Narrative:

At X36 runway 5/23 has been closed by the operator (sarasota county) because of failure to meet state standards due to tree growth incursions into approach/departure clear zones. Believe me the trees present no hazard. The runway is 2300 ft long grass strip. This is 4 times the length needed for takeoff, 6 times landing distance required for my small aircraft and most other planes operating at X36. There is no hazard when pilots must operate on runway 12/30 in strong crosswind a prudent decision would be to use the more than adequate runway 5/23 when the wind is aligned and the windsock is straight out. Pilots should not have to consider the possibility of arrest when making a decision to use 300 ft of a 2300 ft runway when it is aligned with a 20 KT gusty wind. I fly a tail dragger, and several other tail draggers operate here. Unrealistic standards were used to close the runway creating hazard in mandatory use of other runway in crosswind.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR PROTESTS CLOSURE OF RWY 5/23 ACCOUNT OF TREES OBSTRUCTING ONE END THAT FORCES LIGHT ACFT TO USE RWY 12/30 WITH STRONG XWIND.

Narrative: AT X36 RWY 5/23 HAS BEEN CLOSED BY THE OPERATOR (SARASOTA COUNTY) BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO MEET STATE STANDARDS DUE TO TREE GROWTH INCURSIONS INTO APCH/DEP CLR ZONES. BELIEVE ME THE TREES PRESENT NO HAZARD. THE RWY IS 2300 FT LONG GRASS STRIP. THIS IS 4 TIMES THE LENGTH NEEDED FOR TKOF, 6 TIMES LNDG DISTANCE REQUIRED FOR MY SMA AND MOST OTHER PLANES OPERATING AT X36. THERE IS NO HAZARD WHEN PLTS MUST OPERATE ON RWY 12/30 IN STRONG XWIND A PRUDENT DECISION WOULD BE TO USE THE MORE THAN ADEQUATE RWY 5/23 WHEN THE WIND IS ALIGNED AND THE WINDSOCK IS STRAIGHT OUT. PLTS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY OF ARREST WHEN MAKING A DECISION TO USE 300 FT OF A 2300 FT RWY WHEN IT IS ALIGNED WITH A 20 KT GUSTY WIND. I FLY A TAIL DRAGGER, AND SEVERAL OTHER TAIL DRAGGERS OPERATE HERE. UNREALISTIC STANDARDS WERE USED TO CLOSE THE RWY CREATING HAZARD IN MANDATORY USE OF OTHER RWY IN XWIND.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.