Flying sites in the Broward / Dade County area

[George Albo]

I'm going to start building soon after a 25 year hiatus and I'm going to want to fly right after the last drop of dope dries.

Much has changed in the Broward / Dade County area in that 25 year period of time, and even previously. From what I saw on google maps, gone is the Tamiami flying field, (now FIU and the Dade County Fair Grounds). Seems that the old fight circle and runway for R/C are history. No sense driving over there unless someone knows different.

Sooooo, if you live in this area, do you know of any flying sites. I think that Dade North Jr. College might still have an open area by the stadium out on the South side. Other than that, I don't know where else to fly when I'm ready to.

I'm not interested in Markham Park as that's not one of my preferences.  Any suggestions would be welcomed if you guys know of some places.

Thanks,

George Albo

[john e. holliday]

Have you checked out the Find One Teach One section of this forum?   I so know there are guys flying in Florida as I had a chance to visit s few while seeing my daughter and family that used to be in Stuart.

[George Albo]

Have you checked out the Find One Teach One section of this forum?   I so know there are guys flying in Florida as I had a chance to visit s few while seeing my daughter and family that used to be in Stuart.

Thanks I'll look at that. Happy Thanksgiving

[Curt D Contrata]

George,
Markham Park in Broward County is the place! They have an R/C Runway as well as a very nice circle for flying. I flew there for years, every weekday morning as the sun rose. the park is off SR-84, and is just west of I-75. The center of the circle has a concrete pad, and there is a curved concrete runway that is about 30' long. With the exception of a few palm trees that the park planted, it is very clean air to fly.

There are a few people who visit this forum who fly there, Phil Brown (Garf) is one.

I remember all the old sites you wrote about, flew at them all, including Nova College in Broward.

Good luck,

Curt

Search this address in Google Maps, the flying area is in the SE corner of the park. You will see the runway, the control line circle is SE of their runway. You can see the take-off strip if you look carefully.

16001 W State Rd 84, Sunrise, FL 33326

[Curt D Contrata]

Google Maps view...

[George Albo]

George,
Markham Park in Broward County is the place! They have an R/C Runway as well as a very nice circle for flying. I flew there for years, every weekday morning as the sun rose. the park is off SR-84, and is just west of I-75. The center of the circle has a concrete pad, and there is a curved concrete runway that is about 30' long. With the exception of a few palm trees that the park planted, it is very clean air to fly.

There are a few people who visit this forum who fly there, Phil Brown (Garf) is one.

I remember all the old sites you wrote about, flew at them all, including Nova College in Broward.

Good luck,

Curt

Search this address in Google Maps, the flying area is in the SE corner of the park. You will see the runway, the control line circle is SE of their runway. You can see the take-off strip if you look carefully.

16001 W State Rd 84, Sunrise, FL 33326

Great! Thanks! Happy Thanksgiving

[Garf]

I flew a long time at the Markham Park site till my flying partner ran into some domestic problems. I may be finished flying, but I would be happy to help you fly as much as I can. I have over 80 engines and may be trying to sell some of them soon.

[George Albo]

I flew a long time at the Markham Park site till my flying partner ran into some domestic problems. I may be finished flying, but I would be happy to help you fly as much as I can. I have over 80 engines and may be trying to sell some of them soon.

Cool. Let me ask you something...your name rings a bell...Were you a member of the Aeronuts in the 70's? Have or had a relative that owned/ran a theater in coral Gables? Might be another Phil Brown...just asking

George Albo

[Garf]

I was a member of the Miami Aeronuts, and my cousin ran the childrens theater at 110 aragon avenue. I don't remember you from your name. There is no legal flying site in Miami-Dade county. I still have the T-shirt.

[peabody]

Reach out to Dennis Toth....He's in Jupiter and has a couple of locations....
Have fun!

[bob whitney]

  Jupiter is a long way from Miami ,Seems to me i remember  name Aeronuts from back in the 50's and 60's when we used to have rat and combat contest almost every weekend, i belonged to the N.M Prop Busters and the Tropic Aero's, and the NMB Screaming Demons in the 50's and 60's

[Garf]

I don't remember the Miami Aeronuts throwing any contests. There was a lot of activity in the late 50's and 60's. I hears tell that there were 4 circles at the area of LeJune rd. and 36th st. in the late 40's. There was also a lot of flying at Central Stadium (aka the garbage bowl). I flew there when I was in high school.

[George Albo]

I was a member of the Miami Aeronuts, and my cousin ran the childrens theater at 110 aragon avenue. I don't remember you from your name. There is no legal flying site in Miami-Dade county. I still have the T-shirt.

lol  small world. I was a kid at the time, I remember the shirt as I had one too. You were fussing with converting a cox .049 to diesel then. I was a member for a short time as it was difficult for me to get around as a teenager without a car. If memory serves me right, you had a workshop in a wooden garage you were renting out near to your home.  Looking forward to meeting up with you sometime in the future. (I won third place in an endurance contest over by Tamiami Park sponsored by the AeroNuts. I was the third contestant. My entry was a scientific stuntmaster. Flew for five minutes lol. Couldn't get the engine to run right) Got a battery as a prize!

fond memories...
 

