Control line flying in the Washington D.C. area?

[Tim Redelman]

Is there any flying going on in the Washington D.C. area? I have been working here a lot lately and I would like to know where i might be able to fly within 100 miles or so.

Any Ideas?

Tim Redelman

[Peter in Fairfax, VA]

Tim,

We have a control line club here in northern Virgina, NVCL.  Our club has two circles in a meadow inside the 800 acre Meadowood Park in Lorton, VA.  Mostly we fly stunt.  There's an annual contest, the September StuntFest. PM me for details or if you want to go out flying.  Often, in good weather, Saturday mornings are popular.

Peter

[Carl Cisneros]

Tim;

I have a good choice of aircraft you can fly when you can make it.
just let me know when you want to come out to teh field and I can bring a plane out for you to fly.

Carl Cisneros

[Peter in Fairfax, VA]

This video of Carl flying gives a good feel for the field.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=9&v=2TG0VCMrL4Y

[Tim Redelman]

Cool!!

I will bring something to fly next time.

Thank you for the offer!

Tim

[Ken Culbertson]

This video of Carl flying gives a good feel for the field.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=9&v=2TG0VCMrL4Y

My first stunt flying was with a club that flew at Fairfax High School on weekends during the late 50's and early 60's.  I cannot remember the club name or the names of any of the other members.   I was 12 to 15 at the time.  Some of them were very good.   We also flew on a parking lot across from the Lincoln Memorial on the Potomac sewer.  Does anybody remember that club?  I would love to research and put some names to my memories.  They took me from barely being able to fly inverted to full patterns. 

Ken

[Ray Richardson]

 Is the S.L.O.W club (Sky Lancers of Washington) still active? 

[Carl Cisneros]

Peter:
That is my Sakitume 60+ with a lean motor run.
Youcan hear eggs frying if you listen carefully  LOL

Carl

[Peter in Fairfax, VA]

Carl,

Good on ya for noticing the lean condition.  When it first pulls into the loops, you can hear it sag lean, as you say.

Looking forward to getting out to the field soon.  Too windy today.

Peter

[Peter in Fairfax, VA]

I remember the Sky Lancers of Washington well (S.L.O.W. club.)  About the last I saw of them was about 2000.

Back in the mid '70s, they had some formidable combat fliers.  Often they used a plane which was large for the day, a Dinosaur, which flew well.  One fellow is particularly memorable for his flying style, Mike Streeter.  He was able to fly inverted and remain a steady 6 inches off the ground.  Few opponents could fly that low, that well.  This enabled him to get away and often win matches.

Peter

[Ken Culbertson]

I remember the Sky Lancers of Washington well (S.L.O.W. club.)  About the last I saw of them was about 2000.

Back in the mid '70s, they had some formidable combat fliers.  Often they used a plane which was large for the day, a Dinosaur, which flew well.  One fellow is particularly memorable for his flying style, Mike Streeter.  He was able to fly inverted and remain a steady 6 inches off the ground.  Few opponents could fly that low, that well.  This enabled him to get away and often win matches.

Peter

Thanks Peter.  The name rings a small bell and there was a lot of combat going on but for some reason I don't that was the club.  There were a lot of clubs back then. Too bad that we didn't have cell phone cameras back then.

We did a lot of crazy things as kids and a lot of kids flew.  Inverted limbo, picking up streamers with a rudder hook, wind flying among others.  To this day I can hold a plane at 6" inverted and so could most of the guys I fly with (I doubt I could do it with a combat wing).  Fortunately I have outgrown the need to try!

Ken

[Peter in Fairfax, VA]

I will say one thing about the NVCL field.  Since it is basically five acres surrounded by trees, with the main circle not far from the trees, the wind can be a little tricky as it rolls off the trees.  If you've ever been lake sailing in a tree-lined lake, you'll be familiar with the effect.  The air is a little turbulent and the direction changes.  We have a wind sock by the shade canopy, but the wind at the circle is different. 

[Guy B Jr]

The NVCL club has a good reputation. Have y'all ever thought about inviting some FAA supervisors (high up enough to have some juice) to come out to the field and demonstrate to them just what control line flying really is. Just a thought. You are closer to them anyone else.