Requirements For Private Strip
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Requirements For Private Strip
Whilst checking my losing lottery numbers last night and thinking, what if?
Lets say I owned a field somewhere for a 500 meter grass strip.
What would I need to do to fly a Piper in and out?
Lets say I owned a field somewhere for a 500 meter grass strip.
What would I need to do to fly a Piper in and out?
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You need nothing, except to keep the grass maintained and (highly recommended) have third party liability insurance.
You don't need to restrict your usage to 28 days* and you don't need planning permission. If you go for permission, you'll be unlikely to get it, you'll draw attention to it and create yourself a load of grief. After 10 years continued use, you'll be pretty much sorted as long as you don't suddenly then start ramping activities up.
I see it so often where people establish a strip and then mess it up for themselves by inviting all their mates to fly in. You need to use it on a subtle basis and using a "take off and f**k off" attitude. No circuits, a quiet and high arrival overhead with a glide approach, and making sure you avoid bringing yourself any attention.
It's easy to do, but it's also easy to get it very wrong.
PS You don't need to win the lottery either. If you go about it the right way, you can speak with a farmer and negotiate an annual rent on 3 acres (500 x 20m plus parking area).
* IF you get a knock on the door by the Planning chaps, you will mostly likely have a 28 day restriction imposed on you. Prior to that knock, you can legally use it for 365 days per annum. So, the key is to use it subtly and sensibly.
I hope that helps.
ps
A lot of your likelihood of success with approaching the landowner is your attitude and how you go about it.
If you turn up in a polished white Audi and say, "Hello, I own an aircraft and I'd like to rent some land from you to fly from", you'd be better off not wasting the diesel going to see him.
If however you take the time to understand a bit about farming and have answers to the kind of questions he/she will ask, you'll be in a better place. You'll also need to take him/her for a fly so they can see the aircraft. Most non-flyers will assume it's a big noisy twin. It's just the way it is.
pps
And when you get to know him better, you can drop in and take him a cup of tea and fish and chips!!
You don't need to restrict your usage to 28 days* and you don't need planning permission. If you go for permission, you'll be unlikely to get it, you'll draw attention to it and create yourself a load of grief. After 10 years continued use, you'll be pretty much sorted as long as you don't suddenly then start ramping activities up.
I see it so often where people establish a strip and then mess it up for themselves by inviting all their mates to fly in. You need to use it on a subtle basis and using a "take off and f**k off" attitude. No circuits, a quiet and high arrival overhead with a glide approach, and making sure you avoid bringing yourself any attention.
It's easy to do, but it's also easy to get it very wrong.
PS You don't need to win the lottery either. If you go about it the right way, you can speak with a farmer and negotiate an annual rent on 3 acres (500 x 20m plus parking area).
* IF you get a knock on the door by the Planning chaps, you will mostly likely have a 28 day restriction imposed on you. Prior to that knock, you can legally use it for 365 days per annum. So, the key is to use it subtly and sensibly.
I hope that helps.
ps
A lot of your likelihood of success with approaching the landowner is your attitude and how you go about it.
If you turn up in a polished white Audi and say, "Hello, I own an aircraft and I'd like to rent some land from you to fly from", you'd be better off not wasting the diesel going to see him.
If however you take the time to understand a bit about farming and have answers to the kind of questions he/she will ask, you'll be in a better place. You'll also need to take him/her for a fly so they can see the aircraft. Most non-flyers will assume it's a big noisy twin. It's just the way it is.
pps
And when you get to know him better, you can drop in and take him a cup of tea and fish and chips!!
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Agree with most monocock says apart from "needling nothing".
The following I find comes in handy :
Wheelbarrow
A couple of spades and rakes
A wee tractor of at least 50hp
A finishing mower
A topper
A grass aerator Is handy but not mandatory
A little grass sowing machine to either push or pull behind the quad
A small set of harrows
A small roller
A decent local golf course mechanic or Ag engineer that does not charge you like a wounded buffalo to sharpen up the finishing mower a few times a year.
A couple of bags of grass seed for repairs/patching(not stored in the hangar attracting mice)
Kids or nephews or local youths that drink and smoke but can't afford to pay for it as a cheap supply of manual labor
A couple of rolls of drainage pipe and a pile of backfill for the areas that don't drain so well.
That's about it.
