Zenith Aircraft Builders and Flyers
Online Community of Zenith Builders and Flyers
Private strips, Backcountry strips, Camp spots, Events, etc
It's becoming apparent as more complete their Zeniths that quite a few have private dirt or grass strips, favorite backcountry strips, or just plain old fun places to set down where there may not even be a "landing strip". I think most of us that fly the 701's, 750's, and 801's would rather stop in and say hi to a Zenith buddy, or fly to a place that a Zenith flyer has given us info on, then fly over to another airport that we have been to many times. (though that's still a kick for most of us) Also, as more start doing some serious cross countries, it sure would be nice if we knew of a few places to stop in and say hi to another Zenith builder or flyer, or just to get local info, or maybe just do a fly by and talk to someone we may know from the forum on a handheld.
For those that are like minded and willing, it would be great if you could post replies under this discussion with your private strip, favorite backcountry strip, event, etc, along with any requirements you may have if one of us were to land there (contact prior, waivers, have to move cattle, mow hay, send wife away, etc). GPS coordinates, a picture showing it on a sectional, approach info, anything that you would like to know if you were landing at an unknown or unmarked grass or dirt strip. (I think it's best if we leave paved runways or favorite airports for another discussion)
It's important that we realize this information is strictly for Zenith forum members, and not to be shared unless the owner gives approval. Also, if there are requirements prior to landing, such as prior contact, that is strictly adhered to, as we can't forget we are their guests, and that landing strip on private property is their "home". On the backcountry strips, it's up to the pilot to ascertain the legality of landing there, and those vary from state to state. (There are some states that have passed laws protecting private and public landowners from liability when aircraft are on their property. Check theraf.org if your state is included, and also to support them.)
Any little cleared backcountry spot where one can safely set down one of our planes would also be of great interest to some of us, particularly if there are pictures, especially with a tent in the background and pilots enjoying their choice of backcountry flying. If it says FUN on it, we're all over it, that's why we invested the time and money into our Zeniths.
Walt Snyder
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Walt Snyder on
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Kelli Field, Landers California
Home of the Goat Hill Tavern
N 34deg 16min 04.71’
W 116deg 22min 27.19’
I have a small cabin with a landing strip in Landers, California, which is in the High Desert by Joshua Tree, north of Palm Springs. The hardpack dirt strip is 1,000 ft x 40 ft, easily landable for most sport planes, and even some GA planes (Ted Taylor could have down 2 more touch and goes when he landed there in his 601). There are wires at the west end, and if that presents a problem, my friend has a strip nearby that is clear both approaches.The field elevation is 3,000 ft, and density altitude will be an issue in the summer (over 100 degrees at times) We have several fly ins a year there, and I'll start posting them if there is interest. Of course, any Zenith aircraft that land there get the newly cleared preferred tie down area right by the cabin.
If you are planning to stop by, contact me prior, as I live about 2 hours driving time away, or about 45 minutes flying time. Your more than welcome to stay, though it does get hot in the summer. There are a lot of interesting places to fly to and visit, with dry lakes nearby, and Calexico an hour away at the border with the world's best fresh shrimp dishes.
Walt Snyder
Kelli Field from the south, with Goat Mountain in the distance.
Pilot debriefing at Kelli Field. This is not the Kelly Field you will see on the sectional, different strip.
Goat Mountain is the mountain showing at 3668 ft on the Los Angeles sectional, and Kelli Field is about where the tip of the pen is. Note the restricted airspace from Twenty Nine Palms.
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Permalink Reply by John Austin on
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TN66 (Austin Field)
All the data is accessible on Airnav, but basically it's a 2100' x 100' turf strip in excellent condition in the head of the beautiful Sequatchie Valley in mid-east Tennessee. It's on the Atlanta sectional and is approximately 13 nm south of KCSV (Crossville, Tn) and 4 nm 239 radial HCH (Hinch Mountain) VOR. I like a call-ahead heads-up (phone no. in Airnav info) but everyone is always welcome! Ya'll come!
John
N750A
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Thanks John, really looking forward to it. Don't you have a nice classic Porsche and a Honda Nighthawk available as the airport car? That's so much better than the retired, beat up police cars we normally get, thank you.
