Did you ever land on a beach?
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Joined: Jan 2009
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From: Oxford, UK
Did you ever land on a beach?
There's a thread running just now with pilots giving advice on avoiding harm to others during an emergency landing. (Do you land on a crowded beach or ditch?)
Which made me wonder, anybody here ever land on a beach? tell us about it! Not necessarily an emergency.....
Which made me wonder, anybody here ever land on a beach? tell us about it! Not necessarily an emergency.....
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Moray,Scotland,U.K.
Barra and Sollas in a Jodel DR1050. Not emergencies. Would NOT recomend a non-emergency beach landing unless the beach has been checked immediately before. I do/have done a lot of beach walking, and sand condition changes with recent tide/wave/wind. A normally firm beach can occasionally have a soft top layer.
Last edited by Maoraigh1; 19th April 2012 at 22:15. Reason: Addition
Joined: Oct 1999
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From: UK
Ha! Another opportunity to post a gratuitous pic of me landing our Chippy on Southport beach for the airshow a couple of years ago.
Copyright Steve Le Vien
Runways were laid out as seen below, and we had ATC running things.
Copyright C Chadwick
I landed o the runway that points to the top RH corner of the picture.
Have also landed on the beach at Knott End, in a 172. Here I am turning final.
Copyright Mike Edwards
Copyright Steve Le Vien
Runways were laid out as seen below, and we had ATC running things.
Copyright C Chadwick
I landed o the runway that points to the top RH corner of the picture.
Have also landed on the beach at Knott End, in a 172. Here I am turning final.
Copyright Mike Edwards
Last edited by Shaggy Sheep Driver; 20th April 2012 at 08:24.
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From: UK
Yes.
Barra in a PA28
Tarn sands in an F2a
Ardrossan beach in a Raven.
Wonderful experience. I reckon you need to flare a little more aggressively on dry sand - I suspect that the ripples reduce ground effect a little. (I have no theory to back this up, just experience).
Landing at Barra at a typical light aeroplane 5 degrees or so, the large pools of very shallow water look to be just water. Very disconcerting and you need to show great faith that you know exactly where you are and what you're doing.
Which reminds me of a story I'm sure I've told before. Place - around 30nm SW of EGPK, I was enjoying a sunny afternoon in a microlight, when a pillock in a PA28 tried to fly into me. He then came back and had another go.
So I filed an Airprox. The airprox board phoned me to clarify a few things....
"What altitude were you"?
"900ft on the QNH"
"On what QNH setting"
"I've no idea, I didn't note it".
"So how do you know it was QNH?"
"Because it read zero on the beach I took off from, halfway between the high tide and low tide marks"
"Errr, right. There may or may not be something wrong with that. I'll get back to you".
(Which he never did)
G
Barra in a PA28
Tarn sands in an F2a
Ardrossan beach in a Raven.
Wonderful experience. I reckon you need to flare a little more aggressively on dry sand - I suspect that the ripples reduce ground effect a little. (I have no theory to back this up, just experience).
Landing at Barra at a typical light aeroplane 5 degrees or so, the large pools of very shallow water look to be just water. Very disconcerting and you need to show great faith that you know exactly where you are and what you're doing.
Which reminds me of a story I'm sure I've told before. Place - around 30nm SW of EGPK, I was enjoying a sunny afternoon in a microlight, when a pillock in a PA28 tried to fly into me. He then came back and had another go.
So I filed an Airprox. The airprox board phoned me to clarify a few things....
"What altitude were you"?
"900ft on the QNH"
"On what QNH setting"
"I've no idea, I didn't note it".
"So how do you know it was QNH?"
"Because it read zero on the beach I took off from, halfway between the high tide and low tide marks"
"Errr, right. There may or may not be something wrong with that. I'll get back to you".
(Which he never did)
G
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From: Ontario, Canada
Yes, a number of times. There are tricks to it, and I suggest considerable mentoring is appropriate. But when you find a great beach, it was worth it!
My wife was delighted to find many "sand dollars".....
My wife was delighted to find many "sand dollars".....
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: At home
Like Turin, several times on a hang glider.
Rhossili on the Gower peninsula, Wales
Bodo, Norway
Curium, Cyprus
and Weston Super Mare - On the 20 to 25ft sand dunes. The locals lay in their harness in prone at the bottom of the dune, tip the glider back and as it goes up and backwards over the dune, they pull in the bar to start soaring. Needless to say I didn't try that...
This brief video shows a glider soaring the dunes. The sand at the bottom is the top of the beach.
Rhossili on the Gower peninsula, Wales
Bodo, Norway
Curium, Cyprus
and Weston Super Mare - On the 20 to 25ft sand dunes. The locals lay in their harness in prone at the bottom of the dune, tip the glider back and as it goes up and backwards over the dune, they pull in the bar to start soaring. Needless to say I didn't try that...
This brief video shows a glider soaring the dunes. The sand at the bottom is the top of the beach.
