic rule of thumb with an AA5 that anything shorter than 600metres I had to get the calculator out.
Also apart from the fact there not that many 600m+ farm strips around the ones that are need due consideration needed to their smoothness given the somewhat delicate nature of the AA5 nose leg.
Forfoxake liked this
#1883507
Lockhaven wrote:
TopCat wrote:
At risk of a dumb question, what is a strip, and more to the point, what's special about strip flying?

I have an illusion of comprehension - in my mind it's not a licensed airfield, probably owned by a farmer, quite possibly one or more of: short, narrow, uneven, sloping, difficult to find without Skydemon, with a surface quality and the possibility of obstructions on the strip or nearby that you'd be an idiot to make assumptions about.

And obviously, that you'd have to be a complete dick to turn up at without permission.

Any thoughts appreciated.


I think you more or less nailed the description of a farm strip.

I would add that many can be very short, many you can only land one direction and take-off in the other direction, most you will need a STOL type aircraft, your short field technique for the aircraft type will have to be honed to guarantee almost perfect low speed control.

For practice with a STOL aircraft not an AA5 I would recommend finding a grass airstrip around 500m that allows visitors, practice there until you can take-off and land comfortably in half that distance using only one half of the runway and be able to place the aircraft exactly were you want it 90% of the time. For example my home strip is 250m but I can operate using only 150 of those meters given the right conditions.

And most real farm strips are not advertised on Skydemon unless you are member of the Flying Farmers Association then they can be added to Skydemon but not always the case.
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