Landing in a friends field

[The Swinging Monkey]

A friend of mine has invited me to land my aircraft in his grassed private field.
There are no airspace restrictions in the area and the field looked ok when I walked it a few months ago.
Do you I need to seek permission from anyone else and/or should I advise anyone if I intend to land there?
Any other advice greatly appreciated.

Many thanks
TSM

[stiknruda]

TSM - you only need the landowners permission!

What are you waiting for?


Stik

[The Swinging Monkey]

Thanks Stik,
I just need some good weather to dry it out a bit, and for it to stop raining here!
Thanks for the info
TSM

[chevvron]

I read somewhere that you should also inform the local police of your intentions.

[stiknruda]

If I informed plod-u-like everytime I landed in a field, he'd be on my friends and family discount list!

You only need the permission of the landowner - you are not obliged to do anything else, let's not create further burden for ourselves or anyone else.

Stik

[airborne_artist]

I read somewhere that you should also inform the local police of your intentions.

Only when landing at night with passengers who have paid you $5,000 each to fly them from the Pas de Calais region :E

[shortstripper]

airborne_artist

That sounds like even more of a reason not to inform the police :D

SS

[bladewashout]

As far as I am aware the rules for you are no different to a helicopter, and we do it all the time with the landowners permission. Any land is ok as long as you obey the 500 ft prior to your landing, 1000 ft at all times and no circuits.

If the land is not within the residential curtilege of the house (i.e. it's a field/paddock rather than a large garden) you have a limit of 28 movements in a year, otherwise you can run into issues over change of use and planning.

Obviously wires etc., all need to be surveyed but it sounds like you are on top of that.

You might want to consult your insurers just in case there are any restrictions on planned landings on unprepared fields - I'm not familiar with fixed wing policies, but it would seem like the kind of limitation of liability that a sharp insurer might insert, and there will be more risk going where others may not have gone before!

The only likely problem otherwise is if you are hurtling 100ft over someone's roof on the landing run: legal, but can make you *very* unpopular and attracts unwanted phone calls!

BW

[DickyPearse]

I would also check your insurance - some policies do not cover landings/takeoffs from a designated landing area

[IRRenewal]

some policies do not cover landings/takeoffs from a designated landing area
Are you sure? What do they cover then?

[Human Factor]

If he says he's planning to land there and has permission from the land owner, it's legal and therefore one would imagine designated. Licensed on the other hand - but then the insurance would say licensed, wouldn't it?

[effortless]

Walk it again and then walk it back again. There is always a hole somwhere. This I know from personal experience. I dread one of my more balletic moments turning up on YouTube.:uhoh:

[Tiger_mate]

A routine call to the local plod avoids an emergency response to a call from the public reporting your crash. It also gives them something to go and look at on an otherwise boring day. FWIW I would also let the local fire dept know by way of a courtesy call also.

I would also second the need to walk the ground before landing unless previously proven.

[stiknruda]

So if you propose that TSM contacts:

Plod
The fire brigade (if they are not striking)

why not go the whole hog and inform;


local press,
DHSS
council both parish and county
local judiciary.


He can't be too careful, can he?

[shortstripper]

I'd second Stiks sentiments,

It took our local plod two years to realise I have an airstrip! If it wasn't for the police helicopter actually landing in the field by chance they'd probably still never know. About a week later I had a visit from a very nice customs and excise officer to check me out. All routine stuff and no problem whatsoever. There is no obligation to inform anybody, but if you choose to do so ... be careful as it's usually more trouble than it's worth.

SS

[Tiger_mate]

You can either go about your business in a professional and courtious manner, or you can a gash pain in the butt. The choice is yours.
That you do not haveto inform anybody does not been that a little consideration does not go a long way. The arrogant manner being displayed here does nothing to further or rather dispel the reputation of 'puddle jumpers', with their expensive toys unaware of anything beyond the end of their nose.

PS

5000 hours of aviation and counting, and have gone through my recomended procedure many times to numerous fields. I have only received one complaint, from a local primary school with comments such as "Next time please tell us so that the children can watch"!, and no I am not suggesting this is is the norm.

If you think that an aeroplane landing in a field that does not normally support aviation does not create 999 calls, you are very naive. On a similar note, if it actually was an emergency landing you would appreciate the said 999 call.

[stiknruda]

Tiger mate - 5000 hrs means that you obviously know much more than me and I'll bet your dad is bigger than mine, too! Funny old thing I've yet to have a complaint - from either Joe Public or the fuzz.
I am a strip owner and until the knee jerk reaction post 9/11, the Old Bill never visited my strip. They then decided to send the police helicopter over Norfolk to photograph all private strips - they now drop in regularly and waste my time. It becomes aparent very quickly that my two seat aerobatic biplane is not on their "Most Wanted" list.
You do it your way, I'll do it mine and as SS suggested, I'll have an easier life. As for you perceiving me as being gash and discourtious (sic) - I can live with that!
Go figure.
Stik

[ProfChrisReed]

I believe the emergency have asked glider pilots (via the BGA) to inform the emergency services that a safe off field landing has been made.

I wish I'd done this a few years ago when I landed in a field next to an A road. A friend had landed out at the police helicopter strip and saw the calls coming in on screen from passing drivers. They began "Glider in field" and ended as "Aircraft in field, wings off, on fire". Interestingly, none of the passing drivers stopped to see if the pilot was OK.

