Ice Runway?

AuntPeggy

AuntPeggy

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Has anyone heard whether the ice runway at Alton Bay will be active this year. Last year they did an amazing job of plowing a runway and even a taxiway that went pretty much unused because of an unusually warm winter that kept the ice too thin.

I can't find their website this year.
 
IIRC, someone posted that the airport manager moved to a warmer climate this year. As such, they were looking for someone to maintain the runway. Don't know if they ever found anyone or not, though.
 
AuntPeggy said:
Has anyone heard whether the ice runway at Alton Bay will be active this year. Last year they did an amazing job of plowing a runway and even a taxiway that went pretty much unused because of an unusually warm winter that kept the ice too thin.

I can't find their website this year.
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Is this the Alton Bay in New Hampshire?

If you've ever flown to Mackinac Island (at the top of the great lakes -- truly one of the ten greatest places to fly in America) they used to do (and may still do, for that matter) an annual ice runway fly-in on the Straits of Mackinac.

I've never done it, but I've flown over to the island quite a few times, and always marvel at the mere thought of landing on that wicked body of water, within sight of the awesome Mackinac Bridge (which is as big as the Golden Gate Bridge, but built to withstand the titanic forces of ice shifting).

Having experienced ice fishing in Wisconsin, my first thought about an ice-runway fly-in is "No, thanks." Come to think of it, those are my second and third thoughts, too!

:goofy::smile:
 
Jay Honeck said:
Having experienced ice fishing in Wisconsin, my first thought about an ice-runway fly-in is "No, thanks." Come to think of it, those are my second and third thoughts, too!
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Bah! Ice-fishing is just for those folks who aren't pilots and thus can't land skiplanes on frozen lakes. :)

Of course, the presence of ice fishermen, and especially their pickup trucks, is a good indication that it's safe to land your plane on the lake. :yes:
 
Coming up early Feburary a fellow EAA chapter member will host a chili fly-in, and conditions permitting, will plow a runway on Lake Winnebago (on the ice northeast of Oshkosh). I'm not sure if insurance covers this though!
 
"Ice airport information charlie. Wind, makes it feel colder. Temperature, really cold. Dew point, colder than that. Braking action, you're joking, right?"
 
AuntPeggy said:
Has anyone heard whether the ice runway at Alton Bay will be active this year. Last year they did an amazing job of plowing a runway and even a taxiway that went pretty much unused because of an unusually warm winter that kept the ice too thin.

I can't find their website this year.
Click to expand...

Peg,

Where's that????
 
Bad landing at Alton Bay!
 
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heck - that's not a bad landing! Airplane looks completely useable! :)

2stroke snowmobile noises during the first approach had me scratching my head for a sec, tho ... "What the heck? Is that a rotax in that plane?"
 
Larryo said:
Peg,

Where's that????
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]B18[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=+1]Alton Bay Seaplane Base[/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=+1][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Alton Bay, New Hampshire, USA[/FONT][/SIZE]
http://www.airnav.com/airport/B18
12365
 
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Some good news apparently. Copied from the purple board...
Although the NOTAM link below doesn't work for me.


I just received the news from a couple of sources, I'm copying the
following from the State of NH:

"We have good news! The Alton Bay Ice Runway is now open, as of
last Friday (1/23) . We had strong interest from the local business
owners on the need to have the ice runway open. The new airport
manager is Paul Rochelle. He is a local business owner near the bay.

We recommend that all pilots check the NOTAMS before landing on the
runway. The NOTAMs provide additional contact information for
conditions at the airport. The link is below:

https://www.notams.jcs.mil/dinsQueryWeb/queryRetrievalMapAction.do

Could you please provide this information to the pilots through your
associated organizations.
Thanks

Trish

Tricia L. Schoeneck Lambert
Aeronautics Administrator
Bureau of Aeronautics
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Of course, the presence of ice fishermen, and especially their pickup trucks, is a good indication that it's safe to land your plane on the lake. :yes:
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http://www.alaskamagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1251&Itemid=46

The technique that Scott first learned involved dropping a standard, 16-pound ball from 400 feet at near-stall speed. If it bounced, one could assume at least six inches of good ice. Over the years, he has refined this strategy into a standard protocol for the Maule M-6 and his own assurance. He prefers to first drop a lighter ball—10 to 14 pounds—at 55 mph, safely above the Maule M-6’s stall speed of 39 mph. If that bounces, he climbs to 800 feet and drops a heavier ball—what he calls his insurance policy.
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Brian, that's just cool.
 
