I figured it was about time to try some shorter runways, and since I have given back the 460 lb. of lead weights that I had borrowed, I figured that a lightweight configuration was the appropriate one to use for the first shots at a 3000 ft. runway -). Just me, the nose ballast, and full fuel.
GDM (Gardner) is only about 15 miles from FIT, and is 3000 ft. long and 75 ft. wide. I headed over there, and it turned out to have about a 10 kt. direct crosswind. The visuals approaching the shorter runway were different than I was used to, and I had just come off the Max. Gross Weight tests, so I came in high and hot on the first approach. After floating about 1/2 way down the runway and still being about 3 feet in the air, I went around (every once in a while I make the right decision -) ). The second time was better - a bit slower and lower, and I touched down about 1000 ft. from the threshold and had no problem stopping well before the end. I did about six or seven approaches, and did two go-arounds. The last three were decent - touching down within a couple hundred feet of the threshold. The shorter runway definitely looked different, after what, 40 - 50 straight landings on 4500 - 6000 ft. runways that are 100 - 150 ft. wide.
Anyway, good practice at keeping it small, especially with a crosswind (and some lumpy air).
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