I have finally managed to obtain my very own airplane, unfortunately it isn't the Maule or Husky I had dreamed about, but it is mine.

I am curious about whether anyone has flown into Stehekin, and more importantly is whether or not my new C-150 can make it in and OUT of that strip. I have read that the state is re-working the entire strip this winter, so hopefully it will be in good shape, but I haven't flown into anything even close before. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
N3110V

I can't speak for Stehekin, though if you're even considering it, your C-150 can prob make it in, and as you alluded to, OUT is the big question. The same is often said of the C-170, that is can get in most places, but if it's very short you'll be trucking it out on a flatbed trailer.

I did all my Private hours in a C-152, and I loved that airplane. After flying 172s for a few years, I went back and rented old '681 the '79 C-152 Mk II in Santa Ynez, and it felt like a nimble fighter compared to the heavier 172s. The first time I flew a 170, it felt to me more like a 152 than a 172, and I knew I was in love.

Do you have the stock 100 HP engine? I think there is a high compression piston kit available for the O-200(or O-235?) that makes your 150/152 a 125 HP "Sparrowhawk" but I'm short on the details.

Welcome to the board, hope you enjoy.

Zane

JrCubbuilder & Zane,

The engine is the stock o-200 (the sparrowhawk conversion is on the O-235 and I can't afford it I have looked over the book numbers, assuming full gross and deducting the 10% of lost performance due to aircraft age and my not being a test pilot, it shows that the plane will make it. It is just that I have never flown off turf and was hoping someone had been into Stehekin for some info on the strip itself. All the reading in the world won't give me the same information as first hand experience that is recent. If this was a tailwheel aircraft, I wouldn't sweat the departure so much, but the training wheel out front tends to make me nervous on anything other than hard packed asphalt.

BTW, I have been lurking around this site for a while and really enjoy it, especially those posts about trips that I can now look forward to enjoying myself...well, with my wife along of course.

N3110V

Don't sweat the nosewheel so much. I know there are some diehard tailwheelies around here(myself included) but I have more hours in nosedraggers than anything else. With proper soft-field technique they do fine on grass. The ultralights I flew were tricycles with tiny little wheels and we landed those on grass and dirt all the time. I can understand being concerned about excess drag though from unpaved surfaces. Go do some takeoffs on a nice long grass strip in the area and compare your performance to the asphalt to get a feel for it. Shit who am I to dole out advice, you prob have more hours than I do.

Welcome to the forum and congrats on your airplane purchase. I flew my first solo X-country to Grant County from Felts Field in Spokane back in November. I then continued onto Pullman and then back to Felts. Was an awesome trip! I go to to a fly-in 4 miles from Grant County every year called the Haystack fly-in that is on a grass strip on the Deidrickson farm. He flies an RV-6 out of there. I could get you the contact info if you are interested in going I'm sure they'd love to have you. The next Fly-in is in April. The strip is grass and only 1200 ft though.

Bonth, I've been into Stehekin a couple times, but it's been a few years. As I recall, the runway is dirt more than grass or (ahem) "turf", kinda rough with some rocks. Chart sez it's 2600 feet long at 1230' elevation, it can be a density altitude situation when it gets hot.
Both times, we landed north (up-canyon). Had to go around once, no big deal, but you might want to get comfortable with low-level maneuvering as it is in a canyon. Took off north once and south once, I think. No too big a deal either way, except a north takeoff aims you toward rising terrain. A relatively easy turnaround, though, like I said. The runway has a hump in the middle, it can look like you're running out of room when you're really only at midfield.
My chart sez Moses Lake is about the same elevation as Stehekin- how does your new 150 do there? Try to gauge (by runway lights, etc) how much runway goes by when landing and taking off. It never hurts to make your first trip into places like this riding along with an experienced pilot with a more capable airplane, to get a feel for the place and maybe pick up a few tips. One thing you can do to increase performance of your airplane is keep it light-- no full tanks, fat chicks, or anvils in the baggage compartment!
What "improvements" is the state making at Stehekin?

Eric

zero.one.victor wrote:One thing you can do to increase performance of your airplane is keep it light-- no full tanks, fat chicks, or anvils in the baggage compartment!

Eric you gotta make that your signature.

zane wrote:

zero.one.victor wrote:One thing you can do to increase performance of your airplane is keep it light-- no full tanks, fat chicks, or anvils in the baggage compartment!

Eric you gotta make that your signature.

That musta been someone else posing as me-- I wouild NEVER make a sexist remark like that.

Eric

Bonth123,
Are you at Grant county or the little strip just east of town. I'm a BBCC alumn, and spent my formative years pounding Beech landing gear into those runways.