Walt Snyder
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Ummmm ... '82 911SC and '84 Nighthawk bike are available, but they're not courtesy cars/bike, they're rentals. To take one for the day, all you have to do is give me your airplane! ;>)
John
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Dang, I was hoping you'd take a hit for the team. Looking forward to stopping in though. The grass strip at Chilhowee is where I realized how many grasshoppers there are in Tennessee within the first 20 feet AGL.
Walt Snyder
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Coyote Flats, California
N 37.20188 and W -118.47705.
Coyote Flats airstrip shown on the USGS topo map, Coyote Flats quadrangle, Calif, Inyo Co.
About three weeks ago a few of us pilots drove up to the Eastern High Sierras in our 4WDs to check out an abandoned strip called Coyote Flats, elevation 10,000 ft. It is in the middle of a high plateau, west of Bishop, Ca, north of Mt Whitney, accessible only with 4WD, and with an interesting history. It was used as a high altitude testing facility in the 60's, and when the government was finished, they tore out the paved 3,000 ft runway, disappeared, and never officially closed the runway. It is not marked on current aeronautical charts, though it still shows on the USGS Topo maps.
The purpose of the recon was to confirm it is still landable, as it has been awhile since we have been up there, and we are happy to report it easily is. There is low, sparse vegetation in some areas, but there is at least 2,500 ft of the hardpack dirt strip still usable. There are "X's" in rock at each end placed there may years ago, but the wind may be blowing those off soon, as the runway has never been officially closed.
There are typical High Sierra lakes to the west in the wilderness area, and Baker Creek is to the south, but both are a half hour to hour hike away. The closest town, Bishop, is a three hour 4WD trip away. In other words, congratulations, you have landed at the highest airstrip in North America, and the mountains are breathtaking, but you won't be fishing for trout or washing your dusty feet in a High Sierra ice cold stream unless you go for a walk. A night there under the Sierra stars are spectacular, however.
We will be returning at the end of July with our aircraft, and I will post pictures of the flight, with approaches, etc. This is a strip where density altitude can be above 14,000 ft, so one has to be very familiar with their plane and those conditions. You also have to be familiar with mountain flying and weather, as when we were there we had typical sierra thunderstorms and the snow level dropped to 10,000 ft. I have been hailed on up there on July 4th. I will post when we go if anyone wants to join us.
Walt Snyder
At the south end of Coyote Flats by Baker Creek
The north end of Coyote Flats landing strip, with the Golden Trout Wilderness of the Sierra Mountains to the west. The airstrip is on BLM land.
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Permalink Reply by Mack P. Kreizenbeck on
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Greetings from Idaho
Walt has come up with a great idea!
Welcome to Idaho, the state with spectacular scenery, high rugged mountains, deep narrow canyons, the famous "River of No Return" and many areas only accessible by plane, hiking or horseback.
I'm going to get on my soapbox and preach safety when flying the Idaho Back Country because there are too many accidents and deaths on these strips. Far too many of these accidents are caused by inexperienced pilots!
First order:
1. Get dual instruction from a knowledgeable instructor before attempting landing at your destination or alternate airport.
2. Prior to this instruction: make sure you are proficient in slow flight
3. Practice short field landings on non-paved runways; power-on, upwind, downwind and crosswind, making sure you can land within a fifty foot spot each time.
4. Know your aircraft! Most Idaho mountain airports are located in deep narrow canyons, substandard in length, width and have high density altitude.
5. Many Idaho back country airstrips have blind approaches and most do not offer "go-around" opportunities!
6. General rule: land upriver and depart downriver
7. Mountain weather changes rapidly and unexpectedly. As a general rule, air begins to deteriorate around 10:00 a.m. growing steadily worse until approximately 4:00 p.m., then gradually improves until dark.
8. Study your sectional - Do not, under any circumstances, fly up a canyon or valley without sufficient altitude and room to turn around! All canyons look alike when you are at a low altitude!
9. Stay out of the mountains if the wind is over 25 knots
10. Know your location and announce it frequently on 122.9 Mhz to inform other pilots in the area of your position and intentions.
These are good rules to live by whether you are flying the back country of Idaho or any other state!
A large portion of our back country strips are open to the public, but there are many that are private, so pay attention to your aeronautical charts.
There is an Idaho Airport Facility Directory published by the Idaho Transportation Department, Division of Aeronautics, 3483 Rickenbacker St., Boise, Id 83705. Phone 208-334-8775. See www.itd.Idaho.gov/aero.
