Comments on: How short is short?

By: Eric Goss

Eric Goss — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 20:55:29 +0000

The old Chefornak (PACK) runway was 2,250′ (1,900′ useable) x 28′, and it could be interesting at times, too. It has since been replaced by a much longer and wider runway.

By: Eric Goss

Eric Goss — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 19:35:11 +0000

Two I find challenging: Newtok, AK (PAEW) is 2,200′ (1,600′ useable) x 35′ and Kwigillingok, AK (PAGG) 1,840′ (900′ useable) x 30′. We operate 207s at gross from both of these. Gotta bring your A game when they are icy and the crosswinds are strong. Jim Dulin’s comments are right on the money, and I use his techniques regularly: really helps when you’re not certain how much the back haul weighs!

By: Josh shea

Josh shea — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 04:35:37 +0000

A couple. The one I’m based off now csz4 is plenty long however has a 2.98 degree slope in it. Around a 80foot drop/ climb depending on runway in use. One I’ve flown to a couple times is st-fernand ( don’t know the iCao sorry) its around 3000 ft dirt, however nesseled between trees that go up around 75′ and it’s only 10ft wide. Just enough for the tires (there’s about a 50-75ft clearing for the wings but the dirt is only 10 ft. And shortest would have to be csh2 it’s 1,649 ft long by 75′ wide. Makes a fun approach. Anyway safe skies.
-joshua shea
CPL SMELS, class IV instructor

By: Cary Alburn

Cary Alburn — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 14:10:29 +0000

The smallest I can recall is the Owl Canyon gliderport north of Wellington, CO, before its main runway was lengthened, from approximately 960′ to 1600′, 5545′ elevation. Airnav says it is now 920′ asphalt and an additional 2600′ turf, but when I paced it, the asphalt part was 960′ to the line where the new asphalt was laid, and the total was 1600′. I’ve flown over it recently but haven’t landed; I saw no indications that the runway has been shortened again. Airnav also says that it’s 24′ wide and the parallel is 14′ wide–I think they’re both about the same width, closer to 14′. But whatever, my first landing there in a Skylane in the mid 70′s, I rolled off the end onto the turf. Since then, I’ve landed several times in the same 182 and various 172s, the last time roughly 5 years ago, remaining on the asphalt without difficulty. It helps to land on the spot at the right airspeed!

Another short runway at a higher elevation was Schloredt Field west of Sundance, WY, 2100′ long x 16′ at 5000′ elevation after it was paved, rather steeply sloped to the north with a fence on the north end. I landed everything from 172s to a Mooney 231 and T210 there. It’s been closed for several years, since the owner died.

A short runway I’ve been into many times in Ohio with Skylanes, a Turbo Arrow, and a T210 is Painesville Concord, less than 2200′ long at 1000′ elevation, with large trees 200′ from the approach end to 2 and 30′ “brush” at the other end, effectively shortening the runway a bunch. The owner Adolph (since deceased) used to take a Queen Air in and out of there. His widow Connie keeps the airport open–fun little country airport.

Cary

By: Kevin Norby

Kevin Norby — Sat, 05 May 2012 15:35:59 +0000

I am a CFI at Marlboro Airport (9B1) in Marlborough, MA. The only runway is 1,659′ with real 50′ trees right at the 32 approach end and a fence/road at the 14 end. We teach primary students in C150 & C172 to easily handle this without braking or the abrupt stop techniques typically thought of as “short-field”. Use the right approach angle, proper airspeed, and make full stall landings and under normal conditions we roll to a stop in under 1,000′. Any pilot should stop by for a lesson or tune-up and improve their stick and rudder skills.

By: Jim Dulin

Jim Dulin — Thu, 03 May 2012 13:39:25 +0000

Lots of short spray strips, roads, fields, whatever works, in Cubs, Champs, Cessnas, Pawnees, Callairs, and Stearmans. The trick is to get all wheels off as soon as possible into low (6″-3′) ground effect. Staying in low ground effect until the first obstacle that we cannot rudder turn (keep wings level with aileron) around develops the most kinetic energy of pressure airspeed the fastest. Why do you think the POH top speed on your aircraft was recorded in low ground effect? For those without a lot of excess engine thrust for climb, most of us, we need the free 30% extra kinetic energy of ground effect. Why do you think that Pawnee gets off with 140 gallons in the hopper in about 3/4th of the distance of a 235hp Cherokee Archer with four people? Big engine, right? No, same 235hp Lycoming.

We use the free extra energy of ground effect until the obstruction, zoom over using both the excess engine thrust for climb and the excess kinetic energy of ground effect, level the aircraft, and accelerate again before any sustained Vy climb is attempted. Vx at the obstruction is fine. Vx before the obstruction only throws away the free extra kinetic energy of ground effect.

Airspeed (the kinetic energy of pressure airspeed) is altitude (potential gravity thrust) and altitude is airspeed. Wise pilots, including Wolfgang Langewiesche, manage them dynamically in low level work, including takeoff and landing.

By: stuart

stuart — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:42:32 +0000

Not sure if it counts as a ‘runway’ but I landed an S2R (Ayres Thrush) on a football field (the goal post were removed) plus some extra room on the ends for a total of about 900 feet. It had tall trees on one end and a six foot chain link fence on the other. It was also a grass surface.

The purpose was for an ‘Ag Day’ demonstration. I had minimum fuel and praticed at our dirt strip until I could land and stop in 700 feet ten out of ten times. The landing was tight but the takeoff was were it really got interesting.

By: Gerald Moon

Gerald Moon — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:55:37 +0000

Runway 6/24 at Fort Collins/Loveland Minicipal (KFNL) is 2273 x 40 with hangers off the departure end of RY 6. With a field elevation of 5000′ summer takeoffs must be carefully planned. No problems last August in a 182 with full fuel, one passenger and book short-field technique.

By: Mark C

Mark C — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:10:06 +0000

Wow, some of these narrow runways are more impressive than the short ones. My home airport, Brion Field (3WN9) is 2100 x 100 with trees at one end and power lines at the other, but being turf it’s a pretty easy landing, maybe a little more challenge to take off. A little longer but as a student pilot I thought more challenging, was Caesar Creek (2OH9), it’s 2800 x 150 but has TALL trees on one end and TALL high voltage lines on the other. I’m sure it’s not as tough as it seemed to a rookie but it’s still a fun little field to fly into.

By: Jim Mantle

Jim Mantle — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 23:22:57 +0000

Two airfields around here are moderate length (around 2000′) but narrow. Iroquois (Ontario) is nominally 75′ wide, but only the centre 22′ is paved. When soggy, you don’t want to get one wheel on the pavement and one on the asphalt. I’ve arrived at this airport for breakfast in a 172 with 4 adults and full tanks (and a 180HP engine). And departed. Short-field and cross-wind techniques mandatory for arrival and departure, and soft-field for taxi.

The other is Winchester, which is only 18′ wide of broken asphalt.

In both cases, it feels like you’re landing on your driveway.