what's the perpose of these tiny runways
Posted by itbemario5@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 246 comments
spotted them in an airforce base. they're only 300m long. im not sure what they'd be used for. i believe its mostly a helicopter base if that helps
YULINTHEPONEE@reddit
It’s for the Airbus A3
barnacletrev@reddit
Just pop a quick “H” on there so everyone will know it’s for helicopters
Enough-Layer-6355@reddit
Planes with dwarfism 💀💀💀
cococream@reddit
They’re for tiny planes
QuickBic_@reddit
wis(H) I could (H)elp but t(H)ere doesn't seam to be anyt(H)ing to signify w(H)at t(H)ey mig(H)t be specifically used for.
Joehansson@reddit
Helicopters
QuickBic_@reddit
wHat makes you tHink tHat?
Joehansson@reddit
What makes you think it’s not? It literally is a runway for helicopters to use. Helipads are used when space Is limited. At my airport the helicopters use the runway to take-off from and land on, but it doesn’t have the ‘H’ because the runway is also used for GA and private jets.
Inner_Inspection640@reddit
I think you’ll find it’s a runway for tiny airplanes
the_silent_redditor@reddit
How do you know these runways are for helicopters, though?
Doesn’t make any sense to me.
Joehansson@reddit
Research it…
Potential_Wish4943@reddit
Designated helicopter takeoff, taxi and landing area.
KazakhstanPotassium@reddit
But how do they get over there without taxiways
Potential_Wish4943@reddit
You taxi in a helicopter by flying at like 2-4 feet and just flying where you want to go
KazakhstanPotassium@reddit
But then what’s the point of the designated areas
Potential_Wish4943@reddit
Dont get in the way of the fixed wing traffic when practicing over and over again?
KazakhstanPotassium@reddit
Ah fair point
blueponies1@reddit
What does a runway provide for a helicopter that a circle of pavement on the ground wouldn’t? Does it just make the air more stable to hit flat ground or something? And if so, why would a straight line like this help? I mean trade winds and what not, gonna go in one direction usually. Just don’t really get what it’s for.
Potential_Wish4943@reddit
Helicopters like to take off into the wind just like planes do. Sometimes when you're really heavy, the density altitude is high or you're at very high altitude, you literally cant just take off straight up.
This is a training base for blackhawk helicopters that, for instance, had to take very heavy loads into the mountains of afghanistan
Baruuk__Prime@reddit
I thought they were RWYs for ants.
purpletender@reddit
In case anyone is interested the airfield is Oakey, known as the Army Aviation Training Centre located about 90 minutes west of Brisbane, Queensland. ICAO: YBOK. They appear to be referred as Helicopter Lanes in documentation; https://ais-af.airforce.gov.au/sites/default/files/current-ad2/Oakey_AD2_SUPP.pdf
408548110@reddit
Used by Australian Army and Singapore Air Force for helicopter training
Fearless_Sandwich905@reddit
Seeing Oakey on this sub is wild
LosWranglos@reddit
Yeah I read this going “oh cool there’s another Oakey somewhere…oh wait.”
aretokas@reddit
Having this sub suggested to me, with this post, when I barely even fly anywhere, let alone look at aero related stuff ....
And I grew up in QLD....
That's the wild part.
taft@reddit
you know what, i am interested
Strict_Lettuce3233@reddit
Drones want a word
PlainOleJoe67@reddit
Wait, I thought all helo pilots were unstable anyway......
DasFunktopus@reddit
Understandable really. Piloting an aircraft that functions by being repelled by the earth in disgust must take a mental toll.
MultiGeek42@reddit
The job self selects for "slightly crazy," you have to be a little crazy to learn about helicopters and still choose to fly them for a living.
MultiGeek42@reddit
The instability of the pilots normally cancels out the instability of the aircraft.
wasack17@reddit
Aircraft? Everyone knows helicopters don't fly. They beat the air into submission.
