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On the subject of grass strips I am still up tight
over the experience I had last Sunday. I fly a Lancair 360 with a 200HP
Lycoming, Hartzell constant speed prop, outback gear.
A 3000' strip, 3"grass, not smooth but reasonably
so, dry, wind fluctuating from 90 degree crosswind to directly on the nose and
even to a light tail wind component, gusty.Tees at start of take off giving
gusty conditions. Wind speed <10 Knots, 600' elevation, temperature
24C. A/C weight 1850 lbs.
Attempted take off, I could not believe how
long it took for the airspeed to come alive, I thought I had left the pitot
cover on, the speed did come up to 60 knots, my normal rotation speed and I
rotated, gust of wind, right wing dipped, my abort point was there and I quit
whilst I was ahead. I had used a good 2000 feet and stopped easily in the
distance remaining.
Did a run up at full power, 2700rpm, 30"Hg,
neglgible mag drop. Took off without my passenger using a short field take
off, air borne without problem before my abort point. Landed and took on
passenger.
Took off with passenger the second time using short
field technique. Off without too much of a problem but was closer to my
abort point than when I was on my own. Short field take off is harder to control
on a runway that is rougher than an artificial surface.
I was totally blown away by the experience.
!72's were out of there with no problem at all but all my power did not work for
me.
Is it the small wheels on the rougher grass
surface or finger trouble on the part of your's truly?
Ian B. Crowe
LNC 2 C-FKRO
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