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Silver Eagle vs. SR22

I am considering bringing the Jetprop back to Europe again, and had a half idea to try landing at Goodwood during my visit, but from what you have described I think I may defer!

We take a King Air 90 into Goodwood a few times a year, bumpy but OK, although the props are high up on that aircraft

Darley Moor, Gamston (UK)

I’ve never flown into Goodwood – probably because I can drive there in less time.

Basically any plane up to a Citation can go on grass and there are loads of videos showing anything you want to disbelieve. The whole “grass business” comes down to how well you know/trust the person who tells you on the phone it is “fine”, and then how much you trust them to keep it that way. While it is very possible to have a hard runway in the most appalling condition (Andreas (IOM) and Spanhoe (UK) being the worst cases I have been to, for propeller damage due to rocks lying all over the runway) there is obviously a correlation between “grass” and “poor condition generally” since both correlate with “limited funds” Keeping a high grade grass runway is technically completely feasible, with the application of sufficient money, but the only people who bother with perfection are those with lots of money who are forced to have grass due to local development restrictions. I have looked at this in the past and it is a few tens of k to mole drain a well rolled runway into a covered ditch, and then you may need a pump to empty the ditch, so you need electricity… or about 100k to cover a 750m x 20m runway with the interlocked green plastic “covert” stuff. The biggest risk is when going somewhere on the word from a local who says it is perfect and flies a Tiger Moth from there… Imagine the prop strike scenario. There may not be anywhere to leave the plane covered-up while the engine is removed for shock load inspection, and even getting a crane there to lift the engine out might be fun.

Last Edited by Peter at 14 Feb 11:03
Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Peter please don’t diss little Spanhoe – I have flown piston twins into there, and find it preferable to Sibson. Now there is an interesting grass field, where Let 410s operate ‘peaceably’. Although accept Spanhoe is mainly a home for tailwheel aircraft (note how I avoided the use of the r**l aircraft incendiary phrase).

Oxford (EGTK), United Kingdom

there is obviously a correlation between “grass” and “poor condition generally” since both correlate with “limited funds”

Ouch that hurts. I bet you’ve never been to Speck-Fehraltdorf LSZK, the GA airfield for Zurich. It’s a grass runway in immaculate condition. Money is certainly not the issue there but permissions / nature conservation, etc. Another great example is Tannheim EDMT where Tannkosh takes place. A huge grass runway in excellent condition.

Our King Air visits to Goodwood do not take place in a cavalier manner, and visits to anywhere only occur if our chief pilot (a 25,000 hour plus professional) is happy. We would not take our Citation in to a grass field of any length.

Darley Moor, Gamston (UK)

please don’t diss little Spanhoe

I estimated it would have taken only an hour with a broom to clear the runway, but my guess at the time (2005?) was that the “atmosphere” was not conducive to anybody doing it for the benefit of the others. I just walked up about 100m along the runway and kicked enough rocks out of the way to minimise the prop damage risk before getting moving. Once one is moving fast, the rocks which the prop picks up tend to not hit it.

Money is certainly not the issue there but permissions / nature conservation, etc

Exactly I didn’t say it can’t be done.

Even if the farmer does it, he won’t do it for free.

We would not take our Citation in to a grass field of any length

I would think the plastic mesh reinforcement would be easily good enough for an aircraft of say 3T. Whether you could install the stuff without the locals noticing, before the grass grows up through it, is another matter…

Last Edited by Peter at 14 Feb 11:31
Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

I would think the plastic mesh reinforcement would be easily good enough for an aircraft of say 3T. Whether you could install the stuff without the locals noticing, before the grass grows up through it, is another matter…

Few jets are approved/certified for grass, the Mustang being the only one I know, and even little uns like ours weigh a fair bit; we are 5700kg mtow. Braking action would be the issue, hence the lack of certification.

Darley Moor, Gamston (UK)

Whether you could install the stuff without the locals noticing, before the grass grows up through it, is another matter…

AFAIK, the locals and NIMBYs can’t do anything about it, since you are not “sealing” the terrain. No planning permission required.

Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

AFAIK, the locals and NIMBYs can’t do anything about it, since you are not “sealing” the terrain. No planning permission required.

You are probably right, but the more pressing issue (in the UK) tends to be that most grass strips are being operated under the “28 day rule” whereby you have to keep a low profile and keep the neighbours sweet for 10 years, and then – if there have not been any substantive complaints – you can apply for the statement of lawful use, which is almost a Planning Permission. You also keep a movements log and after 10 years you get that level of activity formalised. Very very few people apply for a full Planning Permission even at the 10 year point because that draws attention to the whole thing and every worm will crawl out of the woodwork and object. The objectors can live anywhere (perhaps “travelling objectors” – why pays for the buses? – are a UK speciality?) so discretion is preferred. I made some enquiries a while ago and was informed that the last UK airfield which went for full Planning from day 1 was Popham EGHP, in 1978.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom
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