The other leading theory for how helicopters work is that they are simply so ugly that the earth repels them from its surface.
PointNineC@reddit
That explains it then! I always wondered why the pilots don’t have to walk up to the helicopter walking in little reverse-spinny circles. They reverse the spin in their minds!
WittleJerk@reddit
It’s true. I thought I had autism, turns out I was just a future rotary 😭
robwilhelm@reddit
Can confirm 😂
DavidBrooker@reddit
Like the 4200m helipad at Namao ;)
Embarrassed_Key7153@reddit
Wait a minute , are helicopter wheels motorised ???
Potential_Wish4943@reddit
Not as far as i know
boilerdam@reddit
How come the chopper runways aren’t connected to the apron? How do they end up on the runways or taxi out of them?
Potential_Wish4943@reddit
You just kinda fly over there at super low altitude.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejJ9-kvi6iw
G-III-@reddit
Does kinda beg the question, if they’re already up, why not continue? Are they in ground effect, and prefer the runway when leaving it?
AreWeThereYetNo@reddit
Helicopters are bound to the airplanes rules on the ground. They taxi, takeoff and land like airplanes do although in a tighter circuit. At least that’s how it worked where I trained.
i_should_go_to_sleep@reddit
Depends on the amount of traffic, but almost 99% of my VFR departures are from parking or the closest taxiway. Very rarely take the runway unless I’m doing an IFR departure.
YourMomsAnonymous@reddit
Unfair question to follow, but hoping you or someone might know more than Google.
A few times taxiing I had to stop to allow emergency service helos to take off and they seem to launch right from their pad. Do air ambulances typically behave differently due to their nature? I've only seen fixed-wings take off or land on my local runways.
i_should_go_to_sleep@reddit
Not sure I’m following the question, but you can definitely takeoff directly from a pad (or anywhere) and that’s pretty normal for helicopters.
YourMomsAnonymous@reddit
Sorry, yeah I knew that and I will clarify. The post above yours said that helos are bound to airplane rules and only one airport I've flown from had enough to expose me to what the norm is for them. Your comment is reflective of the reality I've seen, particularly as all the helos I've yielded to are air ambulances. But the comment above seems to indicate that what I've seen is wrong, and I was curious if that it was because I was encountering air ambulances or if it was that helos actually typically don't actually follow airplane taxi rules, or maybe it was something else altogether.
i_should_go_to_sleep@reddit
Yeah I disagree with the comment I was responding to. Helicopters are supposed to avoid the flow of fixed-wing traffic. Outside of maybe a helicopter training environment or IFR ops, in my experience as a helicopter pilot it is not normal to taxi to and depart from a runway. There are definitely exceptions to this, and some airports might have different norms, but in general, helicopters are supposed to avoid fixed-wing traffic and there’s no better way than to do a present position takeoff from parking away from the pattern.
YourMomsAnonymous@reddit
Okay, thank you for confirming I wasn't the odd-one-out on this one because I agree with you.
soomuchpie@reddit
Ya if this is a training facility having their own runways for run on landing emergency reps is enough reason to keep them off the fixed wing runways. With low power landing s they are required to come in low angle like fixed wing and scrape skids. It's fucked.
SamGrizzle@reddit
Disclaimer: not a helicopter pilot When hover taxiing they are at a safe height above the ground to settle back down if something goes wrong. If they climb straight up they will get too high to safely settle down, but not high enough to start an autorotation if the engine quits. Taking off from a runway helps with this because a helicopter actually gets a lot of lift from moving forward through the air like a plane. See this wiki on the “dead man’s curve” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicopter_height%E2%80%93velocity_diagram?wprov=sfti1#
LosWranglos@reddit
Yep airspeed is everyone’s friend - especially if the engine goes out.
SeanBean-MustDie@reddit
Theres a point i haven’t seen brought up yet as a helicopter pilot. Hovering close to the ground uses far less power than hovering far from the ground.
