Landing on a road?

[DJS]

We've got a vacation house out in the sticks. There are a few other houses on our road, which has no trees (desert), no powerlines and is long and straight. The nearest airport is about 15 miles away. In the past, I've either ridden my bicycle (it just barely fits in the back seat) or taken a cab (expensive!) when I need to fly in. Neither is optimal.

So the idea entered my head...hmmm...I wonder if I could land on the road and park in my driveway. Other than possibly 91.13(?), in my quick pass through the FARs I couldn't find anything that would prohibit this.

Did I miss something obvious, like some FAR that states, "No Landing on Public Roads!"

Of course, even if legal, I'm not going to go charge out and do this. I'd want to talk with the couple other folks on this road and perhaps even measure the straight section just to make sure it was long enough in various density altitudes (it seems it's at least a few thousand feet, but I'd like to be sure)...but the idea of being able to just park a plane in my own driveway is intriguing.

Thanks in advance for any pointers.

 

[A Squared]

We've got a vacation house out in the sticks. There are a few other houses on our road, which has no trees (desert), no powerlines and is long and straight. The nearest airport is about 15 miles away. In the past, I've either ridden my bicycle (it just barely fits in the back seat) or taken a cab (expensive!) when I need to fly in. Neither is optimal.

So the idea entered my head...hmmm...I wonder if I could land on the road and park in my driveway. Other than possibly 91.13(?), in my quick pass through the FARs I couldn't find anything that would prohibit this.

Did I miss something obvious, like some FAR that states, "No Landing on Public Roads!"

Of course, even if legal, I'm not going to go charge out and do this. I'd want to talk with the couple other folks on this road and perhaps even measure the straight section just to make sure it was long enough in various density altitudes (it seems it's at least a few thousand feet, but I'd like to be sure)...but the idea of being able to just park a plane in my own driveway is intriguing.

Thanks in advance for any pointers.

You're not going to find anything in the FARs about landing on roads. You may in your state laws.

 

[aeronautic1]

D'Oh

Buying a old crew car and leaving it at the airport (battery diconnected) may be cheaper than taking the wings off and trucking your aircraft back to your A&P for reassembly.

 

[TR4A]

How about this one:

91.13 Careless or reckless operation.
(a) Aircraft operations for the purpose of air navigation. No person may operate an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another.
(b) Aircraft operations other than for the purpose of air navigation. No person may operate an aircraft, other than for the purpose of air navigation, on any part of the surface of an airport used by aircraft for air commerce (including areas used by those aircraft for receiving or discharging persons or cargo), in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another.

 

[DJS]

How about this one:

91.13 Careless or reckless operation.
(a) Aircraft operations for the purpose of air navigation. No person may operate an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another.

Yeah, I know about that one

But is landing on a long, straight, mostly house-free, tree-free, powerline-free paved road out in the middle of nowhere "careless" or "reckless"?

The other poster's (vague) point about hauling the plane back to the airport is actually more troubling. As in, what if I land, but I have some issues during my runup for the next takeoff? I suppose I could hire the mechanic at the local airport to drive out to my house...

I will also need to check out state/local laws. I'd be suprised if there are any local issues, but Washington state might have something to say on the subject.

 

[A Squared]

How about this one:

91.13 Careless or reckless operation.
(a) Aircraft operations for the purpose of air navigation. No person may operate an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another.
(b) Aircraft operations other than for the purpose of air navigation. No person may operate an aircraft, other than for the purpose of air navigation, on any part of the surface of an airport used by aircraft for air commerce (including areas used by those aircraft for receiving or discharging persons or cargo), in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another.

There is nothing inherently reckless about landng and taking off on roads, beaches hayfields, gravel bars, and other off airport locations. True, it could be done in a reckless manner, but the mere act itself isn't necessarily reckless.

 

[TR4A]

There is nothing inherently reckless about landng and taking off on roads, beaches hayfields, gravel bars, and other off airport locations. True, it could be done in a reckless manner, but the mere act itself isn't necessarily reckless.

Just pointing out the FAA's catch-all reg.

Contact Information

3704 172nd Street NE Suite K2
P.O. Box 3367
Arlington WA 98223
(360) 651-6300
(800) 552-0666
(360) 651-6319 Fax
1 (800) 552-0666
www .wsdot.wa.gov/aviation

 

[THE Flying Ace]

Local crop duster near my home town in SD used to use the gravel road frequently for take-offs and landings.

 

[sbav8r]

How much property do you have? Build a dirt strip.

 

[Headwind]

Better check with your insurance carrier before landing anywhere other than an airport.

HEADWIND

 

[Lead Sled]

Better check with your insurance carrier before landing anywhere other than an airport.

That's the key. Most insurance policies will specify what types of runways are acceptable. You also need to check with the respective state department of aeronautics to find out what the applicible state and local laws are.

FWIW, I used to operate a Turbo Commander off of a county highway in Nevada. I flew it for a company that provided those hugh earth moving equipment tires for a large mine in Northern Nevada. It's amazing what government will let you do when you're dealing with the largest single tax-payer in the county. We'd file IFR to a fix, then cancel as we approached the landing area. (It tended to blow a few controller's minds when we'd tell them that we were planning on landing on a state highway. ) The mine manager would pre-arrange with the county Sheriff to have the highway blocked off by the time we arrived. It was pretty cool to touchdown on the highway and pull off into a rest area. The local Sheriff would have one of his deputies guard the airplane until we were ready to take off.

'Sled

 

[MTpilot]

Ag pilots do it all the time

Of course thay have permission from the county or city or state, that's all you really have to get. As far as insurance goes just don't crash! If your road really is as isolated as you say it is, you shouldn't have any trouble. Just be careful, that road looks big when you drivin on it, but I bet it don't look so big when you fly over it. Good Luck!

 

[JAFI]

There is nothing (that I know of) in the CFR's about landing on a road. The "Careless" reg would come into play (as an example) if you knowling tried to land on a road (not in an emergency) that was less than the width of your wings and contacted the telephone poles on the side of the road. I would ask about pre-flight planning and landing runway adequacy. (IMHO, It is just as bad to land on too narrow a runway as to land on too short a runway....)

As stated by other posters the local laws (state, county, town/city) should be considered. In some states it is legal to land on a road but you must get the permission of the state to take off. SO unless you plan on staying there, you may want to look into the take off legality.

JAFI

 

[TDTURBO]

How does one check the local laws for landing on rarely used roads? Say for Michigan. Who would I contact, the local sherriff?

 

[FlyingDawg]

This common practice in Alaska. They even have signs on some roads that state "Aircraft have Right-of-way."


I once watched in disbelief and envy as two patrons from the restaurant I was sitting in, walked ouside and pushed their Taylorcraft up to the road. After starting the engine and looking both ways, they pulled onto the road and tookoff.

Good luck with your airtcraft to door commute!