Backcountry Pilot

[rowsign offline]

Hi all,

Does anyone have the particulars on the airport that is actually in the "town" of Rome Oregon. I was told it was there and I was able to actually locate it with TerraServer; however, I have no idea how long the strip, surface condition, power lines, etc. . Any information would be appreciated.

BTW, I am not talking about Rome State which is south of Burns Junction. The airport in question is east of Burns Junction on 95 toward Jordan Valley.


Thanks,

Rows

[Quail offline]

It is listed as a private airport 0OR6, 2900 feet and rough at times. I think it is owned by the Cafe/RV park. The elevation is about 3800 feet. The guide says manger's phone number is 541-586-2295 (or possibily the area code is 503) and call first for permission to land.
Bob

[rowsign offline]

Thanks Bob!

I will probably land at Rome State and while I am there (someone is picking me up) I will go to the Cafe & RV park and look into the situation. I appreciate the information and I was able to get the details on AirNav with your help.

Rows

[Qqq offline]

I was there last spring. At the time the strip was thick mud and unuseable. There was also lots of junk on the edges of the strip, old cars, 55 gallon drums, garbage. Really run down. Rome state is much nicer.

Q

[rowsign offline]

Q (or anybody else):

When I went to Rome Station (Oregon) it had rained the night before, so I landed at Rome State. I am glad I did because that strip at Rome (0OR6) definately was a bit soggy in patches and the 206 has the tailwheel on the wrong end. I walked the strip and the mud was thin but slick!

I did notice there was a very nice (gravel?) field right at Burns Junction that looked to be an uncharted BLM field. This thing was pretty long, in good shape, and had a crosswind runway. I looked all over for info on it and came up with very little.

Does anyone know if the BLM is opposed to landing at this particular strip. It was not hazardous in anyway. Any information would be appreciated because it is not in Airnav even in the private strips section & it is not on the chart in any form.

Chris

[Zzz]

That's why I'm building the airstrip database on this site...so we can track status on the uncharted strips.

[rowsign offline]

Zane,

I was wondering if the BLM is against opening up their strips to GA. Obviously they would have some liability concerns, but they are paid for by our taxes. Could we land w/o permission? The field is not charted as "restricted" per se, or private.

The strip in question is at the junction of 95 and 78 at Burns Junction and it is pretty big. If you look it up on google-earth or Terraserver you will notice that this is not a small field. I'm just guessing that the long runway is 4000' and seemed to be an all weather strip in great shape.

Chris

[Zzz]

Rowsign-

Check out this thread from last year..kinda touches on it.

http://www.backcountrypilot.org/forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=23

[speedbump offline]

Forgive me guys, but I wonder if we shouldn't keep these strip locations pretty general. If one of us wants to go maybe we should PM each other for specifics. I worry about overly eager environmentalist finding out about airstirps that they would never otherwise know about and causing a fuss. For some reason they have it in their collective head that wilderness is only for hikers. I think most of us would agree it's for everybody. Anyway, they have the upper hand right now, and think we need to be careful as we build relationships with variuos governing bodies not to lose more than we gain.
I know I'm opening a can of whoop a** here, but I think it could be important.
Jeff

[YELLOWMAULE offline]

Oh SB, don't get me started. I have a special soap box for this very subject. I vote for keeping it out there in the open and taking it head on. There are facts and then there are the noise makers of little substance and a great deal of rhetoric. Never shrink back or hesitate to stand your ground. After all, if we do step down, they've won already. 'Course, my view is tainted from the particular view of the Earth I use.

[speedbump offline]

I know, but look at Tweep.

[Zzz]

One of the guys on supercub had a good point about usage of endangered airstrips, and that was to use it or lose it. Demonstrated responsible use is often far better than neglecting the sites. Although, I kinda have to side with Speedbump, sometimes not raising your favorite backcountry location on the radar is a good choice too. If they don't know about it, they can't make it off limits.

Maybe I should require a valid pilot certificate number for viewing of airstrip data? A receipt from Alaska Bushwheels?

Z

[YELLOWMAULE offline]

There are a number of places that are suitable landing areas and many more that BW's will open up that don't show up on sectionals. I would subscribe to the use it or lose it school. I see many places that the Siera Club would ban us from given the opportunity. However, I still feel that we can portray what we do in a positive light and avoid the negative aspects of our avocation. There is a guy that is in the neighborhood from AK that is flying a 185 that knows to reduce the RPM of his seaplane prop early to not upset the noise nazi's irritation. We have a number of these locally that will call and complain given the opportunity. These lasting "off the chart" strips are precious and can't be ignored. Even the ones one the charts are cannon fodder for those that move next to them and complain. If I find one that is off the charts and still seems viable, I will stop in just to put some fresh tracks on the ground to let others know that "this is a strip". I always make the time to say hi to the locals. Just my .02 worth

[Qqq offline]

Some friends and I dropped in and landed there several years ago when flying IFR (following roads) between Rome and Rome State. I just vaguely recall some sort of building there, like a BLM or ODOT office or something, and a fence. There was no one around. We made ourselves at home for a while then took off for Rome State.

As far as I know the BLM doesn't object to us landing anywhere. We've only have friendly conversations with BLM officers.

Q

Q (or anybody else):

When I went to Rome Station (Oregon) it had rained the night before, so I landed at Rome State. I am glad I did because that strip at Rome (0OR6) definately was a bit soggy in patches and the 206 has the tailwheel on the wrong end. I walked the strip and the mud was thin but slick!

I did notice there was a very nice (gravel?) field right at Burns Junction that looked to be an uncharted BLM field. This thing was pretty long, in good shape, and had a crosswind runway. I looked all over for info on it and came up with very little.

Does anyone know if the BLM is opposed to landing at this particular strip. It was not hazardous in anyway. Any information would be appreciated because it is not in Airnav even in the private strips section & it is not on the chart in any form.

Chris