Totally new to everything

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onmy6

Filing Flight Plan
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Oct 12, 2014
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Ryan
Hello,
I looked around for a intro section but could not find one. I just would like to introduce myself and tell you about my plans and such. So, first off my name is Ryan Tombs, I am 20 and I am from NJ. I always wanted to be in the air force ever since I was a kid but that turned into now in school for working on HVAC and Generators with a international company.
Around 8th grade I got really friendly with the head IT guy at my school. Found out he was in the Air Force in Canada. And boom it set off my flying. I have not recently been in his plane but, I have been up in his Velocity a few times. I also went to a few young eagle days and have been in a few cessnas. And my final aircraft was 15 minutes of flight in a T-6 Texan in Maine (boy was that expensive but an experience I will never forget). Well, about 10 yrs ago my grandparents bought 110 acres of property up in PA. NOW HERES THE KICKER: 16 of the acres are an airstrip with a hanger. The PO was a commercial pilot who had a small plane. My grandfather keeps it as a registered airport as Boden Airport (in honor of the late PO). FAA Identifier: 2PA4. It is 1900 x 100. Around 15 I was going to start lessons but life got a hold of us and it went by the way side.
Now as I am older. I would like to actually get my PPL. And even look into owning a plane in a few years since I have hangar and airstrip access. But, due to the nature of my job I might not be able to live at home and be REQUIRED to move somewhere else. Well, an idea popped into my head that I could fly to my grandfather's to visit everyone but also help him. He is getting older and now by himself he needs the help maintaining the property. It would be quicker than driving, and more importantly have an excuse to buy a airplane and get my PPL.
Anyways, that is my story and I hope to learn a lot here. If you would please share any concerns that you have I would greatly appreciate it!
 
Welcome, sounds like you have some idea and experience, there are a good few Pennsylvanians here.
 
It's always good to look forward, with dreams and plans tucked away upstairs. Then one day you can put things into action. Welcome.
 
Thanks for sharing your story Ryan. I applaud you for finding a way
to help out your grandfather. He must mean a lot to you. Learning
to fly is a fun experience and you'll feel a tremendous sense of
pride when you finally pass your checkride.

Looking forward to more posts from you as your journey progresses!

Victor
 
VictorValencia said:
Thanks for sharing your story Ryan. I applaud you for finding a way
to help out your grandfather. He must mean a lot to you. Learning
to fly is a fun experience and you'll feel a tremendous sense of
pride when you finally pass your checkride.

Looking forward to more posts from you as your journey progresses!

Victor
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First, thank you all for your wonderful welcomes
and my grandmother passed away earlier this yr from brain cancer (really sudden all of 5 months or so from first diagnoses to her final day). But, she was explaining her record keeping in her final weeks. They were at their condo in florida for the whole ordeal and it came up about selling PA because it is a full time job taking care of it but I brought up about it being a family place and we will be up there. And when I was younger on the golf cart taking the tour of the property (I was like 10 at the time). I was looking around and said "This will be all ours one day". It really stuck to my grandfather and he decided on keeping it. So I gotta hold my side up and help right?
 
onmy6 said:
First, thank you all for your wonderful welcomes
and my grandmother passed away earlier this yr from brain cancer (really sudden all of 5 months or so from first diagnoses to her final day). But, she was explaining her record keeping in her final weeks. They were at their condo in florida for the whole ordeal and it came up about selling PA because it is a full time job taking care of it but I brought up about it being a family place and we will be up there. And when I was younger on the golf cart taking the tour of the property (I was like 10 at the time). I was looking around and said "This will be all ours one day". It really stuck to my grandfather and he decided on keeping it. So I gotta hold my side up and help right?
Click to expand...

Yep, you convinced him you want it, now you have to work it lol. The good thing is, there are a lot of planes that will operate off 1900' of grass.:wink2:
 
Ryan, Bode in not to far from some places I fly on weekends ie Cherry Ridge. Looks like the strip at your grandfather's place is 1900 grass but it does not give the condition. 1900' is certainly doable but you need to have the right plane to do a strip that length and turf. Not hard to find those planes but there are some I'd not try it in.

Flying into your own grass strip would be a blast. Where in NJ are you, perhaps we can direct you to some good instructors.
 
AdamZ said:
Ryan, Bode in not to far from some places I fly on weekends ie Cherry Ridge. Looks like the strip at your grandfather's place is 1900 grass but it does not give the condition. 1900' is certainly doable but you need to have the right plane to do a strip that length and turf. Not hard to find those planes but there are some I'd not try it in.

