small hill located roughly 50 feet below
the “clubhouse,” for a runway. This
would not be just any runway, though; it
would be a 500-foot-long, paved airstrip
carved into the top of a mountain! And it
needed a name.
One of the founding fathers of DVRC
was Orin Allen—the son of the first
African-American pilot to fly coast to
coast. That was a huge feat in the years
before World War II. Therefore, the
“Thomas C. Allen Memorial Airpark”
was born.
The new airstrip languished in the
state of a usable dirt runway during most
of that first year while work on the
abandoned building and runway drainage
began. Having met wildlife-preservation
requirements, the drainage system was
approved, and the clubhouse—with its
large rock fireplace, meeting room,
kitchen, and restroom—was getting a new
look. The substantial observation deck
was also a prize.
It was time to make a flying field. Up to
this point club members and their guests
were content with the dirt runway. With the
donated help of local contractors and
donated materials and equipment, DVRC
members dug in and saw their new paved
runway completed, along with a small
alternate for windy days. (Windy days are a
facet of this site I’ll cover later.)
Another “freebie” arrived in the form
of artificial turf for the surface of the
pilots’ pit enclosure. The San Francisco
49ers football organization was the
contributor.
At this point it was time to relax and
enjoy the flying, but that didn’t last long;
the group involved in this enterprise were
dreamers, and they wanted to see more.
As the end of that first summer
approached, a series of permanent safety
fences was erected and five access
taxiways became available. A 120-footlong
shade structure was erected over the
pilots’ area, and no less than a dozen
aircraft maintenance tables were
incorporated into this substantial building.
As time passed DVRC recognized
the growing interest in rotary-wing
aircraft, and a large, grassy helicopter
operating area was built. It gets March 2006 41
WAY OUT WEST, in AMA’s District X,
there exists a secret: the Diablo Valley
Radio Controllers, or DVRC. This club has
been around for a long time, and although
the name isn’t too exciting, that’s where
any connection with ordinary ends.
The DVRC facilities are located on the
east side of the San Francisco Bay Area.
This radio-control flying organization was
started in 1967, when a group of local
hobby-shop customers teamed up to
promote RC flight safety and exchange
ideas.
DVRC enjoyed its early existence at a
half-dozen venues in the area, but, as is the
case with many AMA chartered sites,
nothing was permanent. That all ended in
2001.
After some success operating at a
regional park, the DVRC group’s time ran
out and it had to start looking for a new
place. But this time would be different; it
was time to look for a “permanent home.”
The 32 years of renting space would
become history.
The small town of Pittsburg, California, is
a semirural community located along the
banks of the Sacramento River. The local
constabulary had decided to abandon a
long-unused pistol-firing range situated
back in the green, rolling hills of Northern
California. The site even had a “house”
that was used for urban training. An
arrangement was made, and DVRC signed
a 10-year lease with a 10-year option to
occupy and maintain this property.
But not so fast. There was still an
airfield to build, and there was nothing flat
about the terrain. A long, winding dirt road
led to a small hill, on top of which sat
what would become the DVRC clubhouse.
During the winter of 2001-2002 this “new”
club’sJack Schonberger and Bill Bradt enjoy
A gathering of Cub Scouts at the DVRC annual Kids’ Day fly-in. This is a civic-minded club. teaching the youngsters how to fly RC.
DVRC members Jack Schonberger and Ron Pogue prepare for a
morning of Giant Scale flying. Nice benches!
Participants at the annual gathering on Veterans Day in
November at the DVRC field.
It doesn’t get any better than this! The finished site with paved
runway and pavilion. Gallegos photo.
Can you say “picturesque”? The DVRC flying site sits on a longunused
pistol-firing range. Gallegos photo.
42 MODEL AVIATION
March 2006 43
This gives some idea of the topography around the new DVRC field. Gallegos photo.
The DVRC site as construction progresses. The members put in a lot of “sweat
equity,” but the results were certainly worth it! Gallegos photo.
Author Mike Simi displays one of his
warbirds on Veterans Day in 2005.
New 2005 DVRC member Kristie Hicks
gets ready to solo.
Father and son Jeff (center) and Travis
(R) Raaberg use a buddy box to instruct
the local Cub Scout pack.
Kristie Hicks and Phil Young enjoy a
DVRC monthly meeting lunch at the
field.
