Author Topic: Flying site lost (Read 6562 times)

Randy Powell · « **on:** June 18, 2016, 04:28:31 PM »

Some may have heard that we lost our flying site at Auburn Airport. This was due to airport expansion not anything we did or from complaints or similar. Such are the breaks. It's not a lot of fun trying to find a place to fly that is within reasonable distance from home. With flying electric, I'm going to try flying at a local school again. Last time I flew there, I got run off due to noise.

Suddenly, I'm not having fun.

john e. holliday · « **Reply #1 on:** June 18, 2016, 05:02:06 PM »

Don't feel lonesome. Topeka lost a good flying site to a water theme park. Enough area that both the park and circles could be kept. Don't know for sure but I would say some politician has some extra cash in his pocket. But, the site I went to for club meeting is a big grass circle in an open area with trees far enough away to no cause much turbulence. Tried to fly the Vagabond, but the old Fox is coming out with another in its place. May eve have to build another fuel tank. Also the new site is 4 miles closer to me. I guess if we all go electric, how can they complain about the noise. Maybe complain that we are having too much fun.

By the way the Shawnee Riverside Park is far enough away from the closest house I think we could fly a Dyna Jet with out problems.

Terrence Durrill · « **Reply #2 on:** June 18, 2016, 06:18:53 PM »

Quote from: john e. holliday on June 18, 2016, 05:02:06 PM

Don't feel lonesome. Topeka lost a good flying site to a water theme park. Enough area that both the park and circles could be kept. Don't know for sure but I would say some politician has some extra cash in his pocket. But, the site I went to for club meeting is a big grass circle in an open area with trees far enough away to no cause much turbulence. Tried to fly the Vagabond, but the old Fox is coming out with another in its place. May eve have to build another fuel tank. Also the new site is 4 miles closer to me. I guess if we all go electric, how can they complain about the noise. Maybe complain that we are having too much fun.

By the way the Shawnee Riverside Park is far enough away from the closest house I think we could fly a Dyna Jet with out problems.

I have built and flown traditional C/L powered planes since 1954 (62 years) and personally, I would quit the hobby before going electric....old habits die hard. Just my opinion.

Mike Griffin · « **Reply #3 on:** June 18, 2016, 06:44:45 PM »

The Baton Rouge club just recently lost theirs also but were able to secure another site for their contest in October. We in New Orleans are doing everything we can go gang on to ours.

Mike

Steve Scott · « **Reply #4 on:** June 18, 2016, 07:29:52 PM »

Our last 2 sites now sport shiny new office buildings on them. We have a temp site. I made another appeal for a new site at my May Parks 'n Rec Committee meeting (served as a member for 8 years so far) but the audio recorder had a problem and that wasn't mentioned in the meeting minutes. Our next meeting is this coming Tues so it will get presented again.

Joseph Patterson · « **Reply #5 on:** June 18, 2016, 09:51:45 PM »

We feel your pain down here in LA. Fortunately our club found another site in the park system that BREC agreed to let us use- even have the priviledge to assist the park grounds people in keeping it manicured. We have two very large grass circles on about four acres with use of another 1-1/2 to 2 acres for contest activities. The ground and grass are good enough to fly with wing landing gear with small wheels. Steve Millet (one really good pattern flier)flies his R.S. NOVAR PLANES w/PA65, AND RO-JETT 65? frequently at the new site with no T.O. OR landing problems. Some of our out of state competitors were worried that the grass circles might create some problems, but It appears they will be excellent. Brent Rogillio and the rest of the Baton Rouge Bi-Liners are steadily improving on an already good site. In our case it was a blessing in disguise in loosing the Baton Rouge site to the water park. I hope you guys will be as fortunate as we were in the end.
Doug

Randy Powell · « **Reply #6 on:** June 18, 2016, 10:06:17 PM »

I have to say I've thought about buying a piece of property and just fencing the thing and flying and screw everyone. I have enough room on the property where I live but it would be flying surrounded by trees. Sigh...

Shug Emery · « **Reply #7 on:** June 18, 2016, 10:09:28 PM »

Quote from: Steve Scott on June 18, 2016, 07:29:52 PM

Our last 2 sites now sport shiny new office buildings on them. We have a temp site. I made another appeal for a new site at my May Parks 'n Rec Committee meeting (served as a member for 8 years so far) but the audio recorder had a problem and that wasn't mentioned in the meeting minutes. Our next meeting is this coming Tues so it will get presented again.