It was a hot day, and the only shade was under a single tree 500yds from the field gate. It nearly killed me running up as first the police, then the medic and finally the fire service arrived at 5 minute intervals (just giving me time to get back to the tree). Should have kept the firemen to push the glider out of the field, with hindsight.

As it happened, they all seemed glad of the break in what was otherwise a dull day for them, but if there had been a real emergency elsewhere
resources would have been diverted from that to my non-emergency. Next time I'll call 999 to tell them nothing has happened.

Probably worth doing the same for this field landing unless there are no neighbours to misread it as an emergency.

[SkyHawk-N]

I believe the emergency have asked glider pilots (via the BGA) to inform the emergency services that a safe off field landing has been made.

I'm sure they would have got very fed up if all the contestents who landed out during the 2007 Eastern Regionals/15M Nationals had done this!

[eddiec]

So what happens if you inform the local plod and fire brigade that you will be landing and tell them to igonre the neighbours calls about a crash landing.................. fine until you crash land and they do just as they were told and leave your ass in a smouldering wreckage, very intelligent

[chrisN]

SkyHawk-N Quote:[snip] “I'm sure they would have got very fed up if all the contestents who landed out during the 2007 Eastern Regionals/15M Nationals had done this!”

On the contrary, they would rather have 27 calls saying there is no emergency than have 27 times x public calls to sort out enough fire appliances and ambulances in case the reported "crashes" are real. I called them after a land-out the week before, and they thanked me.

From the BGA web site:

"Distress & Diversion Cell Request 22nd July 2005

"The D&D Cell has requested that we ask all pilots to let them know if they have landed out and had to leave the glider in the field overnight or if, for any reason, they believe that the landout has caused or is likely to cause alarm. In these events, you should call the D&D Cell on 01895 426 150, letting them know the location and confirming that there are no casualties. The request follows an incident where a glider was left on a hillside in Wales recently to allow the owner to organize a particularly tricky retrieve. As a result, a helicopter was scrambled in poor weather to check for survivors at a reported glider 'crash site'.

Chris N.

[tangovictor]

ChrisN excellent advice, I recently visited D & D at West Drayton, they are very friendly people, who are there to help you, Thankfully we have them :D

[ProfChrisReed]

eddied wrote: "So what happens if you inform the local plod and fire brigade that you will be landing and tell them to igonre the neighbours calls about a crash landing.................. fine until you crash land and they do just as they were told and leave your ass in a smouldering wreckage, very intelligent"

If you re-read my post, you'll see I suggested you call after you've made a safe landing. Can't see why anyone would want to contact them first, unless they want an audience.

Just to make it clear, I'd only make the call if I thought those on the ground might report my safe landing as a crash. I seem generally to pick fields in such remote areas that it's usually 20 mins before any passer by appears, if then.

[SkyHawk-N]

Can't see why anyone would want to contact them first, unless they want an audience.

ProfChrisReed, have you been following this thread? ;)

[Frelon]

Many years ago a friend of mine carried out a cross-country flight in a Swallow glider operated by the Air Cadets (we were both Air Cadet Instructors) and the ATC had six of them that did the rounds of the Gliding Schools. On landing after his cross country he called on the telephone for a retrieve (no radios available in Air Cadets then). I set out with the Land Rover and glider trailer (which looked like it could have carried a Horsa!).
As I was nearing the landing site I was pulled over by a police car which had been following me for some time. They asked me how long the trailer was and I gave what I thought was the appropriate response. I was then told that as the trailer was more than the permitted length I needed to obtain police permission at least 24 hours beforehand and had to have a police escort. I informed them that it was a glider retrieve trailer and that one of my pilots had landed his glider in a nearby field. Also due to the unpredictable nature of the English weather it was impossible to advise the police of future cross country flights, either times or directions! As soon as “glider” was mentioned they changed their attitude. One of the policemen mumbled something about indivisible loads not requiring a police escort, so they then spotted that the registration number of the Land Rover was different to the trailer! I then “educated” them with the fact that the Armed Forces used an individual registration for trailers as it was highly unlikely that they would be towed by the same vehicle more than once!
After some continued mumbling from the plods I again confirmed that my colleague had landed in a nearby field and that he would be waiting for the retrieve. “No worries,” they said, “we will escort you!” So off we set with the police car in front leading the way towards the area my colleague had given me.
As we rounded a bend we saw on the side of a hill a Swallow glider spread across the landscape in pieces, and in amongst the fuselage and the separated wings was a body….
The police car put on its blue light and siren and accelerated towards the “wreckage”. As we approached, the “body” stood up having been lying enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun. My colleague had earlier made a safe landing and in an attempt to save time in derigging the glider had enlisted the help of the local populace to help him derig the glider and lay the wings and fuselage on the ground ready for loading into the trailer, hence the appearance of having crashed!
When the situation was explained to the police they saw the funny side of it and helped us with the traffic control while we loaded up the trailer with the Swallow.
I think it really made for an exciting day for them, they had never seen it before but would know what to do next time!
Of course nowadays we have things like mobile telephones which could well make things a little simpler.

[shortstripper]

My first aircraft share was in a Swallow glider :) Thanks for that story Frelon, it brings back many happy memories :ok:

SS