Hi All,

New to the forum and new to off airport flying. I did a search but couldn't find a list of landing strips that would be good for someone to get their feet wet with. I'm based out of Petaluma, California and snooping around, it looks like there are some active regulars around northern California. Hopefully a few of you can provide some places, tips, and tricks. I am headed to Bend, Oregon in June for a wedding and would like to do some camping on the way home.

Thanks!
Zach

Zach, what airplane do you fly? Have you checked out these folks? http://www.aerodynamicaviation.com/index.php They used to be "Amelia Reid Aviation". I traveld down there to get a bunch of tail wheel instruction in a kitfox before I flew mine. We did most of the training at Frazer lake, a nice grass strip.

Zach welcome to BCP!! What are you flying and what's your experience and comfort level? We have a pretty good group going over here at Nut Tree/Rio Vista. We have a circuit up to the North with several strips that are fairly easy to get in and out of and a few more that are little more difficult. PM me your contact info so I can let you know the next time were headed out to play.

Joey, you need to let me know too!

Thank you for the information! I should have provided a little more in my intro blurb... I currently rent Hoping to buy in the next year two. The primary planes I fly, Civil Air Patrol Cessna 182/206, I can't get the tires "dirty". The plane I rent that I can, is questionable for backcountry. It’s a Socata Tobago with wheel pants.

TCJ - Thank you for the Aero Dynamics information. I had forgotten about them. I will have to schedule that when my taxes come in. As a side bar, I actually met Amelia back in the day. She had quite the air show act in her little Cessna 150 Aerobat.

Avid Flyer - We actually met a few months ago at Wagner. I flew the Tobago in for the burger burn in October. That is the closest I have come to off airport flying. Some of the smaller airports I’ve flown into would be Sonoma and Boonville. I’ll have to make a run over there sometime when you guys are getting together. Maybe do a ride share the first couple times to get a feel for it. PM will follow.

Thanks!!!

Our club used to a Trinidad with retracts. Thing was plagued with gear problems and eventually became a ramp mummy. Sorry to say I woudn't take that airplane into any of the strips on our circuit. If I hear of breakfast or fly-in around here I generally post the information. There is a lot of great people and flying info on this site.

Welcome!

That's what I was afraid of. Guess I could always rent from a school and use a 172 or 182.

photopilot wrote:Thank you for the information! I should have provided a little more in my intro blurb... I currently rent Hoping to buy in the next year two. The primary planes I fly, Civil Air Patrol Cessna 182/206, I can't get the tires "dirty". The plane I rent that I can, is questionable for backcountry. It’s a Socata Tobago with wheel pants.

TCJ - Thank you for the Aero Dynamics information. I had forgotten about them. I will have to schedule that when my taxes come in. As a side bar, I actually met Amelia back in the day. She had quite the air show act in her little Cessna 150 Aerobat.

Avid Flyer - We actually met a few months ago at Wagner. I flew the Tobago in for the burger burn in October. That is the closest I have come to off airport flying. Some of the smaller airports I’ve flown into would be Sonoma and Boonville. I’ll have to make a run over there sometime when you guys are getting together. Maybe do a ride share the first couple times to get a feel for it. PM will follow.

Thanks!!!

Welcome to the ZOO... Please don't feed the animals.


My guess is the Tobago will make it into Johnson Creek without any problem, unless you really screw up the approach

Ben
www.haaspowerair.com

Stol wrote:
Welcome to the ZOO... Please don't feed the animals.


Ben
http://www.haaspowerair.com

Come on Ben. That's what makes this forum so interesting at times

Welcome Zach! Take your pants off and have some fun in the dirt! No really, I'm not sure about NorCal. But there's some strips in Idaho your plane will do just fine. JC and Smiley Creek are two I can think of off hand. Stanley is paved now. Check out Shortfield.com for all the strips near you.

Again, welcome to the "Zoo"! Lot's of great guys and girls here with a wealth of great information and opinions. Some of us get out of line and need to be smacked around once in a while (including myself. It must be a 182 driver thing ). But it's all good (I think )