Longtime DVRC board member Phil
Young with his Scale aircraft.
substantial use these days.
Slowly, while continuing to enjoy the
new field, the members became restless
again. Another notch was carved in a
hillside, and the barbecue/picnic area was
opened. Parking and an RV camping site
were added behind a protected hill that
once enclosed the pistol range.
Spectator bleachers were assembled
between the helicopter pads and the fixedwing
areas, as were flagpoles, a wind sock,
and an impound building—everything a
modern airfield would need. DVRC
members even had to “X” the runway
because they were getting occasional fullscale
traffic!
In November 2002 the DVRC airfield was
formally dedicated with a grand opening
presided over by the city of Pittsburg’s
mayor Nancy Parent and police chief
Aaron Baker. After that it was time to fly
again.
But something was missing ... Aha!
Power and water! Because of the facility’s
somewhat remote location, no reasonable
amount of thought was given to running
power and water lines, so DVRC decided
to use the existing terrain to its advantage.
The club recently completed a gravity
water-supply system, a septic tank and
leech field, and the construction of two
concrete pads for the power generator.
Soon to be finished are the flying-field
restrooms. Can you picture yourself doing
at-the-field repairs with power tools and
then washing up at the sink? Or firing up
the RV and plugging in for an overnight
stay?
All of these were hands-on projects
carried out by members, and everything
continues to pass local codes and
ordinances. This is a dedicated and
hardworking group of RCers, and their
community involvement has put DVRC
out in front as a resource for the families
of these Bay Area suburbs.
After all this hype and promotion, you
would think there must be something to
complain about. Actually a couple things
do come to mind that some might consider
negative.
The surrounding terrain does test one’s
mettle, but it has proven to be just another
challenge to club members. The flying
skills of these RC fixed-wing and
helicopter pilots are outstanding!
And remember the wind I alluded to
earlier? It’s not much fun trying to land in
crosswinds in the hills.
The summer months in Northern
California do present us with the strong
westerlies, but then again this area doesn’t
have any poor-weather flying seasons. So
on the windier days of mid-summer,
DVRC members enjoy arguably the finest
glider and Soaring venue in the west.
The nearby hills are thick with
thermals, and access is all two-wheel
drive. Late summer, fall, and most days of
the winter are a power flier’s delight,
thanks to a newly purchased wireless
weather station.
Oh, and the locals used to leave
presents on the runway for the DVRC club
fliers. However, the new cattle guard at the
gate has taken care of that.
DVRC is proud to be a permanent part of
the community of Pittsburg, hosting
everything from the local Veterans Day
commemoration to Boy Scout Troop
functions and a continuing association
with the Orin Allen Youth Guidance
Center.
Look us up if you are ever out West.
DVRC may be the best-kept RC secret in
AMA. When you visit, ask anyone in the
area. He or she will probably say, “Oh
yeah; it’s right up the hill. Turn right at the
firehouse.” Didn’t I mention that we have
our own firehouse?
There are currently 155 club members,
and that number is growing. The facility
has drawn a great deal of attention and
rave reviews. Big events are finally in the
future, and the club and its members are
what AMA is all about. Check us out at
www.dvrc.org. MA
Mike Simi
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/03
Page Numbers: 41,42,43,44
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/03
Page Numbers: 41,42,43,44
small hill located roughly 50 feet below
the “clubhouse,” for a runway. This
would not be just any runway, though; it
would be a 500-foot-long, paved airstrip
carved into the top of a mountain! And it
needed a name.
One of the founding fathers of DVRC
was Orin Allen—the son of the first
African-American pilot to fly coast to
coast. That was a huge feat in the years
before World War II. Therefore, the
“Thomas C. Allen Memorial Airpark”
was born.
The new airstrip languished in the
state of a usable dirt runway during most
of that first year while work on the
abandoned building and runway drainage
began. Having met wildlife-preservation
requirements, the drainage system was
approved, and the clubhouse—with its
large rock fireplace, meeting room,
kitchen, and restroom—was getting a new
look. The substantial observation deck
was also a prize.
It was time to make a flying field. Up to
this point club members and their guests
were content with the dirt runway. With the
donated help of local contractors and
donated materials and equipment, DVRC
members dug in and saw their new paved
runway completed, along with a small
alternate for windy days. (Windy days are a
facet of this site I’ll cover later.)
