adoman

Just getting stareted in park flyers. I was wondering if anyone has flown in school gyms. Can you just go or do you have to contact someone and talk about liability and stuff like that. Is it more practicle just to fly outside. My problem is where I live it's really cold this time of year and it's not fun to fly outside. Thanks for your response.

foreverNight

I'ts unlikely that "school officials" will let you fly in their gyms. Yeh that liabillity crap. I got kicked out of an outdoor softball field! just wait for a calm day and fly at a school field
. you can probably fly in the gym if you know the janitor or something!

iflyj3

My Feedback: (7)

Yes we do. Find the right contact. Around here the gyms are rented per hour. Check with your local Amory, like National Guard, ours rents for $25 per hour. We are flying this month in a school gym that is twice as large as the Amory for $34 per hour. We reserve the gym for 3 hours.

Ask how to rent the gym and tell what you are going to do. Don't mention liabilty, let them ask. You may open a can of worms that may prevent renting it.

BTW, a lot of the park flyers are too fast for a gym. My indoor plane flys at about 3 MPH, which outside is extremely slow. But in a gym, it is fast.

Have fun and get a model for the inside.

adoman

That sucks. I kinda figured that liability was gonna be a issue. Oh well. Thanks

U2Steve

Adoman-

Are you an AMA member? That takes all the "liability" sting out of the issue. If you're flying according to AMA safety rules, you're covered, inside or out. That actually makes it EASIER, in many cases, to secure a site. And don't worry- you can keep quiet on liability, but it will be the first thing any site owner will ask about!

As iflyj3 said, a lot depends on the contact. Around here, the individual school's janitor has the final say, because the principal, generally, just ain't gonna come out on a weekend or late at night to open/lock up; it's the janitor. We were lucky enough to have a member of our group (Lexington Model Airplane Club) who knows the janitor at the new big site personally, and knows her well enough that she gave us a discount- we're getting the "non-profit group" rate! And don't be afraid to ask around- we got a HUGE site, because the janitor at a smaller school (with a smaller gym), that we looked at first, suggested the bigger school to us.
Tip: You might want to stress the fact that there's no setup or teardown involved, and what you're doing won't make a mess. If all the person has to do is unlock the doors, then turn off the lights and lock up afterwards, they'll be more receptive to your asking to use a site.

Steve

adoman

No i'm not a registered AMA member. Can you do that through their web site? How much does it cost? Thanks for the tips. I'll be contacting the local school sometime soon. I figure my chances of them letting me fly are pretty slim. Any other tips on how to convince the school officials. What would be some other good indoor facilities to fly in? Thanks

martimer

My Feedback: (1)

Coincidentally, I flew in a gym last night - for the first time.

One of my flying buddies met someone on-line while doing research for a foamie. It turns out that this guy knew someone who worked at a high school, and everything worked out. We have access to the gym every wednesday night from 7 PM to 8 PM when it is not otherwise in use. We were there until 9 PM last night - four guys flying, although only one at a time. The gym was built in the 20's and is not very large.

I am pretty much a novice pilot, but managed to get my GWS Tiger Moth in the air (after a myriad of technical difficulties) as well as my old Ikarus Bleriot III. I never managed a figure eight, but a better pilot certainly could have. If you like 'NASCAR flying' (only turn to the left) then go for it. Just for fun, I flew to the right!

Volture

My Feedback: (1)

We fly weekly in a basketball gym that is part of the city's recreation center. We have sent in the AMA paperwork to insure them as a club flying site so thay are satisfied that we have insuance coverage.

adoman

So how much does it cost to insure the school gym so that I could fly in one. Do I have to be a AMA member or just get the paperwork and have the school fill it out. Sounds like it would be a lot easier to just fly outside.

iflyj3

My Feedback: (7)

$58 (close) to be an AMA member, $30 to charter a club (5 members required) $60 to insure each flying site.

The AMA membership includes insurance to protect you. The site insurance is to protect the site owner for libility.

You may not need site coverage. If it is brought up, ask what they require of other renters, I.E. a pickup ball game. You should not be required to supply anymore that anyone else.

Again, be prepared with answers to questions that may be ask. But don't prompt them to ask the questions.

Greg Covey

You bet we do! For more information, check out the [link=http://www.gregcovey.com/aero_flakes.htm]AeroFlakes[/link] site.

I'm moving this to the indoor forum.

Kyle2Baseball

Tommarrow which is saturaday me and my dad are going to an electric indoor fly in , in cocoa florida. It is a blast.

sloanfs

WE fly in gyms but I really like the golf domes. Heres a pic of 6 of us in the air at the same time in a small gym in Louisville[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/upfiles/23281/Xv63856.jpg]http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/upfiles/23281/Xv63856.jpg[/link]

evan-RCU

Kyle, it was a blast!!!! I got a good 30 minute of flying in.... Did you go to the big bird fly too?

Sheptack M

It is cold here in Michigan also, but we fly in a School Gymnasium as well. You have to show your AMA Card to be able to fly. The 3 local area Hobby Shops pick up the tab, and we pay 5 bucks each time to fly. The local club that brings the frequency board, and runs the event gets the fees for the Club. I have flown with 4-6 at a time, and it is a lot of fun. We do however bump into each other once in a while with that many in the air at once, but it is a Blast. Yo do however really need a good indoor plane to truly enjoy it. Most park flyers are simply to fast, and to big. Go to www.backyardhobbies.com and check out the full line of Bugz indoor planes. I am currently flying the "Wasp" and it is a great little indor flyer that will loop and hover as well. Lots of FUN! Enjoy!

NitroSpazzz

I will be flying at my high school. I used to drive/race my electric rc cars there and soon I'll fly there. I know the principal and vice principal very good (good family friends) so he lets me. I even got asked to fly for a assembly later this year

rc12

we can rent out our school gym for $30 for 4 hours or $40 for a whole weekend day! it pretty big we have 2 of them

iflyj3

My Feedback: (7)

Jump on that, you have a deal. We pay $34 per hour.

rc12

yeah the gym is big too (actualy 2 gyms that are joined) mabe 150x220? My friends rent it out and I pitch in $5 to go up their and fly why they play basketball. Only I have never flown in their cuz I crashed my plane bad while outside a day before they rented it out[] that shows you to never fly an inside plane outside in 10 mph winds. I am planing to buy a heli off ebay and fly it up their on the weekends. Mabe I can get some of my friends into RC well one flys a Zagi but I mean indoor then we could have a great time