Narrowest runway you'd be willing to land on?

azpilot

azpilot

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azpilot
What is the narrowest runway you'd be willing to land on?

The runway at my 'home base' is 75' wide. The narrowest runway I've landed on so far is about 50 feet wide. I've gone there frequently, and it isn't a big deal, but the difference is certainly recognizable.

There is an airstrip about 20 minutes away I want to land at. It is about 40' wide.

This has got me thinking, what is the narrowest runway I'd be willing to try and land on. I always think about runway length, but runway width isn't something I've ever been concerned about before.
 
Are we talking about the paved surface or clear area? I've certainly landed on 25' wide runways that had 25-50' off both sides.
A 40' wide runway only gives me 2' wing tip clearance if there are vertical obstructions outside the 40' area.
 
I’d be up for the challenge of 25’. I land on 50’ everytime I fly, so 40’ wouldn’t be much of a difference.
 
what aircraft ? tail dragger? windy day? toe or heal brakes? runway grass or asph? crown on runway surface? hazards to each side if you make a excursion?
 
I had an airstrip that was 30 feet wide, corn on one side. My wingspan was 28.5 ft.

Prior to that, I landed between two rows of seedling trees that were 20 feet apart...I quit doing that when the trees started to brush the leading edge of the (high) wing.
 
hotprops said:
what aircraft ? tail dragger? windy day? toe or heal brakes? runway grass or asph? crown on runway surface? hazards to each side if you make a excursion?
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Good questions. It's a Cessna 182, and let's say you have a five knot crosswind. The runway has a slight slope, but no crown. If you exit the runway you'll be in cactus and sagebrush.
 
I was OK landing on a 40 ft wide r/w but don't think I would go to 25. The safety area (before the ditches and the trees) on each side would be a factor. 25 ft asphalt down the middle of a smooth field is probably more comfortable than 50 ft wide with drainage ditches on both sides.
 
Here is the runway in question. Note - I did not record this, I just found the video on youtube. Go to 2:00 for the landing. It has been improved since the video was recorded. (i.e. The weeds were all removed and the asphault has been refinished.)

 
Quite a few years ago landed a 172 on a 25 foot wide runway. It's an airpark in Brighton, MI, I forget the identifier.

Edit: looked it up, it was 45G, and it was 24 ft.
 
Can't tell you how wide they are, but I landing on both with the aircraft shown in the first one.

...and, yes, the 2nd one really is an airstrip.

IMG_5207.JPG IMG_5108.JPG
 
Many moons ago, I landed on a one lane road with mature trees on both sides, and electrical wires across it.
It wasn't by choice.
I had run out of airplane and altitude, and it's the closest I've ever come to wetting myself.
We had to take the plane apart and cart it out.
 
The airport where my mechanic lives is 30 feet wide. I've landed it a number of times, though one was considerably less than stellar.
 
azpilot said:
Here is the runway in question. Note - I did not record this, I just found the video on youtube. Go to 2:00 for the landing. It has been improved since the video was recorded. (i.e. The weeds were all removed and the asphault has been refinished.)
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What kind of airplane? And how sharp are your skills? I had to look up the dimensions, but the narrowest runway I've landed on was 22' wide asphalt with no obstructions on the sides. I was flying a 172 with 2 others, landing to locate and silence an ELT. That was when I was most active as a pilot, so my skills were current and sharp. I didn't think twice about it.

I've been out of practice, so I probably wouldn't try something narrower than about 50' today.
 
Wing span is about 38 feet. Track is about 9 feet. That sorta defines the requirements.
 
I’d. be comfortable with 40 ft wide runway
 
As long as the left wheel stays on the runway while the right is on the centerline and vice versa, I'm good.

Now if the runway didn't have a centerline then I'd have to think about it.
 
Home base is 150ft wide, but I've landed on lots of 50ft wide rwys. Probably 30-40ft as long as there is no wind
 
We have an 1840 x 30 with cheap gas, trees at one end, a cliff at the other and a 2% down grade when landing to the NE (toward the cliff). In the Cherk, no problem. In the Comanche, it's not the landing, but the stopping. I'll pay the extra .40 a gallon at the home drome, thanks.
 
azpilot said:
Here is the runway in question. Note - I did not record this, I just found the video on youtube. Go to 2:00 for the landing. It has been improved since the video was recorded. (i.e. The weeds were all removed and the asphault has been refinished.)