Hmm wonder if there's a ski mod for the L23....
 
Aunt Peggy:
I was a pleasure to meet you and your husband up at Alton Bay today!

What a great time out on the ice for the Winter Carnival.
 
"Ice airport information charlie. Wind, makes it feel colder. Temperature, really cold. Dew point, colder than that. Braking action, you're joking, right?"
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Ted,,. I have to start saving your AWOS reports :D
 
A few pics from today copied from others on the PB. Yes braking action was "Are you kidding" today.
Quite a few planes there today. Probably 60-70 over the course of the day.

Also took my first helicopter ride today!
 

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I don't believe I am in that photo. I arrived about 2:30 and left about 4. Everyone was enjoying the ice! -Skip
 

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Too bad I missed you Skip. We got there around 9:30ish
and left right after they reopened the runway after the bed races.
Around 3:15 or so.
 
We had a fantastic day. Adam, thanks for greeting us as we landed. What a wonderfully warm-hearted adventure.
 

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Alton Bay is about an hour and 15 minute drive north of us.
Pretty short flight though. :D
 
Man, what fun. Gotta get out there one of these years. Preferably before anyone says anything about "liability" and they close it up. :(
 
Neat pictures -- how cool!!! If I were closer I'd be spending some time at this place!
 
skyflyer8 said:
Neat pictures -- how cool!!! If I were closer I'd be spending some time at this place!
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You have to time it pretty carefully. Alton Bay was open last weekend but it closed midweek due to a rain/snowstorm and hasn't yet reopened. If it follows last year's pattern, it won't. It may get cold enough, but the smooth ice is gone due to the snow on top.

-Skip
 
It really is an amazing place. It is so refreshing to see the local community pull together and support the airport. When so many communities these days are trying to close them down.
We're hoping they (the local business people) who stepped up to ensure the airport would be open this year keep it going, and we can make it an annual event for years to come!
 
AuntPeggy said:
Has anyone heard whether the ice runway at Alton Bay will be active this year. Last year they did an amazing job of plowing a runway and even a taxiway that went pretty much unused because of an unusually warm winter that kept the ice too thin.

I can't find their website this year.
Click to expand...

The ice runway at Alton Bay opened on Jan. 10 this year. The ice is presently ~14" thick. You can get updated info about the RW surface by calling (603) 875-3498 24/7. The recorded message is updated every 2 or 3 days depending upon changing conditions. I have made several landings there and the surface is somewhat rough, so you can get some traction for braking -- it certainly is not as slippery as some icy patches I have encountered on regular paved runways such as at Lake Placid or Serenac Lake Airports. The winter festival this year is on Sunday, Feb. 14, so parking your aircraft will be difficult on that day due to crowding. If you would like some photos of B18's ice runway, email me directly at dnewcomer@onemain.com and I will forward to you.
 
dnewcomer said:
The ice runway at Alton Bay opened on Jan. 10 this year. The ice is presently ~14" thick. You can get updated info about the RW surface by calling (603) 875-3498 24/7. The recorded message is updated every 2 or 3 days depending upon changing conditions. I have made several landings there and the surface is somewhat rough, so you can get some traction for braking -- it certainly is not as slippery as some icy patches I have encountered on regular paved runways such as at Lake Placid or Serenac Lake Airports. The winter festival this year is on Sunday, Feb. 14, so parking your aircraft will be difficult on that day due to crowding. If you would like some photos of B18's ice runway, email me directly at dnewcomer@onemain.com and I will forward to you.
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Thanks, Dave, for the updated information. My Valentine's Day plans are now set.

Will you have the bed race and sleigh rides for the festival again this year?

I notice that you have plowed the taxiway this year so that the bottleneck into the "ramp" is eliminated. Way to go.

Welcome to POA.
 
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