ORIGINAL: archerry

What is the true reason we are quickly losing our flying fields? I was recently told buy a few individuals that it was the noise factor. I really think that is a lot of bunk....

I've been back into this hobby for several years now and one of the clubs I belong to has lost one of it's fields in favor of a housing development, (land value has gone up significantly here in California again). Another club that I belong to is being encroached on by dirt bike tracks (and I'm being told that model airplanes are noisy?) One large club at an old airport just closed down in the area and one of the largest fields in the area is being threatened now. WHY? How could these clubs (we) lose fields that are in remote canyons or in wide open areas were very little population exists and be the noise factor? I just get sick to hear that another golf course is going in somewhere when I live on one and only see maybe 10 to 15 people on average go by a day. I begin to wonder sometimes how they are able to keep and maintain their courses.

What I really think is that it's all our fault because there is not enough of us trying to be friends with the community. All most of us want to do is go to the field and fly our planes and that's cool too. But I don't want to hear you pee and moan and complain when you lose your field........ I'm going to ask you what you could have done to prevent it.

I think the answer is that all of us that care about this hobby and are interested in keeping our air fields should be more active in the community by doing things for the public (outside of air shows) like after school programs and more things for charities, etc.

Do you think with AMA's help, that we would be able accomplish this?