Surreal experience Falwell, VA W24.

[Chip Sylverne]

Went yesterday for a PnP flight. Like landing up a soapbox derby hill. Touched down on the numbers at 70kts on the 2900' runway and literally did not have to touch the brakes as the hill bled off all the speed well before I reached the final turnoff, never mind the end of the runway. After getting the furry pax and fuel, I taxied back up this hill, a strange enough feeling in itself to be a couple dots up and taxiing. For the final two hundred or so feet you back taxi up the runway, below the crest of this hill where anyone foolish enough to try and land on 10 wouldn't be able to see you, up to a small flat spot where you turn around, advance the throttle and head down the ski jump to take off. The fuel guy said don't advance the throttle until you're committed to going, because nobody's ever successfully aborted a takeoff without going into the swamp at the end of 10. Oh, and no taking off 28, or landing 10, no matter what the winds. Did I mention the power lines about 1/4 mile or so from the departure end of 10?

None of this is mentioned on Airnav. From the pic, it looks like a nice little country airport. And it is, just a touch quirky.

My guess is the Rev. never landed his jet there.
Every flight an adventure.

 

[gprellwitz]

Went yesterday for a PnP flight. Like landing up a soapbox derby hill. Touched down on the numbers at 70kts on the 2900' runway and literally did not have to touch the brakes as the hill bled off all the speed well before I reached the final turnoff, never mind the end of the runway. After getting the furry pax and fuel, I taxied back up this hill, a strange enough feeling in itself to be a couple dots up and taxiing. For the final two hundred or so feet you back taxi up the runway, below the crest of this hill where anyone foolish enough to try and land on 10 wouldn't be able to see you, up to a small flat spot where you turn around, advance the throttle and head down the ski jump to take off. The fuel guy said don't advance the throttle until you're committed to going, because nobody's ever successfully aborted a takeoff without going into the swamp at the end of 10. Oh, and no taking off 28, or landing 10, no matter what the winds. Did I mention the power lines about 1/4 mile or so from the departure end of 10?

None of this is mentioned on Airnav. From the pic, it looks like a nice little country airport. And it is, just a touch quirky.

My guess is the Rev. never landed his jet there.
Every flight an adventure.

Looks fun! It does say:
Operational restrictions: LAND RY 28 (WEST) TKOF RY 10 (EAST).
Gradient: 4.7%

And the non-standard take-off minimums read
LYNCHBURG, VA
FALWELL
TAKE-OFF MINIMUMS: Rwy 10, 1100-2½ for climb in
visual conditions. Rwy 28, NA-obstacle.
DEPARTURE PROCEDURE: Rwy 10, for climb in
visual conditions: cross Falwell Airport at or above 1900
before proceeding on course.
NOTE: Rwy 10, multiple trees 9' from departure end of
runway, 87' right of centerline, up to 100' AGL/899' MSL.
Multiple power lines 2896' from departure end of runway,
1192' right of centerline, up to 149' AGL/968' MSL.

Looking at the satellite photo, with the hangar just a few feet from the edge of the runway 10 departure, it's pretty clear that you wouldn't want to be landing on 10!

 

[Chip Sylverne]

I plead guilty to not reading take-off minimums for VFR flights...
That's not a hangar. It's a little house! I don't know who lives there, but they are mighty brave folks. You do your runup down the hill to keep the noise down.

 

[dmccormack]

There are many runways that are far from flat -- Donegal Springs Airpark (N71) is downhill first 1/3 in either direction.

KVVS is downhill on 23, leveling off about midfield.