I was practicing on the sim this morning and wanted to try something with a real heli. So I grabbed a 450SE and drove the 1/2 mile to this little park I know. I walked to where the sun was at my back and put in a flight trying out some things I'm working on. The usual transition from sim to reality ensued, but I got a clearer picture of what I need to work on to perfect these moves. I was back in the house within 10 minutes. So do you have a little place like that? Someplace where you can sneak in a quick flight without putting a dent in the day? Let's hear about it!

Where I live, there are flying fields everywhere. My front driveway to my house. Empty lots, Parking lots, friends houses. Ive done demo flights just about everywhere imaginable. Inside hobby shops, malls, resturants, churches, schools...

I plan to be the first person to fly a Trex on top of Stone Mountain, GA very soon.

I also have plans to fly a heli in front of Anna Ruby Falls this October if things work out as planned.

Killer, dude! I knew this thread was a good idea. I got a real kick out of your post. Thanks!

Dave

over the wear house next to work (manager flys helis to so its ok). bean field next door 500 acres of flat land and no trees. we also fly at any of the local school gyms after work on fridays. basicly i dont go to the flying field very onften i just walk all of 30 feet off of my porch and take off.

About the same here, I fly in front of my house on the street, on the parade ground at the Army Reserve station near my house, in a farmer's field near my GF's house, in the parking lot at work, and of course at our club's flying field, 25 minutes away from my house. There's something to be said about a club field. Is it just me, or does anybody feels more relaxed flying at a club field? Like it is more right to do so there than anywhere else?

I usually flying in fornt of my house's driveway or school parking lot or soccer field.

Just behind my house is a public baseball field for the little kids and that is where I fly.

I know what you mean. I used to feel more comfortable at the club field, but my group of guys has gotten permission to fly at a couple of places and at those sites, its the same for me. One thing I try to do is vary the places where I fly, so I dont drive the neighbors nuts. I often go out during the day for one flight and then come home. Those outings I'm obviously not at the park or whatever for very long. When I'm going to fly for a long time I tend to go to the places that either I have permission to be on, or are not near any houses. Its an interesting time to be in this hobby. E helicopters have made it possible to fly in so many non traditional spots, and the internet has in some ways replaced the local club as the main source of information. So I feel we are entering a decentralization era in terms of flying sites. I suspect, too, there are many groups like the one I fly with that are not organized clubs, but function in very much the same way. I see this as a very good thing, benefitting the comsumer/hobbyist in pretty much every way.

I fly about 5 min away at a middle school, or out in front of my house. Me and another guy usually meet up.

Thats true about this "era" of flying, and people being able to fly pretty much anywhere. The bad thing is that it takes longer to make connections and find people, b/c everyone isn't always at the field. It takes more time to meet people. You have to catch someone at the field, then they introduce you to another person etc. Not as many people fly helis here in po-dunk arkansas

I fly anywhere, Back yard/front yard/Kitchen now thats fun.....Do have three parks in walking distance On a fly all day kinda day..I have a friend who owns farmland up in Hershey area. So I take my Rex/CPPRO/ Parkzone spits/P51/ and Bae Hawk with as well..And hope I dont get too cocky and come home one item short that day. Sad to say I pretty much fly solo..My Buddy is just not very good at flying and my 12 year old Son is just now getting the hang of it..So in time I will nickname him Chewy

directly over the road from my house I have a park, but i only go there when theres no pesky kid spectators to annoy me as I try and concentrate on flying- i have about 10 parks and 2 flying clubs within 10 mins drive though...

2 flying clubs?? Lucky ! Mine is like 10-15min away and if there isn't an even I'm lucky if there are people there at all.

Yep, well one club is about 15 mins away, depends how much boost im running in my STI :P

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCDMzeJlIwk

I most come out out night, mostly.....

Its the only time I have time, so I go to the closest parking lot..... and fly partly over traffic, its a lot of fun.

I never fly at a flying field. Why would I wanna pay membership fees and get yelled at by a bunch of old farts when I can fly in any school yard or park? That's the beauty of park flyers and electric helis.

That's true, it takes longer to meet people, but you usually like the ones you meet better I have, however, noticed some problems with this situation. Safety. Sometimes I go to this one place where some of the flyers aren't AMA members and haven't given safety much thought. There's a lot of flyng over each other's heads, crashing right next to parked cars, stuff that could be minimized at a club field, simply because those in the know about safety would have some control. Obviously, though, that can and has been taken to the extreme in most cases. So I still tend to enjoy flying with AMA guys. Most of my friends compete, too. We just tend to fly often in impromptu locations. My perspective is changing, developing on this week by week, mostly because I've run into a group of guys who are going to do what they want no matter what. The feeling I get from them is kind of snotty, too. Not like they just want to have fun and do without all the club BS, but kind of a we don't need anybody arrogance. So I don't plan to go there anymore. I brought this up not to start a war, but just to bring balance to the discussion. I still think folks should belong to and support the AMA, regardless of where they fly. Anyway......

I have to agree about the safety issue. The place I used to fly at had both advanced flyers and complete boneheads. It was a county owned park that had a spot for RC flyers. The worst was the parents that had little to no control over their kids who had just pulled their planes out of the box and were crashing into the flightline were we were standing. Not to mention the general public who didn't realize a trex 600 could cut your head off and walked right across the flying field. Now that I'm at a club field is nice to know I don't have to duck from killer guided missles piloted by people not paying attention. It's perfect though first thing in the morning when it's empty so I can try out something I did on the sim.

I really agree about the kid issues in the parks, now Im a father of two and I will sit and show my sons how such a wonderful thing like flying can be dangerous. I also teach them when we go to the field and if someone is flying dont ask that person question until they land. Trex to P51 you need to concentrate to have fun .. I actually had three dumb dumb kids see me flying the Rex and Did a B-line right towards it and wanted to see if the wind would hit there heads..I put the rex about 60 foot up then came back to me and landed it. And looked towards I suppose the parents in discuss since they thought it was cute... Hey Mom look a Trex I wonder if I can stop the blades with my tongue...AAARRRRRRR

I've got another good one for you, Heart. While I was showing another guy how to fly his Blade CP some little whipper snapper kicked his basketball trying to knock it out of the air. Maybe that's what I get for bieng such a pain in the arse when I was that age.... hahahaha

I'm a truck driver. I almost always keep a couple of electrics on the truck for when I have the chance to get in a flight. Have flown in parking lots, over corn fields, in an emty lot next door to a service center for cessna ag-wagons, etc. I stopped flying in parks after having to put one in to avoid hitting someone. walked across my landing path while making emergency landing. plane was damaged, was tring to glide in. I'm also lucky, my club field is less than 10 min from my house when I'm home. Have flown with those types that want to do what they want to do. Everyone at our field would land when they flew. They thought it was cause they were cool. We were just scared we would get hit. They finally left the club so they could do their thing. nobody missed them. There are rules in all aspects of life. Something we all gotta live with.

If you join the club over here then you are covered by their insurance if flying at their grounds. and plus those old farts have a lof of good knowledge and are normally more than willing to give it.. ive learnt a bit from just hanging round other fliers...