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Mooney on Ice - Landing at Alton Bay


201er

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I've been wanting to land on the Ice Runway at B18 Alton Bay for a decade! But, every year there would be some kind of hold up. Plane in annual, busy, ice runway didn't form that year, ice runway formed but my plane badly snowed in, etc. Some years I expected to go but would yield the first weekend to others figuring it will be less crowded next weekend (Mooney doesn't mingle too well with a bunch of cubs and 150s) and by then the thing would be melted! I've been meticulously following the runway conditions and weather for the last few years and still couldn't make it.

This year, I planned to make it happen. But, there were still the same scheduling troubles. When the temps got cold enough to open the runway, I got snowed in again. I dug it out by hand just in case the Ice Runway would open! They opened the runway but winds were from the south. It's a one way runway 01, and there's no way I'm putting a Mooney on slippery ice with 2700ft and a tailwind. Had to cancel several days that looked promising otherwise. Then my Texas trip came up, so I missed some more opportunities to go.

Got back from Texas on Sunday (1380nm nonstop). Monday I had to catch up with work and didn't really want to fly again. But, when I saw that the runway was open and weather was favorable I just jumped on the opportunity. Skipped work and went straight to the airport. Quick flight about 1.5 hours to NH and I made it.

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Alton Bay is in a pretty deep valley between hills. It's much tighter than I expected. There's barely any room between the tall hills to fly a pattern. I entered on an upwind to spend more time going around and getting ready.

I kept the plane super light just in case. I was actually still flying on the fuel I'd topped off in Texas. By the time I was landing at Alton Bay, I was down below 25 gallons and solo. I flew the pattern as slow as I could. Put the gear and flaps in early. I tried to give myself more room on final, but couldn't get too far because it's hard to see the runway.

Since most of the snow on the ice had melted, the ice on the runway wasn't too distinct from the ice of the rest of the bay.

I flew as slow as I could on final and aimed way short of the runway. Still ended up floating to touch about 1/3 of the way down because of a very light tailwind. From the moment I touched down, I started working on the brakes. It took gentle braking the whole length of the runway to slow down. It was SLIPPERY! It really didn't want to slow down. I was actually a bit nervous about overrunning just from lack of traction. On pavement, it would have been no trouble. Normally I wait till the end to use the brakes on pavement. Luckily I started braking early and massaged the brakes the whole way till the end.

I carefully turned onto the taixway to go back to parking. Turns were slippery as well. I taxied at a snail pace out of fear of not being able to slow down before a turn and drifting off. A marshal had me stop exactly next to the parking spot he wanted me to go into. I was trying to explain how there just wasn't enough room to turn the Mooney, maybe I should pull forward first. He just goes to the wing and spins the plane in place! I was blown away cause I never saw a Mooney turn on a dime like that.

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I had the towbar going but it hardly mattered. The plane would slide in any direction. I treaded carefully feeling like I'd slip on my ass at any moment. The marshal had crampon boots so he had no trouble pushing the plane to parking. I laughed whether there was a point of using chocks or not.

He handed me a commemorative poker chip that says "I landed on the ice runway B18" and pointed me to the restaurant. I was still getting the hang of walking on ice. At the "FBO" tent, they signed a certificate "in recognition of outstanding skill landing on Alton Bay's ice runway." Some cute tokens that I did not expect.

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All the other planes around me were tail draggers, Cessnas, and on rare occasion a Cherokee. They had over 100 planes the day prior. Still busy, but not as bad on Monday, Presidential, when I went.

After a nice lunch, I decided to do one pattern to make the experience last a little more. I flew even slower and landed shorter. Knowing what to expect, I worked the brakes more confidently and even made it off the runway by the halfway turn off. Takeoff was pretty much a nonevent. Just had to be extra careful working the rudder because the nosewheel didn't provide much directional control.

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The runway was closed the next few days since because of rain and yesterday the Alton Bay crew announced the runway thinned substantially and is done for the season. I just made it the very last chance!

 

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Having flown from a WNY airport for years, I had my fair share of iced over runways (sun comes out, melts the banks, the runoff covers the runway and then freezes when the sun goes down).

I found the best way to stop on ice is aerodynamic braking. Keep the nose up and between the drag and the extra weight on the mains, stopping isn’t usually an issue. What is an issue is taxiing off the runway! And pushing the plane back into the hangar!


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@201er Wish I knew you were going I would have joined you. I flew in earlier this year on opening day with a substantial 10 - 15 kt tailwind but the surface was crunchy as plowing had just finished hours before.  The operating seasons are getting shorter and everyone knows it leading to many airshow weekends on the bluebird days.

