Flying Site Assistance
FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH ... The sound you don't hear is the sound that is winning the minds—if not the hearts—of elected officials and paid public servants throughout the western region. As I have indicated in the past, the thing that upsets most AMA members is the lack of or loss of a flying site, and the number one reason we lose flying sites is noise. Noise is a particular problem in areas of high population density. Not surprisingly, our membership is highly concentrated in those same population centers. What to do, what to do?
Two things come to mind, based on up-close and personal events attendant to this job. If you are a glow-power or gas-power flier, start looking for a site somewhat removed from residential development. If you have a site from which you can see homes being built, accelerate your search. I've heard many club members state with fervent conviction that he or she will not drive 20 minutes or half an hour to get to a flying site, period! (See you at the next flea market.) The simple fact is that with the emergence of larger and faster fuel-powered models, we're going to have to find sites a lot farther down the road if we want to continue to fly.
The emergence and rapid development of electric technology as it relates to model aircraft has made inner-city flying a reality. In many cases where I have been given a quick "No way" by recreation planners, county supervisors, and the like when asking for space to fly fuel-powered aircraft, I have been given a second, far more receptive audience when demonstrating the relative quiet of the electric motor. In cases that are becoming far more frequent, I have seen local governmental agencies alter their city charters to specifically include electric-model-airplane flying as an acceptable activity in designated city/county parks. That's a huge reversal from the norm just a few years ago.
I have enjoyed the smell of glow fuel and the roar of a warbird for more years than I'd like to admit. Realistically, I can still experience those joys far into the future, but only after putting some of that $2.50 per gallon fuel in my car and going for a drive. Or I can stay in my neighborhood and think electric!
This reminds me of a great electric event held during the last weekend in January in Phoenix, Arizona. The inaugural Arizona Electric Festival was hosted by the Arizona Model Aviators and CD'd by Bob Ruff. Good local advertising got the nonmodeling population out as spectators, and good "modeling-community" advertising brought 126 pilots from as far away as Germany and Sweden to perform.
The public was treated to an awesome array of models, ranging from the smallest of foamies to a 43-pound Extra 260, a huge Ultimate biplane, some ducted fans, and some incredible helicopters. All were electric; most were electrifying.
Noiseless foamy 3-D aircraft were evident everywhere.
In addition, there was great food available, as well as 23 vendors representing the gamut of electric modeling "stuff." Thirty-six sponsors contributed to the success of the event.
Bob Ruff has indicated that many more vendors will be on hand for the second annual Arizona Electric Festival, scheduled for January 27-29, 2006.
And now for the lists: thanks to those of you who called or E-mailed me to add or delete sites from the Bureau of Land Management and Schools lists published in the March 2005 column. This month I'm showing the lists we have on file for flying sites on private property (help us here!), and for flying sites at full-scale airports.
If you have facilities such as this in your area, try to get some flying privileges. If you fly from a site on one of these types of facilities and you are not on the list, let me know!
-Wes
AMA News - 2005/05
Flying Sites at Airports
- Selma Sky Raiders, Selma AL
- Kingman Modelers, Kingman AZ
- Kingman RC Flyers, Kingman AZ
- Arkansas Riverbend Flyers, Mena AR
- Camden Aircraft Modelers, Camden AR
- Madera Aeromodelers RC, Madera CA
- North County Cloud Clippers, Paso Robles CA
- Santa Barbara Radio Control, Goleta CA
- Siskiyou County R/C Club, Montague CA
- Tehama County Condors, Corning CA
- Sonora R/C Club, Sonora CA
- Fremont County RC Flying Club, Florence CO
- East Hartford Eagles RC Club, East Hartford CT
- Bad Boys RC Club, Miami FL
