question about old strips/ X on runway...

TXaviator

TXaviator

Well-Known Member
ok so, i find myself working out of grand marais MN... KCKC.... but the lodge im staying at has the "old" strip... its got X's on it, its rough, but its paved and probably land-able...might go kick some rocks off before trying it though...

cant find the reg on this...

if i check with the lodge and they say "sure go for it" am i good to land here? is it considered just a private / unofficial strip now or is it forbidden since its painted with X'es ?

this is serious backwoods stuff out here... im sure its "do whatever you want" but im just curious whats the legal ruling on backwoods stuff like this.


thanks!
 
If it is private and you have the owner's permission then it is a discretion call. Walk it beforehand, know the pitholes and you are golden. You don't want to be in a position of a non emergency (in an emergency you can violate any regulation to safely conclude a flight) situation and have something go wrong. If you shouldn't have been there, the question will come out "Why were you there?" Perhaps not a reg bust but likely an insurance risk. Weigh your adventure gains against the potential downside.
 
its fine, but its your butt if something goes wrong, pretty much like any other time anything goes wrong.

yee haw!
 
yeah i figure tommorrow ill go walk the strip and see how seriously pitted it is... last thing i would want to do is pop a tire from a pothole out here....

if its decent though and i decide to take the plane in here, ill definitely post some pics!
 
Might check on your insurance coverage. These days it seems that they will try to wiggle out of a claim if there is any way possible.
 
t-cart said:
Might check on your insurance coverage. These days it seems that they will try to wiggle out of a claim if there is any way possible.
Click to expand...


well, our company told us we are forbidden from landing on unpaved strips... not sure what that means really, aside from obviously no landing on soft fields/grass/dirt...

good point though, hadnt thought about that.
 
I would figure they paint the X because A. They don't want people landing there anymore or B. they don't want to maintain the strip anymore.

If they give you permission I say go for it, but obviously make sure it's safe. Or another good I idea is go check it out without the student knowing. Go fly over and pull the power and do a real emergency landing there, that would be a great lesson.
 
I'm sure you've already thought about this, but just in case.

Could be other reasons the strip was closed and the X's are there.

Check to make sure there are no new hazards on the approach/departure ends. I know you said it was pretty rural, but cell phone towers and new power lines crop up all over. Sometimes trees are no longer trimmed at old strips, etc, etc.

You're probably fine, you just don't want to enter "Test Pilot" status, you know?

Also, if you haven't already, see if you can rustle up some input from the local pilots. Some local guy/gal might clue you in if you're about to do something really dumb.
 
Grand Marais? The lodge we went to for our honeymoon is outside of Grand Marais! Beautiful up there.

/tangent :D
 
wait, who said anything about students? LOL

anyway, talked to the local kids at the airport, the strip has X's on it because they fenced one end of it to use as a dock for the seaplane base. said you could probably get in, but getting out might be 'exciting'.

im guessing theres about 1500' and theres a nice long grassy area with no obstructions, basically a one way in/out...

dont think ill try it though, the locals didnt seem real keen on the idea.

:-(

backwoods flying FTW!
 
beechpilot84 said:
I would figure they paint the X because A. They don't want people landing there anymore or B. they don't want to maintain the strip anymore.

If they give you permission I say go for it, but obviously make sure it's safe. Or another good I idea is go check it out without the student knowing. Go fly over and pull the power and do a real emergency landing there, that would be a great lesson.
Click to expand...

I have seen a lot of beautiful private strips with the X's just to deter strangers.
 
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