Narrowest runway you've ever landed on

Braceville in eastern Ohio (41N). 3000x30. I used to always land to the left of centerline, but didn't really have much trouble with this one. Turns out I was always a percentage off centerline, so with the narrower runway I was closer to center.

Fun place.
 
I landed on a 50' but I can't remember where it was, somewhere around So Cal.

I prefer the small and narrow runways over the wide and large ones. I don't know if it's my mono vision or what, but I seem to land a whole lot better. I know I feel a lot more comfortable with them.

I think most of the narrow runways around here are around 50'-75' and are usually teamed up with a much wider longer runway.

I try not to be picky about it, the centerline is always my main objective anyway.

-John
 
Still an amatur I guess.
KFES 2202 x 49 ft
 
jspilot said:
So I took a flight from KISP to Sky Acres(44n) airport in Poughkeepsie NY last week on a perfect day for flying to check out the airport and possibly get something to eat( never did). Sky Acres is a beautiful little airport but the runway is only 60 feet wide. The runway really felt narrow to me with drop offs on both sides. I'm sure many of you small airport flyers are laughing as you read this but I'm spoiled by KISP's wide 100+ foot runways. I'll definitely be back to eat at the restaurant at some point but I'll make sure the winds are aligned with the runway first!

So I'm curious, what's the narrowest runway you've ever landed on? Anyone have any good "oh that's a small runway," moments they'd care to share?
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Levees between rice paddies, as long as you don't see the runway anywhere, you're good. :popcorn:
 
jspilot said:
So I'm curious, what's the narrowest runway you've ever landed on? Anyone have any good "oh that's a small runway," moments they'd care to share?
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http://maps.google.com/?ll=29.520228,-95.274811&spn=0.002301,0.004286&t=h&z=18

http://www.airnav.com/airport/21XS

"James Street" is NOT a street. its a private runway. Its paved section wasn't much wider than the traumahawk main gear. Airnav says 24 feet.

I took off out of there heavy and hot in July (Texas coast) in a Piper Tomahawk to the south, and ended up banking right to avoid trees at the end of the runway. But.. VERY narrow compared to what I was used to.
 
So far only 35 feet for me. I asked my husband and he said a one lane road on the Navajo Res. That was about 12feet wide in a C195 with crosswind gear..... He flew milk bread and ice cream into the schools on the Res. In the early 60s. Lots of strange landing sites
 
Doggtyred said:
http://maps.google.com/?ll=29.520228,-95.274811&spn=0.002301,0.004286&t=h&z=18

http://www.airnav.com/airport/21XS

"James Street" is NOT a street. its a private runway. Its paved section wasn't much wider than the traumahawk main gear. Airnav says 24 feet.

I took off out of there heavy and hot in July (Texas coast) in a Piper Tomahawk to the south, and ended up banking right to avoid trees at the end of the runway. But.. VERY narrow compared to what I was used to.
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24' is standard width for a two-lane road as normally found in a 40' or 50' wide R/O/W. Looks like they converted a road to a runway or built a "road" to get around some difficulty in building a "runway".
 
A side question might be: Did you only land on it once, or all the time? I soloed on the 30' I mentioned. ;)

It's all about what you get used to. I was quite weirded out by 100' wide runways for a little while after that in my primary training. Always flared too high due to the optical illusion that the runway was going to engulf me. :) :) :)
 
denverpilot said:
A side question might be: Did you only land on it once, or all the time? I soloed on the 30' I mentioned. ;)

It's all about what you get used to. I was quite weirded out by 100' wide runways for a little while after that in my primary training. Always flared too high due to the optical illusion that the runway was going to engulf me. :) :) :)
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All the time?
No
But there's an engine shop at Brookville Ohio...
 
azure said:
I should have qualified my statement with density altitude -- but I was assuming fields at or not much above sea level, like the ones in Kim's pictures (I looked up 3O8 and it's at 470 MSL). When you're already at 3000 feet and it's hot and you're almost too heavy to be legal, sure a 2600 foot runway isn't much -- this is where judgment comes in though, and that's what a licensed pilot is supposed to have. A blanket ban like the one Kim is under is probably mostly to keep insurance premiums low enough to allow a reasonable rental rate and profit margin. At least in my neck of the woods, it would put some very interesting and worthwhile destinations off limits.
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I have a good relationship with the owner, and I asked him about an airport that was a bit less and he said (in email, so I got it in writing) that Oceano was OK for me to land in the 150. I did not go - but it was 2325 x 50 ft and a "great destination airport right on the ocean."

So yes, I'm sure there is a reason the "rule" is there, but it pays to ask questions sometimes. I'm confident if I ask him again, he'll say yes again, and in fact this Saturday I may do just that in the bigger 180hp Skyhawk. I need many more XC hours, for both the IR and Angel Flight, so my flying attitude is changing - I may "go for it" and explore some local airports.
 
I remember the first time I used a 100' wide runway (at Easton, MD KESN). When I got takeoff clearance, it felt like I was taxiing FOREVER to get to the centerline! It was like taxiing almost all the way across the runway at my home airport W29.
 
Where I learned, 15G, it is 37' wide. Some day I want to get to 7D9 (28').
 
