W42 - Fallston Maryland

Rob Schaffer

Rob Schaffer

Cleared for Takeoff
Joined
Nov 27, 2007
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1,371
Location
Green Lane, PA
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Display name:
CLR2TKF
Anyone been to Fallston Maryland (W42)? Might be heading there this Thursday AM if the weather clears thru by then.

Looks clear on each approach direction, just small area for paved parking. With rain forcast tomorrow afternoon/evening, not sure I want to park in the grass for a tiedown.
 
Been a long time since I've been to Fallston, but a couple of things...

First -- it's short. It's also obstructed by a house at the north end and trees/fence at the south end (fence is close to runway end).

Second, attendance and service may be spotty -- call ahead to confirm hours and access.

Third, yeah, it can turn into a bit of a bog when wet, but I have no idea how boggy it may be now. Ask about that when you call.
 
Not concerned about the runway size, I am comfortable with that ( shorter too, try Brayden east of ABE for some fun)

I'll call them later today, but the one person I did talk to was very helpful.
 
Ron Levy said:
It's that sort of thinking which lands planes in trees.
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You're serious? :skeptical:

Fully loaded on a hot July day, Fallston might be bad choice.

But I've read Rob's blog and posts here -- I'm sure he's not going to try to do a MGW Takoff from Fallston at high DA.

The C172 with 145hp is no powerhouse, certainly. But with 2 adults aboard on a normal day (OAT 70, RH 60%), it will be airborne and clear a 50' obstacle in less than 1500'. The runway is 2200' and the obstacles are not right at the end of the runway.

So use good short field technique, check the performance figures for the DA and weight, and add a 50% buffer, and you're now at 2250' distance.
 
Our little Connie gets us going, not fast, but she's a smooth running engine.

At Wings, I occasionally challenge myself to get off by the first taxiway when landing, not a problem with my 40* flap barn-doors down on approach.

Takeoff though, I"ll be needing about 1450-1500 feet to rotate and get airbourne. (no flaps)

I'll post a PIREP tomorrow of the airport, looks like the weather forcast is improving slightly for me to fly instead of drive.
 
dmccormack said:
You're serious? :skeptical:
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As a freakin' heart attack. I've read more accident reports about folks who believed their 30-50 year-old planes would duplicate book performance than I could lift. Put together tired engines, worn aerodynamic surfaces, additional drag, suboptimal techniques, and less-than-Yeagerian skill, and airplanes fail to clear out of airports the book says they can almost every day.
 
Yea. I'll be alone. So I won't be anywhere near MGW. I'll be leaving wings with 36 gallons (checked this morning), so I'll only have about 28 gallons when I am ready to depart there. Temps look to be nice and cool, and there really aren't obstructions to clear on the landing or approach, they are off runway centerline. IIRC, trees are like 1200 feet or more beyond the ends of the runways, but there are some things off to the sides of the runway and an access road at the end of 22.

Not like Windwood where the road crosses at 1/3rd the way down the runway :rolleyes: Ask Bill and Brent, Gary and Adam, and probably some others about the road hazards there :)
 
Ron Levy said:
As a freakin' heart attack. I've read more accident reports about folks who believed their 30-50 year-old planes would duplicate book performance than I could lift. Put together tired engines, worn aerodynamic surfaces, additional drag, suboptimal techniques, and less-than-Yeagerian skill, and airplanes fail to clear out of airports the book says they can almost every day.
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Read through my immediate previous post -- I always add 50% to book values for takeoff planning. In this case, it works out.

You don't need a 5000' runway, a tower, and a follow me truck to fly a C172 .
 
I posted last fall about Maley field. (2265 (maybe)x50 (sure) turf).

I thought I was pretty hot stuff until the airport owner showed me his Cessna Skymaster in the hangar.

On takeoff the Chief's performance was fairly anemic that warm afternoon -- so I just adjusted the flight path to avoid the high stuff.
 
Well, to foggy this morning and even after I drove down there, it wouldn't have been possible for me to get in due to the low clouds around at 10:30am, when I was done at my jobsite.

The airport is nice though, and I'll stop by next time I can fly down that way. Clear approaches at either end.

So,.. 198 miles later on the car, I"m back in my cubicle. Sure looks like a nice afternoon to fly though! DOH!:mad2:

Here's Wings field, where the runway threshold is supposed to be,... at 645am this morning. Then, the visibility and conditions from ForeFlight on the iphone at about 8am,... still lots of LIFR.
 

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Rob Schaffer said:
Well, to foggy this morning and even after I drove down there, it wouldn't have been possible for me to get in due to the low clouds around at 10:30am, when I was done at my jobsite.

The airport is nice though, and I'll stop by next time I can fly down that way. Clear approaches at either end.

So,.. 198 miles later on the car, I"m back in my cubicle. Sure looks like a nice afternoon to fly though! DOH!:mad2:
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Sorry, Rob -- that's no fun. :frown3:



But it sure is one more shove for that IR...

:D
 
w42 doesn't have approaches, and fog that thick this morning, I don't think I'd be pushing the ILS mimimums at Martin. Always better to drive if there is doubt.

Tailwheel first,.. then IR :yesnod:
 
Rob Schaffer said:
...

So,.. 198 miles later on the car, I"m back in my cubicle. Sure looks like a nice afternoon to fly though! DOH!:mad2:...

.
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Ah quite yer Whining! :D My round trip was 325 miles I was supposed to fly KUKT to KIPT for a hearing today. UKT was the same as wings ( only 14 miles north) and METAR at IPT was 2600@3KT 1/4SM FG OVC001 7/6 A2976 MSKG

I added the MSKG new metar abriviation for Major Suckage

Actually Rob and I called each other from the road as I headed north and he headed south. Just wanted to let him know someone else expereinced the same pain.:mad:

As I drove further north up The Northeast Extension of the PA Turpike It go to be near white out and the fog didn't lift from IPT until after 10:30

dmccormack said:
Sorry, Rob -- that's no fun. :frown3:



But it sure is one more shove for that IR...

:D
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I have the IR but plane is VFR and regardless it was WAY below published mins and WAY WAY WAY below my personal mins.

But we both live to fly another day!:smile:
 
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