There’s three reasons why a helicopter pilot would want a runway as well: If your aircraft configuration (you’re heavy) or weather (high and/or hot) your aircraft will require more power on takeoffs and landings if the conditions are bad enough you have to get a “running start” to make the aircraft more aerodynamic to actually be able to get away from the ground.
Secondly, our charts have an avoid region where in case of an engine failure we’d be unlikely to recover the aircraft.
Lastly, some emergency procedures like a loss of tail rotor require us land with a high forward airspeed.
Derpicusss@reddit
The airport I did my private it was pretty high altitude so the DA’s in the summer got way up there. We would barely have enough power for a 2 foot hover and would have to do these super slow running takeoffs from the taxiway until we got into ETL and could actually start flying. It didn’t help that my instructor was a big ol’ corn fed prior marine lol
Sonoda_Kotori@reddit
Probably due to departure/arrival rules as they are sharing the airspace with fixed-wing aircraft.
ultra_sabreman@reddit
It's a training base to train students.
G-III-@reddit
So these type of disconnected, short helicopter runways are training aids?
viccityguy2k@reddit
Probably for full on autorotation landings
gullibu11@reddit
Almost certainly built for this purpose.
Potential_Wish4943@reddit
> Does kinda beg the question, if they’re already up, why not continue?
The tower still controls traffic even if its a helicopter. You might be asked to move to an area of the airport and wait before taking off, to maintain seperation from landing or overflying traffic.
boilerdam@reddit
Fair enough, I've seen videos of them sort of hop from point to point, didn't know it was SOP.
ragnerokk88@reddit
They air taxi. Still operating IGE or in ground effect. They generate more lift close to the ground so they don’t need the assist from going into the wind.
boilerdam@reddit
Makes sense. So, they would hover taxi on the narrow paths from the taxiway to 27L or 27R in OP's screenshot?
ragnerokk88@reddit
They can follow those lines or depending on atc clearance they really can enter from anywhere. Generally they’re going to come from the taxi way but they could ground taxi to where that circle on the bottom right is to do their run up. Then pick up to a hover and air taxi direct to the helicopter runway.
TheSaucyCrumpet@reddit
Helicopters mostly hover taxi.
i_should_go_to_sleep@reddit
Helicopters with skids do, helicopters with wheels prefer to ground taxi. Takes less power, less attention, and reduces the chance of damaging other aircraft with FOD.
TheSaucyCrumpet@reddit
Admittedly my knowledge is mostly military but all the military helicopters I've experienced have hover taxied, wheels or not.
Skilldibop@reddit
See 'hover taxi'
TheRadler@reddit
Im not sure if you are aware, but helicopters are able to “fly” to places. 🤣
AardvarkNo6658@reddit
Why 2 in the same direction? Wouldn't it make sense to be 90deg apart
23569072358345672@reddit
It’s a training base. They have multiple aircraft in the circuit at once so have multiple lanes for them to train on.
Potential_Wish4943@reddit
Maybe thats where the prevailing winds are in this area.
Bandit_the_Kitty@reddit
But how do the helicopters get to those runways? Are they just for practicing landing and takeoff?
23569072358345672@reddit
This is an aircrew training base for the army. In this case if they are landing to come into the apron they don’t land on these, they come straight into the taxiway.
Potential_Wish4943@reddit
You "Taxi" in a helicopter by flying a few feet above the ground. I'd gather they're for practicing either high weight takeoffs, or autorotation landings, both of which are going to involve some foreword movement by a wheeled helicopter.
i_should_go_to_sleep@reddit
Skid helicopters too. Touchdown autos, slide landings, and slide takeoffs are routinely practiced by skid kids.
Potential_Wish4943@reddit
AH thanks, im a fixed wing guy with limited knowlage of helis :)
Bandit_the_Kitty@reddit
TIL. Thanks!
u-r-not-who-u-think@reddit
These aren’t going to be used for normal takeoff and landing just for the sake of being into the wind. They are for training for running landings, which are sometimes required at high gross weight or high density altitude, and therefore a necessary skill.
