Broke in a new field today
01-01-2012, 07:22 PM
#1
Moderator
Thread Starter
Broke in a new field today
Not exactly a beginner topic, but the facility is new so I suppose that counts. My club had its first fly in at its new facility today. We have a long concrete runway, covered shelter, chain link pilot boxes, and a utility building. It's been a 3 year project to move from our old facility to this one, and it felt good to be there to see it. Several guys in the club donated their time to the project, with one retiree practically making it a part time job. It's great to see their sacrifices pay off and doubly great to watch my Kaos make a smooth takeoff run with no bouncing!
01-02-2012, 08:23 AM
#4
RE: Broke in a new field today
our club moved this spring. Grass field so a little rough for the first year. I know how you feel to have a new field.
Congrats and many smooth takeoffs and landings!!!!!!
Congrats and many smooth takeoffs and landings!!!!!!
01-02-2012, 09:04 AM
#5
Moderator
Thread Starter
RE: Broke in a new field today
Whatever was I thinking MetallicaJunkie? I haven't downloaded the pics I took, but if you can imagine a vast expanse of very smooth concrete with a pristine lake at one end and trees in the distance surrounded by about 100 airplanes you'll get the general idea. The only problem with this new facility is there are no expansion cracks to set my wheels in while I walk to the pilot box. I'll have to start setting my idle lower to keep the planes from rolling before I'm ready.
01-02-2012, 09:41 AM
#6
RE: Broke in a new field today
ORIGINAL: jester_s1
Whatever was I thinking MetallicaJunkie? I haven't downloaded the pics I took, but if you can imagine a vast expanse of very smooth concrete with a pristine lake at one end and trees in the distance surrounded by about 100 airplanes you'll get the general idea. The only problem with this new facility is there are no expansion cracks to set my wheels in while I walk to the pilot box. I'll have to start setting my idle lower to keep the planes from rolling before I'm ready.
Whatever was I thinking MetallicaJunkie? I haven't downloaded the pics I took, but if you can imagine a vast expanse of very smooth concrete with a pristine lake at one end and trees in the distance surrounded by about 100 airplanes you'll get the general idea. The only problem with this new facility is there are no expansion cracks to set my wheels in while I walk to the pilot box. I'll have to start setting my idle lower to keep the planes from rolling before I'm ready.
01-02-2012, 09:45 PM
#8
Moderator
Thread Starter
RE: Broke in a new field today
No, it's a new purpose built field for RC use. My club is the Fort Worth Thunderbirds. The Corps of Engineers owns the property our old field had been on since the '60's (also concrete) and wanted to use the land for something else. So they built this new one for us and actually made the runway a bit longer to accommodate the jets and larger planes we have now. We've had to invest significant money in the move ourselves and the location is not as convenient, but that's life. Our old facility was considered the best in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and now it's really a cut above.
I met a really interesting guy there too. He had been a club member when the old facility was built in the '60's. He had done some RC then with reed radios, but was mostly a competitive control line pilot. He worked as a professional pilot, flew a Cap 232 and taught aerobatics, and had seat time in, as he put it, nearly every general aviation plane you can think of. He's getting into the hobby again now and is having a great time learning all the new equipment.
I met a really interesting guy there too. He had been a club member when the old facility was built in the '60's. He had done some RC then with reed radios, but was mostly a competitive control line pilot. He worked as a professional pilot, flew a Cap 232 and taught aerobatics, and had seat time in, as he put it, nearly every general aviation plane you can think of. He's getting into the hobby again now and is having a great time learning all the new equipment.
01-03-2012, 06:01 AM
#9
RE: Broke in a new field today
Wow I am impressed a purpose built concrete runway. That is so unusual for club runways except perhaps where the surface was something else such as old runways. Especially considering the cost. I paid for just a simple twenty foot pilots circle to be used for controlline and a rotocraft pad and I can,t even imagine what an entire runway would be.
I can remember only flying off concrete at a place we flew at in the early sixties that we called the Secret Site. It was down at Terminal Island near Los Angeles on the old Navy base and what seemed like a huge concrete parking lot that was empty. Now in recent years its filled with new cars that are unsold and stored.
Our surface here is compacted desert hardpan that is somewhere between grass and asphalt.
Kudos to you and your club
John
I can remember only flying off concrete at a place we flew at in the early sixties that we called the Secret Site. It was down at Terminal Island near Los Angeles on the old Navy base and what seemed like a huge concrete parking lot that was empty. Now in recent years its filled with new cars that are unsold and stored.
Our surface here is compacted desert hardpan that is somewhere between grass and asphalt.
Kudos to you and your club
John
