Just about the most fun I've had in my plane was going up to the West Coast of Vancouver Island and landing on the beaches on Vargas Island and Nootka Island. I did that a few years ago when I was getting checked out in my skywagon with an instructor. If I can get my Vancouver sectional scanned, I'll post it with arrows showing where we went.

Does anyone know other beaches that are airplane accessible in the Northwest? I'm aware of Copalis Beach on the Washington coast, but I haven't been over there yet.

-Doug
N234F (KORS)

Doug,
I live at the Lopez airport next door to you and also have a 180. Would like to meet you some time. I do beaches when ever I can, usualy hit and run, but Copalis is a great place to go. If we can find a time we can both make it, we should go. Others too.
Ron Fowler

One of our favorite places. Last year at Easter we had a picnic and found that we were not alone. Had three or four aircraft show up. Even a Cherokee. It would be a fun weekend to have an informal bar-b-que. Especially if we have the same weather as last year! We'd be ready on short notice.
Kurt

I saw this thread when it first started, but didn't really have much to add. Now that I started thinking about it, I have some questions.

Does the beach have to be shaped just right? Some beaches are fairly narrow and kinda off camber/steep.

Do you land on the hard part where the water has just packed the sand?

Who is the regulatory body for beach land? Can you get busted for landing on one?

Salt water on your belly?

3-point or wheelie?

Zane

Our only beach experience was at Big Bay on the west coast of the south island of New Zealand. The beach was slightly concave to the water, but the curve was nothing anywhere close to some of the backcountry strips I have seen. We were taught to time our arrival for about halfway between high and low tide to maximize safety and give you the longest time to enjoy the beach - especially when parking space is limited. As for the actual landing, we aimed for about mid-way between the water's nearest edge and the edge of the tide's most recent progression to find the hardest sand pack. Landings are even nicer than manicured turf!

After all the restoration work we've done recently (and continue to do), Idunno about salt on the belly. A good (and expeditious) fresh water rinse back at the ranch would probably take care of it though.

M

Dark sand is your friend! Avoid the light stuff like the plauge. Copalis is the only sanctioned strip in the US on the beach to my knowledge. It is a marvel of modern politics that we still have it. It is a very gentle slope towards the water, hardly noticable even. It seems we usually land towards the Northwest so you approach over the Coplais river and can put down immediately after the river. The hardest thing to get accustomed to it seems is the lack of center line influence. You simply point to the breeze. Don't camp over night. The tide will make a mess of your ride and watch out for the large rock that shows up on occasion. It's the size of a VW at times. I noticed last time that the wind sock was gone. A couple of us intended to replace it. As soon as I get done with this annual....

Oh yeah I forgot... 3 point vs. wheel landing... I haven't landed my 170 on the beach (we flew a 206 in NZ), but I bet the tailwheel guys who have will agree that wheel landing would be adviseable. I would think the tailwheel would dig into the sand. I'd rather keep the weight off the tail and that salty sand out of the bearings and castoring mechanism as much as possible!

zane wrote:I saw this thread when it first started, but didn't really have much to add. Now that I started thinking about it, I have some questions.

Does the beach have to be shaped just right? Some beaches are fairly narrow and kinda off camber/steep.

The beaches in BC that I landed on had a slight slope to them and had a concave curve. They were 75-100 ft wide with about 50 ft of packed sand.

zane wrote:Do you land on the hard part where the water has just packed the sand?

Definitely the packed, dark sand as was mentioned before.

zane wrote:Who is the regulatory body for beach land? Can you get busted for landing on one?

You're question prompted me to do some surfing on the Washington State Government website. The only reference I found was for the Ocean Beaches (Pacific Coast) where aircraft operations are prohibited except for Copalis Beach. Curiously, there are no references that I could find for inland beaches (Puget Sound). I don't think there are too many inland beaches you would want to land on anyway though.

zane wrote:Salt water on your belly?

Nuthin' a little fresh water spray down won't fix.

zane wrote:3-point or wheelie?

Zane

I did wheel landings on the beach which was nice for the visibility. I may be biased though since I almost always wheel land anyway.

-Doug
N234F (KORS)

I wheel land a lot on pavement but generally 3-point on grass or dirt. I've 3-pointed at Copalis every time I've been there. I'd hate to be wheel-landing & hit a fresh razor-clam hole.
You have to be careful taxiing too, I got the tailwheel kinda dozed into the soft stuff the last time I was at Copalis. Luckily some friends were there to help me push it backwards to the harder sand. The tail on mine is kinda heavy with the later-model "forward-raked" 180 gear legs that're on it.
There was a story on the news a few months ago about a guy who went out beachcombing in some remote area south of anchorage somewhere. The airplane wouldn't start, and the tide got it. He was MIA for several days, got rescued when a USCG C130 overflew his location & he raised them on a marine band radio.
Speaking of razor clams, some friends just flew out to Copalis twice this last week & dug their limits. Had a blast. I need to ask them about the clamdigger-versus-landing airplane situation. When I've flown out there,it seems like people don't realize that they're right out on the "runway". I've never had a close call but I keep a pretty sharp eye out.

