Flying Feild R.I.P.
01-11-2002, 07:11 PM
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Flying Feild R.I.P.
Let me try again. Please excuse if post is twice.
We lost our feild to a subdivision and industrial complex.
Our club officials found a small feild with a tree line swamp on one side and a powerline on the other. Both have claimed many planes. If that is not enough the owner lets his cows graze on our feild and they deposit very large objects on our runway and under our covered area.
I see many have awsome feilds with clubhouse and hard suface runways and the like. How do we go about getting us one? How much land do you recommend to have a comfortable feild? I know all this requires $$$$$$$$$$$ and time. But how do we get land and what would be a good lease, rent,etc.? Please Help. If the club does want to get involved some of us are going to do it anyway and just pay more money for dues,etc. Thanks!!!!!!
We lost our feild to a subdivision and industrial complex.
Our club officials found a small feild with a tree line swamp on one side and a powerline on the other. Both have claimed many planes. If that is not enough the owner lets his cows graze on our feild and they deposit very large objects on our runway and under our covered area.
I see many have awsome feilds with clubhouse and hard suface runways and the like. How do we go about getting us one? How much land do you recommend to have a comfortable feild? I know all this requires $$$$$$$$$$$ and time. But how do we get land and what would be a good lease, rent,etc.? Please Help. If the club does want to get involved some of us are going to do it anyway and just pay more money for dues,etc. Thanks!!!!!!
01-11-2002, 07:31 PM
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Flying Feild R.I.P.
Phillip:
Sorry to hear about your loss of field and now flying off of what is literally a cow pasture.
Way back (well sort of) in 1988 we leased our field on a turf farm. We figured we had best start to figure out how to get our own land so we raised the dues from $25.00 to $100.00 and marked the increase for a "land fund". We averaged 100 members the next two years and finally were able to put together a deal to buy 10 acres in very rural Broken Arrow, Ok. for $2,500/acre in 1990. We made a down payment and the owner carried the balance on a "contract for deed" for 10 years at 9%. We ended up paying off the mortgage a year early. With monies left from the land fund and "members zero interest loans" we were able to put in a 400 ft asphalt runway the first year. Since then we have added covered areas, concrete taxi-ways and start-up pads, heli/turbine-start pads. a clubhouse with central heat and air, indoor plumbing (mens and womans restrooms), kitchen, etc. We also took ownership of the rural water line that serves our area two years ago. Our dues are still $100.00 and our average membership since 1991 has been 90.
We were fortunate in that we have members whose skills are in areas we needed for construction, members who gave zero-interest loans and members who just donated money and materials. We could not have accomplished this without the support of so many members. I would think you would need this type of support also.
As far as land, you need to get as much as you can get. Besides our 10 acres, we lease 5 acres at the North and South end of our field to allow for runway overruns and to keep fence lines from the ends of the runways. Eventually, we will need to relocate (development is slowly marching towards us) but we will should be able to get a fair price for our spot.
Currently, we figure that our club assets (including the land that was last appraised at $3,500/acre) at $75,000.
We just decided to bite the bullet and not try to lease land anymore. We figured we needed to control that side and when we needed to sell, we would get the profit to put towards another site.
I would have to think that you would need at least 10 acres for you base and probably 80 to 100 surrounding for a flyover zone. Obviously you probably can't purchase 100 acres but if you are careful in picking out your site you can have some assurances that you have amply fly-over area. Our closest structure is a church exactly 1 mile away.
Hope this gives a little insite. It is not an easy task and you absolutely must have a committed membership (at least the majority) that will not only support the effort but understand that it will take time to make it happen.
Good luck.
Dan
edit starts here:
you can visit our website at www.americanturfflyers.com if you want to look at what we have accomplished.
Sorry to hear about your loss of field and now flying off of what is literally a cow pasture.
Way back (well sort of) in 1988 we leased our field on a turf farm. We figured we had best start to figure out how to get our own land so we raised the dues from $25.00 to $100.00 and marked the increase for a "land fund". We averaged 100 members the next two years and finally were able to put together a deal to buy 10 acres in very rural Broken Arrow, Ok. for $2,500/acre in 1990. We made a down payment and the owner carried the balance on a "contract for deed" for 10 years at 9%. We ended up paying off the mortgage a year early. With monies left from the land fund and "members zero interest loans" we were able to put in a 400 ft asphalt runway the first year. Since then we have added covered areas, concrete taxi-ways and start-up pads, heli/turbine-start pads. a clubhouse with central heat and air, indoor plumbing (mens and womans restrooms), kitchen, etc. We also took ownership of the rural water line that serves our area two years ago. Our dues are still $100.00 and our average membership since 1991 has been 90.
We were fortunate in that we have members whose skills are in areas we needed for construction, members who gave zero-interest loans and members who just donated money and materials. We could not have accomplished this without the support of so many members. I would think you would need this type of support also.