[bob whitney]

I don't remember the Miami Aeronuts throwing any contests. There was a lot of activity in the late 50's and 60's. I hears tell that there were 4 circles at the area of LeJune rd. and 36th st. in the late 40's. There was also a lot of flying at Central Stadium (aka the garbage bowl). I flew there when I was in high school.

 

  the city built 3Clay  circles at LeJune RD just south of 36st in the mid 50's, my Dad supplyed the used engine oil to cover one of the circles we used for racing, Try that today.did most of our flying at Masters Field on 27th ave. miles and miles of pavment .

[George Albo]

 

  the city built 3Clay  circles at LeJune RD just south of 36st in the mid 50's, my Dad supplyed the used engine oil to cover one of the circles we used for racing, Try that today.did most of our flying at Masters Field on 27th ave. miles and miles of pavment .

Sure, I know the area well. LeJeune and 36 street housed the former Eastern Airlines building/complex. Those flight circles have since been paved over.  This  is just South of Miami Springs / Hialeah Gardens. For anyones info, Eddie Rickenbacker the American WWI Ace had a house in Miami Springs not too far from that area.

[Garf]

 did most of our flying at Masters Field on 27th ave. miles and miles of pavment .

That was the remains of an ancient airport. No longer exists.

[Curt D Contrata]

Phil,
Sorry to hear you are no longer flying. You were one of the first people we met in 1970 when my dad and I were starting out, and the first person I ever saw fly a 4-Leaf Clover. It was why I built a Magician a few years later. Not sure when you started flying, but I remember you speaking of flying combat and the Chicago Nats. Come to think of it, you were probably the first person I met that had been to a Nationals, and who flew at the KOI when it was in Miami.

Speaking of Chicago, I think I remember you wearing a Chicago Aeronuts T-shirt, and the reason our club was named the Miami Aeronuts.

For those who do not know of Phil or of his motor collection, he is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to obscure motors and especially Johnson's. He used to show up at the field with a dozen 1/2A's bolted to a board and get them all running at the same time - kind of like a plate spinner if you can appreciate the visual. And always with a briefcase of motors for sale I might add.

Definitely part of the history of model aviation in Miami. Thank you for the memories, and all your help to my father and I when we were starting out. I hope you are doing well, and have a healthy and happy holiday season and new year.

Curt

PS: George, the Aeronuts had just one contest, it was at Tamiami near the Soapbox derby ramp, we had 3 circles there. I won my first trophy in Stunt (flying a Magician) and first place in Endurance. I was flying a Profile Stirling carrier kit (Skyraider?) it had an OS 35 R/C and a 16 ounce tank. My time was just under 45 minutes!

[George Albo]

Phil,
Sorry to hear you are no longer flying. You were one of the first people we met in 1970 when my dad and I were starting out, and the first person I ever saw fly a 4-Leaf Clover. It was why I built a Magician a few years later. Not sure when you started flying, but I remember you speaking of flying combat and the Chicago Nats. Come to think of it, you were probably the first person I met that had been to a Nationals, and who flew at the KOI when it was in Miami.

Speaking of Chicago, I think I remember you wearing a Chicago Aeronuts T-shirt, and the reason our club was named the Miami Aeronuts.

For those who do not know of Phil or of his motor collection, he is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to obscure motors and especially Johnson's. He used to show up at the field with a dozen 1/2A's bolted to a board and get them all running at the same time - kind of like a plate spinner if you can appreciate the visual. And always with a briefcase of motors for sale I might add.

Definitely part of the history of model aviation in Miami. Thank you for the memories, and all your help to my father and I when we were starting out. I hope you are doing well, and have a healthy and happy holiday season and new year.

Curt

PS: George, the Aeronuts had just one contest, it was at Tamiami near the Soapbox derby ramp, we had 3 circles there. I won my first trophy in Stunt (flying a Magician) and first place in Endurance. I was flying a Profile Stirling carrier kit (Skyraider?) it had an OS 35 R/C and a 16 ounce tank. My time was just under 45 minutes!

Holy Carp! That is where I flew. That's correct.  That was the contest. The winner went on and on for 45 minutes! lol that was you! I was the kid that was in the air the whole of 5 minutes, the 3rd of three, and last contestant. Got a battery for third place. lol I met you....lol too funny. I too had the T-Shirt. It featured a NUT with a pair of wings.

[Curt D Contrata]

OK, I had to go hunting... Attached are photos of my Aero-Nuts T-Shirt discussed above, along with the original artwork for the logo submitted by my dad. The third picture is of the "Miami Combat Team" T-Shirt. The entire team consisted of John Robbins and me, and I can believe either of these shirts ever fit me!

Curt

[George Albo]

OK, I had to go hunting... Attached are photos of my Aero-Nuts T-Shirt discussed above, along with the original artwork for the logo submitted by my dad. The third picture is of the "Miami Combat Team" T-Shirt. The entire team consisted of John Robbins and me, and I can believe either of these shirts ever fit me!

Curt

Wow! You brought back some cool memories.  Do you remember the older gent who had a van, blue I think, he was one of the volunteers that would mow the flight circles? I think he may have been one of the judges.