Found this on another forum and thought I would share. Some of you I know have seen it already. It's kinda corny but if it saves lives its a very good thing. I think every airport should have it available.

Check it out:
http://newsminer.com/view/full_story/13 ... left_top_4

AKT

aktahoe1 wrote: I think every airport should have it available.

Check it out:
http://newsminer.com/view/full_story/13 ... left_top_4

AKT

The Palmer, Alaska airport also has a 600x25 practice strip integrated into their existing 1,500 foot gravel strip. Flying a tight low pattern when there are no other airplanes to get in the way is a great way to do numerous "stop and goes" in a very short period of time. It is a good way to learn technique, but must be augmented with the wisdom that comes with going into a "new" bush strip perhaps with trees, obstacles, and unknown surface conditions. A few "touch and goes" in these situations is often critical.

I've known good pilots that get nervous going into a new short strip and carry too much power but not make that split decision to go around when things turn bad. And then bad things happen. But the practice "bush" size strips at Fairbanks and Palmer are a good way to increase your skills.

This is needed even more outside of Alaska than it is needed inside Alaska . Alaskans already know they need to be sharp and practiced in this kind of flying.

The Bozos that fly down here in the lower 48, who land a 172 halfway down a 3900 foot municipal paved runway after an 80 mph approach, are the ones who need this far worse. Most importantly, there needs to be an effort by the instructors to teach this type of flying. (I can still hear my instructor being disappointed in me for not hitting the tailskid on the numbers with the mighty 150's stall buzzer on... Thank you Frank Derby)

Unfortunately we don't have any 600 foot gravel strips with bears roaming around to practice landing on here in Hollywood. But if someone's engine takes a vacation, you will be lucky to find 600 feet of usable space in LA to stuff an airplane into.

(well, we do have some "bears" roaming on the Santa Monica strip in West Hollywood, but that's a really different situation )

Not corny at all, sounds like a great training aid. Great too that the FAA and the facilities up there are on board with implementing them. The challenge down here would be finding instructors with the real-world experience and knowledge to teach to them. More often soft & short field techniques are academic points required for the practical - instructors generally know the talking points but they'd be hard pressed to really execute because they have little actual experience with them.

Before carrier pilots go to the boat they do hundreds of landings to a "carrier box" painted on the runway. Teaches the sight picture, speed, and glideslope control needed to safely recover on the boat and they don't get signed off to go to the boat until they demonstrate proficiency landing in the box. Nothing can completely prepare you for your first look at landing on a boat bobbing in the ocean but it certainly helps to have the muscle memory flying the pattern. In a sense the off-field landings these guys in Ak are practicing for are even more challenging because every landing spot is different and there are dozens of variables.

Ogden, UT (KOGD) Class D has an on-field dirt strip, which we use "at your own risk" of course. It would be nice to have paint or chalk marks every 100 feet.

aktahoe1 wrote:Found this on another forum and thought I would share. Some of you I know have seen it already. It's kinda corny but if it saves lives its a very good thing. I think every airport should have it available.

Check it out:
http://newsminer.com/view/full_story/13 ... left_top_4

AKT

Get to a say 2000 ft. strip ,set up some orange cones set up say every 100ft. ,go to home depot and get some sacks of concrete ,there about 80 lbs. Wrap them in trash bags.and load up your airplane. Use the longer 2000 or so (little or no traffic) at approx same altitude and temperature where you want to operate. Fly this and get used to what you and airplane in real world ,winds,slope etc. Add 20% and use this as your Minimum.When you get really -really-really good (Get and read Sparky Imesons Mt. Flying Bible) You can use +10%. Practice-practice-practice .

EZFlap wrote:The Bozos that fly down here in the lower 48, who land a 172 halfway down a 3900 foot municipal pavedrunway after an 80 mph approach, are the ones who need this far worse.

That's MISTER Bozo to you!

kevbert wrote:

EZFlap wrote:The Bozos that fly down here in the lower 48, who land a 172 halfway down a 3900 foot municipal pavedrunway after an 80 mph approach, are the ones who need this far worse.

That's MISTER Bozo to you!

Come with me Luke... I will show you the power of the Dark Side.
http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/aircraft/ASW20-sailplane/IMAGES/Schleicher-ASW20-Sailplane-Inflight-Mountain.jpg

oops duplicate