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: North of Antarctica
I used to operate Islanders commercially on occasion into a beach. Here are a few things to bear in mind;
Some sand is hard, some is soft, so it pays to know what you are about to land on. Usually the sand just below the high tide line gives a good combination of not too wet but firm conditions.
Beaches tend to mean birds so keep a good look out!
If there is an offshore wind blowing then it may mean a bit of turbulance/windshear off of any dunes.
Finally, and importantly, don't use the parking brake with engines running. Shut the engine down and roll to a stop and on start up start rolling immediately. There are two reasons for this, firstly it reduces sand erosion on your prop and secondly it helps to prevent you burying yourself into the sand. Just think how easy it is to sink into the sand in bare feet by moving them around a little.
Finally enjoy it!
Some sand is hard, some is soft, so it pays to know what you are about to land on. Usually the sand just below the high tide line gives a good combination of not too wet but firm conditions.
Beaches tend to mean birds so keep a good look out!
If there is an offshore wind blowing then it may mean a bit of turbulance/windshear off of any dunes.
Finally, and importantly, don't use the parking brake with engines running. Shut the engine down and roll to a stop and on start up start rolling immediately. There are two reasons for this, firstly it reduces sand erosion on your prop and secondly it helps to prevent you burying yourself into the sand. Just think how easy it is to sink into the sand in bare feet by moving them around a little.
Finally enjoy it!
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From: Glens o' Angus by way of LA
Not on the beach yet, But used to practice landings on El Mirage dry lake bed in the Mojave desert. hard to overshoot in the 150hp Warrior when its 5 miles long and a couple of miles wide.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: Oxford, UK
VP-F, tell us more!
VP-F, you mention you flew Islanders commercially, landing on a beach! Please tell us more! was it a remote Scottish Island perchance? did you fly a regular service? if so from where to where? Does the route still exist?
What kind of ATC service did you get from the beach? did the locals talk to you? cleared to land, etc etc?
What sort of people, cargo, sheep were you transporting? It sounds absolutely fantastic as a flying job. Was the weather particularly challenging? did you consult tide tables before filing a flight plan?
Is there anywhere else in the world where a commercial service is run to a beach, I wonder?
What kind of ATC service did you get from the beach? did the locals talk to you? cleared to land, etc etc?
What sort of people, cargo, sheep were you transporting? It sounds absolutely fantastic as a flying job. Was the weather particularly challenging? did you consult tide tables before filing a flight plan?
Is there anywhere else in the world where a commercial service is run to a beach, I wonder?
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: West Sussex, England
Be aware many beach landings end in a broken 'plane.
There was a long discussion of this on the BMAA forum a couple of years back, with pix of bent, sunk in & nosed over examples, but the thread seems to have gone AWOL when I searched !
Best only try on established areas.
mike hallam
There was a long discussion of this on the BMAA forum a couple of years back, with pix of bent, sunk in & nosed over examples, but the thread seems to have gone AWOL when I searched !
Best only try on established areas.
mike hallam
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From: EGPT/ESVS
Beaches tend to mean birds so keep a good look out!
Unfortunately the one we noticed when we were on final was NOT a bird. I remember thinking "that guy has got seriously flesh coloured trunks on" ... and now I need some bleach for my brain to scrub the image from my visual cortex.
Also done Barra lots of times in a Twin Otter, many many moons ago...
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From: Perth, WA
Yes - in SW Tasmania
Hi there,
I landed a C172M with 3 pax on the beach at Cox's Bight, in SW Tasmania - one of the least accessible parts of the world. It was a fairly common thing to do at the time. Sparkling clear day, with a light sea breeze. It was a great landing because the into-wind wing-down just matched the camber of the beach and, if there is a sand equivalent of the greaser, this was it. A bit of judegment is needed - you want the hard sand, but not the sloppy stuff and you want to keep the water out of the brakes. The subsequent take-off was a maximum performance one (best angle) and the views of Maatsuyker Island and, later, the quartz mountains glinting in the Tasmanian sun were unforgettable. I'd say get a good instructor or experienced local pilot and give it a try!
All the best.
I landed a C172M with 3 pax on the beach at Cox's Bight, in SW Tasmania - one of the least accessible parts of the world. It was a fairly common thing to do at the time. Sparkling clear day, with a light sea breeze. It was a great landing because the into-wind wing-down just matched the camber of the beach and, if there is a sand equivalent of the greaser, this was it. A bit of judegment is needed - you want the hard sand, but not the sloppy stuff and you want to keep the water out of the brakes. The subsequent take-off was a maximum performance one (best angle) and the views of Maatsuyker Island and, later, the quartz mountains glinting in the Tasmanian sun were unforgettable. I'd say get a good instructor or experienced local pilot and give it a try!
All the best.
Joined: Dec 2008
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From: York
With a bit of luck from the weather we will be landing on Pilling sands to the north of Blackpool next weekend 28th/29th April courtesy of the Northern Aviators.
