Potential damage landing at grass strip

K

Kalikiano

New Member
My boss recently purchased a brand new 182T and there is a grass strip that is like half a mile from one of his offices so he would be tempted to land there alot.

Besides just having to clean out all the grass and mud is there any other potential dangers to the aircraft long term. Id really hate to get her all dirty such a beautiful bird its not a wrangler that should be dirty
 
Kalikiano said:
My boss recently purchased a brand new 182T and there is a grass strip that is like half a mile from one of his offices so he would be tempted to land there alot.

Besides just having to clean out all the grass and mud is there any other potential dangers to the aircraft long term. Id really hate to get her all dirty such a beautiful bird its not a wrangler that should be dirty
Click to expand...

I land everything from a 150 to a 310 on a grass strip daily. As long as the surface is free of holes, rocks, and other little nasties you will sustain no damage. The only tool you'll need for cleanup is a garden hose.

Actually, landing on grass saves your brakes which can save a good bit of cash. Grass is nothing to be afraid of and is much more forgiving than pavement.
 
Typically, grass strips are shorter than paved, and running off the end of the runway or into a tree on takeoff will damage most anything. The performance data on hard surface is in the AFM, but grass adds a variable. Even the AFMs that have performance data for grass don't include things such as wet or dry, how tall, and is the underlying ground smooth or rough. People tend to use bad technique taking off runways they consider difficult. Most commonly, people will rotate too soon trying to get into the air, which will result in a longer takeoff distance.

I would look very seriously at each situation and the variables of the day (weight, runway condition, density altitude).

If there is a situation that might not allow lots and lots of safety margin, consider making a takeoff solo and then decide if you want to add more people to the airplane and depart.

Of course, all that is written without any knowledge of the specific grass strip you would be using. Just thinking about short grass strips in general.
 
Make sure his INSURANCE COVERS IT.

Based on my own research in the past, this is apparently more of a problem than people know.
 
Like firebird said, he better check with his insurance company first. It would be a shame to bend some metal and be stuck with the bill.

He might want to remove the wheel pants too. That green stain sure is annoying.
 
Grass, properly maintained, is far gentler on the gear than any hard surface. It has it's own shock absorption that concrete just doesn't have.

Poor technique can make grass rough, but I always found it much easier to land on.

As others have said, wheel pant removal and checking insurance are great ideas.
 
I was lucky to be part of a club that had an insurance policy allowing grass strips. I loved them. I found them to be softer and gentler to land on than asphalt and as said above, required less braking. Sadly, it's hard to find places to rent that will allow those operations. I can't say much specifically from a wear and tear aspect, but I don't recall any ill effects on the planes that frequented the grass fields.

One caution, just make sure the field is dry and firm.
 
Erik1010 said:
Like firebird said, he better check with his insurance company first. It would be a shame to bend some metal and be stuck with the bill.

He might want to remove the wheel pants too. That green stain sure is annoying.
Click to expand...


This too. I heard a story about a guy that bought a Pitts, and soft-fielded it. Wheel pants fill with mud and bogged the gear and he ground looped it. Guess what? No insurance coverage for that.

One landing, one wrecked plane. He hated life, I'm sure.
 
Heh, not if you've landed on asphalt on the seventh of nine straight 105 degree Texas days.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top