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Despite some disturbances you may encounter from the surrounding terrain, that looks like a piece of cake to me.
 
Ryanb said:
Why? You live in Colorado!
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Many quality control problems. Doseage is uncertain.

Err, I mean that I avoid desserts. Gotta control calorie intake. Yup, that’s it, calories.
 
I landed the 310 on a 1900x25 strip in Belize back around 5 years ago. That was pretty tight.
 
I've landed at a crappy 40' wide asphalt runway with cracks and grass growing in it a few times. Looks kind of narrow on final, but I don't really even notice once I'm in close. I'd probably be plenty comfortable with 30' or so, but haven't done it at this point.
 
Grapevine isn't too bad, if you want a cfi to go with you I can be available.

Used to land a pawnee on a 15'-20' wide dirt cutout 30 times a day. You get used to it, worst was when the dirt got soft and rutted and it was windy. That and the pawnee liked to shed tw springs and bleed down brake pressure, thank goodness that thing is a piece of cake to fly and had tons of rudder.
 
Ha, that reminds me. I’ve landed on a 20’ wide glider strip. Pretty easy to hit the centerline with tandem seating and no cooling fan on the front.
 
Harris Ranch (3O8) parallel to I-5 near Coalinga is a favorite lunch destination for me whether driving or flying. The runway is 30' wide.

05238.jpg


http://www.airnav.com/airport/3O8
 
I landed the Arrow at an airport so bad that the sectional only labels it as OBJECTIONABLE. The runway was long but narrow and in poor condition: 2600 x 30 feet of broken, uneven asphalt with clear space but not a good surface or transition on either side of it. I am planning a trip later this year that includes a stop at an airport with a runway measuring 2396 x 20 feet, "concrete in fair condition," but it was previously listed as 110 feet wide because they had been including the smooth, flat grass area surrounding it, so I'm not as concerned about the width of that one. I will say that the 30-foot runway was a challenge, especially since there was no visual glide path indication. I ended up going around the first time I approached to land but landing just fine on the second attempt.

It goes back to the principles of marksmanship: Aim small, miss small.
 
I’ve done 30 feet.... in a jet. Not an airliner, but one of the larger citations.
 
Anymouse said:
Can't tell you how wide they are, but I landing on both with the aircraft shown in the first one.

...and, yes, the 2nd one really is an airstrip.
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Were the packages and payments both wrapped in cellophane? ;)
 
I landed on KBDU (Boulder CO) glider strip with a strip of 12' wide pavement running down the middle. But... if you were to run off, no harm, the grass strip is very wide. So with something like that it really doesnt count. Id go down to 25' with bushes on the side. Amazing how you can stay in the center of narrow strips just fine, but wander all over the place on a 75' wide runway.
 
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Stan Cooper said:
Harris Ranch (3O8) parallel to I-5 near Coalinga is a favorite lunch destination for me whether driving or flying. The runway is 30' wide.

05238.jpg


http://www.airnav.com/airport/3O8
Click to expand...

I didn't realize Harris Ranch was that narrow. I landed there on one of my solo cross countries. I think I was a good student, but not exceptional.

If a 17-year-old that doesn't know any better can do it, you can do it too. The problem is that after we get older we start to know better ;-)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
labbadabba said:
Roosterville 0N0 I believe is 26'
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I think it's narrower than that even, 20' I think, but I've only been there a couple of times. Another sidewalk I've landed at is Parr (42i). It's just north of Zanesville, OH and is 26' wide. I had a hangar there 2 summers ago when I was building a couple of Rural Kings in that area.

And, it's east/west...always a cross wind...

And, 28 is RP just to make it more interesting yet...
 
My instructor took me to Mid Valley to emphasize the importance of center line.

It’s 37’ wide!

That’s eye-opening when you’re a student with low hours. Looks like we were landing on the 2-lane road next to the airport.
 
I learned and was based for 7 years on an ibstructed field, 3000 x 75 in a 200' wide clearing between runway lights. The field closest to Mom & Dad's home is uphill, 2770 x 40. On a Flight Review one time, the instructor took me to his home field, simulated engine out to a full stop, 2440 x 30, watch the bushes to the right on short final.

What bothers me is tall taxiway lights passing under my 36' wide wingtips . . . .
 
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