The following I find comes in handy :
Wheelbarrow
A couple of spades and rakes
A wee tractor of at least 50hp
A finishing mower
A topper
A grass aerator Is handy but not mandatory
A little grass sowing machine to either push or pull behind the quad
A small set of harrows
A small roller
A decent local golf course mechanic or Ag engineer that does not charge you like a wounded buffalo to sharpen up the finishing mower a few times a year.
A couple of bags of grass seed for repairs/patching(not stored in the hangar attracting mice)
Kids or nephews or local youths that drink and smoke but can't afford to pay for it as a cheap supply of manual labor
A couple of rolls of drainage pipe and a pile of backfill for the areas that don't drain so well.
That's about it.
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I managed to get myself the occasional use of a nice flat 10 acre field, but as Monocock said don't go having a flyin during your first week of permission keep it under the radar and you shouldn't have to many problems. As for tools and equipment I don't require any the farmer does it all 
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Firstly, before you look to establish your own strip, have you made enquiries to see if there's already one nearby? There are a couple of links in this thread: http://www.pprune.org/private-flying...-database.html But note this: http://www.pprune.org/private-flying...rnoon-but.html which has some cautionary tales regarding the less considerate using private property. You could also spend some time studying the area with Google Earth.
Secondly, you haven't said what sort of Piper is going to be based there? A Cub derivative will be happy on grass, but PA28's etc will need more careful planning, particularly in hot weather or when it's been raining heavily! If the former, you are going to need (or build) a hangar to keep it in. Don't be tempted to share with any agricultural building containing chemicals, or being used as a grain store - you'd be amazed how much black diesel soot and dust will fall when large diggers are moving hundreds of tons of grain in & out...
Thirdly, whilst the idea of "your own" place sounds wonderful, you also have to allow for the time spent maintaining it. Grass can grow very quickly in good weather, and become unusable when wet, particularly if the underlying soil is clay. You have also the risk of moles playing havoc with your nice smooth grass - as I found out the hard way.
I was fortunate to be pointed towards a farmer with his own well established strip when I got my microlight PPL back in the 90's. With the right approach I was able to base my machine there, and after a while build my own hangar. Initially he looked after the grass, but I gradually took that over, and other general tidying of the hedges, etc.
I always made a point of stopping to speak to people (a footpath ran past the threshold). This is good PR, and may help to avoid complaints, particularly if you offer them a flight! However DON'T do this until you are sure of your own & the plane's capabilities, and have some experience. Over 20 odd years, I took a number of people up who had never flown in anything before - I hope (and believe) they went away with a better understanding of what flying is about.
TFP
Secondly, you haven't said what sort of Piper is going to be based there? A Cub derivative will be happy on grass, but PA28's etc will need more careful planning, particularly in hot weather or when it's been raining heavily! If the former, you are going to need (or build) a hangar to keep it in. Don't be tempted to share with any agricultural building containing chemicals, or being used as a grain store - you'd be amazed how much black diesel soot and dust will fall when large diggers are moving hundreds of tons of grain in & out...
Thirdly, whilst the idea of "your own" place sounds wonderful, you also have to allow for the time spent maintaining it. Grass can grow very quickly in good weather, and become unusable when wet, particularly if the underlying soil is clay. You have also the risk of moles playing havoc with your nice smooth grass - as I found out the hard way.
I was fortunate to be pointed towards a farmer with his own well established strip when I got my microlight PPL back in the 90's. With the right approach I was able to base my machine there, and after a while build my own hangar. Initially he looked after the grass, but I gradually took that over, and other general tidying of the hedges, etc.
I always made a point of stopping to speak to people (a footpath ran past the threshold). This is good PR, and may help to avoid complaints, particularly if you offer them a flight! However DON'T do this until you are sure of your own & the plane's capabilities, and have some experience. Over 20 odd years, I took a number of people up who had never flown in anything before - I hope (and believe) they went away with a better understanding of what flying is about.
TFP
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Mono:
What do you think a reasonable annual rental from a farmer for a strip (6 acres) would be in East Anglia? (unfenced arable).
PM me if you prefer:
There is a genuine reason for my question.
The only farmer input would be to heavy roll it once a year. (all cutting etc done by renters)
Cheers
Cusco.
What do you think a reasonable annual rental from a farmer for a strip (6 acres) would be in East Anglia? (unfenced arable).
PM me if you prefer:
There is a genuine reason for my question.
The only farmer input would be to heavy roll it once a year. (all cutting etc done by renters)
Cheers
Cusco.