Potential_Wish4943@reddit
Either that or autorotation training.
g3nerallycurious@reddit
But helicopters don’t have wheels. Their takeoff is immediate. Do you mean that they prefer their pitch angle to be so few degrees above 0° that it takes them that length of runway before they’re high enough off the ground to clear objects? Is this why the medical helicopter was just hovering 30 ft off the ground during the 30 seconds it was in my line of sight as I drove past the hospital on the highway?
Potential_Wish4943@reddit
Some helicopters have wheels.
babakadouche@reddit
What is this, a runway for ants?
amapofthecat7@reddit
for landing tiny planes, duh.
frix86@reddit
I used my power of deduction to determine they are for helicopters based on the big "H" painted on them.
Crazy__Donkey@reddit
H for hospital
THEMACGOD@reddit
Jesus’ middle name was “Hospital”??!?
Successful_Coyote_36@reddit
H for hot MILFs
Regular-Basil3919@reddit
H for Hotel
ReticulatedPasta@reddit
H for Hornets, so we all know those runways have hornets in them
spacenglish@reddit
H for Horse
SuckMyRedditorD@reddit
H ain't nothin' but a number.
practicalcabinet@reddit
H for "here's the runway!"
TheDeamonMeteor@reddit
Trivago
Drezzon@reddit
man, those TV ads from 15 years ago cooked my brain completely
Amager_ftw@reddit
15 years??? It feels like I have seen one just recently. Guess it has burned itself deep into my memory
Drezzon@reddit
last time I watched TV on a kinda regular basis 😭
possiblytheOP@reddit
They still make them, with Jurgen Klopp now
jmbf8507@reddit
Because apparently RedBull isn’t paying him enough?
fuggerdug@reddit
That's his secret.
StickingBlaster@reddit
I preferred them with the hot chick.
kindofastud@reddit
H for Hawk
Superdry_GTR@reddit
H for Triple H! Well Quadruple..
DibsOnTheCookie@reddit
Hospital? What is it?
highergravityday@reddit
It’s a big building with patients, but that’s not important right now.
Crazy__Donkey@reddit
Found the American 🤦
AreWeThereYetNo@reddit
H for Harambe
thissexypoptart@reddit
H for Hairplane
Trumpy_Po_Ta_To@reddit
Are we sure they’re not for flying horses?
ellyse99@reddit
Hippogriffs!
TapDancinJesus@reddit
H is for Horsey
craig_s_bell@reddit
"Put it in H!"
syn_vamp@reddit
how do you know they didn't pop a quick H on them to let people know they're full of hornets?
ithardtosay@reddit
Sound like Charlie work
fuggerdug@reddit
Magnets dude. Just magnets.
No-Total-4896@reddit
H for Hippopotamus
Argentum_Air@reddit
UFC 3-260-04
po_ta_toes_80@reddit
So then the planning and briefing to land here be called "Preparation H"?
SusanForeman@reddit
H for Holy shit we’re already out of runway
jaycutlerdgaf@reddit
I'm just going to pop an H on here so everyone knows it's full of hornets.
Ices_Blaze@reddit
Let me pop a quick H on this runway, that way we all know it's for hornets. Anyways, it's obviously for practicing carrier landings, hence the H for hornets.
26635785548498061381@reddit
Using the same logic, what's the long one for? :D
devildog2067@reddit
05s obviously
d_k_r3000@reddit
You fucked up H is for hovercraft. Basically everyone knows
ilikewaffles3@reddit
I'm pretty sure it's for hot air balloons actually
ClearedInHot@reddit
The lack of paved taxiways leading to them is also a little bit of a giveaway.
jsgx3@reddit
You can taxi in dirt given enough thrust.
ClearedInHot@reddit
I've done it a lot. It doesn't require any more thrust than pavement.
phoncible@reddit
That's some good detective work there Lou
CantAffordzUsername@reddit
Giant H on them….hummmmm I wonder
random_guy1029@reddit
So you could runaway as fast as you can
EngineerFly@reddit
Those Hs might be a clue.