Yessir...we got some kids in the club now...that might help nudge things.
Shug

Andre Ming · « **Reply #8 on:** June 18, 2016, 10:45:31 PM »

How our societal climate has changed.

As recently as the early-mid 70's, I could unroll my lines at any available school ground, fire up my Fox 36X engines, 1/2 A's, whatever, and fly with zero issues. In fact, people would come over and watch, ASK interested questions about the airplanes, etc. I never, ever, received a negative word or attitude.

By the early 1990's, that was all over. Now it was NOISE, NOISE, NOISE. Since then, I've had to find places to fly that that are out and away where the general public isn't.

Terrance:

I hear 'ya man. Take away the smell of nitro and castor oil, that wonderful sound of a two stroke glow engine, and you take away the vast majority of my identification with C/L. I full well realize that electric is the direction of the future... but the future will simply go where its going without me. I just don't want to fly C/L without my glow engines.

Andre

Mike Griffin · « **Reply #9 on:** June 19, 2016, 09:33:23 AM »

I remember growing up as a kid in the 50's and even into the early 60s, going out to our small airport and flying control line, free flight and RC and half the town would come out on Sunday to watch us fly. Every once in a while a Piper Cub or Aerocoupe would land and we would stop until they taxied in and went right back to flying.

I miss those carefree days

mike

wwwarbird · « **Reply #10 on:** June 19, 2016, 10:44:29 AM »

Quote from: Randy Powell on June 18, 2016, 04:28:31 PM

Some may have heard that we lost our flying site at Auburn Airport. This was due to airport expansion not anything we did or from complaints or similar. Such are the breaks. It's not a lot of fun trying to find a place to fly that is within reasonable distance from home. With flying electric, I'm going to try flying at a local school again. Last time I flew there, I got run off due to noise.

Suddenly, I'm not having fun.

Same problem for the last year with our club Randy, it sucks, bad.

Ken Burdick · « **Reply #11 on:** June 19, 2016, 12:32:09 PM »

Randy.
Is there any chance of the airport allowing contest with advance notice?

Steve Helmick · « **Reply #12 on:** June 19, 2016, 12:34:47 PM »

The timing of the eviction was fortunate, being two days after the Stunt-A-Thon...way better than two days before the contest. But also unfortunate for the throngs who did not attend. Losers!

Steve

Terrence Durrill · « **Reply #13 on:** June 19, 2016, 12:56:04 PM »

Quote from: Andre Ming on June 18, 2016, 10:45:31 PM

How our societal climate has changed.

As recently as the early-mid 70's, I could unroll my lines at any available school ground, fire up my Fox 36X engines, 1/2 A's, whatever, and fly with zero issues. In fact, people would come over and watch, ASK interested questions about the airplanes, etc. I never, ever, received a negative word or attitude.

By the early 1990's, that was all over. Now it was NOISE, NOISE, NOISE. Since then, I've had to find places to fly that that are out and away where the general public isn't.

Terrance:

I hear 'ya man. Take away the smell of nitro and castor oil, that wonderful sound of a two stroke glow engine, and you take away the vast majority of my identification with C/L. I full well realize that electric is the direction of the future... but the future will simply go where its going without me. I just don't want to fly C/L without my glow engines.

Andre

Andre.......you just spoke for me loud and clear. As I said....old habits (and old C/L fliers) die hard. I guess what we percieve as "true control line airplanes" is ingrained in our makeup and to us ...... C/L as it was, is what C/L is, and always will be to us......nothing will change that ....for us at least.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #14 on:** June 19, 2016, 12:57:56 PM »

Well, I'm checking around. There are a couple of RC clubs out where I am that may have space for a control line circle. One has both use of a airfield with paved runway and a grass site that is close cut. So I am at least somewhat hopeful of finding something within reasonable distance. We'll see.

Joseph Patterson · « **Reply #15 on:** June 19, 2016, 01:10:21 PM »

   Thanks for bringing that up Ty! When the Baton Rouge Bi-Liners became an official AMA chartered club we were then treated more or less on equal footing as the LARGE R.C. club in Baton Rouge that got exclusive use of park property on the other end of the the park system. In addition, we were fortunate to have about 36 yrs. of very good relations with the park people. They really wanted to help us get reestablished when they saw how well organized and prepared we were, as well as being backed up by the AMA.
   I need to mention that the DMAA club was a great help with advice and letting us customize their By-Laws to our needs(which were far better than anything we could come up with on so short a notice). Thank you Dale Gleason and Don Hutchinson!
   Doug

Steve Helmick · « **Reply #16 on:** June 19, 2016, 01:54:04 PM »

One of our problems has been where our members and/or contestants live. Park Departments don't seem to want to provide facilities for those from neighboring towns or even visitors from B.C. or Oregon. That's why we changed our club name from "Seattle" Skyraiders to "NW" Skyraiders. We thought the local ice cream vendors would appreciate our presence enough to give us some clout, but apparently they just thought we were louts?