Eric

Dark sand is your friend!

I agree. But what you are really looking for is firm sand, not fluffy, dry sand. The dark sand is usually a bit wet and firmer.

Copalis is the only sanctioned strip in the US on the beach to my knowledge.

Rediculous...we have thousands of miles. Alaska is still part of the U.S.

Wheel land if you are testing for firmness so you can get back in the air if its too soft, 3 point and get it stopped when you are landing. Get it stopped, get out, then look for the rocks, driftwood, set net lines and other junk that you failed to see before landing.

Good point Peter,
I did not include AK. Of course it hardly seems fair to paint your state in the same light as the Outside and for good reason. Thanks, Kurt

OrcasC180 wrote:Just about the most fun I've had in my plane was going up to the West Coast of Vancouver Island and landing on the beaches on Vargas Island and Nootka Island. ...-Doug
N234F (KORS)

I went out to the west side of Vargas Island with a couple of buddies on our way to S.E. AK this summer. Oooooo. What a nice spot! We pushed the planes up into the soft sand & driftwood to be sure to avoid the high tides, and camped & hiked there for a couple of days. I highly recommend it. Only other way in is by foot, horseback, or kayak. A backcountry pilots dream, - and a true seashore wilderness, w/o bugs.
Vargas Island is in Clayquot Sound, immediately north of Tofino, on the west coast of Vancouver Island. The sand, between high & low tide is firm, clear, wide & long. Watch for Bald Eagles - you wouldn't want one in your way. And take a tide table with you.
Enjoy, Berk

As is the case with most off airport type operations, there is no "one answer" for most of these questions.

"It depends" applies to most of the questions asked, depending on where, which beaches, what type airplane, etc.

There are some dark sand beaches where huge clumps of bull kelp wash up, get covered by sand, and rot. Leaves an amorphous mass of gelatinous goo, covered by a thin layer of sand. Taxi into that, you you are likely going somewhere you didn't intend to. Possibly on your nose.

Steep beaches work, just be aware that the airplane is going to want to go UPHILL, not downhill as you slow. It is entirely possible and practical to land on some very steep beaches. Curved ones as well.

In some places, you are better off to land up in the dry sand, which implies that you will have to have big tires. And, no, I'm not talking about 8.00 x 6.00 tires. In that stuff, your tailwheel is going to disappear, so be prepared. Three points tend to be very short landings in that case. Sometimes that's good.

Roll your tires on the beach several times prior to landing. This gives you a feel for the surface condition and slope (which is hard to judge), as well as obstacles. Then land IN THE TRACKS you just made. You don't want to pioneer a stretch of beach, verify it's obstacle free, then go land somewhere twenty feet away and hit a stump, rock or soft spot.

Tide tables are a MUST for all float and/or wheel operation near the ocean. Get five copies. Put one in each seat pocket, and one or two on your person.

As to washing your airplane off after it's been on a beach, you can get SOME of the salt off the plane after a beach landing, but you'll not get it all with just water.

But, why did you buy an airplane? Mechanics gotta eat as well, so let er corrode, and support your local mechanic.

MTV

This is a great subject.
As mtv states your tailwheel does become a pretty good anchor, and the same goes for a nosewheel. Speaking from experience, perhaps
When you've landed, a good way to check the weight bearing quality of the sand is to roll to a stop where you think you want to park up, stop the plane for a few seconds, then apply power and move forward a bit. look at the spot where the wheels were. If there's a bit of a dent do it again, but wait longer then inspect again. I do this a few times before shutting down.

The beach where I landed the other night has claimed a number of aircraft, so i'm especially wary when using it. But I guess that's like any beach, things are always changing, so you have to be vigilant.


I'm interested in hearing any further thoughts on beach landings, especially from you 'high timers'. Having only landed on beaches around thirty times, I'm very much still a beach student.

OrcasC180 wrote: .........................
Your question prompted me to do some surfing on the Washington State Government website. The only reference I found was for the Ocean Beaches (Pacific Coast) where aircraft operations are prohibited except for Copalis Beach. Curiously, there are no references that I could find for inland beaches (Puget Sound). I don't think there are too many inland beaches you would want to land on anyway though. ..........
.-Doug
N234F (KORS)

Rereading these old posts, as a pilot friend who is an attorney tells me that his research sez beach landings in Washington are legal. Doug, I was wondering just what reg's (RCW, or ??) prohibit aircraft op's on beaches.

Eric

I believe the rules in WA approve motorized access on land below the average high water mark. A house may have river front property but it stops at the high water mark, the sand/gravel bars are public use land.

Jason
N22KY

I didn't notice anyone mentioning about the wind direction. If the wind is blowing from the land side and the beach is sloped, hang on. Your wing can be lifted easily. John G