Beautiful day of missed opportunity

[Gary Dowler]

Day off, beautiful weather, free time, FLYING!!  Almost.   Went to 3 different places where I have flown recently. One was  simply busy with athletic goings on. One was open but it's private and I wasn't able to reach anyone for permission. Finally I went 12 miles to my last hope spot. Found it empty and one area had suitable grass. But 100yds away there were 3 teenagers hanging out on some playground equipment, and I just know they would have headed my way before I could get 2 laps in, and as dumb as kids are today I was certain they might just walk right into my circle. Being alone I didn't think I had much chance to both fly and ward them off.

Poop!!!

Gary

[Chris Fretz]

I have the same kind of problems as you. You want to fly cause it's finally nice out but every baseball field is busy this time of the year. Everywhere you go there is always someone around. I'm always wishing I had my own private field.

Chris

[jim ballard]

 Yesterday was absolutely a perfect day for flying, (no wind which is extremely rare this year) but I had so much that I needed to get done around the place that I just couldn't get to it. Hopefully the wind here in west central Texas will will give me a break and I can get some handle time. Seems there is always something that gets in the way, whether it's finding a place to fly....or simply not getting the chance to fly.

[Jim Carter]

Not to be disrespectful but unless you had reason to think that they might want to harm you, I believe you may have missed a wonderful opportunity to 1.  have some free help, 2. provide a teachable moment, 3.  become a mentor to some that may, just may, follow in your footsteps and become future world champs.  The reason I write this is because I too faced just such a situation a few years ago and after talking with them and spending a few Saturdays guiding them, all three young men became really proficient in minimum time before high school activities, girls, after school jobs and sports took the lead.  One year, they even participated in the Ringmaster Fly-A-Thon and posted some pretty big numbers!  Granted they never built a plane, they just flew mine, but I made sure they learned all the safety rules and fundamentals of fueling, starting, inspecting and maintaining all of the equipment.  A few months ago I was informed that the oldest of the three had graduated and joined the Navy and is serving on one of the carriers!  The second oldest is about to graduate high school and head for college, the family of the youngest moved to NC, I believe, and he is attending high school up there, I believe.  I really enjoyed and very much miss these young men and the times I had with them.  Hopefully, a bunch more will come along before I'm too old to work with them.

[Fredvon4]

Sorry Jim I disagree greatly....but do accept your scenario is Ideal....just not in MY EXPERIANCE

My county sports complex is excellent for my LONE stooge sports flying....but ONLY when kids are in school

During some flying sessions just as I launch for a 6 min (early morning low wind) flight a car pulls up....mom and kids jump out and immediately try to walk right up to me flying

despite my placing orange cones all around the circle on the soccer field I am using....  very dangerous and distracting as I am now paying a lot of attention to the running and grab assing kids and not my plane.....

Then brief lean and engine quits...now have to land with kids in side the circle.....They are totally oblivious to the danger and so is mom a few yards away watching and NOT commanding them to get away

One day I was done and simply enjoying a smoke next to plane before getting active to clean and load out...car pulls up...mom and kids get out...they run to see the cool plane and ask questions.... every thing cool ---and teaching moments abound... then as mom comes over, one of the little buggers deliberately stomped my RST into junk balsa and foam.....Mom grabbed the lil bugger ....but I could tel by car and ruffians she did not have the ability to compensate me.... packed out pisst but that was that

If I was more into this hobby I would seriously consider buying a private chunk of land and developing my own private circle...Irks me cuz I paid good tax money to help create the multi use sports complex and I am welcome there by the city council and complex staff

Same problem in my area for a shooting range.... a few places..... but the locals that just go watch are brain dead and cause me to pack out early

[John Rist]

We are fortunate, here in Huntsville Alabama, to have good flying site.  It is in the parking lot of the local high school football stadium.  We are second banana meaning we can only fly when nothing else is going on.  Having said that we have had some really dumb people drive drive through the flying circle with an aircraft in the air.  Also we have had some really weird people walk up.  One wanted to buy one of the airplanes for $10.  It's a fact the public no longer has a clue.  I even had one man try and tell me where the RC flying field was located.  But we still have a great place to fly.  The parking lot is fenced and we keep the gate closed.  So far so good!