I grew up right down the street from Cape Cod Airfield (2B1), in Marstons Mills, Mass. To me, the airport feels like the embodiment of some of the best qualities of general aviation. The airport is extremely accessible, with picnic tables right in front to watch the activity. There is flight training, banner towing, skydiving and biplane rides available to aviation enthusiasts. On top of all that, there is even an active DC-3 that you can still catch rumbling down the grass strip from time to time. If I had to guess, that DC-3 is one of the few planes based there that has been around almost as long as the field itself. The airport is a living piece of history.
Unsurprisingly, when my primary instructor brought up soft-field takeoffs and landings, I was ready to go there and learn them. Finally going to the hometown airport! It was a great experience. Since then, I have been fortunate enough to land on a number of grass and gravel strips, in aircraft ranging from a Skyhawk to a Pilatus PC-12.
