Jeffpro

My Feedback: (1)

I'm considering flying my BVM BobCat at a fly-in this weekend that has a grass runway. This jet has always flown off of pavement and neveroff of grass. It has standard BVM gear, not trailing-link gear. The grass is typical Tennessee fescue: clumpy but mowed down pretty well.

Has anyone here flown BobCats with standard gear off ungroomed grass fields? I don't want to bend my gear, but even worse, I don't want to break a flex plate on take-off and have to land with part of the landing gear dangling underneath the wing or fuselage.

I'm also a little concerned that my P-60 won't have enough power to get me out of the grass, but my bigger concern is will the landing gear (and flex plates) hold up?</p>

uncljoe

My Feedback: (8)

You might be faced with burning the grass . &amp; get shut down by the local fire dept or club members.

Semper Fi

Tom Antlfinger

My Feedback: (24)

Sounds marginal at best.

2 of us fly BCARF's off our grass field, both with trailing link gear on the mains. I did fly about 20 flights with the stock gear without problems. Mine has a Wren SS, weighs 19 lbs dry, and still takes 250 feet to come off without a wing dropping. Our field is just short of golf course fairway standards. A smooth surface with Kentucky Blue, Perennial Rye, and Red Fescue, mowed to 5/8" with a golf course Toro Reel Mower, and rolled with a 6000lb roller a couple of times in the spring, 1350 ft long. My buddy flies his with a P-120, about 4 lbs heavier at takeoff, and still does fine with the trailing link gear.

The P-60 is about 4 lbs less thrust than a SS, so it's gonna run quite a ways before liftoff.

We have never had any fire problems, even when the grass browns out mid-summer. The brown stripes are a mark of turbine distinction. They only last until the next rain and then come back greener than before.

jclittle

My Feedback: (99)

The Composite BC will need a very long stretch of smooth grass to get off the ground with a P60. Iflew my BC with a P80 and trailing link gear several times off grass and it was fine, the P60 will be under powered IMO for grass. As for the flex plates, they do break easily, especially with a full load of fuel and bumps along the way. Don't do it...</p>

HenryRG

<span style="font-size: larger;">Jeffpro

I fly my CB off grass all the time. I have changed the main U/c legs to trailing link (Dreamworks) and I do use a Wren Supersport. </span><span style="font-size: larger;"> Frankly your grass sounds so smoooth, I would regard it as a hard runway.</span>
<span style="font-size: larger;">
The grass at my club is often quite long - 1 to 1.5 inches with a fair number of dips and hollows. I have had no trouble taking off, provided I set the flaps to about 15-20deg and remember to release the brakes! Usually I get off in about 50-75yards. Once you are in air keep her near the ground, let her accelerate </span><span style="font-size: larger;">and </span><span style="font-size: larger;">then pull up flaps and U/c. Remember bumpy grass can ski-jump you into the air a little early.

Landing is all about holding off and holding off and holding off. Make certain you have installed Crowe braking as well as full flap and you should finally land quite slowly onto the main legs. My advice is to plan on buying some trailing link legs for the main legs anyway and have a go. I do not think you will have problems on take off. Your problems are going to be on landing and keeping the front U/c from touching the ground first.

Onlookers say "she is a real honey" and Ihave got to be very fond of her.

</span>

josecilurzo

Hi Tom,

what you think about B.C.ARF with WREN 54 SS in flight ??
We bought a WREN 54 SS to use in our new B.C. ARF.


THANK'S

JOSE

siclick33

Perfect.

Light, fast enoughand uses very little fuel.

PaulD

My Feedback: (39)

Check this video... I saw this plane take off from this field with no problem. The grass is NOTsmooth and he has the standard BVMgear in it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB5xG...e=channel_page

You should be fine....

yeahbaby

My Feedback: (21)

LOL nice!!! I've seen that jet before btw the P60 in that jet is turned up a couple thousand rpms

Jeffpro

My Feedback: (1)

Well, I did it today. Flew my BobCat off grass for the first time. My P-60 had to work to get the jet airborne, but once I got aggressive on the elevator to get the mains out of grass, I could it get in the air after about 300 feet. The key was getting the mains off the ground and immediately getting the nose level so she could pick up some airspeed. A little scary the first time, but not so bad after that.

jthomas235

My Feedback: (2)

Congradulations on your first experience with grass. It's what I fly on every weekend. Have broken 2 sets of main flex plates and two sets of fronts. No other damage after 10 gallons on a small RAM 500. I did change the main struts out for a set of Pro Flex and have Sandor at Digitech making me a front strut. He's actually finished and has a few others available for the BCC. I'm at about 19lbs. right now and have another turbine on order (spelled heavier).

I have pretty much the same view of the bobcat. Take off and flying around is great. Landing is too, you just need to get the entire process down in your mind and be able to adjust to varying conditions.

This is mine filmed today:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xepaLaOTmE

Jeffpro

My Feedback: (1)

What size turbine do you have on your BobCat? Looks like it lifted out of the grass easier than mine.

jthomas235

My Feedback: (2)

It's a RAM 500 and I've heard thrust figures from 12-14lbs. I'm carrying 2.5 litres (83.6 oz) of fuel at take off and weight in at about 19 lbs. dry. Due for a JetCat P80SE in the next week or so. I'll be carrying a total of 107.6 oz then (changine center tank out for larger unit) and picking up a little over a pound in turbine weight.

John