Flying from farm strips has a dedicated band of devotees. There's a lot going for this type of flying.

First, there's cost. Operations from an air strip created from a farmer's field are a lot less expensive than from a licensed aerodrome. Of course, the downside is the lack of facilities, such as a fire crew, fuel, clubhouse and any form of air traffic control. But many farm strips aviators would consider that an advantage!

Second, there's an exhilaration from flying into a field, often requiring a higher level of skill and awareness of the surroundings.

Third, farm strips tend to be handy for the group of pilots using them - that's how they get established in the first place.

Eddsfield, North Yorks

Eddsfield, in North Yorkshire, came about when a local airfield closed. Operator and owner Edd Peacock, who flies a Robin HR100-210, explains: "Someone suggested we ought to have an airfield ourselves. It was agreed I would apply for planning permission and if granted, I would put down a grass strip. If we didn't, we'd forget about it. As luck would have it, we did get planning permission. "We encourage visitors and we're very busy at times. The last fly-in, helping out the local PFA Sir George Cayley strut, had just short of 90 visitors in the space of five hours. Lots of people from all over the country.

"Being a farmer, I don't get much time to fly in summer and I do most of my flying in winter. The crisp clear visual days you get - well, there's nothing to match it. Much better than scratching around in summer in haze."

While some farm strips, like Eddsfield, have become more or less proper airfields, others remain simple. Often, they're a challenge to fly into and out of, being short and in odd locations.

Specialist training
Specialist training for short-fields operations is highly recommended and there are flying schools who offer these. The best known is Clacton Aero Club, which offers an eight-hour Farm Strip Special using the club's Piper Supercub, an ideal aircraft for this type of flying.

There's even an association for flying farmers, The Flying Farmers' Association, and a guide to the UK's private airfields and farm strips - Lockyears, available from AFE.

CAA guides
Finally, the CAA has two publications of particular value to pilots and operators using farm strips.
First, there's the CAA's Safety Sense leaflet, Strip Sense, available for download by clicking here.

Second, there's Safety Standards at Unlicensed Aerodromes (which is what farm strips are). This covers everything you need to know about establishing a farm strip. It's available as a download by clicking here 

More info on the web:
CAA
Clacton Aero Club
Eddsfield
Flying Farmers Association