25XS: Skyway Airpark: 2035x24

But, in a Cub...probably shouldn't count, lol...
 
jpower said:
Not to mention that the you-might-get-shot-down-if-you-fly-here zone FRZ is a mile away at most.
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There are so many problems with Freeway. But the one thing that helps mitigate it all is the friendly and professional staff there. They are such good people.
 
spinfire said:
My first dual and solo XCs were to Northampton, 7B2, runway 32: 3335 x 50 ft.
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That's really weird. I've flown there a few times from Maryland. I never even noticed the runway width, though the skinniest I've ever landed on was 40 feet.

I think it is all proportions. A 50 foot width looks good on a short runway of just over 3,000 feet.

A 50 foot width on a 5,000 foot runway would probably be perceived as too skinny, and in need of putting some meat on those bones!
 
I guess it was Stromsberg Nebraska. It's not on the charts anymore, but I remember that the hardsurface runway is only a few feet wider then the gear on my Skyhawk. What makes the airport more interesting is the 100' tall high voltage lines abot 70' east and the hangers at the end of the runway. Thats the nearest hard surface runway.
 
1800'x25' in a 172 is the narrowest I've landed on. With a slight crosswind, no less. It definitely keeps you on your toes. ;)
 
Butter Valley, 7N8 is a fun place to land! 1535x24 paved, and the grass + paved portion is 2420x85 so you have a little safety cushion.
 

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Narrowest was about 25 feet. Scared the daylights out of me. It was in a 150 over 20 years ago. It was Powderly, Texas.
 
6024410747_bdb08e68c3.jpg
 
flightwriter said:
E98 (Mid Valley Airpark) at 37' wide, during my first few weeks of lessons. My instructor used it as an important lesson in putting the nosewheel ON the centerline, instead of within 5' of it as had become my habit (one that I'm now broken of, thankfully.)
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Try 1N1 in Edgewood. Its listed at 30ft wide, but it is much smaller. It is also about 5,000ft long, so it looks like a sidewalk.

During the taxi back through the neighborhood, you have to be VERY careful (including s-turns at times) to avoid mailboxes.
 
jspilot said:
So I took a flight from KISP to Sky Acres(44n) airport in Poughkeepsie NY last week on a perfect day for flying to check out the airport and possibly get something to eat( never did). Sky Acres is a beautiful little airport
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I just found this photo of Sky Acres taken on short final to 35. The restaurant is in the red barn partially obscured on the right.

-Skip
 

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2820 x 30 ft.

Harris Ranch (3O8), several times (and hopefully many more to follow). I'm always glad I can literally smell the place from the air (what with the cows) because it's kinda hard to spot!
 
Skip Miller said:
I just found this photo of Sky Acres taken on short final to 35. The restaurant is in the red barn partially obscured on the right.

-Skip
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Looking at the skid marks on the hash line directly below the 3 of runway 35 shows someone almost took out the runway end lights while trying to land.:yikes:
 
Skip Miller said:
I just found this photo of Sky Acres taken on short final to 35. The restaurant is in the red barn partially obscured on the right.

-Skip
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Looking at this picture compared to others that people have shown it looks like you could land a C-130 on that runway at Sky Acres!
 
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N801BH said:
Looking at the skid marks on the hash line directly below the 3 of runway 35 shows someone almost took out the runway end lights while trying to land.:yikes:
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That picture has to be at least 2 weeks old thus assuring you all it was not my landing that caused those marks!:D
 
Memaloose 25U, on the border of Oregon and Idaho, isn't really narrow. But I wasn't sure how tall the Lupine was so I landed on the 2 track down the middle of the field. I think a drunken sailor laid out the 2 track. :D

Runway 17/35

Dimensions: 3300 x 120 ft. / 1006 x 37 mSurface: dirt, in poor condition
LOOSE 3 IN - 6 IN ROCKS ON RY; RY POORLY DEFINED. SOUTH 1000 FT ROUGH & OVERGROWN WITH WEEDS.Runway edge markings: THLD MKD BY WHITE ROCKS ACROSS RY END.
 

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Royalton, 35', no problem...

(was a passenger here, but have landed there several times)

IMG_0883.jpg
 
Pepperell Ma 2850x25. Cranland 1860x60 is listed as the shortest but Plum Island was 1800x40 because the neighbor reclaimed (quite adversely) his 300'+ or so. The FAA data sheet had not been updated.
 
Minuteman 6B6 - 2770x48 - where I solo'd and continue training... (25 wee hours)
 
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Florida State Highway 100, about 2 miles NE of XFL.
There were two lanes going my direction but there were power lines on the right side so we had to crowd the left side of the road. Then when that little red pickup truck pulled up under us just as we flared things got exciting.

Did you know that it is probably better to land on a highway facing traffic? At least they can see you and they all pull off the road. It is like the sea parting.
 
Mathis. 1500x20.

Deb


1948 Luscombe 8E
"Lester"
 
The home drome is short x 20' with base to touchdown having very little room for final in between. That's what I get for being at the ultralight field. If I had a bit more skill with these innerwebz, I'd post a picture to paint those thousand words that I'm too lazy to type.

In training, we took the Valor to Harris ranch for a few laps, so I have done a narrow runway in a realish plane too.
 
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