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Operate from 450 feet of grass?

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Georden

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 17, 2006
Messages
165
Location
Calgary, AB Canada
Wondering what the options are for operating safely from a short grass strip.

I have 450 feet of flat ground to work with, aligned with the prevailing winds for the area. On each end I have about 50 feet of trees, approx 30-40 feet high. I'm ok with trimming the tops down to 20' or cutting down some of the taller ones if needed. After the trees on each end are open fields suitable for a safe forced landing. I'm about 100 feet above sea level.

Must have 2 seats and be able to lift 350 lbs from the described runway, would like a useful load of 550+ when operating from a longer strip. I would prefer an enclosed cabin for winter flying. Ideally i'd like to stay under 100hp, less is better. Aside from that it can be very basic, hand propping is acceptable.

It will be used for local recreationl flying, so flights can be restricted to favorable weather conditions. Speed isn't a priority, but it would be nice to cruise at 80+ mph.

I think that about sums up what I'm looking for. Ideally i'd like to hear from pilots who operate out of short strips in the real world vs manufacturer's claimed performance since it varies so much in the real world.

Thanks.
 
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