AMA News Flying Site Assistance - 2010/04
Joe Beshar | [email protected]
Summary
The key requirement is to establish a relationship with local government that shows modelers are a creative, responsible group prepared to help the community improve quality of life. The following is the experience of John Hunton, president of the Culpeper Model Barnstormers, in developing a new flying field near Culpeper, Virginia.
Background
A new RC flying field—Lenn Model Airpark—has been developed roughly five miles south of Culpeper, Virginia. The land was donated by the Lenn brothers to Culpeper County. The Culpeper County Board of Supervisors owns the land and it is administered by the Culpeper County Parks and Recreation Department.
A new club, the Culpeper Model Barnstormers (CMB), was formed to handle day-to-day operation of the field. Membership is open to those who wish to use the facility.
There are two existing RC model clubs near Culpeper, both with flying fields on private land. Flying sites on private land can be tenuous for many reasons, which motivated local modelers to seek a more secure, public location.
Forming the Club and Site Selection
One local modeler maintained regular contact with the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors and county staff. Recognizing the long-term fragility of local private fields, he made sure the possibility of using any county park land as a model flying field was regularly considered. After several years, a site was offered.
It took seven years to reach this point. The site offered was to be developed mainly for ball fields, but a narrow area of the property—unsuitable for other uses because it lay in a flood plain, was nearly a mile off the main road, and was surrounded by farmland—was identified as a potential RC field. This area became known as the Lenn tract.
A survey found the tract well suited for an RC field and compatible with the planned ball fields. The Lenn brothers, full-scale aviators and donors of the land, supported the proposed RC use.
Working with the County
The club presented its layout to the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors and received encouragement. The Director of Parks and Recreation was authorized to have a civil engineering company design the site for both ball fields and the RC site.
The club agreed to prepare the site and install everything, but requested county assistance to improve the nearly mile-long access road. The CMB was organized to administer the field for the county, and agreements were drawn up with forms and help from the AMA and then signed.
Financial Setback and Club Response
The recession hit the county hard. Construction of the ball fields and the access road was tabled indefinitely. The club decided to proceed on its own to develop site access without further county help.
While the field was accessible via an unimproved farm path, the club did not want the access road to become denuded and cause silt to flow into an adjacent creek. To limit wear on the road and trial the site with minimal impact, the club limited membership to 15 people until the access roadway could be improved. This also allowed the club to evaluate any neighbor concerns (none were encountered).
During the first summer, the field and roadway were well maintained—primarily by one dedicated club member with occasional help—and a few members flew there. The access road proved well drained and composed of firm soil, showing no significant deterioration.
Road and Field Improvements
With evidence that modest improvements could keep the access road in good condition, the club proposed a limited repair plan to county officials:
- Fill the three major crossroad drainage areas with filter-type gravel.
- Keep a gravel pile on hand for quick repairs.
The club met with the Park Chief and the county environmental officer; the concept was approved and the work completed within two weeks. The proposal to build a shelter at the site was also approved.
With the roadway improvements and shelter approved, the Culpeper Model Barnstormers opened the Lenn Park Airfield for full membership and use.
How the Club Built Trust with the County
Some of the ways the club proved itself to the county included:
- Participation in the county's annual air show.
- Inviting county officials to local events and flying sessions.
These activities helped demonstrate that the group was responsible and beneficial to the community.
Opening and Acknowledgements
The Lenn Park Airfield is now open for full membership and should serve as a great flying site for years to come.
The Culpeper Model Barnstormers thank Bliss Teague and the AMA for support during the formative months of the project and for assistance with layout solutions. The club also expresses gratitude to the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors and County Administration for their enlightened attitude in allowing use of a flood-plain parcel that otherwise had little value. The county has been a pleasure to work with.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
