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Short Field Landing

Seth

By Seth
in Vintage Mooneys (pre-J models)

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Seth Grand Master

Seth

Posted
Posted

I just wanted to congratulate Tim for landing his Mooney on a short field very very well.  Tim is having his new to him E annualed at W00 - Freeway, in MD.  He purchased it earlier this year and has flown the heck out of it, but was always worried about flying it into shorter strips.

 

Freeway, W00, as many of you know is a skinny short strip (2400 by 40) with obstructions a both ends.  Slanted Powerlines on one side (and a highway) and trees on the other.

 

Also, if you can taxi up and down the hills at Freeway, you can taxi anywhere.

 

I flew right seat as Tim made his first landing in the Mooney at a such a short strip, we had practiced at a 3000 foot strip about a month earlier, and used maybe 1200 feet for the landing.  He's really gotten to know the E well and handled it just fine.  Really the only reason I realized I needed to be in the right seat was so that Tim could find the airport so close to the FRZ line around DC!

 

-Seth

  • Like 2
Mooneymite Grand Master

Mooneymite

Posted
Posted

That's great!  Way to go, Tim.

 

Short, narrow strips separate precision pilots from regular pilots.

 

Personally, I like 10,000' runways. :lol:

  • Like 1
gsxrpilot Grand Master

gsxrpilot

Posted
Posted

This is the shortest runway I've landed my Mooney on, 5TX0.  It's 2600 x 35 and slopes downhill from north to south.  The touchdown zone for 16 sits on top of a hill.  So don't come up short or you'll hit the very steep bluff.  And don't be long as the runway starts down hill and will drop out from under you.  My original primary instructor lives here and while training is not allowed on this strip, every lesson finished with a final landing here.  And I'd be sweating every single one.  When I picked up the Mooney for the first time, we went to a 4000' runway and did an hour of take off's and landings.  Then I had to take the CFI home and land the Mooney at 5TX0. I was very thankful for all those other landings.

 

garytex Proficient

garytex

Posted
Posted

Geez guys you're scaring me. I've been perfectly happy to land on the 1600 feet of caliche about 18 feet wide that I have at the ranch. Another 400 feet to the house with powerlines afteor the end of the runway. Summertime temperatures almost always exceed 100. And occasionally Javelinas dart out across the runway. I'm still thrilled to land there because it saves me four hours driving. I'll post some pictures

  • Like 2
Mooneymite Grand Master

Mooneymite

Posted
Posted

 I've been perfectly happy to land on the 1600 feet of caliche about 18 feet wide that I have at the ranch.

 

I guess we can presume that you know how to come in "on speed"?    :lol:

EDNR-Cruiser Collaborator

EDNR-Cruiser

Posted
Posted

Well, airfields in Germany seem to be much smaller than in the US in general and I really feel very comfortable on my homebase with its 2115x49ft runway... - I can often vacate the runway after half the runway length without having to brake really hard when I'm flying light.
It's a matter of practice and good transition training, that's all.

bonal Grand Master

bonal

Posted
Posted

on occasion I have gone to 0Q9 2400x40 but displaced its really 2085 and only 35 wide with 100 ft trees on the approach and rising terrain on the departure. never really gave it much thought. elevation is only 20ft so that helps. might go to CL56 this week its 2100 X 30 I like them 5000 plus ones

reminds me of a story

 

these 2 (fill in ethnicity) pilots were on approach and the PIC requests 10 deg flaps on short final he starts to get tense and requests 20 deg flaps. as he crosses the numbers he panics and requests full flaps! after getting it stopped he looks at his copilot and says damn that sure was a short but wide runway.

 

stupid I know

Jerry 5TJ Grand Master

Jerry 5TJ

Posted
Posted

When he's done with the annual at Freeway, fly him up to Clearview 2W2 near Westminster, Maryland.  I used to take my "E" model in there. (solo, half fuel, and always ready to go around)   The runway is about 1800 feet long but has displaced thresholds at both ends to add to the fun.  Oh, there are trees at both ends, too, and one end intersects a driveway used by local residents so look both ways for cars on short-short final.

Hank Grand Master

Hank

Posted
Posted

That ain't no runway, Brian!

I periodically visit a 2000' maintained grass strip, open on one end with a cement factory's gravel pile at the other. Two people and half tanks is my limit there. Pictures were on my other phone.

Seth Grand Master

Seth

Posted
  • Author
Posted

When he's done with the annual at Freeway, fly him up to Clearview 2W2 near Westminster, Maryland. I used to take my "E" model in there. (solo, half fuel, and always ready to go around) The runway is about 1800 feet long but has displaced thresholds at both ends to add to the fun. Oh, there are trees at both ends, too, and one end intersects a driveway used by local residents so look both ways for cars on short-short final.

Actually Tim owned a 172 prior to his current Bo and Moonry and took the 172 to clearview in the 172 quite often.

Just now realizing the full potential of the Mooney and short fields.

-Seth

garytex Proficient

garytex

Posted
Posted

I couldn't figure out how to post the promised pictures here, but I did learn how to make an album, and posted pictures of the building process for my runway there.  I have used it a few times now ( finished in August) and really thrilled to have it even if it is a little short.  The runway construction was only possible by using reclaimed oilfield pads, I got the spoil for free.  187 Semi loads of caliche, about 25 cu yards to the load. I wouldn't have used that much material if I had been buying it, would have cost at least $250 a load.

  • Like 1
garytex Proficient

garytex

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Strip is not on the sectional, it is 240 miles south of Austin between Edinburg and Falfurrias on a family cattle and commercial exotic hunting ranch.  I probably will not FAA it, don't want it on the sectional to call attention to it from the drug smugglers, they are nasty fellows.  As an interesting side note, I called the Border Patrol and told them I was building a strip, not to smuggle drugs, but because I had free material.  They chuckled a little, referred to the relatively new aerostat balloon they got from the Marines that was put up about 8 miles away and said "We've been watching your ranch on the ground for years.  The balloon does facial recognition at 17 miles.  We know you're not a drug smuggler, but thanks for calling".

  • Like 1
1964-M20E Grand Master

1964-M20E

Posted
Posted

Strip is not on the sectional, it is 240 miles south of Austin between Edinburg and Falfurrias on a family cattle and commercial exotic hunting ranch.  I probably will not FAA it, don't want it on the sectional to call attention to it from the drug smugglers, they are nasty fellows.  As an interesting side note, I called the Border Patrol and told them I was building a strip, not to smuggle drugs, but because I had free material.  They chuckled a little, referred to the relatively new aerostat balloon they got from the Marines that was put up about 8 miles away and said "We've been watching your ranch on the ground for years.  The balloon does facial recognition at 17 miles.  We know you're not a drug smuggler, but thanks for calling".

Funny and scary at the same time. :ph34r:

63C Contributor

63C

Posted
Posted

Whoa!! You've got friends in high places! Put up a sign and invite them over

Apparently will not have to be a big sign either. Maybe could just wave them over.

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