For private airports, this publication gives you a contact person and their phone number.
In Idaho and Oregon, the BLM is raising a big fuss over "off-airport" landings. So if you visit our two states, please refrain unless it is an emergency.
Go, enjoy and have fun
Mack
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Permalink Reply by Wayne Tyson Jr on
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Mack, thanks for the excellent advice!
What, specifically, is BLM (and other agency) "fuss" based on with (dis)respect to off-airport landings?
W
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Wayne,
You never know all the motivations, but as you know, the Eastern US environmentalist (as they refer to themselves) have been on the BLM's case - big time!
Presently, their efforts are underway - trying to lock-up all open range land and the forested mountains in the West.
All this public land (which belongs to you and me) had been well managed up to and about the time of the Yellowstone fire. Reasoning for the proposed change made by these extremists is vague - as this land has been well managed by the local ranchers for the last 100+/- years!
I'll bet that most of these extremists have never set foot past the great Mississippi!
Their actions are creating quite a turmoil!
A side note; Take a look at an acquaintance of mine - Steve Henry's "dead-stick takeoff" on YouTube to see what type of BLM controlled land is being locked up.
Steve has a nice write up, in the latest Sport Aviation, about his "third-place" win in the Alternate Bush Class in Valdez.
Mack
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I've seen Steve's dead stick takeoff and landing video. I tried to buy his Highlander when he started the SuperSTOL kit, but he had already sold it. I flew in the SuperSTOL in April at the factory. Too long a wait and too much money for me. I'm just happy as a hog in the mud with the Zenith, so we'll see where that goes by next year . . .
We're not going to stop "the environmentalists" by calling them names and dissing them, and there are more of them than there are us, so we'll lose any power-play. That's why I wanted to know exactly what their gripes about off-airport landings are. A lot of them are friends of mine, so I think I might be able to help. They are nice folks (if disturbingly self-righteous--but they don't hold the patent on it; the other side usually matches them pretty well in that department), and amenable to reason if not insulted right out of the chute. They mean well, but then nine-tenths of the hell being raised in the world is well-intentioned. So the same might be said about the "other side." Reconciliation based on reason is what is needed, rather than rancorous name-calling. First, we gotta find out where the "enemy" is, and who she/he is. Then, make friends.
Yr. Ob't. Sv't.
W
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Wayne,
I've ridden in Steve's Highlander and am quite impressed with it's performance. It has been highly modified to perform the way it does. Steve's attitude is; it's experimental, so why not play with it. The 701 is no slouch and if modified the way Steve did the Highlander - you will be surprised with it's performance. Now the SuperSTOL -------
Several organizations are negotiating with the BLM at present to regain the use of existing air strips that improve BLM land. Up, until recently, many of these airports were made inoperable by sporadic placement of large size boulders on these runways without public notice, input or ???
Negotiations have resulted in the removal of the boulders, but, in turn, the pilot community has had to promise not to use these strips for anything but an emergency. This is why my comment don't land on BLM land unless it is an emergency.
Yes, we can use all the help we can get to come to amenable solutions so that we pilots as well as snow-mobilers, bikers, bicyclists, off-roaders, etc. are not locked out.
After all, we all are stewards of the land!
Mack
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I reckon it takes a highly modified pilot to take full advantage of any plane's performance, and I, for one, am not there yet. While my 750 awaits it's mechanic, I'm trying to build up some basic skills. I took an hour of dual in a Champ today, effectively turning the clock back 52 years. I was surprised at how well I did in some ways and disappointed in how poorly I did in other ways, but I'll soon be back out there, brushing off more of the rust that's accumulated since the 1990's, when I thought I was finished flying.
As to the back-country airstrip issue, I need to get an education of the specifics, and try to gain a real understanding as to why anyone objects to elective, non-emergency
off-airport landings, and why airplanes seem to be singled out for restrictions. Seems to me that airplanes tread a lot more lightly on the back-country than any other vehicle. I also need an education in the laws respecting operation in the back-country, including where I can and cannot land and what constitutes an emergency. Is having to pee an emergency? What's wrong with landing at one of these strips or a stretch of road or a more or less open patch under reasonably safe conditions in a way that's not going to do any damage? Why DO some people object?
W
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