Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Airstrip?

I have some friends who own private planes. I got this idea to maybe build a dirt strip on my ranch so they could fly in. I know absolutely nothing about flying and not much about General Aviation.

The property is at 4,000 ft and I have maybe 8-10 acres of flat land on the south end of the ranch. Is this practical or should I file it and forget it?

You would need to ask them how long of a strip they would require. Some flat land clear of debris, and a few wind socks, and you should be set. Your pilot friends will know the rules and regulations.

R.

How long a length do you have available? Can it be placed so aircraft can takeoff and land into prevailing wind? Obstacles to clear at each end and how high? Width available? Surface? Types of planes that will be using airstrip?

Do a little research here.
http://www.shortfield.com/

Thanks. I'm going to investigate further.

Most light Single engine airplanes can live with 1500 to 2000 feet of runway just fine. It depends on obstructions on both ends of the runway. Also you will have to determine the Wind direction most of the time so you can orientate the runway to the wind direction. Its always best to land in to the wind. This way you don't end up with a cross wind most of the time. You should talk to the AOPA. They can help you with all the regulations and zoning issues that may come up.

Unless that 8-10 acres is long and skinny, and oriented in the right direction, I'm thinking it's not going to be too feasible.

I could be wrong...

Heres an obstruction that would suck

If you blow by this.....



then someone is getting wet

My stepbrother had the bright idea of having a landing strip on his place, but those pesky electric lines on one end, and those pesky oak trees on the other end, sorta dashed his hopes and dreams in that regard. Now he has to use it for a food plot, to keep all those deer nearby. Deer are another "runway hazard" at his place, should he decide he wants to groundloop his 172.

In the 80s, a client of mine built a two runway grass strip over in Mississippi, along with a hangar with an apartment above, and a shell parking lot. I rode with him looking for locations in his Stearman.....that was what he wanted the strip for, so he and his Stearman buddies could do fly-ins and spend the weekend.

I think that place was about 80 acres....no powerlines or other airports anywhere nearby.

Don't fail to investigate how much the liability insurance on your dirt strip would be. If one of your buddies clobbers in, you can rest assured his widow's lawyer will be all over you like a cheap suit.

Also check with the zoning commissioner to make sure it's within zoning guidelines; no point building it, only to be shut down by some officious pr**k with a zoning rule book in h is hand.

It may be that strictly private airstrips can evade zoning regs, but I doubt you'll get off so easily from your insurance company. Pls keep us posted on your progress. It's a great idea; I just hope it isn't shot down by a bureaucrat or an insurance man.

lots of mountain strips in BRITISH cOLUMBIA were 1500 feet 70 or more wide,but on a benchthat fell off on both ends so trees were not a factor ..prevailing winds usually followed canyon direction ,lots of fun,

i dont know about the laws in calif. but here in texas building a air strip can be a lot of hassel,we built one on our ranch about 10 years ago, and paved it 110ft wide and 6000 ft long, then we had to high fence it to keep the wildlife off the strip, we can land anything thats not over 55thousand pounds, and doesnt need more strip to get off the ground loaded with fuel, then we put in refueling jet a, and avgas, then a weather station- awas, lights and so on, you can spend a lot of money on an airport. getting FAA's blessing takes about 2 years, we had to move a 5 stand sporting clay range to get approval, to close to air port.but i must say after 10 years it has been a real time saver and a blessing.

Might be better off clearing the land but not calling it an airstrip. If folks in light planes want to land on it, fine, but if you call it an airstrip and register it with all the various government agencies, then you're taking on a fair amount of liability.

Put a berm at one end of it and call it a shooting range instead.

I prefer completly shaved. :>)