Gravel bar landings -why?

saddletramp

saddletramp

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saddletramp
I don't understand what the fascination is with landing & taking off on gravel bars along rivers & streams. In Alaska where you're hauling supplies, hunting, & fishing I get it. But here in a populated state like Washington?

If I lived along a quiet stream out in the woods a loud airplane taking off would not be something I'd not want to hear on a regular basis. To me it borders careless & reckless operation. Yet there are pilots that post their antics all over social media.

Am I missing something?
 
Not my thing, but my guess is that the answer to your question is that it is FUN. To each his own
 
I live in Washington state. There are plenty of back country strips and gravel bars where properly equipped and trained pilots go to practice bush flying. As near as I can tell, they're mostly a pretty conscientious lot and respect private property and try not to annoy anyone. In the next state over, Idaho bush pilots have a long history of providing back country access for hunting and fishing enthusiasts, as well as fire-fighting, medivac and fish and game officers.

If its not a thing where you live, then yes, I can imagine folks in your neck of the woods getting pretty upset about someone landing in their backyard and disturbing the peace.

But, hey: don't knock it till you've tried it!
 
Same reason people go hiking in the woods? No point really. Can exercise on a treadmill at home.

Heck, why fly airplanes at all for anything other than a "real purpose"?

They should all be corralled to airports only and flights for fun should be curtailed. They're just making noise. ;)
 
saddletramp said:
...
To me it borders careless & reckless operation. Yet there are pilots that post their antics all over social media.

Am I missing something?
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Usually when someone uses the term careless and reckless in aviation they are referring to 91.13, quoted below.

§91.13 Careless or reckless operation.
(a) Aircraft operations for the purpose of air navigation. No person may operate an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another.

(b) Aircraft operations other than for the purpose of air navigation. No person may operate an aircraft, other than for the purpose of air navigation, on any part of the surface of an airport used by aircraft for air commerce (including areas used by those aircraft for receiving or discharging persons or cargo), in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another.
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Does this sort of flying typically endanger the life or property of another if it is being done in remote locations which I believe is almost always the case?
 
"I don't do it or like it so it shouldn't be done."
Ugh, that mindset leads no place good. If it is legal (and probably if it isn't) why do I care what another person finds fun. If I had a plane that could I probably would.

Why do people need guns?, why do people need motorcycles?, Why do people operate drones they are dangerous and annoying? , Why are people allowed to have campfires and wood stoves they pollute the environment?, Why are people allowed to eat meat isn't that murder?, Why are people allowed to go to that church and worship that God? .......

Slippery slope.
 
DFH65 said:
"I don't do it or like it so it shouldn't be done."
Ugh, that mindset leads no place good. If it is legal (and probably if it isn't) why do I care what another person finds fun. If I had a plane that could I probably would.

Why do people need guns?, why do people need motorcycles?, Why do people operate drones they are dangerous and annoying? , Why are people allowed to have campfires and wood stoves they pollute the environment?, Why are people allowed to eat meat isn't that murder?, Why are people allowed to go to that church and worship that God? .......

Slippery slope.
Click to expand...

^That right there.


Im not landing on gravel, but I land on lots of lakes and rivers all over, frankly it's the freedom and fun of landing somewhere that perhaps no one has landed at before, doing your research, checking out the topography, etc and if you're also into outdoor sports that's a double win.
 
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saddletramp said:
I don't understand what the fascination is with landing & taking off on gravel bars along rivers & streams. In Alaska where you're hauling supplies, hunting, & fishing I get it. But here in a populated state like Washington?

If I lived along a quiet stream out in the woods a loud airplane taking off would not be something I'd not want to hear on a regular basis. To me it borders careless & reckless operation. Yet there are pilots that post their antics all over social media.

Am I missing something?
Click to expand...

There, I fixed it for you.

I don't understand what the fascination is with flying small planes. In Alaska where you're hauling supplies, hunting, & fishing I get it. But here in a populated state like Washington where there are abundant highways and plenty of cars?

If I lived next to an airport, a loud airplane taking off would not be something I'd not want to hear on a regular basis. To me it borders careless & reckless operation. Yet there are pilots that post their antics all over social media.

Am I missing something? I think everyone should drive a Prius and drink only Starbucks.
 
I think the best (and shortest) answer to his question is, "why not?"
 
Well I've never even heard of a gravel bar.
 
I love bouncing around on sandbars to toss rocks and let the dog play in the water. If the only thing I can hear is the sound of a river flowing by? That's a good day.
 
Gosh... this morning I know how Donald Trumph feels.

I ask a simple question & get accused of being a Berkenstock wearing Prius driver who hates airplanes, guns, & God!

So in reality, this morning I'm off on my motorcycle to the airport to give dual in my glider that's towed by my very loud, fuel loving 182.

Tomorrow it's back to my regular occupation selling John Deere equipment.

At least you guys got all fired up. It was worth it.
 
Back country flying seems like a blast. Don't see anything wrong with it personally.
 
Airplanes do almost no damage compared to ATVs or dirt bikes or 4x4s. And there are a lot fewer airplanes.
 
saddletramp said:
Gosh... this morning I know how Donald Trumph feels.

I ask a simple question & get accused of being a Berkenstock wearing Prius driver who hates airplanes, guns, & God!