Rodgerexplosion@reddit
This is Australian Army Aviation Training centre Oakey. Also hosts Singapore’s 127 Squadron. Blackhawks and Chooks buzz around here.
FlannelStationWagon@reddit
These short runways are primarily used for wheeled helicopters to practice emergency (simulated engine out) approaches to a hard surface, and rolling takeoffs.
itbemario5@reddit (OP)
dam, good detective work
agha0013@reddit
contrary to popular belief, the best way for helicopters to take off is to accelerate horizontally, not just go straight up, but they don't need thousands of feet of runway, so places dedicated to helicopter use get little runways. Places dedicated to training a whole pile of helicopters get multiple ones.
South east US has a whole pile of helicopter training facilities for the various military branches. The main bases are easy to spot but look more carefully and you also spot all the auxiliary training strips scattered around.
look at the areas on ADSB exchange during the day and it's just a huge mess of training operations.
Oisea@reddit
That’s super interesting, never knew about this. Now I have something fun to keep a look out for when I’m browsing around Google Earth.
i_should_go_to_sleep@reddit
This is what they usually look like in Alabama:
Stage Field 1
But sometimes they have cool shapes (Florida):
Stage Field 2
savageotter@reddit
the Milton,FL one is always involved in some weird ass conspiracy theory.
ametren@reddit
These were clearly built by aliens.
/s
SaturatedApe@reddit
I’m not a helicopterist nor an ornithologist but is the savings in fuel that much of a difference or is about safety?
FrontEngineering4469@reddit
Its mainly for safety and stability. Getting a run up on takeoff reduces the engine power needed to takeoff which helps reduce the chances of the heli wanting to flip on its side or spin uncontrollably once it loses contact with the ground since the inertia helps it stay pointed forwards and upright while also reducing the torque the rotor is applying back onto the fuselage.
NoConcentrate9116@reddit
Where are you getting fuel savings from? It has everything to do with helicopter aerodynamics vs power available. A lot of small helicopters with full fuel and two people or more in them may not be able to take off vertically at all. Helicopters at a hover and at low airspeeds sit in their own downwash, which has some benefits (ground effect) but hovering also requires a lot of power. So because of ground effect a heavily laden small helicopter may be able to hover close to the ground, but doesn’t have the power to hover out of ground effect. So by accelerating forwards and passing through what we call Effective Translational Lift, the helicopter outruns the turbulent air generated at low airspeeds and the amount of lift the rotors generate skyrockets, thus requiring less power to maintain flight. Bigger more powerful helicopters can be heavily laden and still take off vertically in a lot of conditions, but helicopters still prefer to get a running start if you will since going straight up just doesn’t make sense unless you’re in a situation that requires it (confined area landing, etc).
agha0013@reddit
For civil it's not a big deal and obviously helicopters use helipads all the time
it helps reduce strain on the engine and save on fuel, but helicopters are designed to take off vertically lots too.
In the military, there's a whole safety aspect, keeping low to the ground and building up a lot of speed before climbing helps reduce the time they are hovering and making themselves a very nice easy target for an opportunist with a manpad or simple rockets
Landings and takeoffs are very risky business in combat zones.
GreenNeonCactus@reddit
Grew up in Pensacola. Assuming you’re nearby.
agha0013@reddit
not really, just an ADSB/map browsing nerd.
i like to sort traffic by military and see the wild amount of routine stuff that goes on every day
Similar-Elevator-680@reddit
Perpose? Lol. Hahahaha
itbemario5@reddit (OP)
omg i just realiesed that lol
katpile@reddit
…realized? 😅
Dockers4flag2035orB4@reddit
Runways for Ants.
More-Perspective-838@reddit
Believe it or not, Helicopters get more lift from forward flight just like airplanes do. Having a short runway can help them take off and land under heavy loads.