LANCASHIRE LANDING FLY IN - HOME
Why not have a trip over if you are local enough?
LANCASHIRE LANDING FLY IN - HOME
Why not have a trip over if you are local enough?
Last edited by ak7274; 21st April 2012 at 16:23.
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From: North of Antarctica
Hi Mary,
the beach that I have operated in and out of was at Pebble Island in the Falklands. In the winter if the grass airfield became to soft to use then the beach could be used. We would use to tide tables for planning and avoid it between an hour before and after high tide to allow enough width. The area just below the high tide mark gave the best compromise of firmness and dryness althought the aircraft was washed at the end of a day that included beach ops. Salt and sand are about the worst mix around for anything mechanical.
We used a cb radio (2m band) for talking to the folks on the beach to get info on surface conditions, they would park the land rover to give us a threshold mark of sorts. After a strong northerly gale kelp build up on the beach could be problematic at times.
As for cargo, it was a mix of whatever was needed, in my time I have flown anything from royalty to pigs although the trickiest was probably a 350 kg grass mower.
the beach that I have operated in and out of was at Pebble Island in the Falklands. In the winter if the grass airfield became to soft to use then the beach could be used. We would use to tide tables for planning and avoid it between an hour before and after high tide to allow enough width. The area just below the high tide mark gave the best compromise of firmness and dryness althought the aircraft was washed at the end of a day that included beach ops. Salt and sand are about the worst mix around for anything mechanical.
We used a cb radio (2m band) for talking to the folks on the beach to get info on surface conditions, they would park the land rover to give us a threshold mark of sorts. After a strong northerly gale kelp build up on the beach could be problematic at times.
As for cargo, it was a mix of whatever was needed, in my time I have flown anything from royalty to pigs although the trickiest was probably a 350 kg grass mower.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: Oxford, UK
Down on the Dingle .....
They call it a safari. Every September, they come from the North, they come from the South, they come across the Irish Sea, and bring their gliders to the Dingle. Where the Slieve Misch Mountains slope down to the sea, and where the beach at Inch goes on forever to the South, and the beach at Fermoyle goes on forever on the north side of the peninsula....
We all meet at the pub in Dingle. and the talk is about the problem on Fermoyle sands when the tow car (the gliders are pulled up with a long rope attached to a car, preferably with automatic transmission) - got stuck in some soft sand.....they fetched a landrover, that got stuck as well. The farmer came with a tractor, which pulled the Landrover out alright, but by that time the tide came in, and the original car was well and truly submerged before the tractor managed to get a long line on it..... "So what did the owner do?" "Why to be sure, he's going to take it to the garage and have it steam cleaned inside and out, and sold as soon as possible......"
Next day, I rode in the tow car...a different one....and the driver was communicating with the glider on tow as they raced down the beach, shouting over the radio "Fly out to sea, fly out to sea!" so that when the glider had gained sufficient height, and released, the rope had a chance of coming down on the beach....however, the pilot didn't hear, and the rope came down in a neighbouring field, and draped across an unsuspecting cow, which took it very calmly.....fortunately.
I had my flight the third day, amazingly beautiful, the wind against the cliffs keeping us airborne for half an hour, ....but not strong enough to dare going round the ocean end of the peninsula, as no beach there, only rocks and breakers. That day a glider landed on top of the mountain, so next day all hands went to help carry it down in pieces. Story went, why is this fuselage so bloody heavy? they got it down to the trailer, and found that the pilot had weighted it down with some rocks so it wouldn't blow away overnight.....
We all meet at the pub in Dingle. and the talk is about the problem on Fermoyle sands when the tow car (the gliders are pulled up with a long rope attached to a car, preferably with automatic transmission) - got stuck in some soft sand.....they fetched a landrover, that got stuck as well. The farmer came with a tractor, which pulled the Landrover out alright, but by that time the tide came in, and the original car was well and truly submerged before the tractor managed to get a long line on it..... "So what did the owner do?" "Why to be sure, he's going to take it to the garage and have it steam cleaned inside and out, and sold as soon as possible......"
Next day, I rode in the tow car...a different one....and the driver was communicating with the glider on tow as they raced down the beach, shouting over the radio "Fly out to sea, fly out to sea!" so that when the glider had gained sufficient height, and released, the rope had a chance of coming down on the beach....however, the pilot didn't hear, and the rope came down in a neighbouring field, and draped across an unsuspecting cow, which took it very calmly.....fortunately.
I had my flight the third day, amazingly beautiful, the wind against the cliffs keeping us airborne for half an hour, ....but not strong enough to dare going round the ocean end of the peninsula, as no beach there, only rocks and breakers. That day a glider landed on top of the mountain, so next day all hands went to help carry it down in pieces. Story went, why is this fuselage so bloody heavy? they got it down to the trailer, and found that the pilot had weighted it down with some rocks so it wouldn't blow away overnight.....