Comments on: Moving to a new airport

By: Megginson Technologies: Land and Hold Short » Blog Archive » Threats to general aviation

Fri, 26 Jan 2007 13:33:03 +0000

[…] Centre Airport is constantly under seige from nearby condo dwellers, for example, and even little Rockcliffe Airport struggles with community noise complaints (note that both of these airports have been there since […]

By: Land and Hold Short » A distinctive plane

Land and Hold Short » A distinctive plane — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 20:12:52 +0000

[…] Yesterday, under a low ceiling and poor visibility in showers, I made my shortest-ever point-to-point trip in an airplane, flying the 7 nm from Ottawa/Macdonald-Cartier to my plane’s new home at Ottawa/Rockcliffe. […]

By: Chris Hobbs (C-FPTN)

Chris Hobbs (C-FPTN) — Sun, 17 Sep 2006 19:08:41 +0000

As far as the two ILSs at CYOW are concerned, of course CYRO has no instrument approaches. When I come home to CYRO and things are low I find I can normally get in without too much problem by shooting the VOR/DME to RWY 09 at Gatineau and then, when out of the cloud, cancelling IFR and shuttling across the river. Not as good as an ILS but it normally works unless the weather is really down the tubes.

By: Niss Feiner

Niss Feiner — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 18:35:07 +0000

David,

Hope the move goes well for you. I would like to hear more from the rest of the people here about the plywood aswell. C-FUBC is parked on grass and I was curious as to what kind of issues can arrise from the humidity. I was also concidering putting down patio stones…and pros or cons you know of?

Niss

By: david

david — Sun, 10 Sep 2006 01:36:27 +0000

Thanks for the comment, Aviatrix. I do have plugs for the front of the cowling and a bra for the back of the empennage, but I’d forgotten about the humidity problem over grass (though my plane has spent too much time over puddles of standing water on pavement the last couple of years). Where would you suggesting putting the plywood — under the fuselage, or under the wings? It would be easiest to fill the spot with gravel, but then I’d have the problem with stones thrown up by the prop.

By: Aviatrix

Aviatrix — Sat, 09 Sep 2006 18:38:12 +0000

I hope the move goes well.

I don’t know what your old tiedown was like, but tied down on grass you get a lot of humidity. It’s worth your while to put down a sheet of plywood or corrugated tin to kind of insulate your airplane from the moisture of the ground. And make sure you have plugs to keep the birds out. I once found birds nesting inside the horizontal stab of a C172 tied down on grass. They had managed to get in through the reinforcing holes in the back of the stab, by the elevator hinge. Whole stab was crammed full of sticks. Messy.

What’s your opnion on Yves Veggie Cuisine? If you can handle your veggie food sharing a grill with the beef there are some quite barbequeable and tasty vegetarian burgers, so you can join in the fun.

By: david

david — Sat, 09 Sep 2006 12:09:54 +0000

Frank: I was curious about that, so last winter I drove to Rockcliffe the morning after the biggest snowfall. By mid-morning, the volunteers had already cleared the runway and the main taxiways down to pavement, and they were just finishing up plowing right up to the spinners on all the rows of parked airplanes. Of course, that could be due to a couple of enthusiastic volunteers who won’t be there next winter, so it’s dangerous to count on it.

CYOW has great snow removal for the south field, where you usually stop, but they don’t bother with the north until everything’s clear where the big jets play — it’s a lot less work just to NOTAM 04/22 closed (an by association, the taxiways around it). I think it was a day or two before I had a clear path to get my plane out.

Let me know the next time you’re coming to Rockcliffe, and you’re welcome to my burgers. I might bring you out some real bagels as well.

By: Frank Ch. Eigler

Frank Ch. Eigler — Sat, 09 Sep 2006 00:53:28 +0000

Good point regarding the barbecue. The times we visited CYRO in the plane,
the barbecue was casting this wonderful smell over the place. We have not
taken sufficient advantage.

Tell ya what. Next time we come by, let’s meet, and for every meaty burger
you don’t eat, I’ll eat three (a la maddox :-).

The biggest change you may notice is winter operations. Probably less
snow shoveling and perhaps no deicing capabilities at all at CYRO. But,
damn, what a beautiful approach & departure.