So in reality, this morning I'm off on my motorcycle to the airport to give dual in my glider that's towed by my very loud, fuel loving 182.

Tomorrow it's back to my regular occupation selling John Deere equipment.

At least you guys got all fired up. It was worth it.
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Good bait, lol! More like chum.
 
saddletramp said:
Gosh... this morning I know how Donald Trumph feels.

I ask a simple question & get accused of being a Berkenstock wearing Prius driver who hates airplanes, guns, & God!

So in reality, this morning I'm off on my motorcycle to the airport to give dual in my glider that's towed by my very loud, fuel loving 182.

Tomorrow it's back to my regular occupation selling John Deere equipment.

At least you guys got all fired up. It was worth it.
Click to expand...

I tried to give the simple answer.

"Because they want to. No it's not careless or reckless."

:)
 
I have not only landed on river banks and beaches, but also open tundra and public roads.

Careless and reckless? No.

Inherently dangerous? No, but very unforgiving to carelessness, incapacity or neglect.
 
The Wright brothers landed on an uncrowded beach by the ocean, which is pretty much the same as an unpopulated gravel bar by a river. Their accomplishment is celebrated as the first flight. Not as the first reckless flight.

Nothing wrong with what they did. Nothing wrong with following in their footsteps.
 
Looks like a heck of a lot of fun to me. Although I haven't done it myself, I believe that FUN is the answer to the question.
 
saddletramp said:
I don't understand what the fascination is with landing & taking off on gravel bars along rivers & streams. In Alaska where you're hauling supplies, hunting, & fishing I get it. But here in a populated state like Washington?

If I lived along a quiet stream out in the woods a loud airplane taking off would not be something I'd not want to hear on a regular basis. To me it borders careless & reckless operation. Yet there are pilots that post their antics all over social media.

Am I missing something?
Click to expand...
Yes, you're missing something. . .
 
To quote the great satirical interpretation of Sir Sean Connery, "Suck on it Trebek"

Some people invest a great deal in equipment and training to be able to land where others don't choose to go.

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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
You can drag the LZ to test it or just assume it's soft and stay off the brakes. With big tires I can float on the softest sand but touch those brakes and the tires dig in. You can see evidence of that in the photo I posted above.
 
Stewartb said:
You can drag the LZ to test it or just assume it's soft and stay off the brakes. With big tires I can float on the softest sand but touch those brakes and the tires dig in. You can see evidence of that in the photo I posted above.
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I saw it and was going to rib ya about it......;):lol::lol:
 
saddletramp said:
Gosh... this morning I know how Donald Trumph feels.

I ask a simple question & get accused of being a Berkenstock wearing Prius driver who hates airplanes, guns, & God!

So in reality, this morning I'm off on my motorcycle to the airport to give dual in my glider that's towed by my very loud, fuel loving 182.
Click to expand...

Most of us were just giving you a little crap. I had to laugh looking at your signature... I could ask a similar question of you. Glider - why? I know a lot of people enjoy them, but in my two flights I found it to be a lot of work and having to have a crew on standby to launch me and come pick me up if I don't make it back, well, it wasn't for me. For most people, I don't see the point in twins either, but to each their own. Together we all make up general aviation and I would hate to see any one segment go away.

I'm also known to give RV pilots crap. As soon as you finish building one, you're either a military fighter pilot who has to use terminology most of us don't understand, or an airshow pilot who has to do a low pass and a formation break over mid-field every time you land! It's all in good fun though and I get it back when they blow past me in the air and do a roll!
 
The attraction to soaring is difficult to explain. Some power pilots really like it while others not so much.

I have around 8 tow pilots employed & I have trained all of them. Most are either airlines pilots, medivac pilots, a couple are full-time CFIs, & several private pilots. I require all of them to take a flight in the glider before they are cleared to tow. Almost everyone of them loved flying in the glider. It's back to stick & rudder, the visibility from the cockpit is fantastic, & every flight has to be flown knowing you have to deadstick it in at the end. When there's lift & you can climb way above the tow release altitude it's even more challenging & enjoyable.

Sailplane pilots look at the weather from a different perspective & are very aware of fronts, lapse rates (of both temps & pressure), and winds aloft. I know when I flew for the USFS the knowledge of where sink air vs lift was invaluable in the mountains.

You're right, to each their own. I took a few helicopter lessons in a Hughes 269 a few decades back & it didn't appeal to me. I know there are some rotorheads out there that love their helicopters.

Hell, maybe some day I'll land my glider on a gravel bar! LOL!
 
saddletramp said:
The attraction to soaring is difficult to explain. Some power pilots really like it while others not so much.
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My flights were in Central Texas. Maybe if we were in the mountains of Colorado riding the waves I would have loved it. It seems like here, they get towed up, and basically ride it back down! It does seem like it would be a peaceful way to fly if you could stay up for awhile.

Not so much on the gravel bar though!
 
Clark1961 said:
I think maybe you've been in Oklahoma too long...
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Oh no. In Oklahoman it would have been: "Well, I reckon I see what yer talkin' bout, but I'll be dadgummed if that deal over yunner don't look like a real hoot. Yeah boy. I betcha that baby there will really get up n' get. Yessir."
 
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