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Cusco, say you offered him £200 an acre which I suspect is more than he could ever make cropping it with cereals based on grain prices over the last few years even when counting the subsidy ( which he would lose if the land was not in production) you would have to provide assurances in regards to liabilities and insurance etc. the issue may be why would a non flying farmer want to bother giving someone else access , especially for aircraft, to his multi million pound property for a grand or 2. He'd probably feel it's more hassle that it's worth.
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Cusco:
A lot depends on the following:
1. If it will bisect a nice efficient field for him and mess up his crop sprayer efficiency.
2. If he likes you!!
3. His (if any) concerns about his neighbours and any noise.
4. Whether it will affect his enjoyment of his land and his liability risks.
Piper is correct that he would lose his £80 per acre subsidy, and the £100-£150 per acre farming margin. So, let's say he loses up to £250 per acre in income, that's £1,500 of lost income on 6 acres. He would want some hassle factor payment too, so you'd be looking at at least £2,000 per annum I reckon.
He will have good productive land in East Anglia, so it's not the best place to be trying to persuade a farmer not to plant it!! If he was on cr@p land in Gloucestershire or Wales, he'd probably snap your hand off at £1500!!!
A lot depends on the following:
1. If it will bisect a nice efficient field for him and mess up his crop sprayer efficiency.
2. If he likes you!!
3. His (if any) concerns about his neighbours and any noise.
4. Whether it will affect his enjoyment of his land and his liability risks.
Piper is correct that he would lose his £80 per acre subsidy, and the £100-£150 per acre farming margin. So, let's say he loses up to £250 per acre in income, that's £1,500 of lost income on 6 acres. He would want some hassle factor payment too, so you'd be looking at at least £2,000 per annum I reckon.
He will have good productive land in East Anglia, so it's not the best place to be trying to persuade a farmer not to plant it!! If he was on cr@p land in Gloucestershire or Wales, he'd probably snap your hand off at £1500!!!
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Flyingmac
6 acres seems a bit excessive. I don't think any of the strips that I use take up more than three.
6 acres seems a bit excessive. I don't think any of the strips that I use take up more than three.
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AbThCl is quite right. You'll rarely be offered a perfect 500x20 strip down the middle of a hundred acre field. Farmers are always looking at ways to make their field operations more efficient, and if they can get rid of a curved headland (field edge) as that sits alongside a potential strip site, that's the best way to do it.
So, whilst you might want 10,000 m2 (2.5 acres) for the strip, you might actually find that he takes out 4 acres to make his life easier. He can then enter the spare unused land as 'Field Corner Management' under the new Mid-Tier Countryside Stewardship scheme and get paid for not farming it.
The more I think about this, the more I realise that unless people have farming knowledge of all the various schemes, it's a tricky approach to make. I know of at least ten places on my land where I could put a strip and be financially no worse off, but that's only because I know how to mitigate the loss of crop by using various grant shames to top it up.
So, whilst you might want 10,000 m2 (2.5 acres) for the strip, you might actually find that he takes out 4 acres to make his life easier. He can then enter the spare unused land as 'Field Corner Management' under the new Mid-Tier Countryside Stewardship scheme and get paid for not farming it.
The more I think about this, the more I realise that unless people have farming knowledge of all the various schemes, it's a tricky approach to make. I know of at least ten places on my land where I could put a strip and be financially no worse off, but that's only because I know how to mitigate the loss of crop by using various grant shames to top it up.
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What about the law of Curtailage.
The same law that allows you to drive your 4x4 or scrambler bike up and down your own land, any time you like.. Why does it make a difference if your vehicle has wings.. therefore 28 day rule doesn't apply.
But would do if you have visiting aircraft..
trevor
The same law that allows you to drive your 4x4 or scrambler bike up and down your own land, any time you like.. Why does it make a difference if your vehicle has wings.. therefore 28 day rule doesn't apply.
But would do if you have visiting aircraft..
trevor
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As I've said, the 28 day rule doesn't apply unless it's enforced!!!!! And it can be enforced if it's a non-agricultural activity that members of the public deem disruptive enough to complain about.
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Monocock
As I've said, the 28 day rule doesn't apply unless it's enforced!!!!! And it can be enforced if it's a non-agricultural activity that members of the public deem disruptive enough to complain about.
As I've said, the 28 day rule doesn't apply unless it's enforced!!!!! And it can be enforced if it's a non-agricultural activity that members of the public deem disruptive enough to complain about.
