Farmstrip Flying
Join Date: Feb 2003
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Tailwheel conversion
Yeah Genghis,
My tailwheel conversion consisted of two circuits at Cranfield in a friend's Cub (I'd just bought one).
I was shown the first and 'monitored' for the second which I flew and then cleared with the admonishment "Don't go crazy and just try to land in gentle headwinds for the first few hours."
That was 800 hours ago, so something must've stuck!
One of my biggest laughs last year was a friend based at a rather challenging farm strip went to a tailwheel instructor at a somewhat larger establishment for his proficiency check.
They ended up back over my mate's strip and when invited to land away the intructor couldn't manage it!
My tailwheel conversion consisted of two circuits at Cranfield in a friend's Cub (I'd just bought one).
I was shown the first and 'monitored' for the second which I flew and then cleared with the admonishment "Don't go crazy and just try to land in gentle headwinds for the first few hours."
That was 800 hours ago, so something must've stuck!
One of my biggest laughs last year was a friend based at a rather challenging farm strip went to a tailwheel instructor at a somewhat larger establishment for his proficiency check.
They ended up back over my mate's strip and when invited to land away the intructor couldn't manage it!
High Flying Bird
Join Date: Dec 2000
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I think my tailwheel conversion took about an hour and a half. The first day we did a couple of three-pointers and wheelers on grass. The second day we flew a short navex (including upper air work) to North Weald, where we did a couple of three-pointers and wheelers on tarmac. Mind you, my instructor missed out training me in landing on one wheel.
Join Date: Apr 2003
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tailwheel conversion or farm strip??
It appears we are talking about both together here...do they really go so much hand in hand?
Can I ask what constitutes a 'farm strip' to the forum? Are we talking about short strips (how short is short? less than 500m, 400m?) or those with challenging approaches due obsticals etc? We are very spoiled with long strips here in this part of France ...and I didnt get to fly from any grass strips/airfields when learning in the UK.
I would like to add that I have had only modest experience of tailwheel flying, having learnt on Cessnas and switched to Robins here in France. I found flying a tailwheel Jodel very easy (a friend has one), confident & competent after less than a half dozen circuits. However I was in the US recently, and had a couple of hours dual in a Citabria in some time off, and was nowhere near good enough/confident in my ability to handle it by myself, I reckon I needed another 3 or 4 hours at the very least. A completely different aeroplane - but great fun!!
Regards, SD..
Can I ask what constitutes a 'farm strip' to the forum? Are we talking about short strips (how short is short? less than 500m, 400m?) or those with challenging approaches due obsticals etc? We are very spoiled with long strips here in this part of France ...and I didnt get to fly from any grass strips/airfields when learning in the UK.
I would like to add that I have had only modest experience of tailwheel flying, having learnt on Cessnas and switched to Robins here in France. I found flying a tailwheel Jodel very easy (a friend has one), confident & competent after less than a half dozen circuits. However I was in the US recently, and had a couple of hours dual in a Citabria in some time off, and was nowhere near good enough/confident in my ability to handle it by myself, I reckon I needed another 3 or 4 hours at the very least. A completely different aeroplane - but great fun!!
Regards, SD..
Join Date: Sep 2003
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I suppose the definition of a farm strip here in the UK, is a private, unlicenced airstrip, typically situated on farm land. Some are like "proper" aerodromes, with a couple of cut runways and 800 metres long, others have no defined "runway" and are simply a field in which an aircraft operates.
What's a short strip? ... I suppose it depends on the aircraft? what is short for say a PA28 might be cosidered long for a PA18. As a guide I'd say anything under 500 metres could be considered short, but then 500 metres with clear approaches is often easier than 800 with slope and obstructions.
My strip is 250 metres with a telephone wire 75m from one end and a 20' hedge at the other. I can just about get out in my VP2 but it's easy for a Zenair STOL that is also based here. It's certainly too short for the Falconar (Jodel type) and I'd not encourage anybody to fly-in without seeing it on foot first; even with a capable STOL aircraft and experience.
SS
What's a short strip? ... I suppose it depends on the aircraft? what is short for say a PA28 might be cosidered long for a PA18. As a guide I'd say anything under 500 metres could be considered short, but then 500 metres with clear approaches is often easier than 800 with slope and obstructions.
My strip is 250 metres with a telephone wire 75m from one end and a 20' hedge at the other. I can just about get out in my VP2 but it's easy for a Zenair STOL that is also based here. It's certainly too short for the Falconar (Jodel type) and I'd not encourage anybody to fly-in without seeing it on foot first; even with a capable STOL aircraft and experience.
SS
Simplicate and Add Lightness
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It appears we are talking about both (tailwheel and farmstrip) together here...do they really go so much hand in hand?
I was at a strip for an hour or so on Monday and there were probably a dozen movements - none of which were tailwheel. OK - there was a fair contingent of microlights, but also a nice selection of modern 'VLAs' - all with tricycle gear.
