Backcountry and Austere Runway Operations Lesson Plan

Special Cases • FAA airplane-operating and risk-management guidance

Specialized preparation for short, soft, sloped, obstructed, unpaved, and remote landing areas with conservative inspection, performance, survival, and go-around planning.

Backcountry and Austere Runway Operations Lesson Plan

Introduction

  • Schedule

    Topic:
    Time:
    Site and Mission Planning:
    1:00
    Performance and Techniques:
    1:00
    Dual Flight Operations:
    2:00
    Emergency and Survival Review:
    0:30
    Planned Time:
    0:00

  • Attention Getter:

    • Show a short remote strip that appears usable from the air and ask which unseen surface, slope, obstacle, wind, or departure hazard could make landing a one-way decision.

  • Motivator:

    • Backcountry access is valuable only when the pilot preserves a safe way out and refuses marginal strips, loading, winds, or surface conditions.

  • Objective:

    • Develop disciplined inspection, performance planning, aircraft handling, and decision-making for remote or austere landing areas.

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Backcountry and Austere Runway Operations Lesson Plan

Materials

  • Required Materials:

    • POH/AFM, current airport and owner information, charts, weather, survival and communication equipment, performance worksheet, and personal minimums.
    • An appropriate aircraft and training site selected with permission and adequate margins.

  • Optional Materials:

    • None required.

  • Reference Materials:

    • FAA Airplane Flying Handbook.
    • Aircraft manufacturer short- and soft-field procedures.
    • Applicable airport, landowner, public-land, noise, and environmental requirements.
Backcountry and Austere Runway Operations Lesson Plan

Instructor Actions

  • Part 1, Site and Mission Planning:

    • Teach permission, runway condition, dimensions, slope, elevation, obstacles, winds, wildlife, density altitude, loading, communications, fuel, rescue, survival, and environmental considerations.

  • Part 2, Performance and Technique:

    • Calculate conservative takeoff/landing margins; teach inspection passes only when lawful and safe, stabilized approaches, aim-point control, short/soft-field technique, braking limits, go-around gates, and departure planning.

  • Part 3, Flight Operations:

    • Progress from generous paved or turf margins toward representative sites; practice spot landings, slow flight, energy control, crosswinds, balked landings, and surface-specific taxi without forcing a landing.

  • Part 4, Emergency and Survival:

    • Plan for damage, immobilization, weather trapping, communications failure, medical needs, fire, wildlife, and overdue-aircraft response.
Backcountry and Austere Runway Operations Lesson Plan

Student Actions

  • Assess a site and mission using verified information rather than appearance alone.
  • Calculate margins and establish firm approach, landing, go-around, and departure decision points.
  • Demonstrate precise aircraft control while readily rejecting any operation that loses adequate margin.
Backcountry and Austere Runway Operations Lesson Plan

Completion Standards

  • Use manufacturer procedures and conservative performance margins appropriate to the surface and environment.
  • Maintain a stabilized approach and make unprompted go-around, diversion, or cancellation decisions when criteria are not met.
Backcountry and Austere Runway Operations Lesson Plan

Conclusion

  • Re-Motivation:

    • The best backcountry decision often occurs before landing, when every alternate remains available.

  • Closure:

    • Document demonstrated surfaces and techniques, personal limits, survival equipment, and sites requiring local instruction.