Flying off Astro Turf??

[frank mccune]

     Hello All:

     Has anybody done this? What were your opinions?

     Frank

[Rick_Huff]

Allen Buck and George Waters flew off Astro Turf for several years and they loved it.  Maybe one of them will respond.
Rick

[peabody]

There is/was(?) an RC club that flew in a dump near Giant's Stadium that got the replaced astroturf from the stadium. I flew a Twister there and it was fine....would have been better had they done a little better job leveling.

Works fine.

[Dwayne Donnelly]

I think it could be important to know what kind of turf, the old kind that was a flat matt would be awesome to fly off but not so sure of the new kind with simulated  grass blades and little rubber pellets,  would wheel pants get caught up?

[Dan McEntee]

  I would it is hotter that hell in the hot sun, I'm thinking. Probably close to what asphalt gets maybe?? A strip or a section to take off on would be OK but I don't know if I would want a whole circle and have to replace the whole thing every ten years like sports teams do. I don't think it lasts forever, the sun does get to it I would imagine.
   Type at you later,
    Dan McEntee

[James Mills]

  I would it is hotter that hell in the hot sun, I'm thinking. Probably close to what asphalt gets maybe?? A strip or a section to take off on would be OK but I don't know if I would want a whole circle and have to replace the whole thing every ten years like sports teams do. I don't think it lasts forever, the sun does get to it I would imagine.
   Type at you later,
    Dan McEntee

Having played on artificial turf in college and coaching Jr. High I can tell you it gets very hot (sometimes I think asphalt might be cooler).

James

[Dan McEntee]

Having played on artificial turf in college and coaching Jr. High I can tell you it gets very hot (sometimes I think asphalt might be cooler).

James

    I remember about how hot they said it used to get on the field at old Busch Stadium #2 during the summer time. hotter than the ambient air temps! It's great you wouldn't have to mow it!! A take off strip or apron would be all I would want.
  Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

[Alan Buck]

 The astro turf we flew off was a indoor soccer dome that collapsed
   it was as good or better than asphalt   softer on the knees better
   take offs and landings  had a sand base we miss it

[George Waters]

We flew off an astroturf field for eight or nine years until the property was sold. Heat was never an issue only after a heavy rain then you got wet knees. It was like flying off a pool table. I miss that field.  George

[John Paris]

I flew off of artificial turf at a soccer school field in Korea.  This was the plastic kind of grass.  Not bad for flying and thankfully never experienced crashing into it but there was one issue with small tail wheels and more often with tail skids getting caught in the material prior to launch and restraining the airplane.  The seemed to happen if the airplane was moved backwards at all prior to release.  No complaints here as I was happy to have a place to fly.  Do not think it would be a good option for gas powered airplanes without some sort of "catch surface" for the exhaust.
John

[Trostle]

If you are flying on an artificial surface that is used for soccer, the players seem to dislike the slime from the model engines.  We found that they are really particular about that in France several years ago.  It would have been a great practice field a short distance from the official venue, but we could not use it.

Keith

[John Rist]

If you are flying on an artificial surface that is used for soccer, the players seem to dislike the slime from the model engines.  We found that they are really particular about that in France several years ago.  It would have been a great practice field a short distance from the official venue, but we could not use it.

Keith

Another reason for electric.