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On 2/25/2022 at 10:03 AM, 201er said:

I've been wanting to land on the Ice Runway at B18 Alton Bay for a decade! But, every year there would be some kind of hold up. Plane in annual, busy, ice runway didn't form that year, ice runway formed but my plane badly snowed in, etc. Some years I expected to go but would yield the first weekend to others figuring it will be less crowded next weekend (Mooney doesn't mingle too well with a bunch of cubs and 150s) and by then the thing would be melted! I've been meticulously following the runway conditions and weather for the last few years and still couldn't make it.

This year, I planned to make it happen. But, there were still the same scheduling troubles. When the temps got cold enough to open the runway, I got snowed in again. I dug it out by hand just in case the Ice Runway would open! They opened the runway but winds were from the south. It's a one way runway 01, and there's no way I'm putting a Mooney on slippery ice with 2700ft and a tailwind. Had to cancel several days that looked promising otherwise. Then my Texas trip came up, so I missed some more opportunities to go.

Got back from Texas on Sunday (1380nm nonstop). Monday I had to catch up with work and didn't really want to fly again. But, when I saw that the runway was open and weather was favorable I just jumped on the opportunity. Skipped work and went straight to the airport. Quick flight about 1.5 hours to NH and I made it.

IMG_3026.thumb.JPG.093b3c77e0689987b5e21d81fd74d852.JPG

Alton Bay is in a pretty deep valley between hills. It's much tighter than I expected. There's barely any room between the tall hills to fly a pattern. I entered on an upwind to spend more time going around and getting ready.

I kept the plane super light just in case. I was actually still flying on the fuel I'd topped off in Texas. By the time I was landing at Alton Bay, I was down below 25 gallons and solo. I flew the pattern as slow as I could. Put the gear and flaps in early. I tried to give myself more room on final, but couldn't get too far because it's hard to see the runway.

Since most of the snow on the ice had melted, the ice on the runway wasn't too distinct from the ice of the rest of the bay.

I flew as slow as I could on final and aimed way short of the runway. Still ended up floating to touch about 1/3 of the way down because of a very light tailwind. From the moment I touched down, I started working on the brakes. It took gentle braking the whole length of the runway to slow down. It was SLIPPERY! It really didn't want to slow down. I was actually a bit nervous about overrunning just from lack of traction. On pavement, it would have been no trouble. Normally I wait till the end to use the brakes on pavement. Luckily I started braking early and massaged the brakes the whole way till the end.

I carefully turned onto the taixway to go back to parking. Turns were slippery as well. I taxied at a snail pace out of fear of not being able to slow down before a turn and drifting off. A marshal had me stop exactly next to the parking spot he wanted me to go into. I was trying to explain how there just wasn't enough room to turn the Mooney, maybe I should pull forward first. He just goes to the wing and spins the plane in place! I was blown away cause I never saw a Mooney turn on a dime like that.

IMG_2953.thumb.JPG.1bcf626153c6ce58cdd807215566c51b.JPG

IMG_2952.thumb.JPG.ee384d9171e9c802c1099cda20543799.JPG

I had the towbar going but it hardly mattered. The plane would slide in any direction. I treaded carefully feeling like I'd slip on my ass at any moment. The marshal had crampon boots so he had no trouble pushing the plane to parking. I laughed whether there was a point of using chocks or not.

He handed me a commemorative poker chip that says "I landed on the ice runway B18" and pointed me to the restaurant. I was still getting the hang of walking on ice. At the "FBO" tent, they signed a certificate "in recognition of outstanding skill landing on Alton Bay's ice runway." Some cute tokens that I did not expect.

IMG_2969b.thumb.jpg.7d4500d87aa00865e1b78f9b9764d9f8.jpg

IMG_2974.thumb.JPG.381ed504ddd7d5003cf5da52c4b7bd6d.JPG

All the other planes around me were tail draggers, Cessnas, and on rare occasion a Cherokee. They had over 100 planes the day prior. Still busy, but not as bad on Monday, Presidential, when I went.

After a nice lunch, I decided to do one pattern to make the experience last a little more. I flew even slower and landed shorter. Knowing what to expect, I worked the brakes more confidently and even made it off the runway by the halfway turn off. Takeoff was pretty much a nonevent. Just had to be extra careful working the rudder because the nosewheel didn't provide much directional control.

IMG_3002.thumb.JPG.9513e446cf36a0e8df1db3d80e0d4090.JPG

IMG_2990.thumb.JPG.123c0e32040d9a923997f784c7b61942.JPG

The runway was closed the next few days since because of rain and yesterday the Alton Bay crew announced the runway thinned substantially and is done for the season. I just made it the very last chance!

 

That’s so cool thanks for sharing. A new bucket list for me. Next year maybe. 

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