Kestrel Airpark Airport (1T7)

[ReconMax]

I went over to 1T7 yesterday and landed on runway 12 , and now, I feel like I did something special.

[Geoff]

That’s because you did.  It gets harder in a long body I hear  

 

Did you you talk to any locals before attempting?  The tip I got that helped me was don’t land at the top of the hill. 

[CWM20f]

I went in on 12 with four on board  my F model - picking up a Mooney that my friend purchased.  It’s defiantly not a place you can be sloppy on approach and speed.   Remember the taxiway was even tight with rock and fences.  Worth the effort to talk  Jimmy and David - good folks. 

[ReconMax]

Just now, Geoff said:

That’s because you did.  It gets harder in a long body I hear  

 

Did you you talk to any locals before attempting?  The tip I got that helped me was don’t land at the top of the hill. 

I talked with another Mooney pilot who had experience landing there. My home aiport (GYB) is also downhill 17. So, before departing for 1T7, I did 8 landings at home focusing on speed control on final and getting the plane stopped before the 3000 mark. So, I was prepared for a downhill landing. However, I was not prepared for the trees or the bump oddity at the top of runway 12. It's a good thing I had made up my mind before-hand that I would probably balk at the landing and just go around which I did twice. I was already mentally prepared for it. The two aborted attempts gave me a chance to see the bump at the top of the runway and get comfortable with those trees up there. On my third attempt, I just floated down past the bump at the top and touched down just beyond it.  Woohoo!

I was a little concerned about giving up that top part of the runway but I got it stopped with no real trouble.

When I looked around all I could think was, WTH Man! Who put this airport here! How do they not have crashes every week!

There are so many hangers there though so there must be plenty of planes. I didn't see a single takeoff or landing while I was there getting gas though. I know AAA is there so Mooney traffic has to be common.

Overall, I'd say there doesn't seem to be that much room for error there. I think precise speed control on short final is the key and definitely don't try to hit the numbers 12. It goes up before it goes down there. Just pass up that first bump. I'll be keeping an open mind about going around when I land there. If the speed and altitude aren't perfect, just go around. I landed on my 3rd pass.

 

 

 

 

[ReconMax]

2 minutes ago, CWM20f said:

I went in on 12 with four on board  my F model - picking up a Mooney that my friend purchased.  It’s defiantly not a place you can be sloppy on approach and speed.   Remember the taxiway was even tight with rock and fences.  Worth the effort to talk  Jimmy and David - good folks. 

Oh yeah! The taxi back up hill was weird. There is a fence corner on the right side where the wing clearance was surprising. A couple places really felt tight.

[CWM20f]

I had the same “who would put an airport here” thoughts!!!

[ReconMax]

10 minutes ago, CWM20f said:

I had the same “who would put an airport here” thoughts!!!

I was afraid to get out and get gas because the hill was so steep! I set the brake and jumped out and chocked the tires real quick.

Locals probably laughing at us...

You guys should give out badges or something!

 

 

[LANCECASPER]

For a moment I considered living there (1T7) . . .  until i saw the runway. 

Where I ended up (TS36) has a much nicer runway.

[Geoff]

Being ready for the go around is a good plan.  Even if lighted and permitted I can’t imagine a night landing there. 

[slowflyin]

I did my transition training for my Bravo with Bob Cabe and he had me land there at the end of the day.   Felt like graduation!   Very exciting. The departure to bring my new to me Bravo home was just as hair raising. 

[Yetti]

It's the 3 windsocks at different parts of the runway showing different things that is what is special.

[M20F]

I was in the backseat when Dave landed the Mooney I bought from them (a friend with a lot more Mooney experience did the flying to see what was what).  Definitely an E Ticket ride. 

[Steve W]

I landed there once when I was doing transition training before I brought my M20J home...  That was enough to make me long for the mountain airports here in the west, at least they're (mostly) flat.

 

[mooneyflyfast]

 

this was a very sad accident there with a Malibu taking off uphill (rwy. 30) ~10 kt. tailwind at KSAT 10 miles away.

Takeoff with a 10 kt. tailwind on 12 is probably a good idea.  Definitely not on 30.

I go in there because my mechanic is there but I dont like it.

The airplane's fuel tanks were fueled from a self serve fuel pump with 63 gallons of fuel prior to departure. The pilot initiated the takeoff roll from runway 30 with a 10 knot tailwind. The airplane was reported to have used the entire length of the runway during the takeoff roll. The airplane became airborne, attained a height approximately 100 feet agl, entered a descent, and subsequently, impacted the ground. A post accident fire consumed the airplane. Immediately following the accident, the pilot reported to local authorities that "he was leaving the airstrip and the plane stalled due to lack of airspeed." The 3,000-foot runway rises rapidly at its north end, such that the departure end of runway 30 was 50 feet higher than the approach end. At the time of the accident, the wind was from 130 degrees at 10 knots and the density altitude was 4,136 feet. Examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded its operation prior to the accident. 
Probable Cause: the pilot's failure to obtain airspeed after rotation, which resulted in a stall/mush. Contributing factors were the tailwind condition, high density altitude, and upsloping runway.

 

Sources:

NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20010827X01781&key=1

 

[steingar]

As fast as they are I think about half of all Mooneys ever made are still in Texas.

 

Reminds me of a good joke.  You know 95% of all Harleys are still on the road?

 

 

 

 

The other 5% made it home.

Edited August 5, 2019 by steingar