Bonth, I did some thinking about your situation. There are three ways to kick performance up a notch:
1) more horsepower: big bucks for engine upgrades. If you had big bucks you woulda got more airplane to begin with- so not a practical option. Exception: the usual prop on 150's is a Macauley 6948, if you have more pitch than that (such as 6950) you can have it repitched for a couple hundred bucks. This can give you more usable power for takeoff & climb.
2) lighter weight: not too much you can do to the airplane without getting drastic--rip out radio's, vacuum system/gyro's,carpet,headliner,strip paint, etc. However, you can remove wheel pants if you have them, that's probably between 10 and 15 pounds? Watch your loading: minimal baggage, half-full fuel tanks,skinny or non-existent copilot. You can also remove the copilot seat when practical (this may not be exactly legal), there's another 10 or 15 pounds.
3) aerodynamic mods: vortex generator and/or leading edge cuff STOL kits. Google up microaero VG's and sportsman STOL. Probably 700 or 800 for the VG's and somewhat more for the cuff, plus installation. These will lower your stall speed and/or make for better low-speed control authority.
Weight-watching and prop repitch are probably the two cheapest easiest and most effective way to improve things- that & getting a lot of STOL practice!

Eric

First, I would like to thank all of you for your quick replies, that is a rare thing in the cyber world these days. Speedbump, I am going to keep it at MWH, as soon as the weather clears enough to get it over the mountains from Renton.

I will have to look at repitching the prop, 150's are so slow anyway what's a couple knot loss? Lucky for me my copilot isn't heavy, and I can fly in and out on about half tanks. However, after reading the posts, I think I will take the boat to Stehekin and walk the strip myself prior to actually flying in this summer. I will also make the first trip with an experienced mountain flying instructor, gotta have someone to point the finger at

One of you mentioned taking a 182 into Johnson Creek, I have seen pictures of that strip and would love to fly in, but I also like the thought of getting out sometime, what do you think, could it be done solo maybe? I guess I just don't have much trust in a 150 off of anything less than 2000 ft of paved runway. HMM, how about a O-470 with three bladed C/S prop, that would get me out of anywhere.

N3110V

With a check out and experience you can fly 150's into Johnson creek. Early in the morn would be the best time. Do not go there or anywhere else in the backcountry without the proper dual instruction or take along a ( ben there done that right seater.) I have flown 150's, 172's, Bonanza's, 182's, 210's and Maules into Johnson creek without a problem So I know it can be done with any airplane if the conditions are favorable for you and that particular airplane. I have also seen the perfect bush type airplane and pilot get into trouble because the pilot was in over his head. It is not nesciarilly the aircraft, it is the experience or lack there of that is the problem.

The trouble with some aircraft is that putting that been there done that right seater onboard can take it from marginal to the "no f***ing way" category. A passenger (or lack thereof) can make a tremendous difference in performance for something like a 150 or 170, or even something larger. Any anorexic midgets with lots of bush-flying time ouit there?

Eric

Of course weight is a major compoment in any flying situation.
Just because you have an underpowered aircraft does not mean you should not receive the important ( Dual instruction ) necessary to become a wise pilot.

Maulemaniac,
I do not plan on flying into any mountain strips until I have had the proper instruction for mountain flying. If I get in over my head, I won't have the HP to get me out of a situation I should have never gotten into in the first place. And I hate hiking, so I plan on ensuring my plane is my ride home, not my feet.
I know there is a paved strip northeast of Mt. Rainier, it looks like a good strip for some practice, it should give the mountain flying pucker factor without the actual high level of risk. Actually, if this works out good, I have a brother in White Fish MT, they have a turf strip about five minutes from his house, that would provide a good excuse to the wife as to why I have to run all over the northwest landing on back country strips.

Jr. Cubbuilder,

I have been to Quincy a few times, it is actually a fairly large strip, I found Roche Harbor slightly more intimidating due to the undulating hills they call a runway. I think Roche Harbor is slightly narrower than Quincy also, but that could be my imagination.

I will use your suggestion to progressively step up my ability, these are close enough that I can use a local instructor that I know has mountain experience. Hopefully some day I can take one of those Idaho mountain flying courses and learn how to plant my 150 into Johnson creek safely.

Looking forward to seeing all you "Backcountry" flyers out there.

N3110V

I flew my old cessna 150 into nearly every backcountry strip in Idaho, including lower loon, vines, and soldier bar... with a 180 pound passenger and as much camping gear as I could cram in the back. But then my c-150 had a 160hp lycoming 0-320 and conventional gear with big tires.

From RunwayFinder.com:
Quincy, 80T, 3660' x 50', public
Cle Elum, S93, 2552' x 40', public
De Vere (Cle Elum), 2W1, 2055' x 30', public
Roche Harbor, WA09, 4300' x 45', private

Roche Harbor is a private strip. From what I've heard you can call their number for permission. As long as you're staying there or eating at the restaurant, they'll give you the ok. Touch and gos might be frowned upon.

Dave

Wow, Dave, that runwayfinder.com is a great site!

Davepar,

Roche Harbor is private, I called ahead and all they asked was that I pay the ten dollar use fee, which isn't unreasonable considering what upkeep must cost them. Besides, where else can you land and have boats, hotel, food and the nautical ambiance within a five minute walk? I guess I still miss our boats, but flying is more fun and less expensive if you stick to little small planes with a training wheel out front. You tailwheel owners probably find insurance enough cost to make boats less expensive. Although I gotta admit, my one hour in a Citabria was one of the most fun flights I have ever had, I couldn't stop smiling the whole time we were airborne.

N3110V