How often does your flying club mow the strip?

[Beth Ashby Moderator]

Following on from How is your flying club run? We've got this poll from Andy Green...

How often does your flying club mow the strip?

How do you achieve this? Do you have a club mower? Or do you get a contractor in?

Discuss below...

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Tim Flyer]

We are lucky enough to have a lawn tractor. The weather has been a bit wet recently so even with this its getting a bit soft and muddy in parts, but was good enough for the Chipmunk to make a nice landing today although I didn't want to chance my luck with another flight on it after seeing quite a few planes nose over today. Our strip should be dry enough to cut over the next week i hope.

[kevin b]

Currently not at all as our mower is not fitted with a snorkel.

However during the "growing season" we mow as frequently as necessary.

Also being in North Yorkshire our mower is supplemented by the indigenous population of our flying field. However the by-product creates its own problems on the strip.

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

During the active growing season, twice a week as required. We're lucky to have a member who enjoys mowing and does the brunt of the work and I fill in when needed (a couple of others do an odd cut as well). We have a Massey-Fergusson 135 with a Trimax Procut triple rotary cutter to cut our 5 1/4 acre field. It takes about 3/4 of an hour for a 3 runway trim and a couple of hours to do a full cut with the pits etc.

Like Timothy of the same name but not related (AFAIK) I'd like to get another cut in but the ground is so soft at the moment (very reminiscent of when the picture below was taken) that it would churn the surface terribly.

 

 

I don't use this one for grass cutting !

 

Edited By Martin Harris on 22/11/2015 22:30:15

[Gary Manuel]

Once every 2 weeks throughought the growing season, plus the odd extra trim for special occassions.

We pay council to do it, though I have been known to dig my Hayter 56 (22 inch) out when it's too wet for the tractor. It makes one appreciate the value for money we get from the council I can tell you.

[John Tee]

We are lucky enough to have several mowers- both mechanical and human. we do it every friday from early season until it is too wet or the grass stops growing. Been too wet for the last three weeks but if my lawn is anything to go by we will have to get out at least one more time.

John

[IanN]

I've selected every two weeks because that's probably the annual average, but the bottom line is that our excellent members who volunteer to take charge of this do it as and when required

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Well I ticked "never" because we (the club) don't mow it, the nice men from the council with their big machine do it for us as part of our lease agreement - and a very nice job they make of it as well!

BEB

[Tony Richardson]

I voted every week sometimes its more other times much less depends on the time of year, right now as Kevin B says not too much as it is rather wet.

[cymaz]

I put once a week. Though in reality it's as and when it's needed.....but no tick box for that!

[Steve Colman]

"Never" because we have asphalt strips.

However, the surrounding grassy bits do get mowed as and when needed to keep the place looking tidy.

[Kevin 216]

Much depends on the weather and the rate at which the grass grows, during the summer the strip is cut at least twice a week, spring and early autumn once a week - I suppose it averages out to once a week.

[Peter Miller]

Usually about once every two weeks. We have a good ride on Mower stored about a mile away at a member's home in the village.

THis is brought up to the field in a Members trailer or van. Two of us normally do the mowing these days, One has a flight while the other mows and then we change over.

[Frank Skilbeck]

I ticked once a week, but that's only in the growing season and if it's not too wet. Hasn't been mowed for 4 weeks now and it's still flyable.

Often gets mowed just to pick up the "recycled grass" from our 4 legged mowers which are kept in the field from time to time. We have a ride on mower.

[Rich too]

Posted by Martin Harris on 22/11/2015 22:20:17:

During the active growing season, twice a week as required. We're lucky to have a member who enjoys mowing and does the brunt of the work and I fill in when needed (a couple of others do an odd cut as well). We have a Massey-Fergusson 135 with a Trimax Procut triple rotary cutter to cut our 5 1/4 acre field. It takes about 3/4 of an hour for a 3 runway trim and a couple of hours to do a full cut with the pits etc.

Like Timothy of the same name but not related (AFAIK) I'd like to get another cut in but the ground is so soft at the moment (very reminiscent of when the picture below was taken) that it would churn the surface terribly.

I don't use this one for grass cutting !

Edited By Martin Harris on 22/11/2015 22:30:15

twice a week

I don't know what you're all feeding your grass, but the past two summers I've done less than half a dozen cuts all summer - none in the winter obviously!

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

We have a lot of members who fly small models and appreciate short grass. Apart from some selective weedkiller applied last autumn, we feed ours on a diet of sunshine (occasionally!) and rain. What part of the country are you in, Rich?

[Martyn K]

Weekly in the summer, fortnightly spring and autumn and almost never from about now through to field maintenance day next March.

Roll on March

[Engine Doctor]

I voted for once every two weeks but it gets done when required usually every 10 days or so for the strip during the summer. We have a 10 acre field and no sheep so we have a club member who is contracted to cut the outfield for us every fortnight ish.

[pyro stu]

could not vote as its cut twice a week and rolled with a 3 ton roller as much as we can, we have a 12ft gang mower best cut you will get like a bowling green in the summer strips look great from the air to

[Rich too]

Posted by Martin Harris on 23/11/2015 13:38:17:

We have a lot of members who fly small models and appreciate short grass. Apart from some selective weedkiller applied last autumn, we feed ours on a diet of sunshine (occasionally!) and rain. What part of the country are you in, Rich?

Hi Martin,

I'm in Kent. I fly from a farmers field (sometimes used for grazing). It's on the rough side and the grass doesn't seem to grow very fast at all - I'm thankful because I'm the only one that cuts it!

[ChrisB]

I do the mowing at our club (quite enjoy it). We have a Countax 42" mower and generally do it every 10-14 days between Apr-Sep, then as and when needed. We have a range of models, many with small wheels including some Dynam EDFs, so we try to keep it short. Also if is kept short as much as possible it needs less work anyway. It takes about 2 hours.

Does anyone use a cricket greens type cylinder mower?

 

CB

Edited By ChrisB on 23/11/2015 20:53:42

[pyro stu]

Ours is a ranson gang mower best thing the club bought cuts 3 acres in 25mins to a putting green

[Area 51]

Agreed Pyro, I do feel they are best choice..

We have a set too with rollers attached, we tow with the cadet cub mower.. makes a superb job in super quick time. Twice a year we hire a vibrating road roller, weekend hire is two for one day! perfect as we get it Friday afternoon until Monday am ... it rolls the runway a treat at the start and end of a season..

[stu knowles]

Up there is also the Ransomes Motor Triple, as used by all the councils back in the 70's, Chains and belts (dead simple and cheap) still around in reasonable numbers, usually neglected by now but easily rebuilt.

Can be road registered too