Diana
Final Approach
As some of you know, I’m planning a leisurely flight meandering around part of the country landing on grass/dirt strips. There are several reasons for this trip. One of the reasons is to explore the kind of airfield and the associated people who are like-minded. Basic fliers who enjoy and fly classic and tailwheel airplanes. Another reason is to actually SEE the country, low and slow, with just my wet compass, my Garmin 296, and of course, my iPod.
Another reason for this trip is to actually visit with, and stay with friends and family along the way. Several folks across the country from the various forums have offered to let me fly into their private strips. I am thinking about writing an article about this trip, including photos of people and their airstrips. This country is covered with grass strips, some public and a whole lot of private strips. Most of us who own them and fly out of them are relatively quiet about it. It’s a side of general aviation that a lot of people don’t see or realize is there to enjoy.
Some of you may think I’m crazy to do this. I asked my friend Stephen if he thinks I’m crazy, and he doesn’t think I’m crazy (well, about this anyway!).
Although the fact that it will be tornado season in May might make it seem like the wrong time to be camping under a wing if I can’t find a way into town. 
A few of the public grass strips I’m hoping to stop at are Lee Bottom Flying Field in Indiana (641), Van Sant in PA (9N1), Moontown near Huntsville, AL (3M5), Platte Valley near Denver (18V), St. Francis, KS (SYF) to name a few. I don’t plan to land on the grass at an airport unless it’s designated as being a runway just to keep things less complicated.
Here is a very rudimentary map with yet many gaps to fill in for fuel stops and yet to be discovered interesting grass strips. I would like to spend more time in Pennsylvania, the Carolinas and Georgia. A stop in lower Michigan might be a possibility, too. The plan is to avoid cities like the plague. If you all have any more fun and interesting grass strips that you would like to suggest, please let me know. Some of you have already made some great suggestions in other threads. I am going to stay east of the Rockies because I have to be home in time for Gaston’s in June, so I can’t budget for the time to make it all the way across the country this time. So far, it looks like the trip is over 5,000 miles, so that should take a bit of time as it is. If the weather is stinky, who knows, I might not make it out of Missouri! This is one trip where I don’t have to be anywhere within any certain time frame, an unusual concept nowadays. It will be an interesting exercise in being flexible. And hopefully, it will be fun and exciting…that’s the plan anyway.
Another reason for this trip is to actually visit with, and stay with friends and family along the way. Several folks across the country from the various forums have offered to let me fly into their private strips. I am thinking about writing an article about this trip, including photos of people and their airstrips. This country is covered with grass strips, some public and a whole lot of private strips. Most of us who own them and fly out of them are relatively quiet about it. It’s a side of general aviation that a lot of people don’t see or realize is there to enjoy.
Some of you may think I’m crazy to do this. I asked my friend Stephen if he thinks I’m crazy, and he doesn’t think I’m crazy (well, about this anyway!).
Although the fact that it will be tornado season in May might make it seem like the wrong time to be camping under a wing if I can’t find a way into town. A few of the public grass strips I’m hoping to stop at are Lee Bottom Flying Field in Indiana (641), Van Sant in PA (9N1), Moontown near Huntsville, AL (3M5), Platte Valley near Denver (18V), St. Francis, KS (SYF) to name a few. I don’t plan to land on the grass at an airport unless it’s designated as being a runway just to keep things less complicated.
Here is a very rudimentary map with yet many gaps to fill in for fuel stops and yet to be discovered interesting grass strips. I would like to spend more time in Pennsylvania, the Carolinas and Georgia. A stop in lower Michigan might be a possibility, too. The plan is to avoid cities like the plague. If you all have any more fun and interesting grass strips that you would like to suggest, please let me know. Some of you have already made some great suggestions in other threads. I am going to stay east of the Rockies because I have to be home in time for Gaston’s in June, so I can’t budget for the time to make it all the way across the country this time. So far, it looks like the trip is over 5,000 miles, so that should take a bit of time as it is. If the weather is stinky, who knows, I might not make it out of Missouri!
This is one trip where I don’t have to be anywhere within any certain time frame, an unusual concept nowadays. It will be an interesting exercise in being flexible. And hopefully, it will be fun and exciting…that’s the plan anyway. 
