North Texas Pylon Race, May 30th, Ft Worth, TX
05-24-2015, 05:55 AM
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North Texas Pylon Race, May 30th, Ft Worth, TX
North TX Pylon Race #1 , Saturday, May 30, 2015
The 1st race in the N.Tx. Pylon Racing Org's 2015 Q-25/Club 40 & EF-1 Pylon Racing series is May 30th, 2015.
This will be a Two (2) Pylon Course, 400 feet between Pylons.
We will be alternation classes between Q-25/Club 40 & EF-1.
We will fly the Q-25's and the Club 40's in the same heats since previous head-to-head testing has shown that the airplanes are essentially the same speed when flown smoothly.
The fuel will be 15% and you must provide your own fuel (we will trust you, if you win by using greater than 15% fuel, you aren't a winner, just a cheater)
Registration will be at 10 AM, 1st race will be at 11 AM.
Event Fee will be $20 and will include lunch for all registered pilots
Second event entry fee is $10
Lunch is FREE for all course workers
Lunch will be available to non-entrants for $5.
Fort Worth Thunderbird R/C Club is hosting event.
Location will be at the T'Birds New Field, Mustang Park, Lake Benbrook, 3602 Winscott Plover Road, Fort Worth, Tx. 76126.
GPS: 32 deg 36 min 35.12 sec N, & 97 deg 29 min 06.31 sec W.
Admittance to Mustang Park is free to AMA members. Ask for a "Thunderbird Pass" at the gate house.
We are going to try something a little different this year in that I've invited "quad racers" to come and see if pylon racing will work for multi-rotor models. Quad pilots must be AMA members to compete due to insurance requirements
CD: Gary James 817-689-3778
CD: Verne Bell 817-629-1909
We hope to see you there.
This will be a Two (2) Pylon Course, 400 feet between Pylons.
We will be alternation classes between Q-25/Club 40 & EF-1.
We will fly the Q-25's and the Club 40's in the same heats since previous head-to-head testing has shown that the airplanes are essentially the same speed when flown smoothly.
The fuel will be 15% and you must provide your own fuel (we will trust you, if you win by using greater than 15% fuel, you aren't a winner, just a cheater)
Registration will be at 10 AM, 1st race will be at 11 AM.
Event Fee will be $20 and will include lunch for all registered pilots
Second event entry fee is $10
Lunch is FREE for all course workers
Lunch will be available to non-entrants for $5.
Fort Worth Thunderbird R/C Club is hosting event.
Location will be at the T'Birds New Field, Mustang Park, Lake Benbrook, 3602 Winscott Plover Road, Fort Worth, Tx. 76126.
GPS: 32 deg 36 min 35.12 sec N, & 97 deg 29 min 06.31 sec W.
Admittance to Mustang Park is free to AMA members. Ask for a "Thunderbird Pass" at the gate house.
We are going to try something a little different this year in that I've invited "quad racers" to come and see if pylon racing will work for multi-rotor models. Quad pilots must be AMA members to compete due to insurance requirements
CD: Gary James 817-689-3778
CD: Verne Bell 817-629-1909
We hope to see you there.
05-27-2015, 10:27 AM
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hey Gary,
I just looked on the Weather Channel online because of the monsoon we've been experiencing here in Texas.
It shows 60% chance of rain for Saturday...
When would you call it off IF you do?
I just looked on the Weather Channel online because of the monsoon we've been experiencing here in Texas.
It shows 60% chance of rain for Saturday...
When would you call it off IF you do?
05-27-2015, 10:50 AM
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Hi Jim: Right now, the main access road to the field is closed due to water over the road. The field is open but we are using the Bear Creek Campground entrance. I plan to go out to the field tomorrow afternoon for some test flying and to check things out. IF we have to cancel, I will post it on all of the appropriate forums and my racers email list by Friday evening. The field is most likely going to be just fine. The only consideration is if there is severe weather. Do you need an earlier decision because of the driving distance???
05-27-2015, 11:43 AM
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thx for the reply Gary.
Typically I take a vacation day on Friday and leave in the morning. That way I can get to field and practice around actual pylons. :-)
Not knowing until Friday evening makes it rough.
Update,
I couldn't wait any longer to make the call,
Sooooo,
I'm coming!
It's on...
Typically I take a vacation day on Friday and leave in the morning. That way I can get to field and practice around actual pylons. :-)
Not knowing until Friday evening makes it rough.
Update,
I couldn't wait any longer to make the call,
Sooooo,
I'm coming!
It's on...
Last edited by scattermaster; 05-28-2015 at 10:45 AM.
