Deanland airfield - inexperienced ppl
 

Hi all,

Do people have any experience of Deanland airfield in East Sussex? I'm visiting relatives in Bexhill next week and Deanland is nice and close. That said I'm a bit wary of only 500m being quite inexperienced (just approaching 100 hours).

Id be going 1up in a 172. I've been into clacton in the same aircraft with no real probs but obviously Deanland is shorter. Alternatives are either Lydd or Shoreham and an expensive cab ride!

Cheers in advance.

Have you tried calculating it using the performance charts from the POH?

Yes it's well within limits. My limits at this stage are probably lower than the aircraft's book figures - hence the question about this field in particular.

Deanland is where we get our group C172s maintained. I think they're extremely strict on flights in and out of the strip. I also believe its very tricky - only a few members of the group are allowed in and out and they have trouble sometimes.

Call them first (it is PPR). I'll be surprised if you'll be able to get in (no reflection on your ability, they might just not let you land).

As an inexperienced PPL, from what I've heard about the strip I'd go somewhere else.

Deanland Airfield - Home

Thanks - that's good enough for me I'll be giving it a miss. One for when I have more experience!

They are actually very friendly, but do require PPR. If you are one-up in a 172 it is easily do-able, but if you have not flown into short(ish) strips before, best to get some dual experience first.

What about Slipstead Farm just north of Hastings and a stones throw from Battle which is just north of Bexhill.

Airfield card shows a runway length of 700m with a 15 degree upslope.

Spilsteads Farm

Why not try and find someone with the right experience to go with you the first time? I am sure there are a few on here that will do it - you maybe just need to be a bit careful it is the right experience they have.

I reckon Deanland is no problem for you in a 172, and I'd recommend you go there rather than Spilstead fm/Sedlescombe which is rather 'different'

But hey, what do i know?:E

Normally a 15 degree upslope is a 15 degree DOWNSLOPE if the wind is in the other direction!!!

One way in one way out!:O

I have flown into Deanland many times with a jodel dr 1050 a great place and very friendly it is ppr and the runway is short also you have to be careful were you fly due to noise restrIsctions. Get a good brief and take someone with short field experience and enjoy any wind down the runway will help considerably!

Short field operation
 

Hi Guys,

In my experience, most aircraft need more runway to take off than to land.

So in considering a visit to any small field, the question should also include consideration of, 'if I can indeed get in, shall I be able to get out of there afterwards'? (This of course having regard to wind vector, gradient, runway surface type and contamination and pilot experience).

BP.

Spilsted can basically only be used by the pilots who have aircraft based there. I tried when i lived in Hastings to use it, but they were not to keen on it unless I bought a share or rented a hangar. Owner a nice chap and his reasons are sound - not worth the hassle from the council and the neighbours.

Unfortunately the area is a bit of a dead spot for airfields. Lydd is nice and very good, but it is a good 1hr from Bexhill.

Just to add deanlands fine, its not difficult at all, other than in respect of its length, which simply means the right aircraft and experience of landing on a strip of this length.

The only caveat is it prone to water logging particularly at the bottom end so not ideal if there has been lots of rain - of course we are having a drought you know!

Thanks for all the advice guys - On balance I'll be giving Deanland a miss this time and taking the train as Lydd and Shoreham are logistically too far to be viable. As suggested I'll seek out someone for some instruction on short strips as it's something I'm keen to master - but this trip, with low experience probably isn't the time to start.

I have never flown to Deanland but have been there by car.

They were not keen on visitors, especially in "big" planes which is basically PA28/C172 or bigger :) Noise / NIMBY reasons, as usual. My TB20 was absolutely banned (and anyway the runway is too short, in most conditions, for it).

The runway is short but any pilot with a PPL should know how to work out whether a runway is OK for his aircraft.

A C172 is fine for Deanland but you cannot come in at 85kt and hope to bleed the speed away gradually :) You have to treat this as a max performance landing, and takeoff.

A number of people from my locality seem to have pranged their planes at Deanland.

Just because the book figures (with safety factors of course) says it's OK does not mean that any old pilot on any old day will be OK. I think the OP is very wise asking for advice and taking a cautious approach to this. There are many pilots with a lot more than 100 hours who would do well to follow his example!

I was recently invited to fly a fast and (some might say) tricky aeroplane into a strip which was adequate for it (ie it and other aircrcaft of the same type had been in there many times before). I did not have too many hours on type and I had never flown it into this strip before so I agreed that I would fly to a much longer runway, practice some approaches and short field landings and then, if I felt that it was sensible I'd fly it into the destination; if not I'd go back to base and let someone else do the job!

The OP could adopt the same approach and make practice approaches and short field landings till he was comfortable or, as has been suggested by others he could take an instructor or suitably qualified pilot with him. In either case here the trick is to avoid at all costs being committed to land at the short runway. If the family visit is important and time critical - take the train! If you're just dropping in for a coffee then fly your practices, fly down there and have a look; if it doesn't feel right go around and make it better next time. If, after a few approaches it's not working you have to throw it away and go somewhere else.

That's why it's critical that you try to make your first visit on a day when there is no pressure.

Happy landings

3 point

This Deanland visitor is not what I would call small: One plane. Three pioneering flights. Three daring reenactments.

I found my contact details for Mr. Bob Cole at Spilstead Farm, should anyone want to get in contact with him for a possible landing. PM me if you want them.