Landing on a frozen grass strip

A

Artimas

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Dec 10, 2013
Messages
214
Location
New Jersey
Display Name
Display name:
Artimas
Any thoughts about landing on a grass strip when it's cold and frozen? I've landed on grass many times, but never in the winter.

Tips appreciated.
Thanks!
 
Unless it was wet and frozen it's no big thing. Frozen ground is just harder. Land on ours all the time in the winter. Wet grass (if not enough to make the field soft) can be pretty slick even before it freezes.

Snow on the other hand can make it very difficult to accelerate.
 
Artimas said:
Any thoughts about landing on a grass strip when it's cold and frozen? I've landed on grass many times, but never in the winter.

Tips appreciated.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
As long as it stays frozen it's all good. OTOH there'll likely be a week or two in the spring when it starts thawing out that you'll be pretty much limited to use in the morning on the frost. Until it dries up it can get soft when the frost goes out.
 
the owner of the strip may not like you for doing that. they will see your tracks a long time, when your wheels run over frozen grass it kills it. until the grass starts groaning again you will see the tracks.
 
Tom-D said:
the owner of the strip may not like you for doing that. they will see your tracks a long time, when your wheels run over frozen grass it kills it. until the grass starts groaning again you will see the tracks.
Click to expand...

If you've seen the guy's landings you know why the grass is groaning. :D
 
Tom-D said:
the owner of the strip may not like you for doing that. they will see your tracks a long time, when your wheels run over frozen grass it kills it. until the grass starts groaning again you will see the tracks.
Click to expand...

That never seemed to be an issue on the strip I learned to fly at.
 
flyingron said:
Snow on the other hand can make it very difficult to accelerate.
Click to expand...

Certainly depends on the snow, but I have never felt it was a problem up to 3-4 inches. Of course you had better take your wheel pants off, especially RVs!:yes:

I've had to repair mine twice this winter already, then I just left them off. :rolleyes2:
 
Greg Bockelman said:
That never seemed to be an issue on the strip I learned to fly at.
Click to expand...

Nor at any I've regularly flown at since. May be a different grass in the NW?

To to OP. The one thing you need to be very wary of when the ground is frozen is mole, groundhog and armadillo mounds (if these critters are an issue where you live). These mounds can be as hard as a rock when the ground is frozen and large ones can take the nose wheel right out from under your bird...

...Iff'n you have a nose wheel that is! ;)
 
Last edited:
Only power landings I ever made on turf, the (well-cropped) turf was pretty near frozen, and it was not a problem for me (in a Cub).
It is a pretty smooth strip, but it was hard. But being grass/dirt, the surface will yield a bit more and not be as "grabby" as pavement, even when it's frozen. Ruts or holes, on the other hand, would be a lot worse when frozen. :eek:
 
timwinters said:
Nor at any I've regularly flown at since. May be a different grass in the NW?

To to OP. The one thing you need to be very wary of when the ground is frozen is mole, groundhog and armadillo mounds (if these critters are an issue where you live). These mounds can be as hard as a rock when the ground is frozen and large ones can take the nose wheel right out from under your bird...

...Iff'n you have a nose wheel that is! ;)
Click to expand...

Yeah, Moles, an' Gophers, seem to be quite active this time of year.
Th' li'l snots make a mess out of our place every winter. Then ya don't see any sign, 'till next winter.
 
Geico266 said:
Certainly depends on the snow, but I have never felt it was a problem up to 3-4 inches. Of course you had better take your wheel pants off, especially RVs!:yes:
Click to expand...

I don't have wheel pants. It jams up the gear when it retracts.
 
I have left some groaning grass behind after some of my landings too. Just keep practicing

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
 
Greg Bockelman said:
That never seemed to be an issue on the strip I learned to fly at.
Click to expand...

I ran over my lawn when it was frozen, the tracks did not disappear until spring and the grass was tall enough to cut.
 
frost+tracks+002.jpg
 
Thanks all.
Landed on frozen grass strip yesterday with no problems.
The gophers are all still with us.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top