The bumpiest, roughest runway in the UK??

[IO540]

Still marginally on the subject, what are peoples' views here on landing gear collapses / prop strikes as a result of "excessive" bumps, or potholes deep enough to sink the front wheel enough to hit the prop?

I know at least one of the airfields mentioned has quite a history of landing gear collapses, on twins, and at perhaps £30k a time...?

I know airfields vigorously resist any liability. They are trying to keep their insurance premiums down, which is understandable. But what about potholes?

[WorkingHard]

Just a word of caution to all (as if it is needed I know!!) - Be very careful on private strips. PPR really is a must, not just for permission but a pre flight briefing. A couple of years ago we had 2 taildragger on the same day came without asking and found the combination of narrow strip, cross wind and corn standing close by, too much. Yes they both ended inverted in the corn fields. You have been warned.

[Kingy]

I agree with WH, of course, the bumpiest, roughest strip in the UK is bound to be a private strip - I personally fly into the odd farm paddock so rutted and covered in molehills that a walkround is advised after each and every landing... mind you, those same bumps are often needed to fling you into the air before the fence looms on the way back out.

Thanks to the 28 day planning rule - unlike virtually any other country, any field is an airstrip with the owner's consent and long may it continue.

Kingy

[Daifly]

The last time one of our guys landed on 24L at Fairoaks, they found that incredibly bouncy.

Missed the PAPIs though - just

[Bear 555]

As a pilot - Wick. You'd better be going round them pot-holes for sure

As a tourist - Palermo on Sicily. Serious blurred vision trying to read TriStar instruments from jumpseat

Bear 555

[BEagle]

Agreed - Punta Raisi has an appalling RW surface on the main. The short is rather better.

WW pretty bad

But some private strips.....!!!

[WelshFlyer]

Ha ha!

Try Caernarfon (EGCK) 08/26 most of the pot-holes have now been filled in, but it's still a bumpy T/O/landing.

WF.

[jayemm]

Try the Scilly Isles - it's just one very large bump.

[Sassenach]

Strathaven, just South of East Kilbride. Bumpy, great big tufts of grass, waterlogged for most of the year, tall trees on the Westerly approach, and a great big dip just beyond the threshold that will catapult you back into the air. Great fun - sorts the men from the boys!

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Hairey

I flew our Chippy into Woburn last year, and the runway surface was better than the one we'd left at Barton

I agree it is an interesting approach over the trees and lake, with fickle winds, and the undershoot (which we used for the beginning of the take off run being as it was a hot day and quite a short strip) we found to be much rougher than the runway proper.

But I certainly agree it's an event not to be missed. I've got the Chippy booked again this year, and it's fingers crossed for availability and weather.

SSD

[Boing_737]

I trained at WW. I think the r/ways are great - especially when its been raining, and ruts start to form What you really have to watch out for are the potholes in the field which are particularly hard to see when the grass hasn't beem cut for a while, and there is the odd dip here and there as well.

I reckon its made my landings better though as you have to get the speeds right or else you're back off into the wild blue yonder before you know where you are

[smallpilot]

Goodwood is one of the bumpiest runway's I've encountered but no doubt some will disagree and some will have other contenders for the title...

[Mike Cross]

My vote goes to the Bristol and Glucesterhire Gliding Club's site at Nympsfield.

Walking along the edge of the site you can lose sight of the cable recovery truck as it disappears in the undulations.

Shortly after take off you are faced with a rising hillock. I gather it is not at all uncommon for a tug with a glider on the back to have got the entire combination off the ground only to find the tug landing again as the ground comes up to meet it. It then launches off the top of the hillock over the next dip.

Maybe that's where they got the ide for the ski jump on the Ark Royal!

Mike

[Timothy]

As Barton hasn't had a mention I can only assume that it has been improved.

I am not allowed to go there because of their ban on twins, but when I was last there I asked for the QFE I was offered two figures depending if I was in a rut or not.

Timothy

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Timothy - I mentioned it earlier in this thread, saying it was rougher than the temporary strip at Woburn used for the dH rally. Barton doesn't suffer from such extended closures in winter due waterlooging as it used to, thanks to the efforts of 'the mole', but it is still mighty rough.

There are now two 27/09s, left and right, to try to share some of the wear and tear. But such are the number of movements and the poor state of the ground that rough it remains.

SSD

[bar shaker]

Smallpilot

I had a very bumpy arrival at/departure from Goodwood some years ago in a Mooney with defective flaps (ie none). As we were a bit "hot" I didn't know if it was fair to mention it.

[nosewheelfirst]

Ever tried the short runway at Glasgow, for an international airport its not in the best of condition.

[jayteeto]

Its years since I took a tomahawk out of WW airfield and I hit the big one with my nosewheel. The landing at Welshpool was a nervous affair..... I wasn't 100% that the wheel would stay on after touchdown!! Barton was just muddy, not mountainous.

[A and C]

I can understand the grass runway quality being variable but what is the excuse for the runway at Corfu ?.

Last year Mrs A and C made a smoooth touch down only to think that a tyre had burst the place was so rough and undulating !.

[cortilla]

The worst i'd ever been to (for a paved runway anyway) was connington. Although i hear it's been re-surfaced