Gaston's claims an SR-22 on takeoff with 3 aboard, no injuries

[dell30rb]

Here's my take off from Gaston's in a C150, hot day, with passenger, but only about 1/2 fuel load. At 22 seconds into the video, you can briefly hear what sounds suspiciously like the stall warning horn. On either side of the end of the runway at that time were two tall trees. As I fly between them, my wings are below their level.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDyozdzRHo4&feature=plcp

Its okay to hear the stall horn chirp on a short field takeoff. When you are climbing above the trees in short field configuration, the normal light turbulence experienced, coupled with Vx airspeed will chirp the horn.

Its not okay however, to hear it come on for a prolonged period of time just after leaving the ground, because you are dragging the plane into the air and out of ground effect at a speed lower than Vx. Can't exactly tell from the video which category that falls into.

 

[jesse]

Whatever happened to the 'soft field' technique of pulling the nosewheel off the ground ASAP, remaining in ground effect until Vx and then climbing and maintaining Vx. I consider 'rotate' to be lifting the nosewheel..

Unless you're on an actual soft field that requires that, which I imagine Gastons is very firm and very dry right now, and you're doing is wasting lots of runway by creating lots of drag at your high AoA. You've also got an airplane that is now more difficult to control.

The scariest takeoffs I've seen on grass are the people that are damn near planting their tail hook into the ground trying to keep the nose up.

This is an area where it seems like instructors just don't clarify that soft doesn't mean firm grass it means a super soft surface you probably shouldn't be taking off on anyways.

I tell my students that if they actually need to use soft field technique because they're actually taking off on a soft field they should probably just stop what they're doing and wait for it to firm up. You have no idea how much it will influence your takeoff roll or if you'll ever get off the ground.

If it's not soft and you're concerned about obstacles use short-field technique and climb out at Vx. This means you don't go yanking the nosewheel into the sky until the airplane is ready to actually climb. If there are bumps you can smooth it out a bit by taking weight off the nosewheel but don't get carried away.

that would apply if you were taking off from a soft field

 

[wabower]

I think this is the key point for any non-paved surface, and probably a major contributor to the confusion regarding techniques. Any non-paved will transmit more thumping and rattling to the nose-gear (well, other than some of the runways in the northeast) and cause an inexperienced pilot to instinctlively "do something" to make it stop. Knowing what to do and not-to-do is the key lesson to be learned.

If it's not soft and you're concerned about obstacles use short-field technique and climb out at Vx. This means you don't go yanking the nosewheel into the sky until the airplane is ready to actually climb. If there are bumps you can smooth it out a bit by taking weight off the nosewheel but don't get carried away.

 

[dell30rb]

I agree it is unnecessary unless the field is truly soggy and it does add drag. Also, you are right that many pilots screw it up by overdoing it and coming close to, or actually will skag the tail.

But, if you do it right and get the nosewheel just an inch or so off the ground, it is a nice and smooth way to take off. I do it regularly on long paved runways. I find that in the warrior with direct connect nosewheel steering, it begins to hunt a bit. The solution is to pick the nosewheel up around 40 knots or so, let it fly off on its own, remaining in ground effect until climbing speed is reached

 

[Bob Bement]

sometimes I use a soft field takeoff if I want to pick up speed, especially if there is longer grass, or when it is soft. This is a take off from a 1800 ft strip with trees at the end slightly down slope the direction I am going. This is how I was taught to do it and so the way that I try to use. A takeoff of Aero Acres in the Oregon City, OR. area OG30 is the ident. I am flying my 182. Field elev. is 420 ft. It was early morning.

http://youtu.be/WVJ6GRFv1Fw

 

[timwinters]

@Jesse...

I'm based on grass and when I'm on grass my elevator will be all the way back when taxiing and my nose wheel will be held off the ground when taking off and for as long as possible when landing.

I view my nose gear as the weak link.

I guess I need that 180 conversion kit, eh?!?!

 

[Greg Bockelman]

@Jesse...

I'm based on grass and when I'm on grass my elevator will be all the way back when taxiing and my nose wheel will be held off the ground when taking off and for as long as possible when landing.

I view my nose gear as the weak link.

I guess I need that 180 conversion kit, eh?!?!

Well, Tim, your nosewheel on that plane isn't the most robust thing Cessna ever built.

I attempted a "soft" field takeoff on a paved runway once where I kept the nose WAY up without the tail banging off the ground. Tell you what, it didn't accelerate worth a hoot and I used a heck of a lot of runway before it got off the ground. Needless to say, lesson learned. Don't raise the nose any higher than necessary to get it off the ground.

 

[gismo]

No kidding. The other day I took off on 18 at 57D after topping the tanks off, and was surprised to have to use some of the turf (starting 900' down the rwy) to get off into ground effect. That time I was alone, but with my instructor's 250 lbs in the right seat, we've even had some momentarily scary takeoffs from VLL where the stall horn starts chirping and the ASI struggles to get over 65 KIAS on the climbout, even though the pitch attitude says we should be going faster than that. Even though we're still well under gross, I won't fly with him and full tanks on a day when the DA is over 3000 feet.

Are you departing with the first notch of flaps?