Pilots

Flying Resort Ranches owns two airstips: one at the Flying B Ranch and one at the Root Ranch.  These airstrips are private airstrips, and thus, for non-members, permission is required prior to landing. Permission may be obtained by calling our General Manager in the Salmon, Idaho office at (208) 756-6295. These are back country mountain airstrips so mountain flying experience is a pre-requisite for landing.

The Flying B and Root Ranch runways are in mountainous terrain that offer challenges and risks not normally found in non-mountainous airports. Back-country flying instructions and prior experience is highly recommended before visiting our ranches. This website has a few sample videos to supplement your training. The following guidelines, while not exhaustive, will help you operate more safely.

All Operations are at your own risk.

The airstrips and non-towered airfields and aircraft will take off and land in both directions. With high terrain on both sides of the airstrips forcing aircraft into narrow corridors, it is essential to clear for traffic. Use your radio to announce position and listen for others. Do not assume everyone is listening or talking.

Frequency is 122.9.

Ranch personal often monitor 122.9. Please attempt to contact them before landing.

Plan on flying an overhead pattern to check wind direction and survey the airstrip for potential hazards such as animals, irrigation sprinklers, vehicles, and other aircraft. Be especially careful to identify the runway. Depending on the circumstances, orange cones may be present to help you identify the desired side of the runway being used for landing. Also, use caution to land on the runway and not the mowed strip in an adjacent hay field. Manage your speed carefully. Braking effectiveness on wet grass will be reduced. Use caution when parking to avoid sprinkler heads, hoses, and other hazards. Tall grass might challenge hazard identification.

At the Flying B use caution at the south end of the airstrip as aircraft landing downstream will fly close to the parking area. Also, use caution for aircraft operating at Bernard airstrip located less than one mile north of the Flying B.

When landing at the Root Ranch, is is highly recommended to land and take off downstream to the north to allow for a safer go around not into rising terrain. If winds do not favor a downstream landing or takeoff, it is recommend that pilots wait for favorable conditions, especially in the late mornings and afternoons, as winds tend to become unpredictable at those times.

Fly safely! We look forward to seeing your smiling face in our lodges after a successful flight.

Landing at the Flying B Ranch

The Flying B Ranch is located on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, 38 miles southwest of Salmon, Idaho within the Frank Church Wilderness Area. The ranch is at an elevation of 3,600 feet and has its own 2,100-foot grass airstrip maintained by Ranch staff.

Landing at the Root Ranch

The Root Ranch is located at an elevation of 5600-feet, 48 miles west of Salmon, Idaho in the heart of the Frank Church Wilderness Area.  The 2,100-foot airstrip is encircled by an idyllic meadow of mountain wildflowers.