05-28-2015, 11:57 AM
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Hi all:
I went out to Thunderbird field this morning to check things out and get in some practice laps. The field itself is in GREAT shape. The grass is very green and mowed, the soil is soft but not a mudpit. The lake is VERY high and the current shoreline is about 100 yards North of the North end of the runway. Unless you land REALLY short, it should not be a problem at all. For those of you that are familiar with the field, the helicopter area, northwest of the runway is flooded at it's North end. But that really doesn't affect us and actually wouldn't affect any heli fliers.
The only issue is that the regular entrance to the field through the Mustang Park gate is closed due to part of the access road being under water. SO... the Corps has provided us access to the field via the Bear Creek Campground entrance. That entrance is about 2 miles further West of the Mustang Park entrance on FM 1187. The road is: Ben Day Murin Rd. and there is a little cafe with a water tower "Cafe 1187" at the Northwest corner. Just enter the Bear Creek Campground, (a couple of miles down the road) show your AMA card and ask for a "Thunderbird Pass". Follow the park road around until you come to a right turn down a gravel road. There is a equipment parking pad with a large pile of gravel and a green dumpster just before the turn. It's called Peninsula Road, but it's not marked. Turn right and it will take you to the entrance to the field.
Right now, the last forecast that I saw was for a 50% chance of rain, winds South at 5-15 and a high temp of 84 deg. Most of the rain is supposed to be on Friday night and early Saturday, so unless something changes dramatically or if we come under a severe thunderstorm warning, the race is still a go. I don't plan to cancel it unless it's pouring or the conditions are going to become severe, so each of you can decide as you see fit. Let's keep our fingers crossed.
I'll post another weather forecast update tonight after the 6 o'clock news if anything changes and again on Friday afternoon after the noon weather report.
I went out to Thunderbird field this morning to check things out and get in some practice laps. The field itself is in GREAT shape. The grass is very green and mowed, the soil is soft but not a mudpit. The lake is VERY high and the current shoreline is about 100 yards North of the North end of the runway. Unless you land REALLY short, it should not be a problem at all. For those of you that are familiar with the field, the helicopter area, northwest of the runway is flooded at it's North end. But that really doesn't affect us and actually wouldn't affect any heli fliers.
The only issue is that the regular entrance to the field through the Mustang Park gate is closed due to part of the access road being under water. SO... the Corps has provided us access to the field via the Bear Creek Campground entrance. That entrance is about 2 miles further West of the Mustang Park entrance on FM 1187. The road is: Ben Day Murin Rd. and there is a little cafe with a water tower "Cafe 1187" at the Northwest corner. Just enter the Bear Creek Campground, (a couple of miles down the road) show your AMA card and ask for a "Thunderbird Pass". Follow the park road around until you come to a right turn down a gravel road. There is a equipment parking pad with a large pile of gravel and a green dumpster just before the turn. It's called Peninsula Road, but it's not marked. Turn right and it will take you to the entrance to the field.
Right now, the last forecast that I saw was for a 50% chance of rain, winds South at 5-15 and a high temp of 84 deg. Most of the rain is supposed to be on Friday night and early Saturday, so unless something changes dramatically or if we come under a severe thunderstorm warning, the race is still a go. I don't plan to cancel it unless it's pouring or the conditions are going to become severe, so each of you can decide as you see fit. Let's keep our fingers crossed.
I'll post another weather forecast update tonight after the 6 o'clock news if anything changes and again on Friday afternoon after the noon weather report.
05-29-2015, 06:54 AM
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I plan to go out to the field again this afternoon, starting at about 1pm or so. The water is rising from last night's rain and there is one more rain event tonight in the "wee hours". The field itself should be accessible, but we'll have to keep an eye on the water level as it starts encroaching on the runway.
05-29-2015, 01:09 PM
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CANCELLED
Regrettably it is necessary to cancel tomorrows race. As of noon on Friday, the Corps of Engineers has completely closed off the park and is not allowing access to anyone. The field is still above water but with another expected rainfall tonight and the fact that the Corps is not letting any water out of the lake so as not to flood the Trinity river more than it already is, it is highly probable that the field WILL be underwater by tomorrow morning. The field elevation is 709 msl. Bear Creek Drive will remain out of water until about 711. The spillway notch is 710 so the field will be underwater before water goes over the spillway.
Sorry guys, I got this info out as soon as I could. The club is moving the mowers out of the storage shed because the water is only about 25 yards from the door.
Regrettably it is necessary to cancel tomorrows race. As of noon on Friday, the Corps of Engineers has completely closed off the park and is not allowing access to anyone. The field is still above water but with another expected rainfall tonight and the fact that the Corps is not letting any water out of the lake so as not to flood the Trinity river more than it already is, it is highly probable that the field WILL be underwater by tomorrow morning. The field elevation is 709 msl. Bear Creek Drive will remain out of water until about 711. The spillway notch is 710 so the field will be underwater before water goes over the spillway.
Sorry guys, I got this info out as soon as I could. The club is moving the mowers out of the storage shed because the water is only about 25 yards from the door.
