Soft field

A soft field is an airport runway that is unpaved and usually made up of grass or dirt. It is a type of runway that is not covered with asphalt or concrete, and therefore requires a different operating procedure than a hard-surfaced runway. An aircraft operating procedure has to be followed to ensure the safe landing or takeoff of an aircraft on a soft surface without any hazard or damage to the aircraft. This procedure includes reducing the weight of the aircraft, using a longer runway than usual for takeoff or landing, and keeping the aircraft on a predetermined path until it reaches a safe altitude. The characteristics of a soft field require pilots to be skilled in landing and taking off on such surfaces, especially in adverse weather conditions, which affect the surface conditions of the runway.