Portable runway

[krikey]

Not sure where to put this, but was thinking if it were feasible to create a portable runway? A sheet of long tarpaulin at a particular length and width could be pegged down to the ground at its edges on flat ground. It could even go over long grass and. wonder, if pulled taut enough, could even be less bumpy?

Question is, how long should it be? The moment you add landing gear to a plane (and the main reason for a runway) and you end up needing a longer runway to land and takeoff anyway.

Any ideas?


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[skyscraper]

How about a lawnmower ?    :)

Also I was thinking of getting some big soft wheels maybe 100 mm dia and using them as a take off dolly which gets left behind when plane takes off. For my current needs a bungee like dogzilla demoed in another thread looks like best option though

regards
Andy

[FPVSteve]

You can get rolls of fabric from garden centres, the weed repressing stuff - that might work and they tend to be about 20-50m long. But only 1m wide, so you'd maybe need a couple. Probably not feasible for an hours flying, but if it was going to be a day out then .. maybe!

[ClippedWing]

Second hand strips of astro turf would work wonders!  :laugh:

[Jake Bullit]

How about caravan awning groundsheets ,goes upto 2.5 x 8m?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Breathable-Caravan-Awning-Weaveatex-Groundsheet-Carpet-in-Blue-Green-or-Plum-/151032649884

[rob.thomson]

I have tried that before.

It does not work so well on rough ground!  So much so.. That if you Ned a portable runway because the surface if crap - it does not work!

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[Dizzy]

Lawn mower is still high on the list I think RDMFC used sheets of weyrock once at one of there shows bit pricey and heavy though :+

dizzy :)

[Granpaw Jonah]

... I've come across people who use them, also seen second hand ones on ebay. True, the idea is not that good on rough ground, or on really long grass BUT is really good if your flat ground is waterlogged....
  G.J.

[Charliewalker]

I recon the best solution is to take the undercart off & hand launch it, less weight, fly anywhere (almost). 

[Tim Chambers]

Ah, but if you like flying touch and go's.... ;D