I tend to wander from center

[John Fitzgerald]

When flying, I have to glance down once in a while to stay on center.   This is a distraction, since I have to fly high in order to look down.   Would it be helpful to install a smooth chest high pole to slide my left hand on and walk around when I fly, or would it be a distraction?  Has anyone tried it?   It could also double as a mower wrap/tether pole.  My circle only has 75.5 feet clear, and my longest lines are 64 feet.

[Tim Wescott]

Get some white road marking paint and paint a pilot's circle in the grass.  If you have normal peripheral vision, you'll be able to see a six-foot circle without looking away from level flight.

I'm not sure what size the regulation pilot's circle is, but you could paint one of those.

[Steve Helmick]

"3.1. A pilot’s circle shall be clearly marked. That circle shall have a minimum radius of three (3) feet but not larger than five (5) feet in radius."

So, 6' to 10' diameter is legit (for the mathematically challenged). There is no specific penalty for getting outside of the pilot's circle, but one can be DQ'd for flying in an un-safe manner.

I would add that some colors of paint may work better than white, depending on the current color of the grass. White works on green grass. On "summer tan" grass, black might be better. Since John has his own flying field, it might be good to concrete the center, or at least lay a 10' ring of bricks. Somebody (Tulsa?) bought a concrete septic tank lid to use, as I recall. You can also get concrete discs of various diameters for landscaping 'lawn steps'.  Steve

[Jim Kraft]

Back in my early days of flying in a city park I did not have a lot of room to move without hitting trees. I always carried a rag in my pocket to throw down in the center of the circle to keep me from wandering. Never had a problem with it.

[wwwarbird]

 The problem should go away if you simply work on focusing and concentrating on what you're doing out there, just like the stooge line ordeal.

 Cluttering the center of circle with more stuff is not the answer.

[RknRusty]

I used the rag method until I got more into CLPA. I use orange marking paint and it seems to be very visible to me in most types of grass. I paint a solid center and a 5' diameter circle around it like a bullseye. Just be careful not to paint your shoe when the wind is blowing. Lol  Strangely, yellow works very poorly for me.
Rusty

[john e. holliday]

I too wander flying on grass circles.  The new one especially as it is rough and I keep stepping in low spots.   Once the circle is located in a permanent location at the new field I plan on getting a solid center put down.   Flying in Topeka on their pave circle I had no problem staying in the middle.   I would move to the line for the pilot circle when I knew the engine was going to quit so Melvin wouldn't have to walk so far.

[Dave_Trible]

John I bought and dropped a pavestone marker on the new circle center.  This week I'll go dig it in flush to ground level if the rain ever stops.  We could do a ring of pavestones perhaps until we get around to pouring a concrete center.

Dave

[Motorman]

I have a stone in the center I keep my left foot on.


MM

[Lauri Malila]

This works well:

[kiwibrit]

I fly regularly at a rugby union football ground. I like to line up with goal posts in one direction and a row of floodlight poles 90° in the other direction. Helps keep me in position almost subconsciously.

[peabody]

It is a good idea to know where you are when flying.
My good friend Rich Giacobone has torn the outer wing off two different planes while flying in a 165' marked circle at Brodaks'......once on take off, another time on landing....
Situational awareness.

[John Stiles]

 Would it be helpful to install a smooth chest high pole to slide my left hand on and walk around when I fly, or would it be a distraction?  Has anyone tried it?   

I have, John....and I can tell you I'm not one bit ashamed. And if the time comes that I'm in a wheelchair, and need someone to rotate me...I will still fly my planes. This pole I can move to my bigger field, the bases are set in concrete, right now it is in my side yard. The lines are 60' long.