Flying Site Assistance - 2009/08

USUALLY FLIERS seek a flying site. In a
refreshing change of pace, here is a flying site
seeking fliers; it can even handle jets!
History: Cairo, Illinois, was a small, but
bustling, city in the late 1950s and the airport
was modern for those days. The city lost
industry, business, and population because of
race riots and other troubles in the 1960s and
1970s and not much remains today.
The airport has been maintained, but has
not progressed and still reminds one of an
earlier time when things were much simpler.
The Alexander Airport Board is now looking
for something to get some action again and is
asking for someone to investigate the
possibility of getting an RC organization
started.
The airport consists of 470 acres of which
350 acres are farmland. The primary runway
(14 and 32) is 4,003 feet long by 100 feet
wide and is in excellent shape. The secondary
runway (20 and 2) is 3,200 feet long by 60
feet wide and is also in excellent shape.
The primary runway has a taxiway at
about midpoint that would be an excellent
staging area for jet models and with plenty of
room for parking of vehicles and
setting up tents, shelters, etc.
The airport has much room for
parking and a fence between public
parking and the taxiway/runways
that would be excellent for gate
control. It has no scheduled airlines
and very few small, private airplanes
use the facility. There is a crop
sprayer in one hangar, a skydiving
aircraft in another, and a few small,
private airplanes in another.
The Tourism Bureau is interested
in promoting the use of the airport.
There are plenty of motels in Cape
Giraudeau, Missouri, roughly a 40-
minute drive, and more in Marion,
Illinois, an hour or so away.
If you’re interested, contact Darrell Honey
at (618) 982-2272, or [email protected].
The RC Adventure at Valley Middle School
in Oakland, New Jersey, was on May 29,
when we demonstrated Fly the Adventure.
The weather was challenging, but fortunately
it cleared by the afternoon.
To attend the demo, the students of the
science class were scheduled to go out to the
soccer field at 2 p.m. Two electric training
models were made available by Paragon
Federal Credit Union for the students to
experience flying a model.
All local modelers were invited to display
their aircraft and join the flying with the
students. No, there were no midairs.
Bruce Giumarra brought, showed, and ran
the turbine in his jet model which impressed
the students. Celebrity George Meade,
helicopter pilot of New York radio station
WOR attended, as did members of the local
media.
I understand that the school is planning to
have a model airplane course next term. The
media released the following press release.
“The purpose of Paragon Federal Credit
Union’s Aero Club program is to encourage
our school students into the world of model
aviation in the various schools throughout
northern New Jersey. They observed demo
flying followed by a classroom instruction
course for building models. In years past,
students were first taught how to build a plane
and then learn how to fly.
“This change to flying first from building
first is possible because of the new and
inexpensive beginner planes that are available
ready to fly. By giving students a taste of what
it is like to fly a model plane, the Paragon
Federal Credit Union Aero Club is
introducing students to model aviation
through innovative programs. The world of
model aviation is very different; as a
hobby/sport, it is the vehicle for our youth to
enter the world of research and development.
The program is Fly the RC Adventure.”
Win-Win with Waste Management, Inc. The
Washington Red Apple Flyers (WRAF) of
Wenatchee, Washington, expresses its
gratitude and appreciation for the great
support the club received from Waste
Management, Inc. It resulted in an outstanding
win-win partnership and a successful flying
site. Duane Kaasa sent in the following report.
“The Red Apple Flyers evolved into its
present form about 15-18 years ago with the
purchase of the old flying site. That site was
deeded over to the club by the original
investors so the ‘profit motive’ was eliminated
from the equation. Waste Management started
a landfill site adjacent to the field not long
thereafter.
“They have always been good neighbors
and approached the club regarding their
expansion needs. They proposed trading a
new field, with a few incentives thrown in for
good measure, for the old one. This process
has taken almost 10 years but has certainly
been a good deal for the Red Apple Flyers.
“Their present landfill site is almost full so
they will be into the expansion area soon. The
old site will have a large, flat area on top with
an access road. This type of area would make
a great flying field anywhere.”