I recently purchased an SR20 and would like to land at the Katama airport in Martha’s Vineyard…Has anyone out there ever landed with the wheel skirts on? Does anybody think that that would be a major problem landing on the turf field? Yeah, this is my second post. Thanks everybody.
-Steve
Steve,
Don’t know about Katama but I’ve landed on turf before here in FL and at Basin Harbor in VT. Others have also landed on turf here without a problem. But, as I am sure you know there are a lot of variables so its hard to give a blanket answer. Good luck.
Richard
I’ve been into Katama in a 182 and found it rather bumpy. That was a few years ago so maybe it’s smoother now, but if it’s still like it was then, I’d recommend going into MVY. A nice smooth turf runway is no problem, though, such as Leeward Air Ranch down in Florida. Now THAT was a smooooooooth turf field.
Jeff
I fly into Katama in my Ercoupe all the time but it is pretty rough. I would not fly N5454M (SR20) in there personally. Opt for the main airport (the restaurant is pretty good and there is no landing fee for a short lunch stay.
I have taken my 22 into Katama a number of times without incident. It is bumpy but the grass covers well and the bumps are more like “mini hills” rather than short little “jarring” as with rough fields. There are a number of runway choices and you can taxi down and park twenty feet from the sand. Great fun, don’t miss it!
I have landed at Katama several times in a Piper Warrior. It is much rougher than the typical turf field and will make you wince a little bit, worrying about your landing gear. On the other hand, plenty of people fly there all the time. I’d be more worried about the gear on a rental plane that has been beaten up by student pilots, than I would be about new private airplane. Soft field landing technique is definitely called for, and hold the nose up as long as possible.
Steve
I’ve been to Katama a few time in the -20 with no problems.Land slowly and even the undulatiions are no problem. Length is about 4000’
John
N468JP SR20 #1261
Lou, Thanks for the input. All of the other comments were mostly negative regarding landing on Martha’s Vineyard with a Cirrus. I talked to several people who landed with their 172s and taxied down to the beach, and I think it sounds like a blast. It’s about an hour from my house to Martha’s Vineyard so I could make it a one-day trip, just for a quick swim.
Thanks again. Hope to see you there.
–Steve