Thinking Strip Operations?
Winters seem to be getting longer and wetter in Ireland recently. Grass strips are often wet or slippery. This can cause increased risk for aircraft operations; here are a few thoughts that might be worth considering.
- No substitute for walking the strip, note surface condition (may change along strip), wet spots, edge areas, over runs.
- Strip composition is very important to understand: eg a normally solid packed gravel/stone strips with grass on top can get extremely slippery when wet.
- Such strips if 'man made' will normally have very wet edges where water flows off.
- 'Natural' grass strips vary hugely depending on underlying soil and drainage..
-- Soil type can vary hugely in Ireland over short distances - even in good grassland areas.
-- Always check surface conditions with the strip owner or an experienced current local operator if you cannot walk the strip.
- An acceptable surface for a light taildragger or a microlight may be trouble in a heavily loaded 172..
- Beware x winds on slippery surfaces. Make sure the aircraft is tracking straight on touchdown. Don't rely on ground contact to straighten you..
- Always beware overloading nose-gear. Look carefully for wet spots on taxi.. Weave lots in taildraggers.
- Use soft field technique t/o if necessary.
- Beware spats filling with mud/grass.
- Have an abort point for take-off. If things are not looking good on landing make early go around decisions on landing - especially in fixed pitch prop/performance limited aircraft.
- If it looks like you look like going off the end and its too late to go around consider switching the mags off.. Might stop quicker, might save prop/engine.
- Owners consider edge marking.. Very useful esp in rain/poor vis. Edge electric fences or wires are not a good idea!
GASCI strip safety awareness briefing available for clubs.. contact us!
Check out the GASCI safety information leaflet in the GASCI library section.
- No substitute for walking the strip, note surface condition (may change along strip), wet spots, edge areas, over runs.
- Strip composition is very important to understand: eg a normally solid packed gravel/stone strips with grass on top can get extremely slippery when wet.
- Such strips if 'man made' will normally have very wet edges where water flows off.
- 'Natural' grass strips vary hugely depending on underlying soil and drainage..
-- Soil type can vary hugely in Ireland over short distances - even in good grassland areas.
-- Always check surface conditions with the strip owner or an experienced current local operator if you cannot walk the strip.
- An acceptable surface for a light taildragger or a microlight may be trouble in a heavily loaded 172..
- Beware x winds on slippery surfaces. Make sure the aircraft is tracking straight on touchdown. Don't rely on ground contact to straighten you..
- Always beware overloading nose-gear. Look carefully for wet spots on taxi.. Weave lots in taildraggers.
- Use soft field technique t/o if necessary.
- Beware spats filling with mud/grass.
- Have an abort point for take-off. If things are not looking good on landing make early go around decisions on landing - especially in fixed pitch prop/performance limited aircraft.
- If it looks like you look like going off the end and its too late to go around consider switching the mags off.. Might stop quicker, might save prop/engine.
- Owners consider edge marking.. Very useful esp in rain/poor vis. Edge electric fences or wires are not a good idea!
GASCI strip safety awareness briefing available for clubs.. contact us!
Check out the GASCI safety information leaflet in the GASCI library section.