Going Soft

My first time landing on something other than pavement was with an instructor in a Piper Arrow. I had yet to earn my private certificate, and we were out doing a combination of familiarizing me with a complex/high-performance airplane and transporting some items for the FBO. The most memorable occasion also involved an instructor: We were returning from a spin-training session to a grass strip just soaked by a passing shower. He landed long, locked the 152s brakes in standing water and we sluiced our way to within 30 feet of the fence at the far end. More than anything, that was a demonstration of how not to do it.

Key Takeaways:

• Prioritize verifying the grass strip's condition through calls or a low pass, paying attention to soft spots and the field's crown.
• Execute approaches with strict airspeed control and full flaps to achieve the slowest possible touchdown speed on the main gear, using a touch of power to gently lower the nosewheel while keeping it light.
• During taxi and ground operations, keep the pitch control full aft to protect the prop and nosewheel, avoid using brakes, and maintain continuous movement, performing run-ups on the roll.
• For takeoff, maintain a nose-high attitude with the pitch control full aft, allowing the airplane to lift off on its own at the slowest possible speed, then accelerate in ground effect before climbing.

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