Sandown IOW. I didnt enjoy that one!
Guest
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Sandown IOW. I didnt enjoy that one!
I flew to Sandown IOW today and i'm sorry to say that I didn't particularly enjoy the experience.
I booked in by telephone prior to take off (obviously) and was informed that only 600 meters of runway was available due to waterlogging. Fair enough, I was in a little spamcan and 600m was enough on this occasion.
I landed with a 90 degree crosswind, which was a laugh!, but otherwise it was uneventful.
Prior to take off I was given a brief by the guy in the tower about the condition of the runway and was informed that if I stuck to the northern edge of the runway I would be OK, i.e. no bogs!
Huh, I wish.
I must have "driven" through 2 or 3 patches of VERY soft ground that quite literally acted like glue, losing significant speed on each occasion.
Now I've done CPL/ATPL Perf.E and am well aware of the effects of water, grass, slope etc, but this was quite worrying.
As it happened, there was plenty of runway left when I rotated, but perhaps not quite as much as I might have liked or expected.
Has anyone else been there recently and been caught out by just how much of an effect the condition of this particular runway surface has on the take off run.
I booked in by telephone prior to take off (obviously) and was informed that only 600 meters of runway was available due to waterlogging. Fair enough, I was in a little spamcan and 600m was enough on this occasion.
I landed with a 90 degree crosswind, which was a laugh!, but otherwise it was uneventful.
Prior to take off I was given a brief by the guy in the tower about the condition of the runway and was informed that if I stuck to the northern edge of the runway I would be OK, i.e. no bogs!
Huh, I wish.
I must have "driven" through 2 or 3 patches of VERY soft ground that quite literally acted like glue, losing significant speed on each occasion.
Now I've done CPL/ATPL Perf.E and am well aware of the effects of water, grass, slope etc, but this was quite worrying.
As it happened, there was plenty of runway left when I rotated, but perhaps not quite as much as I might have liked or expected.
Has anyone else been there recently and been caught out by just how much of an effect the condition of this particular runway surface has on the take off run.
Guest
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I'm a reasonably regular visitor to Sandown, and the conditions you describe are fairly typical in the winter - for which reason I tend usually to use Bembridge unless the weather has been very dry for some time (and Bembridge has a better pub for lunch anyway).
However, I've not noticed a particular degredation in performance beyond what I'd expect for wet grass. My main concern is the time I spend cleaning the aircraft when I get home.
You didn't mention the public footpath crossing the main runway by the way, which causes entertainment on occasion. Fun place Sandown!
A far worse place in the winter is Redlands (Swindon) which doesn't just get soft and muddy like Sandown, it's possible to sink. This happened to me on a taxiway once, I had to get 2 people to help me pull the aircraft out so I could carry on taxiing.
G
[This message has been edited by Genghis the Engineer (edited 04 May 2001).]
However, I've not noticed a particular degredation in performance beyond what I'd expect for wet grass. My main concern is the time I spend cleaning the aircraft when I get home.
You didn't mention the public footpath crossing the main runway by the way, which causes entertainment on occasion. Fun place Sandown!
A far worse place in the winter is Redlands (Swindon) which doesn't just get soft and muddy like Sandown, it's possible to sink. This happened to me on a taxiway once, I had to get 2 people to help me pull the aircraft out so I could carry on taxiing.
G
[This message has been edited by Genghis the Engineer (edited 04 May 2001).]
Guest
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Face the facts:
Sandown is a challenging airfield for the reasons discussed above.
If you are properly qualified, trained, and aware, then it's the sort of place you might visit and feel you did well at.....
However, the statistical risks there are greater than at other fields (Bembridge, for example), so if you're an avid risk-avoider, then don't use Sandown.
All fields have their dangers, some more than others - I once almost lost control of a PA-34-100 going into Bembridge in rotor over the cliffs! - so weigh them up, and decide whether to go.
If you go somewhere and you don't like it, then don't go again, or if you feel it was dangerous and should have been closed or the problem more precisely NOTAMed, then give the CAA a call on 01293 567171 and speak to the GA people there.
Otherwise, why moan?
Sandown is a challenging airfield for the reasons discussed above.
If you are properly qualified, trained, and aware, then it's the sort of place you might visit and feel you did well at.....
However, the statistical risks there are greater than at other fields (Bembridge, for example), so if you're an avid risk-avoider, then don't use Sandown.
All fields have their dangers, some more than others - I once almost lost control of a PA-34-100 going into Bembridge in rotor over the cliffs! - so weigh them up, and decide whether to go.
If you go somewhere and you don't like it, then don't go again, or if you feel it was dangerous and should have been closed or the problem more precisely NOTAMed, then give the CAA a call on 01293 567171 and speak to the GA people there.
Otherwise, why moan?
Guest
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Hey come on guys, lighten up. I was merely sharing an interesting experience and thought that this was the type of forum to discuss it. I don't think I was moaning about it.
[This message has been edited by You Aint Seen Me. Roit! (edited 17 May 2001).]
[This message has been edited by You Aint Seen Me. Roit! (edited 17 May 2001).]
