co2bruce Posted July 26, 2012 Report Posted July 26, 2012 Does anyone operate their long body Mooney out of a field with a 3000 ft or shorter runway. I ask because I regularly fly into Asheville NC but their is a much closer field to my house, albeit on a mountain top 2850 ft with density altitudes into the mid 5000's. The airport is Jackson County 24A. Your thoughts??
MooneyMitch Posted July 26, 2012 Report Posted July 26, 2012 We fly the Ovation in and out of Oceano Airport [L52] with ease. Runway is 2325 ft long x 50 ft wide. It is however 14ft above sea level. Do your calculations but I'll bet you'll be fine for the specifics you list.
DrBill Posted July 26, 2012 Report Posted July 26, 2012 I'm at Wilgrove (E of CLT), rwy is 2800 and it could be 2000 for all I usually need. Come on down sometime and practice here then go to 24A. BILL
Jerry 5TJ Posted July 26, 2012 Report Posted July 26, 2012 Quote: co2bruce Does anyone operate their long body Mooney out of a field with a 3000 ft or shorter runway. I ask because I regularly fly into Asheville NC but their is a much closer field to my house, albeit on a mountain top 2850 ft with density altitudes into the mid 5000's. The airport is Jackson County 24A. Your thoughts??
Hank Posted July 26, 2012 Report Posted July 26, 2012 Please practice short-field landings prior to visiting Sylva. You will need to be on-speed, adjusted for your actual landing weight. Flying morning and evening will help, as density altitude will be less than in the afternoon. This is not always a viable option, but should be a target. 24A is also much narrower than AVL, so don't let the optical illusion get you. Final approach one way, the runway is at the top of a cliff; final the other way is downhill, so don't fly a long downwind or the mountain will get in your way. Half-mile away the runway should be plenty. No Air Force/airline patterns there!
rgpilot Posted July 27, 2012 Report Posted July 27, 2012 Practice shotfield landings and takeoffs. Don't takeoff in high temps with a heavy load. Make sure you can hold your speed to about 70 knots with full flaps when landing.
rgpilot Posted July 27, 2012 Report Posted July 27, 2012 Practice shotfield landings and takeoffs. Don't takeoff in high temps with a heavy load. Make sure you can hold your speed to about 70 knots with full flaps when landing.
Dale Posted July 27, 2012 Report Posted July 27, 2012 I have a little place near Sylva in Tuckasegee near 24a. I have been flying my Mooney up there a couple of times a year and landing at KAVL. I have only landed at 24A once a couple of years ago when I flew up there with my friend in his Mooney Bravo. He didn't have any problems but he had the final approach speed nailed and it was very calm outside. My wife flys with me when we go up there and she does not like the airport. She was up there once looking around the airport and a large gust of wind knocked her off her feet. Since then, she does not feel comfortable flying into 24A, so we just go to KAVL. I have made many other short field landings such as X01, Everglades City, in my M20K, where the runway is about 2400 feet, but you really have to nail your approach speed down. If you keep your approach speed down to 70 to 75 knots, with full flaps, it is not a problem. I just flew up to KAVL this past month to stay in our place up there and went out to 24A to see what planes were there. There were 2 Mooneys, both 201's, about a half dozen Cessna 150's, 172's and 182's, a Maule and Piper SuperCub, a Bonanza A36, a couple of twins, one looked like a Piper Seneca and there was one really low time pilot, maybe even a student pilot (he looked pretty young to me) in his 172 who had flown in and was stuck there when the weather got bad. Remember, no instrument approaches at 24A when arriving. I am probably going to fly down to the Macon Co. airport in Franklin, 1A5, a couple of other pilots in my development use that airport instead of 24A, as the runway is longer (about 5,000 feet) and the distance to Sylva area is much shorter than KAVL. They also like the airport personell and feel more comfortable there because I believe they said avionics and engine repair shops were on the field and the FBO personell are really nice. No FBO at 24A, self serve fuel and no one is usually around. Rental car would have to be dropped off through Enterprise or left there, same as 1A5, but with an FBO onsite and people around, it is usually easier to make sure you have transportation. Plus if I fly in 1A5 it will keep my wife happy and flying with me. Good luck.
co2bruce Posted July 27, 2012 Author Report Posted July 27, 2012 Where I am, KAVL is the same distance as Macon County. My thoughts are too many factors too close to the edge at Jackson County. I wasn't really looking for how, and where to practice short field operations, but thanks for the suggestions. I wanted to know if anyone was based at a field, that owned a long body, with that short of a runway, and used it on a regular basis. Not one alfrmative response so I guess thats my answer. The ability to bounce a question off so many Mooney plots with so much collective experience is what I love about this site, thank you guys for the insight and ideas.
MooneyMitch Posted July 27, 2012 Report Posted July 27, 2012 "I wanted to know if anyone was based at a field, that owned a long body, with that short of a runway, and used it on a regular basis. Not one alfrmative response so I guess thats my answer." My post above says we use Oceano [L52, 2325 ft.] lots in the R model. No problems at all. However, L52 is at sea level. Have your speeds correct and your density altitude factored in and all should be fine for you.
carusoam Posted July 27, 2012 Report Posted July 27, 2012 I'm with Mitch on this one. The runway looks REALLY short when you are going 70KIAS on take-off. Use your handbook and a real calculations for density altitude, and W&B. The Ovation handbook is real science for brand new, tested aircraft. You may want to compare your AC to it's handbook on a longer runway first to confirm its current condition... Best regards, -a-
co2bruce Posted July 27, 2012 Author Report Posted July 27, 2012 Mitch I apologize your response was what I was looking for. As I read the take off chart at a density alt of 5500 with calm winds at 85 deg take off over a 50 ft obs is 3200 ft. I'm just saying its cutting it a little close for my personal minimums. Sorry if I offended.
MooneyMitch Posted July 27, 2012 Report Posted July 27, 2012 No, no, I just wanted to make sure that you knew someone responded to your question. I thought that you might have accidentally overlooked my post. You are correct, always best to lean to the caution side. I'm with you on that one.
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