Landing a Tonka Truck With Wings

Pillowy soft tundra tires require more forgiving, friendly alternatives to hard-surface runways.

Jason McDowell

Wednesday, May 22, 2024 at 09:12 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Kimberly Johnson

Catering to taildragger pilots and anyone who enjoys grass, Tri-County Regional Airport (KLNR) in Lone Rock, Wisconsin, maintains a section that can be safer and more forgiving than pavement. [Courtesy: Adam Stiffler]

Key Takeaways:

The author enjoys "go-anywhere" aviation using a Cessna 170B equipped with large, low-pressure Alaskan Bushwheel tires, enabling landings on diverse and challenging unpaved surfaces.
However, these specialized, expensive tires wear rapidly on pavement, requiring pilots to carefully plan flights and avoid hard-surfaced runways whenever possible.
Organizations like the Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF) are actively promoting and successfully expanding the designation of grass landing areas at airports, offering pilots a safer, more forgiving, and tire-friendly alternative to paved runways.

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Growing up, I was a big fan of Tonka trucks. I’d build elaborate road networks in the backyard, complete with water crossings and challenging routes to and from various pretend worksites. Microscale overland adventures typically followed as I imagined myself in the driver’s seat negotiating precarious trails.

Today, things really aren’t much different. Sure, the Tonka trucks have long since been retired. And, yes, my machines of choice have evolved somewhat. But my Cessna 170B with 29-inch Alaskan Bushwheel tires perfectly embodies the spirit of Tonka truck fun and go-anywhere adventure. The combination of a sturdy taildragger and big tundra tires has enabled me to successfully negotiate muddy runways, snow, ice, and battered surfaces that would hobble many typical setups.