I joined this sight to get some expertise on back country flying and see if anyone could tell me how to start a club in North Carolina that could lobby the NFS so that we can use some of there thousands of acres in NC for back country strips. If anyone has any ideas please let me know. By the way since this is a intro thread my name is Scott and I am a crop duster in NC, I also own and fly a 46 Aeronca Champ. Thanks

Welcome Scott! Happy New Year!

msd7ac wrote:I joined this sight to get some expertise on back country flying and see if anyone could tell me how to start a club in North Carolina that could lobby the NFS so that we can use some of there thousands of acres in NC for back country strips. If anyone has any ideas please let me know. By the way since this is a intro thread my name is Scott and I am a crop duster in NC, I also own and fly a 46 Aeronca Champ. Thanks

Welcome Scott. Have you tried getting in touch with the Recreational Aviation Foundation? http://theraf.org/

Their efforts are right in line with your goals so that is a good way to get a jump start with an organization that is already moving the direction you suggest.

The RAF is the place to start. Good luck w/ the NFS from what I hear that's a hard row to hoe. There are many (I understand - but I left NC 20 years ago before I became a pilot) strips, but lots on private land - so you need to be "in the circle" and get permission from owners. Might I suggest getting in touch with some locals in the west - where most of the NFS land is located.

You might try contacting pilots in the area you are interested in - even cfis that offer montain instruction.

http://tablerockaviation.com/mountain_flying.html

Also consider supercub.org and j3-cub.org there seems to be a large number of NC pilots with supercubs and j3 cubs that can probably tell you if there is already an effort ongoing with the RAF. Honestly the best shot we have is with established strips on private land - and that means getting favorable liability limit legislation passed so that private owners aren't quite so reluctant about giving permission for people to land.

What part of NC are you in? I'm from Johnston County - 35 miles south east of Raleigh, but live out in Colorado now.

I am from Chocowinity NC, 18 miles east of Greenville. I still spray in the Belhaven Bath area of NC, however I live in Durham. Moving from choco where there are 10 private strips within 5 miles to a city has its disadvantages. I am interested in finding strips in the mountains though. I love to camp and hike, and would really like to throw in aviation to that scenario. Thanks for the info on the RAF. I am signing up now. Thanks Scott

Scott:

I'm in Virginia (near DC, unfortunately). I too have been wanting to spin up some sort of "backcountry east" activity - identify viable strips, get access, organize fly outs, etc. As far as the NSF, according to our backcountry west kin, that's a hard nut to crack. My wife is a former aviation lobbyist for what that's worth - was a lot of years ago and most of her congressional contacts are dead, resigned in disgrace, or in jail! Would love to discuss what we could do, however. I think one of the BCP heavy hitters from out west just moved to the east coast as well. Maybe we can build a critical mass. PM me if you want a phone number.

Best,
O2

Welcome Scott!

Best of luck on your quest to advance backcountry flying in NC. I have had my plane in East TN now for about 7 months while I am on a job assignment and have not found the backcountry culture and GA activity in general the same as the west. I concur, lots of great country and some darn good folks just found most of the small airports pretty dead. Most of the smaller strips are private and you need permission to land. I called Mountain Air strip north of Asheville, NC and asked about landing my 59 straight tail there and the nicest thing I can say is ..... Folks without 7 figure bank accounts need not inquire!

Again welcome and good luck !!

I just relocated to VKX from MRY and definitely looking for some good places to fly. I have a few contacts/leads in the DC area and will share any info as it manifests! Hopefully we'll be able to bring a little BCP to the East!

The grass by the water looks great

260Driver wrote:I just relocated to VKX from MRY and definitely looking for some good places to fly. I have a few contacts/leads in the DC area and will share any info as it manifests! Hopefully we'll be able to bring a little BCP to the East!

Hell Yes

Scott,

Also a N. Carolinian here. I live in Huntersville and currently working in New Orleans (til Jan, 2). I just brought my Citabria back to NC this week. Looking to do some back country flying too. I have gone on Google and basically plotted out a lot of good places to land just need to do some fly over inspections. I currently have the plane at Concord and looking at a lot on Long Island Airpark at the north end of Lake Norman. Shoot me a PM whenever you want to head up in the western NC areas. BTW, Mikey Matthews at Lake Norman Airpark is one of the "in the circle" guys and has taken me to some really fun(short) private strips.

Jackson

This is a little outside the box, but how about joining the Farm Bureau, or some similar organization?? Those farmers own most of the land. Offer free rides and farm photographs for landing permission??

I am a farmer and use to be a farm equipment dealer. Because of my past I know a lot of the land owners in a 30 mile radius from my place and that’s how I operate now for landing permission.

To Jax I will most def PM you when I am headed up that way. I hope to get my plane back from a very long expensive annual in the next two weeks or so. Who knew a 7AC could have a 7 thousand dollar annual anyway I hope to be up there soon. Normally January is pretty slow for aerial applicators however with a Hetian Fly infestation it looks like we are going to get pretty busy. So probably be February before I head up that way.

MS7ac - don't feel too bad. A local guy here just had a $17,000 annual on a T-craft!!! And it wasn't bent or anything first.

I hear great things about this guy, too. Greg Collins at Hendersonville. Might be worth a checkout just to get in the loop:

http://www.blueridgesportflight.com/

Hi Scott,
I'm new to this forum also. Been lurking in the back ground and watching for some time now. Glad to see that there are other folks here on the east coast that are interested in this type of flying. The guys out west sure know how to have fun! Oh, and Patrol Guy, you guys in Ohio have way to much fun. Hope something develops from this. A little info about me, own and fly a Cessna 170b and Luscombe 8a. Love flying off the short grass.

keebler wrote:Hi Scott,
I'm new to this forum also. Been lurking in the back ground and watching for some time now. Glad to see that there are other folks here on the east coast that are interested in this type of flying. The guys out west sure know how to have fun! Oh, and Patrol Guy, you guys in Ohio have way to much fun. Hope something develops from this. A little info about me, own and fly a Cessna 170b and Luscombe 8a. Love flying off the short grass.

Keebler where are you at in NC? I'll let you and the others from this area know when I plan a trip to the mountains. I am changing airports due to a move and met a few great people at NC81 today. There are about 30 planes out there with most (from what I saw) being of the cub or super cub type. The airfield is also home to one of the largest eaa chapters. The fellers out there say the largest. Anyway if you or anyone who is ever out this way toward Durham let me know and we can do some flying

Scott,
Planes are based @ MWK, Surry Co.

As I said before, I'm in concord/Charlotte/lake Norman area and just need a reason to go fly. My next project is in oconee SC and will have 3 day weekends to play. Currently looking at purchasing a maule but the citabria is still getting hours. Pm me any time you want to fly.

Jackson

There are a few of us in the area that are slipping around to some pretty interesting off airport destinations. Based in Winterville, NC 05N (previously NC47) we are active and looking to find others with similar interest. Our group has participated in a three day training event to hone up on short field type landings. We then made a trip to the NC mountains and flew to a number of private strips on another weekend. We are planing a training weekend this spring also. We have a trip sceduled for the PA Amish country this spring. March 16th we have a tour bus leaving here for a day trip to the Air & Space Museum if anyone would like to go. Easy way to go and come in one day and share with others. There is room here to camp if you desire or I would be glad to help get you back and forth to a motel. We have Sport Cub, Legend Cub, Maule, Huskey,Champ, Citabria, Cruiser, Pacer, X Air and even a Cherokee in the mix.Drop me a line and let's go fly!