As far as land, you need to get as much as you can get. Besides our 10 acres, we lease 5 acres at the North and South end of our field to allow for runway overruns and to keep fence lines from the ends of the runways. Eventually, we will need to relocate (development is slowly marching towards us) but we will should be able to get a fair price for our spot.
Currently, we figure that our club assets (including the land that was last appraised at $3,500/acre) at $75,000.
We just decided to bite the bullet and not try to lease land anymore. We figured we needed to control that side and when we needed to sell, we would get the profit to put towards another site.
I would have to think that you would need at least 10 acres for you base and probably 80 to 100 surrounding for a flyover zone. Obviously you probably can't purchase 100 acres but if you are careful in picking out your site you can have some assurances that you have amply fly-over area. Our closest structure is a church exactly 1 mile away.
Hope this gives a little insite. It is not an easy task and you absolutely must have a committed membership (at least the majority) that will not only support the effort but understand that it will take time to make it happen.
Good luck.
Dan
edit starts here:
you can visit our website at www.americanturfflyers.com if you want to look at what we have accomplished.
01-11-2002, 10:30 PM
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Flying Feild R.I.P.
If you have a landfill site (i.e., dump) which has recently gone "out of business" and is owned/leased by a government agency, the EPA likes the idea of using these for model flying fields. The nice thing about them is that they are often in out-of-the-way places, and governments like to have someone else be on site to help with keeping it clean, etc., and will lease them very cheaply to an insured club. Regulated landfills are much nicer than you might think. Our club is looking at one right now, and it is actually a "cleaner" site than the current field--and with almost unlimited visibility in three directions! Moreover, farmers are not allowed to plant crops on it for a LONG time, so we are looking at some taller grass in the non-airstrip areas of the site. The AMA provides a useful "package" of information to help you file with local governments for approval.
01-12-2002, 01:51 AM
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Thanks Guys
This info is very useful. I did not know what a good position I was in. I work for a Utility Company that supplies electricity to my Parish (County). My immidiate boss is the Director of Utilities and Landfill is one of his departments. Our landfill just recently closed down and has a nice new cement road leading to it. I will talk to him about it and see where it leads. Again Thanks I was unaware of this provision.
This info is very useful. I did not know what a good position I was in. I work for a Utility Company that supplies electricity to my Parish (County). My immidiate boss is the Director of Utilities and Landfill is one of his departments. Our landfill just recently closed down and has a nice new cement road leading to it. I will talk to him about it and see where it leads. Again Thanks I was unaware of this provision.
01-12-2002, 03:33 PM
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Flying Feild R.I.P.
Philip,
The Northeast Aero R/C Club up in Monroe had the same problem, and found the same solution. They now fly off of a capped landfill.
I was a charter member of that club when it formed in 1988, but I've been away for 11 years. One of the founders, who actually got the land-fill deal going, was Jim Butler. He died a while back, but there may be somebody there who remembers what was done.
Steve
The Northeast Aero R/C Club up in Monroe had the same problem, and found the same solution. They now fly off of a capped landfill.
I was a charter member of that club when it formed in 1988, but I've been away for 11 years. One of the founders, who actually got the land-fill deal going, was Jim Butler. He died a while back, but there may be somebody there who remembers what was done.
Steve
01-15-2002, 10:10 PM
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brc007:
Thank you. We really do and most of us know just how lucky we are. Another nice thing is we can pretty much fly year-round so we get to enjoy it a lot.
If you are ever down this way let me know.
Dan
Thank you. We really do and most of us know just how lucky we are. Another nice thing is we can pretty much fly year-round so we get to enjoy it a lot.
If you are ever down this way let me know.
Dan
06-08-2007, 01:08 AM
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RE: Flying Feild R.I.P.
Hi Dan. Our club is considering a land purchase to use as a flying site, but only ten members are willing to spend their own money towards the purchase, each with an equal share. The rest of the present membership are only willing to pay club dues and fly. We are looking for some advice and guidance with regard to club rules, rights and responsibilities of field owners/members vs non-owners/dues paying members and such. As of now, the buyers would like the property to remain a flying site for perpetuity, not to be sold for any reason! Any info would be appreciated. Thank you, WAZ38
06-08-2007, 07:36 AM
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RE: Flying Feild R.I.P.
Philip, Have you checked the AMA website for information about this?
Don't remember how far you are from Avondale but I've been to the field near there (crescent city r/c) when I lived on the west bank. Maybe a temporary arraingment between the two clubs will let you fly till you get a field? Just a thought.
Just realized your post is 5 years old....sorry.
Bud
Don't remember how far you are from Avondale but I've been to the field near there (crescent city r/c) when I lived on the west bank. Maybe a temporary arraingment between the two clubs will let you fly till you get a field? Just a thought.
Just realized your post is 5 years old....sorry.
Bud