Flying into your own grass strip would be a blast. Where in NJ are you, perhaps we can direct you to some good instructors.
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explain what you mean by condition...
I can tell you right now that a plane has not been on it in over 10yrs. It is maintained by getting cut as if it was some ones front yard. All groundhog holes and such are filled in. But it has not been rolled in god knows how long. I mean if I were to get a plane and all it would be meticulously maintained but as of now emergencies only.
They get 2 or 3 (atleast) requests per yr to have kids flown in for area camps. My grandparents always denied them for multiple reasons.

In terms of a plane I want.... I was looking at a piper archer. Cessna 172. Or even a 152. I do not want some small aircraft company because I would imagine it is easier to get parts for a cessna than many other brands plus the knowledge on a cessna compared to a smaller brand.
also after a quick search let me get to 5 or 10 posts to post a photo. with some detail on the layout
 
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You're definitely set-up with a nice location for a strip. Definitely no need for a little STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing). Looks like just about any light GA plane will fit well. And I see the FAA database has it at 1,900, but I'm seeing more like 2,500...

Boden.jpg
 
onmy6 said:
...It is maintained by getting cut as if it was some ones front yard. All groundhog holes and such are filled in. But it has not been rolled in god knows how long. I mean if I were to get a plane and all it would be meticulously maintained but as of now emergencies only.
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So is that being done with a brush hog on a tractor? The cut marks are pretty visible from the satellite image... Roll it and get a nice 15-20' finish mower on the back of a tractor, and you'd make quick work of that strip and have a putting green to land on...
 
HighFlyingA380 said:
So is that being done with a brush hog on a tractor? The cut marks are pretty visible from the satellite image... Roll it and get a nice 15-20' finish mower on the back of a tractor, and you'd make quick work of that strip and have a putting green to land on...
Click to expand...

done with a 61inch scag zero turn... depends on the season in the spring he is out there every 10 days but the summer 1 time a month. BUT this is where I need to post a picture I already made up in paint. Each end of the strip is sorta like a run off (I guess?). Not up on terminology yet...
But there are 400ft (give or take) of a steeper bumpier terrain... I guess they treated it as an approach. But on the south side it is a steep downhill from where the airstrip starts... as in at the very bottom you can not see the barrel marking the start of the airstrip (If I remember correctly, I havent been up in months-close to a yr- due to work). Anyways its real steep. On the other side it is a steep UPHILL from where the airstrip ends. If you pull up on google maps and look very close you can see two white specs on the sides marking the start/end. 1 more post and I should be good to make a picture
 
ALSO where did you do that measuring thing. I need that haha
 
onmy6 said:
done with a 61inch scag zero turn... depends on the season in the spring he is out there every 10 days but the summer 1 time a month. BUT this is where I need to post a picture I already made up in paint. Each end of the strip is sorta like a run off (I guess?). Not up on terminology yet...
But there are 400ft (give or take) of a steeper bumpier terrain... I guess they treated it as an approach. But on the south side it is a steep downhill from where the airstrip starts... as in at the very bottom you can not see the barrel marking the start of the airstrip (If I remember correctly, I havent been up in months-close to a yr- due to work). Anyways its real steep. On the other side it is a steep UPHILL from where the airstrip ends. If you pull up on google maps and look very close you can see two white specs on the sides marking the start/end. 1 more post and I should be good to make a picture
Click to expand...
Ah, yeah the satellite picture definitely doesn't show much terrain.

onmy6 said:
ALSO where did you do that measuring thing. I need that haha
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Google Earth. It's surprisingly accuarate.
 
HighFlyingA380 said:
Ah, yeah the satellite picture definitely doesn't show much terrain.

Google Earth. It's surprisingly accuarate.
Click to expand...

still not allowed to post pictures but, there are two other spots that have me concerned. I am going to see if i can dig it my dad's and brother's photos (grandfather doesnt touch technology). For actual reference. But once I can post my photo I can show where is starts and ends and my two obstacles. And coming in from the south i dont THINK trees would be a problem since they are so far back and very low.
anyways keep the comments coming I need 10 posts.
Also, funny part is we had a roller sitting there for YEARS, but he is very funny on starting projects and such and always said he would roll it one day but, it was the neighbor's roller that has been stored there for eons (he is my cousin). One day he decided he would do it and boom it is gone. I can always get that back though.
 
One thing I'd be cautious about: taildraggers tend to do better on soft runways and turf than trikes. Digging a nosewheel into a hole that you thought was fixed is no bueno.
 
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