Flying Site Assistance
Wes DeCou | [email protected]
Prospects for a Double Whammy
On October 13, 2007, it was my pleasure to attend the dedication of a flying site located in south-central Arizona, slightly more than 50 miles from my home.
What was especially gratifying about this dedication is that it occurred almost 21 months to the day after I had attended a meeting with the landowners, town officials, and members of the Sun Lakes Model Airplane Club (SLMAC) in an effort to secure a new flying site. The club was in the process of closing its existing flying site because of residential sprawl and had the foresight to start looking for a replacement site early in the process.
It is interesting to note that the club members themselves weren't the only ones thinking about a new flying site. Their families were in the hunt as well.
In this particular case, Karen Tilley, the wife of SLMAC president Tom Tilley, overheard an individual talking about a family farm in Florence, Arizona. The conversation took place during a Halloween party in 2005. Big deal—someone has a farm. There are many farms in this area.
Karen knew the club was going to lose its field, so she mentioned the comment to Tom. Tom struck up a conversation with Gary Felix, the man who made the farm comment. They started talking about model aviation.
Gary was interested enough to accept Tom's invitation to visit the club field so he could see model aviation firsthand. After that morning meeting, Gary took Tom to the family ranch to "meet the parents," Katie and Paul Felix.
By the end of that meeting, the Felix family had enough interest in the prospect of a model aviation facility on their property to schedule a meeting with the SLMAC leadership, local town officials, and other family members to see if there was a fit.
Soon after that meeting, which was held on January 11, 2006, the club was given the green light to develop a flying site.
Tom mobilized the club members and planning was the order of the day. But wait—planning is nifty, but what about the dollars to support those plans? Good fortune often complements good planning.
As the club was describing its vision to the Felix family, Paul, the patriarch of the clan, came up with an offer to use laser-guided graders. In cooperation with another farmer, they leveled the flying site for the club. From rolling scrub to a perfect runway, just like that.
While site preparation was underway, sons Mark and Louis Felix were always present with water trucks. If dust is a problem, it's elsewhere in Arizona.
The intervening months have seen the installation of temporary fencing, soon to be replaced with chain-link barriers for pit, pilot, and spectator areas. Drip irrigation for 6,000 square feet of donated sod is in place around the pit area. Substantial shade is provided by ramadas moved from the old field. Portable toilets? Sure. The equipment needed to maintain the site is stored in a lockable container.
The gradual closing of the old field and the steady development of the Felix Ranch site were coordinated so that virtually no flying time was lost. Where possible, objects from the closed field were moved and reused at the new site.
The chance meeting at a Halloween party, which ultimately led to the development of the Felix Ranch field, was whammy number one.
The Felix family envisions the development of a liberal arts institution — The College of John Paul in the Desert — as a future enhancement on their property. They recognize the educational and recreational aspects of model aviation as a good fit with their long-term dream.
They invited members of the local clergy and local government to the dedication ceremony. Serendipity! Florence Mayor Tom Rankin was an honored guest, and he was impressed with the facility and the flying activities.
As luck would have it, the Town of Florence is considering a request for another flying site on city property across town. As I left the mayor, he indicated that he knows what model aviation is all about now and he'll actively push to get the flying site proposal approved. Double whammy!
Paul and Katie Felix, along with each of their children, have been instrumental in shepherding the Felix Ranch flying site to its current state. The SLMAC members have contributed mightily to the effort as well, whether with cash or with personal effort.
According to Tom Tilley, Joe Ralston, the club's field general, had his hands in nearly everything. Gordon Grohs was the resident engineer. Jim Storts was always there. The core group — 10–12 members — was always willing to make the drive, pick up the tools, and make it happen:
- Joe Ralston — field general
- Gordon Grohs — resident engineer
- Jim Storts
- The core group of 10–12 dedicated members who contributed time, effort, and funds
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
