John Vance Posted April 15, 2021 Report Share Posted April 15, 2021 17 hours ago, GlennM said: I just flew in for the day. I am based in Titusville, X21. I may return Saturday if the weather is still ok. Feel free to send me a message. The CTsw looked to be about Harley Davidson Orange. I’m curious about your experience at Paradise. Since ultralights and other slower aircraft are using the strip, are you expected to fly the pattern at any particular speed? Is under-wing camping allowed? Are there any other things people should know about the approach and landing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4RJN Posted April 16, 2021 Report Share Posted April 16, 2021 Snow no way, I am glad I made the trip instead of staying home. I am sure I wouldn’t have gotten this sunburn sitting around northeast ohio:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennM Posted April 16, 2021 Report Share Posted April 16, 2021 I found it curious they do not publish speeds like they do at most other large fly-in events. In my case on Wednesday at 11am, the wind was from the southeast, so on the radio frequency they want you to monitor, the air boss said they were landing runway 8. Not 9, because those are the big runways to the north, the Other Side, and they want to avoid confusion between the two. Therefore, I chose 65kts as my pattern speed at 400' AGL (515' MSL). I thought this speed would be slow enough not to run over anyone I would encounter in the pattern and I also wanted to have 15° flaps set entering the pattern for more speed stability. At 65 kts, just a quick pitch up will get you to 60kts and 30°+ flaps. You must fly the pattern in relation to the ground references shown on the map! All the way to the county road in the west before turning north. Then, turn inbound without straying north of the runway at all. You need to be at 300'AGL by the time you reach the approach end if the big runway to your north. These are all covered in the NOTAM, but emphasized during the takeoff briefing. You need to depart the pattern at a 45° angle at midfield downwind, also. I was told all the altitudes were in AGL because the helicopters operating just east and over the pattern deal in AGL, mostly. The CT is a very capable airplane and this strip at 2200' is no big deal. I was worried because I land on a long, hard surface runway (2900') most of the time, so I practiced crosswind landings with 30°+ flaps on our little grass strip at Arthur Dunn. That runway is 1800', and that allayed any worries I had. With the 9kt crosswind from 140° or so and 30° flaps, I had to throttle up to get to the end after landing. I think my experience was a little unusual since I was the only plane inbound and in the pattern. The advisiory frequency was quiet, except for the airboss announcing runway 8. There was parking just off the runway on the actual flightline, so you were real close when it comes time to leave, but you have an extra layer of wristbands because you are on the flightline (I will attach a photo). If the flightline fills up, they let down a rope and you cross a little road to the Paradise City parking. I am not sure if you can camp there, though. Don't forget your own tie downs! I have some small screw type I carry in a bag. You must tie down your plane like on the Other Side, the big boy runway. Similar to a Roach Motel or the Hotel California, you can land at any time, even during manufacturer's demos, but you can't leave except during general flight time, which is in the morning and after the airshow, not during manufacturer's demo or other events there. You can also do as many circuits of the pattern as you want once you get your takeoff briefing and it is your time. Everyone is really helpful and friendly, so you can ask questions repeatedly to avoid getting into trouble. I will definitely fly into Paradise City again. It puts you much closer to the action than the other side and parking your plane in the middle of nowhere and miles from anything. Sorry for the long post... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennM Posted April 16, 2021 Report Share Posted April 16, 2021 Wristbands galore! Grass runway waiver, pilot identifier for flight line, takeoff briefing attendance, and the actual wristband to get into the airshow, vendors, and food areas. It is helpful to sign up online as a Paradise City pilot, Paradise City aircraft and Paradise City waiver prior to coming. Otherwise, you sit there and you do it on your phone. Unfortunately, it is not well advertised on the Sun&Fun website. http://snflp.info/ This also has the NOTAM, daily Paradise City flying schedule and all the online forms. Just fill in the parts required with the red asterisk, otherwise you will be there all day and miss the airshow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Vance Posted April 16, 2021 Report Share Posted April 16, 2021 Very helpful. Thanks, GlennM! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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