STOL Man thank you for posting real life numbers – 400 meters sounds about right, a bit tight on wet grass when landing?
The budget version might be a 182 B or C air frame costing $40k-50k (mid life engine), with a Sportsman STOL, vortex generators, up graded nose fork, brakes, tyres, re conditioned interior, three blade prop and some new avionics (IFR GPS/NAV, .833khz COM, Mode S) and you might get change from $120k. $100k if you are not worried about cosmetics. Vref in an early Cessna with the Sportsman STOL is supposed to be around 50-55 KIAS, and at the thresh hold with some power 50 KIAS. The variable incidence tailplane trim also is supposed to be quite effective – with a canard even better.
Probably need 500 meters, but more limited in useful load and range as only 55 USG useable.
The airbag safety belt STC, also available on the Super Cub, seems to me a good investment.
Probably need 500 meters, but more limited in useful load and range as only 55 USG useable.
I need no more than 350m in my TR182 (turbocharged retractable gear 182) at MTOM without any modifications without any particular skills or training. Obviously there is little forgiveness for errors and I wouldn’t feel comfortable with a 350m strip but 500m is plenty for a standard 182.
I’d have bought a standard recent, maybe even new 182 or 206 if I could have bought the field next to mine, that would have given me 600m. As it is I have 400m with trees each end. The farmer who owns the field knows why I want it and said he would sell me the whole field (4hectares) for £250k!!! I bought a Katmai instead.
Peter, the problem with setting up a grass strip collectively is you create a change of use of field which requires planning permission which you’ll never get. However, if you own the field you can land your own plane on it, not more than 28 days a year in the UK. Here in the Isle of Man you can use your own field as often as you like so long as nobody complains. If the planners receive complaints they have the power to stop me. Then, if I have 5 years continuous use then the planners have a harder time to stop me. After 10 years I have an airport. I’m 5 years in.
Yes; here (UK) the 28 day rule has to be run for 10 years and then you are “in”. For the 10 years you have to keep your head down.
But another option is to go for full Planning from day 1. It is very rare and everybody thinks it can’t be done. In the right location, it should be possible. The cost would be best part of 100k.
STOLman,
fascinating and cool! Very nice airplane.
The only thing I will disagree with is (of course) the anti parachute arguments:
The parachute will save you or your passengers in these situations:
- Engine failure at night, over mountains, over water, … and in all combinations of these
- Pilot incapacitation
- Midair collision
- Engine failure over any terrain that is not suitable for an emergency landing, like above cities
- Loss of Control in IMC (at least 15 cases with no casualties)
- Airframe failure
And in the case of a fire the parachute will get you to the ground sooner.
Peter,
Our all-weather main runway (www.glenswinton.co.uk) cost about £10k and is comfortable for any standard Cessna 1xx or 2xx, or similar. In the early days a visiting Seneca had brake failure and departed on a truck, since when we have extended by 50 m.
In practice, no one seems to use more than half of the strip, but when there’s a decent tailwind and I’m not paying attention I’m as guilty as anyone of landing well after the threshold. Bad habit caused by laziness and long runways.
We have a couple of other runways which cost nothing bar occasional rolling and mowing, but they’re not as easy as the main runway shown in the AFE guide.
Peter.
Look on Google Earth at 54 19 31N 004 26 29W and you will see the strip.
Nice field, and even nicer aeroplane. By tundra tires, I presume 8.50×6?
We’re 20 minutes north of you, so feel free to drop in any time you can be bothered with the GAR nonsense (oops, topic drift warning…)
Jacko, the mains are 8.50 by 10 and the nose is 8.50 by 6.
I’ve never heard of Glenswinton (sorry). I’d love to drop in, I’ll give you a call on the number on your website.
STOLman, I saw your wonderful machine parked up at Guernsey (or it might have been Jersey) a couple of years back and was smitten so bad I took pictures!
Lovely aeroplane and it’s nice to know a bit more about it now, thanks for sharing the info.
There’s a huge amount of utility to being able to get into short / rough fields if it get you near where you want to be. It’s also fun. For serious distance touring I think that requirement drops off slightly.
That being said the katmai seems to be able to turn its hand to everything reasonably well. Although I’d always worry about the nosewheel on unknown ground.
I think my ideal european tourer would be a staggerwing. Good short field, quite quick, stunning looks, retract and tailwheel. Fuel and oil burn, slightly less appealing.
