Making Grass strips?
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 143
Likes: 0
From: East Sussex
Fox Moth, the advice I gave referance the 28 rule is what most councils will try and enforce...to challenge this legality, correct or not is simply giving money to a lawyer, and if Paces friend wants to start an airstrip best to avoid that 
.
.
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 187
Likes: 0
From: Ireland
Preparation of the strip is important.
In my case I removed a hedge, ploughed the strip required width (6 metres) and spent a ton of time levelling and making it ready for sowing the grass-seed. Making it wider is not required as I have good run off, and it takes longer to cut the grass if it is wider
. I used a slow intense rye grass-seed to get a good matted finish and it is not fast growing. It took 6 mts before it was ready to use, also remember that your own strip does require maintenance in the form of cutting the grass (twice weekly in the summer) and don't try it with a ride on lawnmower. I have an oldish tractor and grass topper that takes me 15 mins to cut each time. I do not permit livestock, even sheep, near the place... the crap they leave behind is terrible. I let the field around my strip for hay or sillage and do not allow any machinery movements across the strip. The finish on it now is very good and I have regular visitors to the strip including a nice little PA16 clipper. I added the hangar, the wind sock and the clubhouse in 2008. Details of the strip are in Pooleys Irish flight guide, the strip is called "Ruskey" airfield.
My original link did not work, pictures of the strip are HERE. If you want any further details of the work involved then drop me a PM.
Regards,
Jon
In my case I removed a hedge, ploughed the strip required width (6 metres) and spent a ton of time levelling and making it ready for sowing the grass-seed. Making it wider is not required as I have good run off, and it takes longer to cut the grass if it is wider
. I used a slow intense rye grass-seed to get a good matted finish and it is not fast growing. It took 6 mts before it was ready to use, also remember that your own strip does require maintenance in the form of cutting the grass (twice weekly in the summer) and don't try it with a ride on lawnmower. I have an oldish tractor and grass topper that takes me 15 mins to cut each time. I do not permit livestock, even sheep, near the place... the crap they leave behind is terrible. I let the field around my strip for hay or sillage and do not allow any machinery movements across the strip. The finish on it now is very good and I have regular visitors to the strip including a nice little PA16 clipper. I added the hangar, the wind sock and the clubhouse in 2008. Details of the strip are in Pooleys Irish flight guide, the strip is called "Ruskey" airfield.My original link did not work, pictures of the strip are HERE. If you want any further details of the work involved then drop me a PM.
Regards,
Jon
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 647
Likes: 0
From: UK
LH2 asked: “Just an hypothetical question, say you have a 500m x 50m strip of land. I wonder if you could subdivide those into, say, five properties 500m long x10m wide, and use them alternatively. Shouldn't that give you 140 days a year of unregulated operations?”
No, it is all one planning unit and there is only one set of 28 days. Case law, not the original act.
By the way, there are other potential gotchas about the 28 day rule, too numerous and contentious to go into here. Getting it wrong can lead to legal action and mounting costs.
[As I wrote before: Anything I say about planning is as an unqualified person, and free, so it may be worth no more than you pay for it.]
Chris N.
No, it is all one planning unit and there is only one set of 28 days. Case law, not the original act.
By the way, there are other potential gotchas about the 28 day rule, too numerous and contentious to go into here. Getting it wrong can lead to legal action and mounting costs.
[As I wrote before: Anything I say about planning is as an unqualified person, and free, so it may be worth no more than you pay for it.]
Chris N.
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,479
Likes: 0
From: Surrey Hills
My two penn'wth. Do not fly circuits. Be stingy and don't allow anyone access for at least the first year. If you hear rumblings, offer the whinger/s a local flight on a nice calm day. Also have your "Cancer Fund" tin visible. Make every approach a glide one. [If possible].
Also fly during the week rather than weekends [again if possible].
Happy flying! PS Operate the quietest aircraft you can!
Also fly during the week rather than weekends [again if possible].
Happy flying! PS Operate the quietest aircraft you can!
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 187
Likes: 0
From: Ireland
Originally Posted by aviate1138
My two penn'wth. Do not fly circuits. Be stingy and don't allow anyone access for at least the first year. If you hear rumblings, offer the whinger/s a local flight on a nice calm day. Also have your "Cancer Fund" tin visible. Make every approach a glide one. [If possible].
Also fly during the week rather than weekends [again if possible].
Happy flying! PS Operate the quietest aircraft you can!
Also fly during the week rather than weekends [again if possible].
Happy flying! PS Operate the quietest aircraft you can!
In my case I approached the local equestrian centre and told them what I was doing and put an avoidance area around it, I told them if they had concerns to come and talk to me right away.
I also run an open day once a year for the hospice, it generated almost 3000 euro in 2008 and got local press coverage,see HERE this helps build up local confidence and makes the airfield a little bit more "approachable" by the locals, I offer them the R/H seat anytime I go flying. Personal airstrips can look like a "rich boy's" pastime, when the locals can come and see that you are just an ordinary chap it tends to make them more comfortable.
The one thing I have found that could be problematic for some, my strip is now used as a "waypoint" by a lot of GA traffic and it can tend to be noisy, especially choppers that fly overhead at 500 feet, generally directly overhead the equestrian centre too !... I try and get the reg and inform the owner accordingly. I will paint the A/G frequency on the hangar roof this year and inform others of the situation.
There is a lot of things to consider, however having the facility at my back door does allow for some lovely summer evening flying.
)
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,032
Likes: 5
From: Under the clag EGKA
Strangely, Les Chasseurs seem to leave the beggars alone. They prefer to roam the Garrigue miles away. Last year I saw an absolute monster attached to the bonnet of a Quatre Quatre. I think I'd like to try that with a Warrior. Rather appropriate I think. Any body want to do the w&b for an 18cwt pig?
I have some in the freezer. maybe it is time to get bit roasted. Mmmmm, yummy.
I have some in the freezer. maybe it is time to get bit roasted. Mmmmm, yummy.
