Valuable lesson

Gilbert Buettner

Gilbert Buettner

Line Up and Wait
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Dec 5, 2022
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Wausau, Wisconsin
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Gil
We had a bit of snow here the day before yesterday, but our airport surfaces were cleared, and the sun was melting the remnants of the precipitation. I wanted my student pilot to get some traffic pattern experience at a nearby airport, about 20 miles north of here.

When we arrived, there was a plow working on the shorter runway, but the main runway was clear of snow. But on short final and upon touchdown, it was apparent that the runway was covered with packed snow. We let the airplane roll out, only braking a bit after slowing to taxi speed. The exit taxiways were still blocked with snow, so we back taxied to take off again. Turning around to back taxi and to take off was difficult as the surface was slick, and the tire slipped when applying the brake.

The takeoff was uneventful (no wind, fortunately) and we headed home where we had dry runways.

There had been no NOTAM about braking conditions, and if there had, I might have changed the decision to go there. However, we both agreed it was a great learning experience. The student pilot remarked he was grateful to not have to deal with this condition without an experienced pilot along.
 
I always thought Ground Level was the bottom line for pilots...
 
Typical winter conditions in the northern states, and sometimes braking action reports can change by the hour.
 
champ driver said:
Typical winter conditions in the northern states, and sometimes braking action reports can change by the hour.
Click to expand...

Basically, this. For better or worse, and certainly at small non-tower airports, you can't count on NOTAMs and/or braking action reports being posted for every snow flurry or storm. Sometimes a call to the FBO or airport manager may give you an idea of the conditions.
 
Personally, I think it would have been better with some wind so the student could learn that you don’t need a dry paved runway if you have good crosswind technique.

Another preflight tip: Check FlightAware to see if any scheduled air carriers have actually landed at your non-towered destination that day. If not, then there’s almost no chance of a NOTAM for braking action. After all, you didn’t ask the airport manager to file one based on your experience on the runway, so why would you expect another GA pilot to have done so?

It sounds like a fun flight to me. Glad I’m not the only one who goes up to enjoy the view of freshly fallen snow from above.
 
iamtheari said:
Another preflight tip: Check FlightAware to see if any scheduled air carriers have actually landed at your non-towered destination that day. If not, then there’s almost no chance of a NOTAM for braking action. After all, you didn’t ask the airport manager to file one based on your experience on the runway, so why would you expect another GA pilot to have done so?
Click to expand...

There are no scheduled air carrier flights into our home airport or the one we visited for this lesson. Where I work, Wausau, WI, we routinely issue NOTAMS about field conditions including braking action after a runway has been cleared. I've never had a pilot ask us to issue a NOTAM. I am one of the people authorized to do it, but I no longer work the line, so it's been a long time since I accessed the system and my password has expired.

Smaller airports, like the one I flew to often have snow removal done by the municipality, and those plow operators aren't knowledgeable about aviation. I don't know if that airport has equipment to measure braking action like we do.
 
Par for the course for me. My home drome is private and next airport over where I often fuel is also private. One being 2800x36 and the other 3200x40. I've learned sometimes it's better to scrub a flight than to even drive to the airport to check runway conditions.
 
And that's why we sometimes "drag the field" to check on actual conditions.
 
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