Sport Pilot Talk

Cold crisp day in Maine and conditions were most likey the best they would be before Alton Bay closes, so off we went. Short hour flight with Temps -15c at 3000 feet and plenty of sun shine we arrived at Alton Bay, NH (B18). They were closed on Friday due to warm weather and standing water on the ice. Got down to -2 last night and refroze on the surface. Good news no water, smooth and level conditions, on the other side of the equation smooth, slippery, glazed Ice. It was just like the Zamboni had been working overtime last night. No braking and virtually no steering with the castering nose wheel. Actually I had to have a little help on the way out taxing, you can see in the video below.

But great fun!

The guys do a great job of managing the runway and taxi areas. They keep the information available on current conditions via their record message or visit the Alton Bay Facebook page for up to date information.












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Just threw it up on the big screen.

VERY cool (cold!).

Sounds like something to put on our bucket list.

Thanks for sharing!

I don't recall having any issues with ice steering in the Grummans, Tiger, Cheetah and TR2's.

Of course you always use full rudder and opposite aileron. The plane will turn to the 'down' aileron (seaplane trick).

Sometimes it is just too icy though. Great pics, were the low angles ones taken before you got back to your feet?

Jim Hardin wrote:I don't recall having any issues with ice steering in the Grummans, Tiger, Cheetah and TR2's.

Of course you always use full rudder and opposite aileron. The plane will turn to the 'down' aileron (seaplane trick).

Sometimes it is just too icy though. Great pics, were the low angles ones taken before you got back to your feet?

Not sure does the Grumman’s, Tiger, etc.. have steerable or castering nose gears? the RV is Castering and only differential braking. For steering until you have cruder authority.

Died laughing at the the “Great pics, were the low angles ones taken before you got back to your feet?“. Ice grippers on my shoes

Grummans had free-castering nosewheels long before free-castering nosewheels were cool!