IO540:
Flying is a serious business, and a pilot going to land on a runway is likely to assume that it is a runway, not any old field. Otherwise, why not land in the field next door?
That's the point -- we do. Farm strips don't have runways, they have fields, bumpy fields, often with sheep in. Two weeks ago, I went to Lundy Island. 'We'll get the sheep off the strip,' they said. Did they hell! I made four passes to clear them off. 'Oh sorry,' they said in the pub. 'The farmer's off the island. That's why we couldn't clear the sheep and that's why we can't clear them for your take-off. Good luck!' I taxied around, cleared a hundred and fifty yards of sheep and took off. If I'd hit a sheep, should I have sued? What about the idiot who stalled his (customer's) 172 on take-off from Lundy last year or the year before because the runway direction wasn't clearly marked and he came over the hump in the direction of the parked aircraft. Should he sue? They've put up some marker poles now. And what about the potholes and bumps in the strip? It's bloody rough. They never warn you about them when you phone the pub for permission to land. What if you ding your nosewheel in one of them? Sue them for not warning you!
I watched a bloke try and get out of there once in a Kondor motorglider and he nearly didn't. If he hadn't, should his estate have sued Lundy Island, or the Devon Strut for not warning him this was an inappropriate aircraft?
Ferchrissake...
Knowing nothing about strip flying I can only guess that this is the case for some and not for others, otherwise why should anybody ever claim for damage?
Good question. They shouldn't. If you fly into someone's farm strip and you bend the aircraft or yourself, you should stand up and take the responsibility. Unless you're a complete jerk, that is.
stik:
QDM3 - when would you like to visit my strip?
a) I feel that you are well enough acquainted with farm strips
b) mine is rather smooth with clear approaches but is not 6000' of tarmac
c) I know that having a cup of tea with you would be enjoyable!
d) winter can be quite damp and can muddy one's aeroplane so I suggest Spring next year
e) If i've Łucked up on items B and D above then I shall be liable!
I spent 1 hour doing crosswind landings and PFLs today and then 1 hour cleaning the mud from the bottom, top, sides and windscreen of my aircraft, so mud holds no fear for me. However, be warned that if there is sheep or cattle dung on your strip
and you have not warned me
and it turns out to be particularly tenacious
and if I were to be forced to rub and abrade a little too forcefully
and if this were to damage the fabric of my machine
in any way whatsoever, then I may be forced to seek appropriate redress in the courts.
Please forward a copy of your strip owner liability insurance certificate and policy schedule, including exclusions, and I will run it past my legal department before replying to your kind offer.
FlyingDutch kindly let me visit his strip at Daventry and, so far, no legal action is pending, although I note that he did ask me to land one way for noise abatement purposes, which I did, and as a result I did find myself with rather a larger tailwind than I bargained for. He hadn't told me whether his was a 15kt or 25kt windsock! Luckily for him, things turned out OK. This time...
I'll PM you and definitely come over sometime. You have been warned.
Lucy:
If I read QDM3 correctly, he is talking about strip owners who have arranged a pre-ordained event. They'd have mown the grass, shot the rabbits and might even have rolled the runway and taxiways in advance. Even better, they lay on catering and toilets for visitors.
We're looking at all strip owners becoming disinclined to allow any visitors in. As it is, if I want to go somewhere in England, I look up Lockyear's, ask around or ask here and find a local strip and more often than not get permission to use that instead of an airfield with yellow vests. Will I still be doing that in 10 years? Not so sure.