Alton Bay Ice Runway 2015
 

From the Facebook post of the airport manager today:

Ok everyone, We checked the ice in the bay this after noon. The thickness is almost 12" We finished marking out the runway. I will check again tomorrow, there are a few rough spots to try and smooth out. If all looks good will try to open saturday the 24th!!!

Hope the snow stays south of the lakes region like they say it may.

And thanks to Paul and his crew. They have more markers for the airport and parking area. This is quite the volunteer effort, and thanks to the FAA for their support.

For those on FB who want to follow postings there, look up Alton Bay Seaplane Base and Ice Runway.

Yesterday I sat and watched a single plane come in 4 or 5 times doing landings and takeoff's around the 1 o'clock hour.:)

Shame on him...
 

the airport is still NOTAMED closed. :(

Please give me the meaning of NOTAMED. Thanks in advance. :laugh:

Notice To Airmen

an official bulletin of sorts



.

FAA site to view Notices to Airmen:
https://pilotweb.nas.faa.gov/PilotWeb/

The Alton Bay runway is Airport B18 - enter B18 and click View NOTAMs

The runway is closed.

I think someone should tell the people who are flying the planes as I saw 2 more to day. Oh thanks for the info on NOTAM(D):)

Not Serious, just being funny.

In the real world...
 

One way to show a closed runway is to have a Large X painted on the Runway at each end. Not realistic to do with the ice runway ;).

Paul has been quite fortunate as the FAA has provided him with extra pylons to mark the runway area with, and these pilots, seeing the runway so well marked, may have assumed the runway was opened.

Now if we can avoid big snowstorms and / or rain.

I did hear the planes taking off today, one early in the afternoon, and two later in the afternoon.

Hope they enjoyed the flights. Has to be extra slippery out there with no snow.

Now open?
 

This hour's NOTAM:

Yup....
 

From the FB page...

Hi everyone !! We have opened the runway this afternoon. The ice conditions are good and smoothed out some of the rough spots a little bumpy not bad. We have a storm coming in hopefully it won't be to much snow. For more information and up dates call: 603-875-3498. Let the fun begin!!!

Thanks Slickcraft...

Web cam!!!
 

Wouldn't that be a nice add. A Web Cam showing all the fun.:)

ToW

As of today...
 

From FB...

Ok the runway is plowed and ready to go just finished . Plowed 100 ' wide X 3000 ' long with parking area and taxi way surface is good but slick. Have a good day!!!

now if they will only be able to plow off the snow this week...

Link to the FB page:

https://www.facebook.com/AltonBaySea...seandIceRunway

(I don't FB myself for security reasons but anyone can view this page)

From a picture by Irwin Marine of Alton Bay on FB
 

Here is a shot from their business location, looking out at the bay, bandstand, and ice runway. Sure is a lot of work to keep the runway open.

https://www.facebook.com/IrwinAltonB...494469/?type=1

More pictures of the clean up
 

From Irwin Marine of Alton Bay:

https://www.facebook.com/IrwinAltonB...984469/?type=1

And from Alton Bay Seaplane Base and Ice Runway:

https://www.facebook.com/AltonBaySea...312418/?type=1

More from Alton Bay Seaplane Base and Ice Runway:
 

From their FB page (no picture, just text):

Hi everyone!! We are all plowed and ready. Runway is 100'wide x 3000' long with taxiway and parking snow banks are 3to 4 ' high. If you need any assistance while you are in Alton bay call 603 455 7817. Also don't forget to stop at any of the fallowing establishments: Old Bay Diner, JPChina,Shibleys by the pier. Restaurants. And Facet Jewelers and get your free certificate for landing in Alton Bay Runway. And winnipesaukee cigar shop.and Irwin Marine..

Ice airport 2/1/15
 

Counted about 15 planes todayo

Yup!!!!
 

As I was on my way back from the dump, errrrr landfill, errrrrr transfer station...There were 15 airplanes on the ground. A few had left from when I went out 28A, but they were replaced by a few new ones, including a Cessna that was just taxiing into the parking area. Gotta Love It.

