My thanks to all responders to this thread. I am providing some additional info to fill voids and answer some questions which have been posed.

First, the proposed strip will be oriented NW/SE,will be essentially level and with maintained grass. The power lines involved are user distribution from line transformers (2 cables on wooden poles). There are no HV lines nor steel towers involved. Taking off in the NW direction, it is possible to add 100 feet to the
runway length by starting under the power line on the SE end. This is the takeoff direction most favorable due to normal winds in the area. The proposed strip would be at an altitude of 1500 feet. I also solicit your input regarding surface preparation, seeding, maintenance etc.

EDGEFLY wrote:Oregon Maule,
I don't have typical aircraft ( Chief or BC-12D) available at the moment, so I don't have the number you are looking for to give you. I will be making a summary response tomorrow which may give you some further insight into my planning. Your inflight data at Pacific City is interesting. What aircraft and weather conditions apply to it. ?

Hey EDGEFLY my plane is a totally different beast. It is a 2000 Maule M7 with a fresh 120 SMOH. 235HP empty weight 1686 as flown at Pacific City it would be close to 2300.

Today at Troutdale 50 MSL, density altitude 875' no wind 240lbs fuel, pilot 180lbs, misc junk in the trunk 50lbs = 2160lbs at the 1000 foot mark I was 100 AGL

Hotrod I use my altimeter and yes there is a lag so I would be even higher.


G'Day

With my M5-210-C...

....I operate of off of a 600 ft. grass strip all the time with ease. No problem clearing a 100 ft. obstatcle, within 1,000 ft. at modest weights(340 lbs of occupants and 30 gallons of gas) at 485ft. msl. standard day. I wouldn't try it with a low powered aircraft.

Bob

You did not mention if you are going to use an existing farm field or clearing a wooded area. One consideration is if there are any wets spots, if so you might want to consider doing some surface drainage or install some field tile during the construction process, otherwise your usage will be somewhat restricted. If there are some minor dips in the proposed runway, it it might be a good time to fill them in. One of the considerations is choosing your grass type, do you intend to mow a lot, or infrequently? As someone mentioned, tall grass will lengthen your takeoff roll. I used short fescue, but would recomend you contact your County Extention Agent to see what would work best in your area. Mowing with a heavy tractor with cleated tires when it is a little damp can cause rutting and the cleats will make the strip bumpier, so keep that in mind. I mowed my strip frequently, using a 60 inch riding mower with lawn tires, pulling two 60 inch self propelled wing mowers, but did have 7 acres of runway and taxiway. Since the power lines are not major ones, it sure might be worth looking into having them buried, in order to get rid of a potential problem. I was a farmer and drainage contractor (in Illinois) with all the tools necessary to build my own strip, tile was installed, still there were times in the wet season the strip would have been damaged, had I used it. I know your climate is the same as mine was, so I am saying, don't skimp on drainage. Good luck, it will be a fun project, it is hard to beat having your own strip.

Steve

My strip is always level, and no ruts. A bit damp tho.



Just lucky I guess.

EDGEFLY, how wide are you going to make your strip?

Good News, I think! Using the Google Earth?ruler technique, I have found that with starting under the power wires on the SE end, I measure 1310 feet to the 50 foot power line on the NW end of the runway. I haven't had the opportunity to check the accuracy claims for this routine, but I feel they must be good enough to say this strip looks possible now. A little more dozer-scaping will be required but I think that cost will be reasonable enough to have my A/C accessible within 200 feet of my house rear door. I have a lead on a nice looking Aeronca 11 AC and will be pursuing that for a while. Will be back to report on the development later on.

Steve, thanks for your suggestion. Fortunately, this strip area was an existing corn field which only had a small corner which occasionally gathered moisture (by that I mean standing water) and the greatest extent of that was about 25-50 feet in diameter. It was also not in the area where the proposed strip will be. I welcome any further comment to this idea.

With the PA-16 (o235-C1 115hp engine) I can land on the pavement with a slight headwind and be off the ground again within 1000 feet. It has a climb prop. Recently I've landed several times in a friend's commercial sod field measured at 1000 feet on google earth. He sells the sod for a living so it's always mowed and in perfect condition at about 3000' elevation +/-. There are standard powerlines at one end but not at the other end. I land toward the power lines and take off away from them. Based on my experience going in and out of there with that airplane I would not take off toward the power lines. I don't think I'd make it and am not interested in confirming that. Perhaps you can search around for a strip that is similar in surface to what you are hoping to do and take some real world measurements taking off and landing so you know exactly what your airplane can do before going through the effort to construct a strip that may not work? An extra 300' might make all the difference for my situation although I still don't think I'd like watching those power lines approaching so quickly!

CW