lopflyers

My Feedback: (12)

It is so sad to loose a field, but it is even sadder when that field had the history of RCWorld.
Located in sunny East Orlando RCWorld is being there for more than 20 years. In its days of glory it was expensive to fly there since the club members owned the land.
It was home to multiple National events and competitions. Even the neighborhood around the asphalt runway was built thinking that only RCpilots would live there.
The names of the streets are a reflexion of that, RCWorld Boulevard, Inside Loop, Crosswinds Street...
It was RC heaven, then 4 hurricaines struck Florida and the club house was destroyed, then one of the club founders died and his estate wanted their share of the club. The land was sold and the club was gone.
2 years ago we started flying there again, now with the name of East Orlando Remote Control Association. From 5 members it escalated up to 46 in short time. Just last Memorial Day we had a wonderful picnic and flying day.
Well 3 weeks ago we received news from the new owner that they are starting construction of a new residential development there. ITISTHEEND.
Today I flew there for the last time.
The AMA flying sites department is helping us to get a new site, but we have being in a waiting list to see the Orange County Mayor for 2 months now, when we told them the subject for our appointment it was declared low priority.
The land field here would make a wonderful place for a new club and it is only 4 miles away from RCWorld.
I know there are RC pilots all over the nation that even belonged to RCWorld at one time or flew in competitions here, I wanted them to know that RCWorld, once thought to be the only RCneighborhood in the nation is now gone.

Hossfly

Man-oh-Man, that is definitely a SUPER SAD thing to hear.

Now please correct me if I am wrong. I have had the thought that RC World homes were owned by the RCers like homeowners own their homes in any sub-division. If so cannot the owners - surely they have a Home-Ownwers Association - file suit to stop taking the RC facilities away? Hard to believe that RCers would purchase homes in a designated RC community without having deed restrictions that also guaranteed those rights. If so, then they should join in and file a suit and a restraining order against the "new owners"'

RC World was advertised and originated for that very purpose. To sit and let it go just doesn't seem like the American way, yet on second thought, in this day and age, well ...???????? [:@]

lopflyers

My Feedback: (12)

This was a nice dream and my hat is off to those who conceive the idea.
But it didnt work, out of about 200 homes I know of three RCers that own houses there.
They even built a hotel for people comming out of town to fly here, well that didnt quite work either, now is a condo.
They took our playground on Father's Day

squeakalong

My Feedback: (8)

This is sad. I can remember visiting R/C World in the mid '90's when my wife and I lived in Melborne, FL. Actually thought about buying a home there in Orlando. However, the last time I attended a flying session "back then" at R/C World I mentioned to my wife that the residentual homes were closing in and it was only a matter of time before someone would want to build on the flying site. It truly was a nice place to enjoy modeling and I hope you folks can locate another flying site soon.

Soft landings,

Joe

lopflyers

My Feedback: (12)

You were so right, but since mid 90s to now we had 10+ wonderful years of fun.
The runway was north-south, so in the mornings up unti 10AM the sun would blind you.
We were located like 15 miles from Orlando International Airport and just on base of FS when they were landinsg from the North.
We were flying everything from park fliers, 3D, pattern, gas &giant scale.
There are 3-4 other flying sites in our suburban areas but they are all more than 25 miles away.

BUDMAN27

Breake out a bottle of Telmordu and say may the wind allway be at your back , may the sky allways be clear and may we find ourselfes a new place to fly soon.

WVaSratchbuilt

.I am the Son of one of the Founders.My Father had no financial windfall from R/C World while he was alive.It was a labour of love .With his cousinLee,they genersted interest,income and built with their hands the first Hanger.He poured every fiber of his life into a dream never achieving the full concept.The forty condos were built and the project stalled.My Father put his soul into R/C World for very little return,but for the joy of others.There even was an attempt, an illegal one,to sell R/C World Stock by an unauthorized party sometime near 2004.My Fathers involvement in R/C World ended before his death.The Corporation was disolved.He nor his estate madevanything in the sale of any propertiyThank God He was a Cardcarrying member of the AMA all his life and when he died flying ,it provided insurance proceeds for my Mom.Respectfully
William M. Sharpe ,111

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

Thanks for the inside info and sorry for your loss. Your father sounded like a very generous and loving man.

WVaSratchbuilt

The forty Condos were always condos.They were all originally purchased by modelers.i personally wrapped the radio closets in every condo with copper screen before the drywall was hung in 1985.You have no idea what my Father put out to bring a concept to what became "your playground".It was a sacrifice the whole family made.Bill Sharpe and Lee Painter built a Wonderful Playground .Sorry it is a memory

52larry52

My Feedback: (1)

I never knew about RC World or it's demise, however I was thinking about moving to On Top Of the World in Ocala Florida for it's RC flying club and field. Now I will keep in mind what happened to RC World should I go to On Top Of The World to house shop. Like in a lot of other areas of the country, RC flying fields here in North Georgia are hard to come by and even harder to keep.

ETpilot

Here is an article about RC World from an old issue of RCM magazine. Mice got to the magazine and chewed up the date of issue. WVa if you would like a copy, PM me an address and I will mail one.

General aviation airports and RC fields seem to be targets for closing and redevelopment. I've flown into many airports that no longer exist. Just memories.

Charley

My Feedback: (2)

My condolences for the loss of your father. I know how it feels having lost my wife of 50 years last November. I had some 'phone hucksters try to sell me some preferred stock in RC World at it's inception. Glad I demurred.

CR

CL Painter

balkanbear

.
Lee, I was just browsing Outerzone and their RC magazine website rclibrary .co .uk and made this connection. They have the very article you are looking for. RCM_1982_07_July. It is a pdf of the entire magazine.
Barry

ETpilot

MarkC99

Little late, but I just came across this. Sad. So so many clubs & fields gone. Wonder what the actual numbers are? I had the pleasure of spending a week at RC World in the early 90's. It was total bliss. Kids at Disney, Wife at the pool and me in the air with my just finished Goldberg Ultimate 10-300. Good Times.