Captain_Ahab2@reddit
Drones maybe?
canttakethshyfrom_me@reddit
*prolapse
Dr_Trogdor@reddit
NO RAISIN!
fk067@reddit
This is where the Lego airplane takeoff and land.
Chiantiandfava@reddit
What is this a runway for ants!?
No-Total-4896@reddit
Hants
Buildintotrains@reddit
r/ThingsForAnts
FujitsuPolycom@reddit
Ants flying choppers. 1 million ants flying choppers... we're gunna need more runways
oboshoe@reddit
They need to be three times bigger.
welguisz@reddit
These helicopters can’t turn left.
cyberentomology@reddit
There is an interesting one near BOI as well. Used to be marked 9/27.
Long-Replacement6091@reddit
Helicipotee
Howard_Cosine@reddit
Then they’re probably for helicopters. Jfc.
BlackCat400@reddit
They’re for helicopters
Argentum_Air@reddit
The H at the threshold means Helicopter.
MaximumComplete6246@reddit
Tiny airplanes?
ConversationFalse242@reddit
Those are for the bird drones
snarfgobble@reddit
Tiny hospitals.
Or hotels.
Typhoonsg1@reddit
It's where the adolescent planes hang out
totensiesich@reddit
Yeah, the H is a giveaway. They're helicopter runways.
Nicholas_Pappagiorgi@reddit
Porpoise*
LowSodiumStock@reddit
Ah the memories.
Available_Sir5168@reddit
Model aircraft runway?
yeahgoestheusername@reddit
Aircraft carrier practice?
TalkinMac@reddit
Tiny planes without wings.
ViperThreat@reddit
I fly RC airplanes there.
supreme100@reddit
H = Helicopter
DDX1837@reddit
Helicopter training. There are many of these around military training airfields.
These are around Ft. Novosel (Ft. Rucker).
https://maps.app.goo.gl/YFLoMc5VK5qRwfeh9
https://maps.app.goo.gl/KwWnsevdFwxqBoNU8
https://maps.app.goo.gl/omjzf1LY98imfZfv7
https://maps.app.goo.gl/3T6uV4NLAQMQyQeG9
MotivatedsellerCT@reddit
AUH also has a “helicopter” runway in the SE corner of the airport
AFoxGuy@reddit
It’s for whenever average sized planes come into the airport… tears up
punctualcauliflower@reddit
Tiny planes
FoolsGoldMouthpiece@reddit
Emergency landing for 3rd grade English teacher to come and teach you how to spell
CharAznableLoNZ@reddit
Helicopters. Or really showing off your short field skills.
Infinite_Attention59@reddit
Those are helicopter runways. The giant letter H at the ends of them is a clue.
ihavestinkytoesies@reddit
perpose
ShieldPilot@reddit
Reminds me of this: https://www.reddit.com/r/Pensacola/s/4qsoArUGnJ
-burnr-@reddit
Meh, I’ve landed on shorter strips
Orlando1701@reddit
-your mom
-burnr-@reddit
What?
You might want to check the sub, your r/shittyaskflying is bleeding thru
Orlando1701@reddit
I remember when I used to think I too need landing-strips. Then I learned to say “fuck it. This spot looks good. Yeeeeehaw mother fucker!
Also did I leave my hoodie in your mom’s room last night? Can you check for me? And tell her to go easy on the salt for dinner tonight.
ComicOzzy@reddit
Your mom
CaySalBank@reddit
"Wow... this is the shortest runway I've ever landed on. But weird how insanely wide it is!"
-burnr-@reddit
Tuna can!
TheRonsterWithin@reddit
these are for those fun little rc planes or regional jets
Live-Delivery3220@reddit
So it's cuter
Delicious-Vanilla520@reddit
Strategically reserved for only the most sophisticated cutting edge paper airplanes.
