I think most pilots would agree that there is something special about landing an airplane on grass. Most can remember the first time they did it. For me, the time came while I was learning to fly in an American Champion Citabria and had completed a series of poor landings at our home airport’s paved runway.
My frustrated instructor directed me to a nearby grass strip. “This might help,” he said, noting that “grass is more forgiving.” He was right. Despite a slight crosswind, my first turf landing was straight and smooth. The natural surface seemed to embrace the airplane’s wheels rather than repel them like asphalt did.