While we're at it; what's the dividing line between an unlicenced airfield and a farmstrip?
Join Date: May 2003
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IA
The VLAs were probably microlights too.
My personal favourite is the Eurostar. I watched one use all of 75m to get in and stop, a couple of weeks ago. A true farmstrip flying machine that will also cruise at 100mph in comfort.
The best thing about flying from farm strips is that you get invited to other farm strips. I know of over 30 in Essex alone, none on the map/in Lockyers and nearly all by invitation only. And I've never been charged a landing fee at one.
The VLAs were probably microlights too.
My personal favourite is the Eurostar. I watched one use all of 75m to get in and stop, a couple of weeks ago. A true farmstrip flying machine that will also cruise at 100mph in comfort.
The best thing about flying from farm strips is that you get invited to other farm strips. I know of over 30 in Essex alone, none on the map/in Lockyers and nearly all by invitation only. And I've never been charged a landing fee at one.
Ah, but taildragger microlights are horrible ugly things, just look at these 
Who'd be seen on one of those? Not worth being seen in such a thing just because it costs the same new as a ropey old C152 and can cope with a 250m farmstrip.
G
(Incidentally, 3 out of those 5 are actually British as well!).
Who'd be seen on one of those? Not worth being seen in such a thing just because it costs the same new as a ropey old C152 and can cope with a 250m farmstrip.G
(Incidentally, 3 out of those 5 are actually British as well!).
Last edited by Genghis the Engineer; 30th Mar 2005 at 10:02.
Join Date: Mar 2005
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I love farm strips. Much more fun than long tarmac ones. Best one was either Lewknor (? spelling) as I had to look both ways for vans on the road just prior to the threshold. Cromer is also fun. Had trouble finding it but it is a fun place to land incidently had to look for vans and cars at that one also. Picture of the cromer landing is the one at the top right.
http://www.chris.gurney.co.uk/pics.html
http://www.chris.gurney.co.uk/pics.html
Join Date: May 2003
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Scoob
Cromer is one of my favourite places to fly to. Chris Gurney runs a great field and will organise taxis into town for lunch and knows some very good B&B's if you want to stay the weekend.
Flying up to Blakney Point and seeing the seals is good, as is landing on the beach there if the tide is out. The sand is very hard.
Some great country houses to see too.
There's a video of us larking around in flexwings at Cromer here
No problems getting bigger stuff there and Chris normally has fuel too. Sold at what it costs him... something pretty unique, in my experience.
Cromer is one of my favourite places to fly to. Chris Gurney runs a great field and will organise taxis into town for lunch and knows some very good B&B's if you want to stay the weekend.
Flying up to Blakney Point and seeing the seals is good, as is landing on the beach there if the tide is out. The sand is very hard.
Some great country houses to see too.
There's a video of us larking around in flexwings at Cromer here
No problems getting bigger stuff there and Chris normally has fuel too. Sold at what it costs him... something pretty unique, in my experience.
Join Date: Mar 2005
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Unfortunatly when I went there we could not shut the engines down as the battery is not strong enough to start them again. Just picked up some marines so they could jump out over the town. Would love to go and actually get out to have a look around .
PS. Nice video, always wanted to have a go in a microlight, they look like so much fun.
PS. Nice video, always wanted to have a go in a microlight, they look like so much fun.
Join Date: Feb 2004
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Last summer I did a tailwheel conversion out in Manitoba, Canada with Harv's Air, was about 10 hours before let loose on my own. Perhaps it's just me, but 5 hours to go from trikes to traildraggers doesn't seem that much to me. And previous experience (not that I have much) was 95 hours courtesy of Aunt Betty's Flying Club and I consider that to be pretty decent training. I think it would be hard to appreciate the variety of conditions, such as crosswind landings in such a short space of time, if you even enounter those conditions at all. Perhaps I'm a slow learner?
Join Date: Oct 2004
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I flew taildragger (C140) at around 30 hours, to fill in time during my PPL.
Did about 2 hours altogether, and the instructor said I was ready for solo, but a/c insurance wouldn't allow it until my license is in my hand.
Didn't do any landings on cross wind limits, but felt ready to solo her.
Also did some complex single time to fill the hours in too.
Instructor says I have better than average ability.
I think years of flying tail dragger r/c models has a lot to do with it; power to weight ratio soons teaches you about swing on take off.
Did about 2 hours altogether, and the instructor said I was ready for solo, but a/c insurance wouldn't allow it until my license is in my hand.
Didn't do any landings on cross wind limits, but felt ready to solo her.
Also did some complex single time to fill the hours in too.
Instructor says I have better than average ability.
I think years of flying tail dragger r/c models has a lot to do with it; power to weight ratio soons teaches you about swing on take off.
