I'm looking for practical ideas to edge mark a private strip? This is less about me using the runway and more about reminding people to avoid driving across or leaving hay bales or implements parked on the runway.

I like the white rocks they use at Johnson Creek. Mark off the corners in rock, then about halfway down mark off the sides in white rock. Make them french drains if you like.

Instead of things that can go "bump in the night" like rocks, try some white asphalt shingles.

They are about three foot long and "U" shaped garden spikes to hold em.
At my friends place we just set them out flat on an afternoon and they never blew away.

Chris

Would it be practical to cut the runway turf lower than the surrounding turf? If the difference in height was about 4" would it be obvious enough?

wannabe wrote:Instead of things that can go "bump in the night" like rocks, try some white asphalt shingles.

They are about three foot long and "U" shaped garden spikes to hold em.
At my friends place we just set them out flat on an afternoon and they never blew away.

Chris

Superb idea!

Rocks, Survey Marking Sticks, Plastic Cones, etc = Damaged Aircraft Parts.

Short fiberglass rods, just above vegetation height, the kind used for temporary electric fencing with reflective tape wrapped around the tops. 1/4" or 3/8" diameter and just pushed into the ground (or if ground is hard, make a hole with a metal spike first) so no damage if run over. Reflective tape may be useful for night ops :c)

bumper

MAU MAU wrote:

wannabe wrote:Instead of things that can go "bump in the night" like rocks, try some white asphalt shingles.

They are about three foot long and "U" shaped garden spikes to hold em.
At my friends place we just set them out flat on an afternoon and they never blew away.

Chris

Superb idea!

Rocks, Survey Marking Sticks, Plastic Cones, etc = Damaged Aircraft Parts.

I'll say! Cheap, some size to them, go down easy, won't hurt equipment, easy to see, durable, easy to remove or relocate if desired. What's not to like? Great idea!

Mark J

White plastic gallon milk jugs with an inch or 2 of water and sand in them work fine and don't do any damage if run over. (don't ask me how I know)

Coondawg wrote:about reminding people to avoid driving across or leaving hay bales or implements parked on the runway.

I don't think anything less than a fence can stop errant and/or ignorant drivers. Are you in a position to brief the people who would park implements on your strip? If they're not of a airport mindset, any milk jugs or white asphalt tiles aren't going to register.

Lime

Zzz wrote:

Coondawg wrote:about reminding people to avoid driving across or leaving hay bales or implements parked on the runway.

I don't think anything less than a fence can stop errant and/or ignorant drivers. Are you in a position to brief the people who would park implements on your strip? If they're not of a airport mindset, any milk jugs or white asphalt tiles aren't going to register.

Thanks for the comment. Actually its a little simpler than that. The area is fenced and only a few people use or cross this land. They happily cooperated with my runway when it was in a different location so I'm sure they will cooperate with this one too. But people have short memories and they are out there only a couple times per year so the edge markings serve to show the limits of the landing area and more importantly serve as subtle memory joggers of my earlier request to not block or rut the surface.

18" orange traffic cones on the ends. Took a bunch of disc blade from the salvage yard painted them orange and yellow. Can mow right over the top of them.

I use metal T posts and 4 strands barbed wire. Works perfectly.

Horseshoe strip or Bull Run on the Deschutes River has pretty large white painted rock piles along the side of it. Years ago, when the grass grew long, a Husky with Bushwheels went in there and hit one, and it completely trashed the bird. Not certain if anyone was injured, but I know that the plane didn't fly out. Something to consider.

Dry line marker for athletic fields.


You can write a message in big letters also.

Old airplane tires painted White or ???? . Make a "L and backwards L " each end - maybe A few down the side . I've done this several times and works pretty good. Smudge pots along one side for night ops, flashing highway lights (yellow ) for ends .

The salvaged/painted ag discs are pure genious! I plan on creating "L" corners and distance markers with Creeping Juniper...it's soft, low, and natural...tempted to add some discs now tho...

I've been looking at these. They're definitely not the least expensive route, but may be what I go with when I buy some edge markers.

http://www.letourneauplastics.net/cones.php

Coondawg wrote:The area is fenced and only a few people use or cross this land. They happily cooperated with my runway when it was in a different location so I'm sure they will cooperate with this one too. But people have short memories...

How about take them flying from the strip a time or two?

Thanks everyone. There are many useful original ideas provided. I appreciate the help very much.