Grass strips question

Thinking of buying a RV-8A and need to know if they are recommended for a grass strip. If so, how refined does it need to be. The reason for the question is that I may build a runway behind my house.

The RV6A & 8A were born on a grass strip...... 10R3

runway

That's cool that you have room to build a runway. The FAA, AOPA, and EAA all have guides for helping you with this.

Be aware, though, there is far more to building a useable runway than clearing it and planting grass...

...and do not forget the taxi area used to get to the runway.

Having been based at a grass strip for almost 15 years, I can tell you that it doesn't matter how nice the runway is if you cannot get to it!

Good luck with your project!

I’m based at a grass strip in my 6A. I’ve had no issues. I did get the Antisplat Aero Nose Job to strengthen the nose gear leg. Use very good soft field takeoff and landing technique every time, even if the field isn’t particularly soft just to keep pressure off the nose gear.

FlyingBanker said:

I’m based at a grass strip in my 6A. I’ve had no issues. I did get the Antisplat Aero Nose Job to strengthen the nose gear leg. Use very good soft field takeoff and landing technique every time, even if the field isn’t particularly soft just to keep pressure off the nose gear.

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When we are taught soft field take off and landing procedures during our primary flight training, it is not to prepare us for having to use a muddy field some time in the future....
It is procedures to use when taking-off, landing on, or taxiing on any surface other than a hard surface (asphalt, concrete, etc.).
That is because it is understood that any "non-hard" surface can be, and often is very irregular in its surface condition (unfortunately some poorly maintained hard surface airports can be bad as well).

If proper soft field technics are used, trigear RV's have shown to do fine on most grass runways (I have been using a grass runway with my RV-6A at my home base airport for 15+ years.

rvbuilder2002 said:

When we are taught soft field take off and landing procedures during our primary flight training, it is not to prepare us for having to use a muddy field some time in the future....
It is procedures to use when taking-off, landing on, or taxiing on any surface other than a hard surface (asphalt, concrete, etc.).
That is because it is understood that any "non-hard" surface can be, and often is very irregular in its surface condition (unfortunately some poorly maintained hard surface airports can be bad as well).

If proper soft field technics are used, trigear RV's have shown to do fine on most grass runways (I have been using a grass runway with my RV-6A at my home base airport for 15+ years.

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And sometimes there's a learning curve specific for each grass strip.. I have been flying off of 35TT (2000 ft grass) for the past few months. There is a nice hump in the runway at the point where I reach about 40-45 kts on my take off roll. I have learned to avoid the hump, otherwise I get launched into the air before the plane is ready to fly. To say the least, the first time it happened it got my attention!

Look at some of Vlad's trip reports. He has a RV9-A so it is similar but not the same. He landed it in many places which are rougher than a reasonably maintain grass runway without any reported issues... .

As others pointed out a lot has to do with technique. Large well maintained paved runways can make you less precise/lazy over time which will hurt you more on short poorly maintained grass strips... .

Oliver

I have a grass runway for 20+ years. The FAA does not care if you put a runway in, as long as it does not interfere with another airport or tall electric lines. But the local zoning board does. Before you spend any money, check with the local board first. Then go for it. Best to you. I saw locally not many years ago, a pilot wanted to build a private strip, but his neighbors thought otherwise and he was not able to build it. Too bad because the reason were small in my opinion. They were afraid that it would be too noisy, too many planes, lower their home value. Most pilots are considerate about noise, using the runway too early or too late. It did not matter. Sad case.

Grass strip

I owned and maintained a 2200 grass strip at my house for 30 years, it was great fun, fly-breakfasts, taking friends and neighbors flying in a bi-plane, therapy when I needed it, and a lot of work, I enjoyed that for a period of time but then the wild hogs came and it really became a lot of work, now I am on a paved runway, wild hogs still root along the runway but they do not bother the asphalt.

Waco UPF sold
RV6A
RV6 sold
Jim Skinner
Donated 2021 exempt because of “no ****” flying bullets

First no one can answer without knowing what grass strip you are talking about. A firm, flat grass strip of sufficient length SURE. An uneven soft rut gopher hole filled strip... I would not fly on them... Keep in mind the tires both nose and main are small (for low drag). Second to go along with small tires are tight fitting wheel pants that have NO ground clearance, leaving, little room for uneven ground and debris can get caught, jamming inside them. The wheel pants will take a beating. RV'A's of course fly off grass. Some remove the wheel pants and some go further and install larger 6" rims/tires on mains and something bigger on nose gear. A manicured golf course like grass strip almost any plane can fly off. Unimproved rough soft field, the RV's are not ideal and could be unsafe, unless you have tundra tires.

The A models have a history of folding up nose gear and flipping. The original design is OK. However .... poor piloting techniques, bounce, PIO (pilot induced oscillation) can result in a gear fold and flip over as well. This has been beat to death (see old threads), but the original A model nose gears were not super stout. Van has changed the nose gear design going back several years. The new design is slightly heaver and less aerodynamic than original design but should be less likely to fail in the fold under mode. The original nose gear (lower weight/drag/simpler) is still good for smooth grass fields and hard service runways.

I am 100% a tail dragger pilot and fan, RV4, RV7. You can flip a tail dragger on soft fields if mains dig in. However you have more Prop clearance with TG. I believe the RV8A has the most prop clearance of the 2-seat RV's. There are plenty dirt fields I would not operate any RV on. So back to the beginning, marginal field condition, soil softness, surface profile, holes, ruts, tall grass height may make operations not practical or safe. If you want STOL the RV's do well, but they are not Bush planes. Also if at max gross weight the margins are less on small tires which sink further into the turf. Note Bush planes have balloon tires and are typically tail draggers for good reasons.

gmcjetpilot said:

….If you want STOL the RV's do well but they are not Bush planes.

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I hope this changes in a few months. Bring on the -15!!!