Abandoned Airports

[oreddie]

Using AirMap Android version I am alerted to an airport (Gopher Gulch) at 44 5'48" M 121 20'17" W and within 2 miles of my intended flying location.

A review of FAA data bases and Sectional Aeronautical Charts show Gopher Gulch (perhaps formerly designated as OR29) as abandoned. It appears on aeronautical charts as a magenta circle with a large 'X' through it which is how airports that have been abandoned but are shown for emergency purposes are displayed.

I wonder if the 5 mile restriction still applies and if should write/call the property owners.

 

[bobfa100]

Using AirMap Android version I am alerted to an airport (Gopher Gulch) at 44 5'48" M 121 20'17" W and within 2 miles of my intended flying location.

A review of FAA data bases and Sectional Aeronautical Charts show Gopher Gulch (perhaps formerly designated as OR29) as abandoned. It appears on aeronautical charts as a magenta circle with a large 'X' through it which is how airports that have been abandoned but are shown for emergency purposes are displayed.

I wonder if the 5 mile restriction still applies and if should write/call the property owners.

Manually override the geofences. There are videos on YT that walk you through that process. Even DJI has one.

 

[packnrat]

it would be nice if the faa, and dji would remove ALL unused air fields.
as gramps buba, died 50 years back, and nobody wants to fly a plane.

 

[Nelson 1949]

it would be nice if the faa, and dji would remove ALL unused air fields.
as gramps buba, died 50 years back, and nobody wants to fly a plane.

As a fixed wing pilot I disagree with that statement. In an emergency it could be very useful to know where an abandoned air strip is. That likely is a better landing spot than a mountain top, trees, or even a rough field.

Nelson

 

[packnrat]

not true.

i have been looking at maybe buying a place to retire to. and lots of little airport markers and nothing there. one is now a rifle range. no way a piper cub could land there. as the bullet stop berms would not make for a happy landing. or maybe that fence cutting across the "runway", or a building is now there. with luck it is just a google thing, as i do not have all the sectionals for the places i have been looking at.
but if a runway is not in use it should not be listed. as the ground is NOT able to handle a airplane, even in a emergency. at least not much better than the hwy can.

 

[Maviac]

not true.

i have been looking at maybe buying a place to retire to. and lots of little airport markers and nothing there. one is now a rifle range. no way a piper cub could land there. as the bullet stop berms would not make for a happy landing. or maybe that fence cutting across the "runway", or a building is now there. with luck it is just a google thing, as i do not have all the sectionals for the places i have been looking at.
but if a runway is not in use it should not be listed. as the ground is NOT able to handle a airplane, even in a emergency. at least not much better than the hwy can.

Whether abandoned fields should affect UAS traffic is one thing (I agree they should not) but I also don’t want them to be removed from sectionals. In the case you described it should be removed from sectionals altogether, but there are many abandoned fields I have seen during flying that would be at least a survivable place to put down in an emergency. Even if the airplane ends up damaged, they’re often better than a surrounding forest, or even an open field with soft soil.

 

[DanMan32]

It seems a separate database is needed for low (0 to 500) altitude aircraft such as but not limited to UAS.

 

[packnrat]

i would think after X number of years of non use the soil would not support the weight of any aircraft. it would be that over grown, soft soil you talk about. then the cross fences due to subdivided land, etc.
other buildings, uses of the land.
most of our hwys would make a far better place to land. and they are paved.
but yes a open grass field is better than into the woods. but then they clear cut the timber here. but would be a short runway. (1 acre up to 30 acres).
but no matter they should not in crouch on a drone pilot, as no aircraft use them. none have for decades.