Sand/Beach Landing Tips

[Crobe]

I'm planning a camping trip to Vargas Island near Tofino, which involves landing on a beach. I've never landed on a beach before so I was hoping to pick your brains for the do's and dont's. My concerns so far are: determining hardness of sand; parking plane above high tide line but not getting stuck in soft sand; and do you do figure 8's like on skis to harden the sand for getting going again.

Thanks for your help,

Chris



Edit: Flying a 172

[Pratt]

What type of plane are you flying?

[c_172pilot]

Talk to Kevin at Discovery West Aviation in Cambell River. He has been teaching beach landings for quite some time now. I am sure he would be the best to introduce you to it. http://www.discoverywestaviation.com/

Cheers

C_172pilot

[Crobe]

As much fun as that course looks, $3K is just not in the cards right now.

[sky's the limit]

Haha...

1) Never ask a helicopter pilot if he's seen an airplane parked on a beach....

2) If you have to, and he says yes, make sure you find out what time of year...

Yes, there is a story behind that, and a rather funny one that had me digging for 12hrs.

stl

PS You'll be fine in Tofino...

[kevinsky18]

It's been about 20 years since I landed out at Tofino so this info may be totally out dated. But. . .

Is there not an old abandond WWII airfield right next to the beach? There was when I was there last. We just landed at the airfield and walked down to the beach. . .

[username:]

It's been about 20 years since I landed out at Tofino so this info may be totally out dated. But. . .

Is there not an old abandond WWII airfield right next to the beach? There was when I was there last. We just landed at the airfield and walked down to the beach. . .

I believe that's the airport. It's only like a 2 min walk.

[railroad]

It's not really all that difficult if you know what you are doing. And lots of times, if you don't know, you will often get lucky and have no problems.

However, If you don't know (I'm guessing you don't as you are asking on avcanada) and you don't get lucky, that $3K may look awful cheap.

[Cat Driver]

However, If you don't know (I'm guessing you don't as you are asking on avcanada) and you don't get lucky, that $3K may look awful cheap.

Landing on a sand beach is so difficult to judge and do you need to pay three thousand dollars to learn how?

[Old Dog Flying]

Check the tide tables...and get out of Dodge before the tide rolls in! And watch out for the fog bank that likes to obscure the world...usually by about 4:00 PM

[A2G]

Being an avid westcoast surfer, I can say that pretty much all beaches I've been on are hard enough to land on, even above the high tide line. It's the wood and bull kelp you gotta watch out for!

[Pirate Pilot]

Is your selected landing beach out of the National Park Boundary? I seem to remember an incident from years ago regarding a PPL landing on Long Beach for a picnic and he was confronted by the Park Wardens and the RCMP for an "off aerodrome" landing in a National Park? Maybe should check into that?

[1000 HP]

I used to land on the south end of lake Winnipeg just east of the river mouth. I was flying a 1957 Champ with a 90 hp engine and a tail-wheel. I owned the airplane so I was the one taking the financial risk. I judged that the sand nearest the water would be the most wet, while the dry sand would be soft and unsuitable. It worked for me, although I had a few interesting moments. Even Lake Winnipeg has quasi-tides, as a wind-shift can make the water pile up on the downwind side of the lake, and this caught me once. It was nice to swim on a beach without too many people.

[ScudRunner]

Haha...

1) Never ask a helicopter pilot if he's seen an airplane parked on a beach....

2) If you have to, and he says yes, make sure you find out what time of year...

Yes, there is a story behind that, and a rather funny one that had me digging for 12hrs.

stl

PS You'll be fine in Tofino...

You ever been to Herschel Island?

[xsbank]

Check your insurance coverage for off-strip ops....

[sky's the limit]

Haha...

1) Never ask a helicopter pilot if he's seen an airplane parked on a beach....

2) If you have to, and he says yes, make sure you find out what time of year...

Yes, there is a story behind that, and a rather funny one that had me digging for 12hrs.

stl

PS You'll be fine in Tofino...

You ever been to Herschel Island?

Haha... How'd you know.....??? Lol Heard about that one eh?


stl

[North Shore]

Chris,

I'd ask around at the Victoria Flying Club - IIRC several members there have done the trip to Vargas - you could ask them for tips. Perhaps Tofino Air might be able to help? If no joy there, (*DISCLAIMER* I've never been to Vargas, but if I were to try, the following is how I'd go about things) I'd probably go out and practice soft-field technique for a while until you've got that squared away (don't forget you are landing on a beach, so your landing path will probably be slightly curved...) At the chosen landing spot, I'd do several low 'n overs to inspect, and then a tentative touch-and-go (if there's enough distance: touch, flaps up, slow down to 40ish?, hold that speed for a while, full power, flaps for soft-field configuration, take off) to test the hardness of the sand followed by yet another low 'n over to check and see how deep your tracks are, and then the final landing. If, during the 1st touch 'n go, there is a tendency for the plane to really grab and slow down, then I'd take that as a sign that the sand is too soft, and go elsewhere. I'd try to arrive at Vargas with as little weight as possible, also.
Lastly, it might be somewhat tricky, so I'd make sure that you are on your game, and that all of the other variables - wx, wind etc are in your favour..

Just remembered, I have an acquaintance who has a bunch of experience on West Coast beaches - PM me, and I'll see if I can hook you up..

Again - this is free advice off the internet!

[railroad]

You're right Cat, I should not have nessesarily used a monetary value to imply proper training. My point was, if you want to do it, go for it. But it is my opinion that an effort to learn to do it right (wether the effort involves time or money or both) would be a good investment.

[Cat Driver]

You're right Cat, I should not have nessesarily used a monetary value to imply proper training. My point was, if you want to do it, go for it. But it is my opinion that an effort to learn to do it right (wether the effort involves time or money or both) would be a good investment.

I agree with you completely, however landing on sand beaches can bite even the most experienced of pilots.

My biggest concern would be the insurance factor should something go wrong.

[1000 HP]

For sure, when I got stuck in the sand on Lake Winnipeg's south shore, the water came up about a foot. That was it. My buddy and I were able to drag it onto the firmer moist sand and take off. We got lucky. If you got caught by a west coast tide, it could be expensive, possibly even including a law-suit if you are renting. Also, what about potential prop damage taking off on the sand with a nose wheel aircraft?

[A2G]

You guys are talking about a tricycle gear landing on the beach?? I've always heard and thought that's a bad idea, and that only tail dragger should attempt it.

I'm sure it doesn't take much of a depression on the nose wheel, and with some tricky wind, to ground loop, or nose you over. The wind is also going to be a crosswind almost every time, with it either being onshore, or offshore. It's not often it blows anything else, especially on the west coast. If it's a small island though(not too familiar with Vargas, I haven't checked a map yet, but I know it has surf!) and the beach is on the proper side, then the wind might do a little different. I can think of a few beaching(Long Beach is one) that have wide, but not too high humps usually in the perpendicular to the shore line. If your rolling over on the roll out or maybe even on the take-off roll, you might bounce up and then back down and thats where I'd be worried about the nose wheel digging in. The tops of those bumps is usually where you might find drier, softer sand as well as clumps of kelp.

Anyways, thats all I could think of, as well as the odd bear that might decide to charge in front of you for some reason.