Steve

Randy Powell · « **Reply #17 on:** June 19, 2016, 02:01:20 PM »

Well, certainly Seattle Parks has been less than helpful (like, get outta her, your bothering me). Auburn folks were helpful but it is what it is. I'm hoping I can make some progress with folks out here.

Steve Helmick · « **Reply #18 on:** June 19, 2016, 02:10:15 PM »

Randy, do you have enough professional clout to declare them psychologically incompetent and lock them away? The threat of that might help!

Steve

Phil Krankowski · « **Reply #19 on:** June 19, 2016, 03:10:33 PM »

I fly at the RC club, I am the only person who currently flies control line. The city sold the land to the nature preserve. They are planning to put in parking lot at the end of the runway, and a walking path *through* the fenced area... Of course the preserve is notoriously slow about things. We are convinced they want our improved pavilion and gravel parking areas.

The city happily is offering some unimproved park space with a deal similar to how the club acquired this land a couple decades ago. However the unimproved land will require brush removed, trees removed, leveling, fences, and more... The good news is the preserve is notoriously slow about things.

Half the club flies more at local schools that are adjacent to farm fields already... (RC of course)

Phil

Jim Kraft · « **Reply #20 on:** June 19, 2016, 04:35:51 PM »

Since Abilene Kansas is a small town of only about 7500 to begin with, and I am the only flyer left here that fly's either control line or R/C, I have lost both of the local fields. I use to fly in a private park with much encouragement from the manager of the park and spectators that use to come out to watch. Then the park manager retired and the new one does not even allow R/C cars out there.

The I had a grey hound practice track within half mile of my house that was great when they mowed, but a couple of years ago the decided to put in crops which ousted me from that one.

So when I want to fly I drive 27 miles to the Smoky Hill flying club in Salina to fly. They do have a great site and a nice circle, but it seems by the time I get there the wind is blowing a gale and I have to give up for the day. Now with my bad back and all I just do not have the push to go flying much.

I have always needed to fly a lot to keep my confidence up in the equipment and myself in order to fly competition. Eight or ten flights will get me close just before a contest, but only being able to fly rarely is not good. So I am kind of out of the loop for right now unless my want to comes back hard enough to overcome the shortcomings. The thing with the FAA is just about the straw that broke the camels back on top of all the rest.

And then, like others, electric would never do for an engine guy like me. It kind of makes me sick just to think about it. Been thinking about putting and engine in my electric shaver.

But I have been giving some of my engines to my great grandkids, and they are showing some interest. If all goes well I may have a flying site 5 miles away where my granddaughter just built a new house on their hundreds of acres of land. Once they get it all settled in I may have both an R/C field and a control line circle. Now if my back would cooperate.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #21 on:** June 19, 2016, 10:58:13 PM »

Looks like there might be a chance with the Shelton guys. We'll see. Also some possibility at the Port. They have a large paved area. Again, we'll see. But the possibilities look good. I suppose I can always drive out to Chehalis, but that is a haul.

Howard Rush · « **Reply #22 on:** June 20, 2016, 07:38:01 PM »

Port of Tacoma? Last time I looked, stuff was parked on it.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #23 on:** June 20, 2016, 09:54:42 PM »

Port of Shelton. The WSP uses it sometimes, but it's a possibility. Also a possibility at Sanderson Airfield in Shelton. Closed runway.

Mark Scarborough · « **Reply #24 on:** June 20, 2016, 11:33:44 PM »

Sanderson is decent, the air can be dicey a bit at times, like anywhere. I flew Pylon there. The skydiving school is entertaining at times, those jump planes dont get paid when they are empty and they come DOWN NOW.
anyhow, I think the asphalt is wide enough there, I dont recall the surface condition though.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #25 on:** June 21, 2016, 09:59:46 AM »

Sanderson isn't all that available. The airport is using the space more and more. The club has an alternate site that I'm going to go look at. And we are also looking at the Port area. Lot of pavement there. Couple of other sites also. And it may be that we will keep the Auburn airport until the end of the season. Mike Potter has been going to bat for us. We'll see on that. And it looks like we may get some help from the Auburn City Council on finding an alternate site. Again, we'll see.