If you build it, they will come! :)

Ghosts
 

Maybe Amelia Earhart will appear out of a snow bank

From the Alton Bay Seaplane Base and Ice Runway FB
 

Posted today:

Hi Everyone!! Well we went out today to start the snow removal and clean up of the runway and parking area. the ramp to the ice was very snow drifted in and on the ice . We had lots of help to clear it out. BUT under all that snow was a lot of slush and water on the ice. We were able to get two trucks on the runway we cleared the parking lot and half the runway. Will finish tomorrow. But once again we roped off the end of the ramp on the ice to let the slush freeze.

Here's hoping that they can get it cleaned off and the wetness underneath will freeze solid.

The crew has been doing yeoman duty with a storm each week for the last 5, I think.

the latest on the runway...
 

Alton Bay is now open. The runway is 100'x 3000' long there is 1 1/2" of snow on the runway and parking area . Should be good for traction. Snow banks are 3 to 4 ' high. The taxi way is closed all traffic must back taxi. Have a good day!!

These guys are fantastic. Not bad for a volunteer group.

Yeoman duty
 

I wish I had yeoman duty years ago.
This is more like Boatswainsmate DUTY I'll never forget.

Is the taxi way closed due to water beneath? You are super right about a great volunteer group:)

water and snow both, I would suppose.
 

I would suppose that with the amount of new snow that has fallen, coupled with the water under the snow, trying to plow out the taxiway, which is almost 3000 ft long itself, would place a lot of extra stress on their equipment.

Per their FB page...
 

The Alton Bay ice runway is closed until further notice.

No other info available in the post.

b18 alton bay

!bgr 02/323 b18 ad airport clsd 1502220949-1502241000

http://i44.tinypic.com/1499wms.gif rscalzo, I was just browsing through the forum and noticed that you are fairly new to posting on the forum and glad you have joined us. Have fun and enjoy the Winni Forum while making many new friends.
I'm not sure what you are telling us (LOL), but thanks for it anyway and most of all for joining us on the forum. :)

http://i54.tinypic.com/2e56yqf.gif

He showed the Notice to Airman (Notam) re: the airport
 

B18 is the identifier for the Alton Ice Runway. It says the runway is closed.

From the AWESOME airport manager, on FB.
 

We plowed this afternoon and we are open again. We still do not have the taxi way. All traffic must back taxi.

Paul and his helpers are so awesome. What a labor of love, and none of them are pilots!!! They just love to help generate business in the bay during the winter. The pilots who fly in do a fine job of supporting the businesses in the bay. thanks to them as well.

Hi again, this year. Several of us were contemplating a visit this weekend, and it sounds as if the weather between now and Saturday should be nearly ideal.

Hopefully, the NOTAM will be amended to indicate that it's open. (Pilots risk loss of certificate for landing at an airfield contrary to a published NOTAM.)

We'll keep an eye on any developments.

And thanks for all the work you guys to do preserve this activity!

Airport Manager's Request to Pilots:
 

Per Paul, the airport manager, he requests that pilots check Notices to Airmen (Notams) and also call 603-875-3498 for the latest updates.

dbahn's post immediately in front of this post is the reason why.

The airport manager contacts the Notam facility, but also keeps his phone up to date as well. Anything posted in this thread may have a delay in having up to date info.

dbahn: thanks for your input, and thanks to you and your pilot friends for supporting B18 and the local businesses. Clear skies, and a smooth ride to all.

Copied from Alton Bay Seaplane Base and Ice Runway FB page
 

https://www.facebook.com/#!/AltonBay...Runway?fref=nf



Alton Bay Seaplane Base and Ice Runway

54 mins · .


NBC news crew will be filming onsite tomorrow from 10-12pm if you want to fly in!

NBC Today
 

I watched them film today. Some fancy flying. The segment will air tomorrow on the Today Show. Was great hanging around the planes. Just a nice group. Hats off to the volunteers that maintain the runway.

Thanks again Riverrat
 

Cathy and I had a great time hanging out, plane watching and learning a bit about bob houses!

