N3472C on the Ice at Alton Bay

Alton Bay (B18) on Lake Winnipesaukee is the only FAA-approved ice runway in the contiguous United States. When the ice is thick enough and conditions are right, they open it up and pilots fly in from all over New England. We weren't going to miss it.

We flew N3472C up from Minute Man and put her down on the ice. There's nothing quite like the feeling of touching down on a frozen lake. The runway is 3,000 feet long and 100 feet wide, so there's plenty of room. But the ice offers zero braking action, so you need to have your stick and rudder skills dialed in! These are just the types of skills that tailwheel flying is perfect for mastering.

Steve made the trip and had a great time. You can see the frozen lake stretching out behind him and the town of Alton Bay along the shore.

Zoey flew left seat and handled the ice runway like a pro. The view through the windscreen on short final — frozen lake, snow-covered houses along the shore — is something else.

A tailwheel airplane is right at home on the ice. Your stick and rudder skills — especially the rudder — are what keep you tracking straight on the ice. It's a good reminder of why we fly these airplanes — they give us the confidence and ability to go the places we want to go, safely.