I came by with my old Commander twin two or three years ago to the fly-in. Some of you might remember. Plane now sold and lives in Vladivostok in Siberia (I kid you not). They love the old geared engined planes there because they can run them on car gas. I've since then upgraded to an Aerostar 601P. Lovely and fast plane, but not a bush plane by any stretch. Still, I dream about returning to Johnson Creek come next summer. I had so much fun and it was such a nice trip. It would be really fun to take the Aerostar in there. I'm not so worried about the landing, but the takeoff is what's concerning me.

The A* needs about 2000ft ground roll in ideal conditions at SL, very lightly loaded. I'm away from the POH, so can't check what it would be at 5000ft elevation, but since it's turbo charged I don't think it would be much more than 500ft more. But this is a guess until I get to POH. The high pressure tires are also not ideally suited to grass, but Johnson was, at least when I was there, ballroom smooth. During my visit I saw Bonanzas and a Cirrus land there, and I know a Baron came in a few years earlier, which leads me to think that the A* would work just fine. The Cirrus has smaller wheels than I do.

Anyway, it's not something you can solve for me, I was just curious as to what in the past has been the most 'unlikely' or 'non-bush' aircraft you've seen land and T/O at Johnson Creek?

I know a CJ-2 went in there a few years back. It was a non-event.

Gump

I think they've had a Citation in there, a DC-3, Barron, Pilatus, Cirrus. How far much runway did you use coming out of bishop? I know from youtube you went there recently! Go to a high altitude airfield like that one and see how long it takes you to takeoff on asphalt with a specific load. Then take it to something higher with a long runway and then you'll know what you can/can't do with it...and of course look up the POH performance!

GumpAir wrote:I know a CJ-2 went in there a few years back. It was a non-event.

Gump

Dammit he beat me to it!!

A good friend of mine took a King Air C90 in there camping a few years ago. No problemo.

piperpainter wrote:

GumpAir wrote:I know a CJ-2 went in there a few years back. It was a non-event.

Gump

Dammit he beat me to it!!

That's cause my buddy and I were driving it.

Gump

I was there last month and a Piper Cheyenne was there.

Wow, a CJ2?

I was there one year when a Yak warbird with clipped wings came in. He landed hard just beyond the threshold and made BIG divots in the grass and slid right to the END! I have never seen an airplane approach with such speed and descent rate still land without damage, guess the Russians build them tough. The takeoff didn't appear to be that big of deal and the resulting high speed pass was jaw dropping for a back country strip.

Not a CJ, but way cool!

A former employer of mine used to take their Turbo Commander in there. About the most interesting I've seen was a 185 on amphibs a few years ago. Loaded heavy, he used almost all of it and had a very slow climb out over the south fork.

Piper Tomahawk (a/k/a Trauma-hock). He wisely talked his buddy into hauling out all his gear in a Skywagon before departing. The takeoff was, ummm "interesting"

Thanks. cubscout

GumpAir wrote:

piperpainter wrote:

GumpAir wrote:I know a CJ-2 went in there a few years back. It was a non-event.

Gump

Dammit he beat me to it!!

That's cause my buddy and I were driving it.

Gump

PICTURES!!! (dammit!) Hehehe

Ha Ha! Yeah, with N numbers.

Though wouldn't matter now. Buddy Randy lost his medical, and died of colon cancer after we made a few more epic flights.

Gump

GumpAir wrote:Ha Ha! Yeah, with N numbers.

Though wouldn't matter now. Buddy Randy lost his medical, and died of colon cancer after we made a few more epic flights.

Gump

If I was in the market for a CJ2, that one would be on the top of my list!

I watched the PC-12 leave JC one AM and it took off like a scalded dog straight over the ridge off the end of the runway. No stinkin' canyon turns for that baby.

Cum-on lottery numbers!

TD

CapnMike wrote:

GumpAir wrote:Ha Ha! Yeah, with N numbers.

Though wouldn't matter now. Buddy Randy lost his medical, and died of colon cancer after we made a few more epic flights.

Gump

If I was in the market for a CJ2, that one would be on the top of my list!

The CJ's are remarkably flexible airplanes. In capable hands it's amazing where you can take them, and just how nice they fly... On the other hand, there's that damn money thing. Kerosene for a quick flight in the jet burns more gallons than I'd use in a year in my beater. Of course, guys who pay cash for multi-million dollar aircraft don't really care about the gas bill if it's something they want to do or are making money while doing it.

Here's video of one going into a 2,700 foot strip. It may be at sea level, but you still get the idea of how little runway it actually needed.



Gump

CapnMike wrote:
PICTURES!!! (dammit!) Hehehe

Here' you go!

That's a CJ2A, also very cool but not quite as fast.

Similar elevation and same state... Cavanaugh Bay Idaho.... Look at how fast he is off the ground... it was either Rich, or Spike or Peter flying it.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzfcoH7FhrI

Lots of room left over......


Gump