Landed a few new spots today

[C5Engineer 1170]

I just got back from an 18 day overseas mission in the big bird last night. I wanted to go do some VFR flying so I went out this morning. The first spot I landed the owner happened to be there walking their dogs. It was nice to get to chit chat some as I had only ever had permission to land there via word of mouth. Seems most owners are fairly receptive to us landing if you get permission and do it correctly. The other few spots were just stuff that I spotted from the air and then checked them out and deemed them safe to land. This is a critical skill for landing off airport. Neither of these were too wild but the second had trees on both ends and I had to slip really hard to get in.

This one is underwater in the spring

This one you had to slip it in over the trees.

Looking down the "strip" from the tree line

[dholly 718]

I was curious if you just 'dropped in' unannounced on some of those mountain tops, and if you ever met an unappreciative, gun-toting landowner?

[C5Engineer 1170]

I never land unannounced on Private land. The strips in this area we've gotten permission to land via word of mouth from other pilots and the rest of it is public land.

[dholly 718]

Ah, public land, never even thought of that. Around here we don't really have that option. You really need to be certain about water landing rules here too. NY is pretty seaplane friendly but still a lot of lakes off limits.

[SuberAvid 617]

Looks like some good fun spots Joey. Those are some pretty sizeable trees from the forground shots. It never looks like it would be hard to get down from the ground angle but from the air I feel like I am dragging my wheels through the trees and still can't get down as fast I I would like even in a hard slip. Probably looking from the ground I would be clearing the trees by 10's of feet. A lot of fun to clear trees, get to min speed, hard slip to just above ground, kick it out and land it. The pictures remind me a lot of eastern and southern OR with cattle ponds. I always wish I could have my plane while hunting those areas around the Steens Mts/ Alvord, etc. Would really need to pay attention to density altitude there though; something I don't really worry about around here much.

We are so spoiled in AK with the vast public land; almost anywhere is open to land if you think you can do it. Glad to hear that you can get land owners to give you permision to land; so many are afraid of the liability if someone was to crash and then sue them. Crazy that the land owner could be liable but some people and lawyers will sue for anything and unfortunately win and wreck it for everyone else. Sorry. I noticed the very restrictive float plane operation limit when I was hunting down in MT last year on the Mussle Shell River and the Charles M Russell NWR. Sad to see hardly any airplanes flying and such perfect areas to play. Makes me appreciate AK.

[C5Engineer 1170]

Those trees were pretty tall. I floated further than I would have liked. I need to practice holding my slip in a little longer. As in till 6 inches before touchdown. If you watch Greg Swingle from Ohio Bushplanes in his S7 he uses his rudder ALOT! Amazing what you can get away with in a 750lb airplane with bush wheels. I have been pretty shocked at how friendly the strip owners here in CA have been. But for every one we can land there are 5 we can't. We've only been ran off once by a guy who was I hunting.