- Clewiston Flyers, Clewiston FL
- Sebastian R/C Club, Sebastian FL
- Island Flyers R/C Club, Fernandina Beach FL
- Georgia Jets, Warm Springs GA
- Rose City Aero Modelers, Thomasville GA
- Kona R/C Flyers, Kailua Kona HI
- Flora Fun Flyers RC, Flora IL
- Prop-Busters RC Club, Browns IL
- RC Dusters, Leland IL
- Illinois Valley Radio Control, Peru IL
- Putnam Co Windy Flyers, Granville IL
- Erie R/C Club, Hillsdale IL
- Springfield Sunday Flyers, Springfield IL
- Anderson Aero Modelers, Anderson IN
- Hagerstown RC Club, Hagerstown IN
- Whitley County Barnstormers, Columbia City IN
- Calhoun County Thunderbirds, Rockwell City IA
- Grundy County Lost Signals, Grundy Center IA
- McBride Flyers, Marion IA
- Ottumwa RC Flyers, Ottumwa IA
- Franklin County Flyer, Rantoul KS
- Central Aeromodellers Society, Marysville KS
- Blue Sky Squadron, Lyndon KS
- Scottsville Model Airplane, Scottsville KY
- Western KY Thunderbirds, Princeton KY
- Clark County RC Barnstormers, Winchester KY
- Franklin County Modelers, Farmington ME
- RC Friends Aeromodelers, Ridgely MD
- WARE River Flyers Assoc., Ware MA
- Plymouth Rocky Flyers, West Wareham MA
- Dowagiac Sky Hogs, Dowagiac MI
- Davison Aviators RC Club, Otisville MI
- Irish Hills RC, Brooklyn MI
- Tri Cities RC Fliers, Grand Haven MI
- Aerokats, Hart MI
- West Shore Aeros, Holland MI
- Houghton Lake Aeromodelers, Houghton Lake MI
- Aerobatic Aces, Three Rivers MI
- North Star Fliers, Holdingford MN
- R/C Air Command, Taylor MO
- Blacksheep Squadron, Lexington NE
- Shamrock Aircraft Modelers, O'Neill NE
- York Thunderbirds, York NE
- South Jersey Sky Devils, Vineland NJ
- North Jersey Soaring Society, Boonton NJ
- Old Time Eagles, Hope NJ
- Binghamton Aeros, Binghamton NY
- High Peaks RC, Keene NY
- Mountain RC Modelers, Old Forge NY
- Pennsylvania Ave RC Society, Brooklyn NY
- M.V.R.C.M., Frankfort NY
- Aero Radio Club of Syracuse, Marcellus NY
- L.O.A.F., Delanson NY
- Bath Area RC Society, Bath NY
- Sullivan County RC, Monticello NY
- Rondout Valley Flyer, Accord NY
- Hoosick Aeromodelers, Buskirk NY
- Private RC Flying Club, Zebulon NC
- Top of OH RC Squadron, Quincy OH
- Valley City RC, Valley City OH
- Mansfield Area RC Society, Shelby OH
- Universal RC Flyers, Fremont OH
- Alliance Balsa Bees, Alliance OH
- Skyhawks, Southington OH
- Kiamichi Valley Fliers Assoc., Wilburton OK
- Prague RC Modelers, Prague OK
- Lake Eufaula RC Modelers, Eufaula OK
- Ada Miniature Aircraft Club, Ada OK
- Northwest Oklahoma RC Flyers, Mooreland OK
- Myrtle Creek Modelers, Myrtle Creek OR
- Eugene Prop Spinners, Eugene OR
- Emerald Air Corps, Creswell OR
- Madras Modelers, Madras OR
- Mt. Silverwood RC, Silverton OR
- York Area RC Club, Dillsburg PA
- Blue and Gray Miniature Aircraft, Gettysburg PA
- Kutztown Aerodrome RC Sq., Kutztown PA
- Flying Tigers, Bucks PA
- Warminster Glenside RC, Bucks PA
- Thermal G RC, Waterford PA
- Sky Hawgs, Jamestown PA
- Endless Mtns. RC Club, Montrose PA
- The Stump Jumpers, Toga PA
- Maple Cave Flying Club, Cooperstown PA
- Kinzua Aeromodelers, Scandia PA
- Catawessy RC Club, Midway PA
- Murrysville Area RC Society, Saltsburg PA
- Greenwood Radio Aircraft, Honea Path SC
- East Cooper Model Club, St. George SC
- Cloud Busters, Flandreau SD
- Cumberland Co R/C, Crossville TN
- Upper Cumberland R/C Society, Cookeville TN
- South Lake RC Flyers, San Antonio TX
- San Marcos R/C Association, San Marcos TX
- Wimberley Valley Flyers, Wimberley TX
- Trijas RC Association, Edinburg TX
- Big Spring Model Aircraft, Big Spring TX
- Sweetwater Model Aircraft Club, Sweetwater TX
- Mesquite Maulers, Monahans TX
- Brainbusters, Dinwiddie VA
- North Neck R/C Club, Northumberland VA
- Quincy Valley R/C, Quincy WA
- Vashon Island Modelers, Vashon WA
- Narrows RC, Port Orchard WA
- Beachmaster RC Club, Ilwaco WA
- Pacific County RC Flyers, Raymond WA
- Barons Model Club, Deer Park WA
- Rice Lake MAC, Rice Lake WI
- Green Bay Model Airplane Club, Green Bay WI
- Triple Modelers, Pulaski WI
- Lakeland Loons, Minocqua WI
- Black Otter Flyers, Hortonville WI
- Sparta Area Model Club, Sparta WI
- Interstate Flyers, Tomah WI
- Silver Eagles RC Flying Club, Lake Geneva WI
- Sky Ranch Flyers, West Bend WI
- Bear River Modelers, Evanston WY
- Weston Co Dust Devils, New Castle WY
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
