Flying Site Assistance - 2009/12
Byline
Joe Beshar | [email protected]
Dick Carville of Lowell, Massachusetts, sent the following interesting story about the gains possible when the spirit of camaraderie is practiced between two clubs. In this instance, it has resulted in a happy coexistence for two modeling clubs.
What is interesting is that one club, the New England Stunt Team flying club, is a CL club and the other, the 107th R/C Flyers, is an R/C club. The two have become a happy pair.
I want to share the story as Dick outlined it, along with his expression of gratitude to the 107th R/C Flyers for its cooperation which made it possible.
Dick Carville’s account
"I'd like to pass on some good news relative to keeping a CL flying site. I'd like to go back to the beginning and outline the whole story.
"We are a small group of CL aerobatics fliers and a subset of the New England Stunt Team flying club. We had been flying at an agricultural college in Danvers, Massachusetts, for about 40 years (not a misprint) under various club names.
"The college was run by the county and we had a great relationship with the officials at the school. We often put on flying exhibitions during the college's open house. They liked us; we liked them.
"Then county government was abolished and the state took over the school. They promptly ejected us. When we asked for a meeting to discuss the issue, we were told 'there's nothing to discuss.'
"Well, the good news is that one of the group, Paul Leblanc, was learning to fly R/C in Saugus, Massachusetts, with the 107th R/C Flyers club and thought the 107th R/C Flyers had a spot that might work for us.
"The 107th had a spot behind their R/C flightline that was perfect; it just needed to be leveled a bit and groomed. The 107th welcomed us with open arms and we have had a great relationship with the 107th members for the last four years. Several of us CL folks took up R/C as well as CL and a couple of R/C folks took up CL as well as R/C.
"Now along comes another blow to our CL group. It seems the state needs to create some wetland to compensate for wetlands they are filling in elsewhere, so they are going to dig up our field and make it wetland at high tide. We are located in a salt marsh.
"Saved again by the 107th. The R/C runway is not being impacted by the wetland issue and will remain as is. The R/C group has been great to us and we have met a lot of new friends. We were all very sad to lose our CL field. There would be room to fly CL but only if standing on the R/C runway.
"What the 107th club voted to do was to devote the following times to CL flying so we could remain as 107th members:
- Wednesdays from 4 p.m. until dark
- Sundays from 1 p.m. until dark
"I think the 107th R/C Flyers Club has shown a great spirit of camaraderie and an appreciation for all types of aeromodeling that should be recognized and commended.
"All of us CL folks want to thank the 107th leadership and membership for their display of sharing and teamwork.
"There is room for everyone!"
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