Icy-Swordfish-@reddit
lothcent@reddit
helicopters
Tolstoy_mc@reddit
Are these runways for ants!?!
thirdstringlineman@reddit
Those are baby runways, they are not long enough yet, to survive on their own, so they depend on their mother feeding them with rubber and tire marks.
laruerose@reddit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0DbzUe-r4Q
PineappleGuy7@reddit
For baby planes to learn how to takeoff and land
Ichthius@reddit
H is for hippopotamus.
Chronigan2@reddit
Planes for ants.
insuranceguynyc@reddit
Tiny planes.
taimone@reddit
Tiny Planes.
frommogi@reddit
Plane drag racing
767-pilot@reddit
Mini planes
specn0de@reddit
Tiny planes
plaidninja23@reddit
Landing
gordonronco@reddit
Quickly
scotsman3288@reddit
everything else is lava...
catgirlcollector@reddit
Tiny planes
MightyGreedo@reddit
My scientist friend took a look at that picture and after careful analysis he told me that those runways are for airplanes.
Comfortable_Pea8634@reddit
The little itty bitty committee.
LambdaKraut57@reddit
Those are actually pretty average for runway lengths... Really long runways are impractical
ProperPorker@reddit
That's Peter Dinklage's and Tom Cruise's private runways.
JetlinerDiner@reddit
It's for ants.
dwank123@reddit
It’s not about the size of the runway, it’s about how it’s used. In this case by helicopters.
GreatPhase7351@reddit
It’s runways for ants.
truthisnothateful@reddit
Underrated comment 😂
BadboyBengt@reddit
Good enough for the mighty Viggen.
Katana_DV20@reddit
The big H markings are the giveaway 🚁
For wheeled helicopters doing rolling takeoffs means they consume less fuel, less strain on the rotor system and they can haul more. It also helps if the helicopter is heavy and in a hot/high location.
ThatsMrBuckaroo@reddit
They’re in the middle of the airfield. How do the heavy helicopters get there?
40KaratOrSomething@reddit
They land on them.
Big_Monkey_77@reddit
Tiny runways at the airport?
Count the headlights on the highway.
PerrineWeatherWoman@reddit
They aren't runways, they are FATOs, designed specifically for helicopters.
Popular_Stick_8367@reddit
It's a runway for ants!
Stenobook12@reddit
Derek Zoolander Flight School for Pilots Who Can't Land Good
smol9749been@reddit
For the gnome planes
Disastrous_Map4433@reddit
It’s for Air Force pilots to make bets on who thinks they could land on a carrier.
KraljZ@reddit
For ants
oboshoe@reddit
What are those? A runway for ants?
jungleboy11111@reddit
New born planes
ASolidChad@reddit
Don’t you mean porpoise 🐬?
FLyBoY_6@reddit
Easy way to tell is the H- Helicopter pad/operations.
RIDUltraMagnus@reddit
Ryanair landings.
timfountain4444@reddit
The "H" kind of gives it away.... H as in Helicopter....
SideEmbarrassed1611@reddit
H stands for Helicopter
NoResult486@reddit
Drones?
Gilmere@reddit
This is becoming more of a thing. At NASA and in the DoD I have seen small strips like this for UAV's (before we started calling them drones). But these are likely helicopter focused strips (well marked for training I would say). Some fields have a reliable prevailing wing that allows these strips to be put in "stone". You still fly a normal field pattern when you do takeoffs and landings in a helicopter, as pilots also need currency. This would also be used for autorotations into the wind with good cueing from pattern altitude. I recall flying patterns between the main runways at a local DoD facility in an area we called "the grass area". Yeah, intuitive. We did/do not have these kind of markings and they would be nice for sure.
MrDearm@reddit
The big H on them should give it away
MadBrown@reddit
Tiny planes?
Common-Charity9128@reddit
I suppose so
Or Maybe practice cite for carrier landing/takeoff, since that’s roughly the length of the flight deck.
zer0toto@reddit
Landing tiny planes
carmichaelcar@reddit
Helicopter?