Pilot lands on golf course to get son to lesson

[caliginousface]

I don't know why everyone is chugging their Haterade, this guy was just trying to get his son to a lesson on time. I once landed one our arena roof so I wouldn't miss a final.

[USMCmech]

Originally Posted by Minuteman

Looks like a long fairway, about 350 yd? ... 1050 feet with lots of trees on the course? I wouldn't do it.

1050 ft of packed snow is plenty for a plane that small. I routinely get a Caravan stoped in that length. Trees you say, I've gone into plenty of runways confined by obstacles.

IF! (and I doubt this is true) he got permision from the landowner, and was familar with the field, then there would be nothing unsafe about it.

If he did NOT get permision, ect, then it is another story entirely.

[Goldmember]

Chicago is NOT very GA friendly. If we were in Alaska, you'd be expected to put that thing down on the golf course. Anybody ever seen that video where the guy takes off in like 50 ft? I think it was a husky or something like that.

[turbojet28]

Flying on grass is so much fun. I flew into a grass strip last summer and had to do a go around because there was a cow on the runway. After landing, I pulled up to the barn to say hi to the airport manager who was on his tractor. We ended up talking for about 45 minutes and he was telling me all kinds of old stories about flying his Cub around Arizona. It was just cool.

[Tram]

I've got tons of good grass strip flying video, but am apprehensive about uploading it due to all the..

REVOKE HIS PILOTS LICENSE kiddies running around the world these days..

If you're having fun, it's gotta be illegal.. *

[tonyw]

Grass strip flying is fun even if you're doing it in a regular old 172. The first time I ever took off from a grass strip for real it was at FDK, right next to the main runway. Cool stuff. I did a total of three landings in the grass there that night.

It's a hell of a lot more fun than the simulated soft field stuff you've got to do. And being the smart ass that I am, when I went for my ride, I asked the examiner if he wanted me to do a real soft field takeoff and landing on the grass next to the field.

He was shocked. He said I should thank my instructor because most of them don't let their students do real soft field takeoffs and landings.

[Tram]

Originally Posted by tonyw

He was shocked. He said I should thank my instructor because most of them don't let their students do real soft field takeoffs and landings.

I used to reward some of my students with grass strip landings in the Seemihole..

[Wolfy]

I think people are just not familiar that Clipper pilots are God's gift to aviation. You could call me slightly biased as I just hopped out of a 1949 Piper Clipper. Here in Sonoma, tail draggers normally take off on the runway and land on the grass; saves the tires and makes the landing softer. I'm not sure how it is on snow, but a Clipper can definetely get in and out under 1000 feet on grass. There's a Clipper here that has been on floats, skis and wheels only this year. I'll ask the pilot what he thinks about it.

[ryanmickG]

Originally Posted by Tram

REVOKE HIS PILOTS LICENSE kiddies running around the world these days..

If you're having fun, it's gotta be illegal.. *

Crazy huh?

I've met several instructors that have never done a grass landing.

One of the big problems of structured academy type training.

My grandfather use to tell me stories about landing in golf courses when he was lost on cross countries.

[Tram]

Originally Posted by ryanmickG

Crazy huh?

I've met several instructors that have never done a grass landing.

One of the big problems of structured academy type training.

My grandfather use to tell me stories about landing in golf courses when he was lost on cross countries.

Yeh, my granddad has all kinds of good stories from his flying days..

Those jokers did some nuts stuff..

[Minuteman]

Fair enough, guess I'm a daffodil who flew out of an FBO with the cheap insurance

Still don't like this case, though.

[madmax]

Originally Posted by Tram

I used to reward some of my students with grass strip landings in the Seemihole..

I didn't know that was a industry wide term!

My school didn't let us take the complex planes into grass, but the instructors would practice engine failures over the grass strip, and if you knew it was there you got to land and takeoff on a grass strip.

[Tram]

Originally Posted by Minuteman

Still don't like this case, though.

Why?

Originally Posted by madmax

My school didn't let us take the complex planes into grass..

Yeh, neither did the one I instructed for..

[PWK_Pilot]

Every summer I fly to Dacy [0C0] NW of ORD which has 3 turf runways and one of em is really short 2577ft- it is a GREAT strip to work on your soft field landings and simulated engine outs/turnbacks. Also Lowell [C97] just S of GYY and Hinckley [0C2] just W of ARR. You just have to be more careful in a low-wing ArcherIII as to not clip any of the "vegetation" on the left/right sides of the rwy during landing. If anyone in the PWK area hasn't been to any of these cool strips- I HIGHLY suggest that you go there this coming spring/summer[take a CFI along if you are new to grass or need to get more practice] and get to work!! Afterwards, most of your landings on asphalt/concrete will benefit from this!

Peter
hangar10

[PWK_Pilot]

oh, and one other thing - my pants were completely off

[barnstormer09]

Originally Posted by turbojet28

Flying on grass is so much fun. I flew into a grass strip last summer and had to do a go around because there was a cow on the runway. After landing, I pulled up to the barn to say hi to the airport manager who was on his tractor. We ended up talking for about 45 minutes and he was telling me all kinds of old stories about flying his Cub around Arizona. It was just cool.

And I thought it was bad when cows get on the highway!

[mooneyguy]

Originally Posted by Tram

Just curious - what exactly was careless and wreckless about what he did?

I don't see what some of you guys are getting soo extremely upset about..

He landed at a golf course - COVERED - in snow.. I'm sure the fairways were FULL at the time.. It's a freakin Piper Clipper..

A nice golf fairway covered in snow is as good a grass strip as any..

In today's age with all you safety nuts, yeh, his actions were obviously foolish - only due to exactly what is happening.. You guys are all freaking out..

His license stripped? Give me a break.. You guys need to go out and actually have some FUN flying...

The guys biggest mistake was claiming his intent for landing there was to drop his son off...as was said...He should have smelled smoke
The golf course owner did NOT want to press tresspass charges, yet the police would not let him take off! I guess they have that authority, but I really dont see where local cops have authority over Federaly regulated activities...at least to ground him. I wonder what charge or reason why. Have you not ever seen a helo sit down in a parking lot or a field? My first aircraft ride was a helo in a wal mart parking lot giving rides! Ok that was a few years ago, but still