Well flying season is almost over for some of us that have to put up with inches of snow that will soon be here. but for myself flying season this year never got started. I used to fly with a good friend who was also my old instructor, we used to fly off a field he owned and maintained. sometime before the end of the season last year he was having pain in his back and legs and just thought it was a trapped nerve. It turned out it was more serious than that and he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Unfortuantely he lost his fight for life last month. Now the field has gone to ruin and even if his wife let us use the field we would not be able to take care of such a big field (they sold all the equipment to pay for medical expenses). The only other field in the area is pathetic as it is lined with tall trees making landings an art form. we all know that to land a plane you have to bleed off speed. but at this feild you have to point the nose of your plane to the ground once over the trees, gaining a lot of speed as you do so, at the last second you have to flare and hope the plane will slow down enough. We have tried talking to Iowa DNR many time in the hopoe of having the trees removed/shortened but they do not listen and we get a big NO everytime it is mentioned. We cannot fly after 8PM and have to contend with people walking across the field with dogs. We no longer have a club and have lost contact with nearly all the members. Myself and a friend have decided to take matters into our own hands and save the hobby from dying out in our area. We are going to have to find a new field and get a new charter from the AMA. Find new members and struggle to keep it running. What do you guys think is reasonable to charge members/new members in the first year of starting up a club? We will have to purchase all equipment to maintain the field, we will have to pay all the insurance costs also. this is going to be a huge undertaking for us and i am sure we will run into a lot of dead ends on the way. I welcome all suggestions that people have and that they can give.
thanks
paul

I would also like to add that this guy had a lot of knowledge that he took with him the day he died I wish it would have been possible for hime to have documented some of the things he did so all the years of experience he had were not taken to the grave and gone forever. he did always have books that he used as flight logs ie who he flew with, what the weather was like, you know the kind of thing. these logs are now treasures to his wife who can now read through them and remember some of the times her late husband was the happiest.

I don't know anything about fields or maintainance or member fees so I can not help you with any of that. I just wanted to say that I am deeply moved by this thread and I am so sorry for your loss of a great friend. Good luck with your endeavor in finding a new flying spot.

I dont think youll have much luck here at the beginners forum. Try the AMA forum. It has alot of useful information. Did you try contacting the AMA? THey will give you all the prices and how much certain things cost so you can maintain your field. IF the field is in bad shape, write to the AMA about your situation, and theyll post your field up in their monthly magazine, "Model Aviation." There, people will see how much is needed , and they can donate money to your field. ITs all part of a slow process, but im sure with the right moves, taht field will be up in no time.

try this:
membershp fees should be depended on what you offer. right now you dont have much. so id charge nothing id be happy with an friend to help me out.
i know iknow you need equipment. use your stuff from home until you get going.
contact the ama for help
go see your local government to see if they have land you can use for a field a park or something.
if not go see some big businesses in your area you'll take care of the land if they let you fly there.
good luck i wish i was there with you to help out

Just my opinion, for what its worth. First, approach the widow and try to find out if you could pay her for use of the field. Second, even a 2nd hand garden tractor and roller should take care of most of the field. I use a water filled roller, it weighs about 700 lbs mostly full, (you want to drain it before winter), and try to roll every time I cut after it rains. It makes the field very flat for me. This is primarily the stuff I do at my field, which is reclaimed pasture. If you can get some friends together to help you, this should be a piece of cake, it only takes me about 25 min. , 2 or 3 times a week to keep my field cut. The main runway is about 220' x 50'. I cut at 2" so I can fly my 40 size planes with no difficulty. To me, it would be a shame to lose the field that you already have established. So, it needs to be cut by someone with a brush hog once to get the overgrowth down. Then follow up with two or three cuttings with a finish cut mower to get it back to the proper depth again.