It was great meeting you and your wife yesterday, it was a great visit and a nice day. Hope to see you again soon.

<div id="fb-root"></div><script>(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/lakewinnipesaukee/posts/10152836783073992" data-width="600"><div class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/lakewinnipesaukee/posts/10152836783073992">Post</a> by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kathy.eisemann">Kathy Eisemann</a>.</div></div>

Here is the segment
 

a brief shot of me and my guest infront of my house on the lake @ 2:36

http://www.today.com/video/today/57061870#57061870

Saw that!
 

Very cool. I guess we left too early :)

It's funny, the couple that I am talking to are from Ohio and just moved to the area too.

Oh My Gosh!!!!
 

It's an invasion!!!!!!!

That's what you get...
 

for leaving your boarders open...
:)

Looking good out there Riverat! Thanks for keeping us posted on the happenings :patriot:

Pulling up stakes
 

Sad, but the ice has gotten too thick for me to drill through (30") and the season is winding down:)
So if my plan comes together, I will be removing the shacks on Sunday to their summer resting place. It was great to see a few Forum friends this winter even though the conditions were rough. But hope to see you again this summer somewhere around this beautiful place we call home.

Alton Bay Ice Runway has been officially closed this afternoon. The ramp access is deteriorating to the point where they cannot bring their vehicles onto the ice to maintain the runway and parking area. See NOTAMS. IMHO, the town and businesses at the bay owe a big thank you to Paul and his crew for the job they have done this year and in the past as well.

Sent from my GT-P5210 using Tapatalk

How long did the runway last? It seems like only a few weeks!

It opened on January 23rd
 

and closed today, Mar 11th., making it about 7 1/2 weeks, which is about normal, maybe even a little longer than normal.

Usually it is not open until mid- to mid/late January, and the FAA wants it closed by Mar 15th (I believe).

Given the weather we had here in Alton Bay, there were certainly days during that 7+ week period where the runway was closed for a day or so at a time awaiting plowing.

One situation that causes the runway to close is what happened today; the access to the lake at the boat ramp gets so eroded by salt and sand falling off vehicles has caused the ice to melt at the bottom of the ramp.

Ah, gotcha--thanks for the info!

From the Alton Bay Seaplane Base and Ice Runway FB page
 

Here is a post summarizing this season.

Good morning everyone! We want to thank you all for a great season. Towns people and pilots. A little information: we opened January 23, 2015 and closed March 11, 2015 . We were open a total of 22 days in that time. A lot of snow plowing days in that time. We had approximately 366 planes land on the ice runway. Not to bad !!!

Great job by a dedicated group of volunteers. (the math says 16 airplanes per day!)

I just have to
 

Ask:

Was the number of take-offs the same as the landings? ;)




If I remember, last year you were short at least one take-off from the number of landings.


ToW

It depends.
 

There were two situations where pilots did not have an equal number of takeoffs vs landings at Alton, but they would have equal number of takeoffs and landings in total. Of course, a good pilot has an equal number of takeoffs and landing, and a good landing is any landing the pilot can walk away from. :D

Now that
 

REALLY cleared things up.:laugh:

Thanks


ToW

Thanks to the Airport Crew
 

I don't fly, but your efforts made for some great entertainment this past month. We really enjoy watching and visiting the airport (and the bob houses) Great job.

Every pilot has an equal amount of takeoffs and landings but some landings are harder than others.Never heard of a plane taking off and not landing somewhere.:laugh:

except for the mystery of the year...
 

No one is sure yet about MH370!! The internet is full of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" sort of abduction theories that the plane was consumed by aliens hahahaha

Just biding time waiting for ice out... -PIG

Ouch!
 

Riverat & I were watching take off's and landings. We saw one decide to clip a snowbank on taxiing to the parking area. Tip of the wing and the prop both made contact at one point. Not sure if he took off again. What was the work on that one Riverat?

Yes he did take off again after spending several hours on the ice. Luckily the snow was just plowed powder and did'nt damage the prop or motor.