Fresno/Clovis pattern flyers
 

I'm just returning to the sport after a 25 year absence and I'm looking for people to practice with. I was flying the "Advanced" class back in the early 90's and working on what I believe was the "Expert" class, (between Advanced and Masters?) when I left the sport.
I purchased an HK Airoso about 5 weeks ago and have got the basic trim setup, CG, thrust, etc. flown in. Hoping to find people of like mind regardless of skill level that would be interested in "calling" and or critiquing my flights here in the Fresno/Clovis area. I have a lot to absorb regarding Pattern and RC flying in general. So much has changed!
Electric?? No retractable gear??? You don't "build" but buy ARF's?, ESC, BEC, UBEC, maH, 5S, 6S, 25C, 40C, huh?????
And finally, you should have seen me on the first flight after 25 years. The damn thing didn't make any noise, and I was shaking so bad from nerves I looked like a dog that had eaten peach pits.
Dan :cool:

Welcome back to the Addiction Dan!

There are quite a few folks in the general area, we have the D7 championships in Fresno about every other year. Matt and Jim Kimbro are probably nearest you, but you're not far from Bakersfield/Arvin which hosts quite a few pattern pilots and the Hollister field where Jon Carter (NSRCA President), Dale Olstinske (NSRCA Sequence Committee Chair) fly regularly along with a bunch more of us. A little farther north you have Chris Fitzsimmons in Tracey. There's a contest in Victorville weekend after next and then Oakdale two weeks after that, neither should be too far for you.

Peter+

In case you don't know, the website is:

http://nsrca.us/

as Peter said, we are in District 7.

Dan - Welcome back! Yes, much has changed but the core remains the same, precision aerobatics! Tom Messer is an accomplished pilot who lives in the Fresno area, I will point him to your post. As Peter said we have a large group of pattern flyers that fly at the Wavemasters club in Hollister CA on most weekends. I know that is kinda far for you but you would be most welcome.

I actually went to the contest in Arvin a couple months ago. That is what got me thinking about taking pattern up again. Ran into a couple of guys I used to fly with/against back in the day. I have also looked at the NSRCA site, (where I saw there was a contest in Arvin.) and have down loaded the sequence for Intermediate and Advanced. I may make it to a contest to watch, but that is about it at the moment. lots to learn and a lot of rust to brush off!
I have a "bucket list" solo Adventure ride this summer to Alaska that has been about 8 months in the planning that is going to eat up much of my freetime http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2097337

Thanks for the invite Jon! I appreciate it. I suspect people will start seeing me "lurking" around some of the local fields and generaly being under foot pretty soon!

Dan,

I live up in Coarsegold and have been flying at the Fresno field at FRCM off Ave 12 for about 15 years. Been flying pattern there off and on during that time. Last weekend was my first contest in a couple years up in Sacramento. I’m the the guy Jon Carter called “accomplished” earlier in the thread. I suspect he’s just being nice. :)

Anyway, I hope to try to get down to the field at least once a week to get some practice in as the season develops. I’m the only guy in the club that flies pattern, but we do have some IMAC guys that practice on weekends as well. I’d be happy to hook up at the field some day soon and do some flying. Would be nice to have another pattern flyer in the club and somebody to fly with!

Welcome back!

Tom Messer
[email protected]

I would very much like to hook up! Oddly enough I work in Coarsegold at Chukchansi as the Utility Manager. Yes I'm one of the few still there. I went looking for the Fresno field but could not find it?? I am a bit spoiled living in Clovis with a huge area to fly about 5 min from the house. Feels a bit weird not flying at a "designated" site but with one exception I haven't had any company except my wife. A 1/4 mile runway didn't hurt the first few flights either!
How is the Fresno field? Good group out there? Best day? With the way things are at work I could do weekday mornings or afternoons, weekends anytime. I'll send my contact info to you...
And I suspect that if the NSRCA President calls you accomplished, well, you probably aren't flying behind the line.....
FokkerFlyer?....as in jets?

Things must be very quiet up there at Chukchansi these days. I swear, they should make a movie about what happened up there. Of course if they did, nobody would believe it because it already sounds like some bad TV Movie of the Week or something! LOL

The Fresno field on Ave 12 just west of Madera Ranchos. As you are heading from 41 towards the Ranchos, look for the big red barn on your left, that new fruit “stand” that has all of the signs, then look to your right and as the orchard ends there will be a sign and the entrance to go to the field. The road looks like it leads to a house only, but it swings around to the left to reveal the club site. Usual rules apply, AMA and membership in the club is required. But as long as you have AMA you can fly with me a few times to try it out. I think the rules give you a month.

The club members are... well, your usual club member sort! :) I used to get a little static flying pattern, but that was years ago, and they are pretty used to me now. I mostly go out during the week in the afternoons to avoid the “crowds”. Most of our guys are sport flyers flying foam ARFs. We have a small group of 3 or 4 IMAC guys, couple of heli guys (i’m half of that lol), and a few of the other disciplines here and there. Wednesday mornings are the busiest, weekends vary.

Well whatever el Presidente says, we’ll go with that. Certainly don’t want to cross him! :)

I used to fly the F-27 doing night cargo stuff. Not a jet, just the loudest civilian turboprop made!

Tom M

Sounds like a typical RC field! Weekday afternoons would work... As for the F-27 anything with an "air-de-screwzner" works for me!http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2097470

Nice Mooney! Have a couple hours in those, not a lot. Great airplane!

Got out your contact info last night. I'll try giving you a buzz in the next couple days!

Tom M