Affordable runways and a new club
Flying Site Assistance by Tony Stillman, Flying Site Coordinator
Happy 2013 everyone! By the time you read this, it will be cold in most areas of the country. However, spring and the flying season will be getting close. I thought it might be a good time to talk about your flying site and the runway in particular.
Most club flying sites are on grass runways. Grass sites are fine unless you are trying to take off or land a small airplane—grass makes things difficult for small wheels and light models. I grew up flying my airplanes on concrete runways because our club used old military fields for flying sites, so I am accustomed to hard surfaces and have flown many different models on them through the years.
If your club is flying on grass and would like to try a hard-surface runway to allow smaller models to take off and land, you are likely facing a large expense to install asphalt or concrete. Another option you may not have thought about is geotextile runways.
Geotextile runways have been around for several years. I have spoken with several clubs that have installed them and are happy with their functionality and durability. The cost of the fabric varies because there are several suppliers, but the price is much less than asphalt or concrete.
One such company is US Fabrics, which manufactures a product called 230 Aeromodelling Geotextile. It comes in 15-foot x 300-foot rolls and is delivered directly to your site. You can join several rolls together to make the runway size you want.
According to the company, the product “is a 100% polypropylene, woven, monofilament fabric ideal for runway installation for model airplanes. US 230 resists ultraviolet and biological deterioration, rotting, naturally encountered bases and acids. Polypropylene is stable within a pH range of 2 to 13.” US Fabrics has supplied several AMA clubs with the product. If you are interested, check the company's website at www.usfabricsinc.com.
I spoke with a club that had this material down at a site for seven years, then had to move to a new site. The club was able to roll up the runway and transport it to the new location. Members reported the material was still in great condition and is still working well at the new site.
This could be an option for many clubs seeking to add a runway without spending huge dollars.
I received an email from Tom Neff in Strasburg, Colorado, about a new flying site called Airpark Elite. This new site can support plenty of models. If you live nearby or visit the area, look it up!
Airpark Elite is currently in the final stages of construction after multiple hours of preparation. The field will consist of two runways:
- An electric runway (north-south).
- A 600 x 44-foot compacted Roto Mills runway for nitro- and gasoline-powered aircraft (east-west).
The pit area was designed to hold an ample number of cars and RVs. There are three tables for aircraft repairs and assembly and two shade structures composed of metal frames with tarp tops.
The new Airpark is located in Strasburg, Colorado, on 40 acres of private property. Address: 60600 E. 64th Ave., Strasburg, Colorado.
There are multiple projects still to be completed. As the field stands now, it is open for flying as long as you are a paid, active member of Airpark Elite and have a current AMA membership card. After experiencing problems at the old Airpark with vandalism and destruction, security measures are in place. The club is accepting new members; if you are interested, visit www.airparkelite.com.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
