stunthanger.com
General control line discussion => Open Forum => Topic started by: Paul Taylor on September 13, 2016, 08:00:01 PM
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Raise your hand if your have flown on this field(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160914/703e096af3e417e0c0128ed18be8ad36.jpg)
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You don't say where it is.. ???
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No idea where that is. Never seen it before. Seems like it would be awfully easy for some IDIOT to drive into the circle while someone is flying!
Randy Cuberly
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If it's Anaheim Stadium in Calif., yes. Otherwise, haven't a clue. How about a location?
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Palisades Park, NJ
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Yes, I have. As Howard said Palisades Park. Unfortunately, I believe this won't be happening any longer. I really enjoyed it there. The parking lot was for the swim club. Ken
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Pal Park was obtained primarily through the efforts of Rich Giacobone, and spawned a four person club (the Bergen County Controline Flyers) .....we were able to use it on a "temporary" basis until the County created a permanent site (never happened....we pretty much got fed up). The pool complex was run and administered by the City of Palisades Park, while the parking lot (and 15' of the building pictured) was COUNTY property! Rich knew that and was close with the County administrators.
The shrubs upwind of the usual prevailing wind were short and not too disruptive.
Alas....the County decided that a permit ($125) was necessary per weekend (our original permit was for the period between Labor Day and Memorial Day) and storage of the barrels needed to minimize car traffic was denied.
The last contest that I CD'ed there (Sept 2010) drew 23 Experts.
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It's a shame that local governments treat CL that way. They figure that you are no big deal and that everything else is more important (soccer, little league, their pay-ola from various moneyed groups, etc.)
Consider this when you have to "play the game" with the politicians:
1) You must decide at the out-set that you are never going to give up. This means that you have to pace yourself and that you have to be able to hand the baton off to your fellow club members when you get exhausted. One weakness that CL has is that our members have been beat down so long that they accept the status-quo and will not fight for what they want. You see examples of that from time to time in responses on this web-site. You have to out-last them and be that thorn that only gets removed with provision of a flying site.
2) You have to aggressively court the public. Yes, that means doing "flight-training" at public events. An almost total waste of time in getting new members, but adds to your resume when you get the endorsement or thanks (yes, save those thank-you letters) from the Girl Scouts.
3) You need to sponsor building sessions (even if it is only for free-flight) for kids (or other PC-important group) at a local school or with a local group. They will need a flying site.
4) When you ask for a flying site, ask for it on behalf of the kids (or do your activities with disabled and ask for it on their behalf!)
5) When the politicians say "no", argue on behalf of the kids, disabled (or whatever group you are championing). This sounds terribly insincere and cynical, but you are likely sitting across the table from some of the most insincere, cynical people you will ever meet in this life (now someone is going to say "that's not true! Our local politicians are wonderful, caring people!" Yeah! Right! What turnip truck did you just fall off of? So, show me the flying site they set up for you...)
6) And don't ever forget: you pay your taxes, you are a citizen here, and this hobby is far better than any alternative they can cite. In fact, the reason people oppose this hobby is that it is an extremely beneficial hobby and they are just that kind of person...
It took us 5 years to get back on our flying field after being kicked off by the government. But we did. You have to never give up and yes, you have to be a big PITA until you get your way.
Oh, and one other thing: how old are you? Probably too old to use many of these facilities that the county has (how many 65 year old soccer players do you know?), while this hobby is a great boon for the elderly. The building segments require the thought and focus that helps stave off alzheimers and the flying is the kind of "soft recreation" that keeps elderly people active and healthy. So, do your county administrators discriminate against the elderly? Hmmmm...
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Great advice. Also for the most part it was used many, many years ago here in Tucson AZ and worked then and is still working now.
One more thing... Remind them that 6 to 16 year old soccer players don't vote but 65 year old Model airplane fliers DO! Of course Smile a lot when you tell them all this!
In all of my 76 years I never met a politician that wasn't Egotistical, self aggrandizing, and at least a little "crooked".
Randy Cuberly
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Rich and I pursued the effort through three administration changes.....
Bergen County in NJ's most populous as well as having the highest density. Plus a HUGE number of tree huggers that didn't enjoy seeing adults having fun.
We were close a couple of times................
The Pal Park site became extinct because the County folks misinterpreted the FAA ruling about proximity to airports (Teterboro is about 2 miles away) ........ that might be overcome, but the Park Use fee of, essentially, $125 daily cramps things.....
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Nothing like having your civil servants being uncivil. I wish you guys could have won.