Another “freebie” arrived in the form
of artificial turf for the surface of the
pilots’ pit enclosure. The San Francisco
49ers football organization was the
contributor.
At this point it was time to relax and
enjoy the flying, but that didn’t last long;
the group involved in this enterprise were
dreamers, and they wanted to see more.
As the end of that first summer
approached, a series of permanent safety
fences was erected and five access
taxiways became available. A 120-footlong
shade structure was erected over the
pilots’ area, and no less than a dozen
aircraft maintenance tables were
incorporated into this substantial building.
As time passed DVRC recognized
the growing interest in rotary-wing
aircraft, and a large, grassy helicopter
operating area was built. It gets March 2006 41
WAY OUT WEST, in AMA’s District X,
there exists a secret: the Diablo Valley
Radio Controllers, or DVRC. This club has
been around for a long time, and although
the name isn’t too exciting, that’s where
any connection with ordinary ends.
The DVRC facilities are located on the
east side of the San Francisco Bay Area.
This radio-control flying organization was
started in 1967, when a group of local
hobby-shop customers teamed up to
promote RC flight safety and exchange
ideas.
DVRC enjoyed its early existence at a
half-dozen venues in the area, but, as is the
case with many AMA chartered sites,
nothing was permanent. That all ended in
2001.
After some success operating at a
regional park, the DVRC group’s time ran
out and it had to start looking for a new
place. But this time would be different; it
was time to look for a “permanent home.”
The 32 years of renting space would
become history.
The small town of Pittsburg, California, is
a semirural community located along the
banks of the Sacramento River. The local
constabulary had decided to abandon a
long-unused pistol-firing range situated
back in the green, rolling hills of Northern
California. The site even had a “house”
that was used for urban training. An
arrangement was made, and DVRC signed
a 10-year lease with a 10-year option to
occupy and maintain this property.
But not so fast. There was still an
airfield to build, and there was nothing flat
about the terrain. A long, winding dirt road
led to a small hill, on top of which sat
what would become the DVRC clubhouse.
During the winter of 2001-2002 this “new”
club’sJack Schonberger and Bill Bradt enjoy
A gathering of Cub Scouts at the DVRC annual Kids’ Day fly-in. This is a civic-minded club. teaching the youngsters how to fly RC.
DVRC members Jack Schonberger and Ron Pogue prepare for a
morning of Giant Scale flying. Nice benches!
Participants at the annual gathering on Veterans Day in
November at the DVRC field.
It doesn’t get any better than this! The finished site with paved
runway and pavilion. Gallegos photo.
Can you say “picturesque”? The DVRC flying site sits on a longunused
pistol-firing range. Gallegos photo.
42 MODEL AVIATION
March 2006 43
This gives some idea of the topography around the new DVRC field. Gallegos photo.
The DVRC site as construction progresses. The members put in a lot of “sweat
equity,” but the results were certainly worth it! Gallegos photo.
Author Mike Simi displays one of his
warbirds on Veterans Day in 2005.
New 2005 DVRC member Kristie Hicks
gets ready to solo.
Father and son Jeff (center) and Travis
(R) Raaberg use a buddy box to instruct
the local Cub Scout pack.
Kristie Hicks and Phil Young enjoy a
DVRC monthly meeting lunch at the
field.
Longtime DVRC board member Phil
Young with his Scale aircraft.
substantial use these days.
Slowly, while continuing to enjoy the
new field, the members became restless
again. Another notch was carved in a
hillside, and the barbecue/picnic area was
opened. Parking and an RV camping site
were added behind a protected hill that
once enclosed the pistol range.
Spectator bleachers were assembled
between the helicopter pads and the fixedwing
areas, as were flagpoles, a wind sock,
and an impound building—everything a
modern airfield would need. DVRC
members even had to “X” the runway
because they were getting occasional fullscale
traffic!
In November 2002 the DVRC airfield was
formally dedicated with a grand opening
presided over by the city of Pittsburg’s
mayor Nancy Parent and police chief
Aaron Baker. After that it was time to fly
again.
But something was missing ... Aha!
Power and water! Because of the facility’s
somewhat remote location, no reasonable
amount of thought was given to running
power and water lines, so DVRC decided
to use the existing terrain to its advantage.
The club recently completed a gravity
water-supply system, a septic tank and
leech field, and the construction of two
concrete pads for the power generator.
Soon to be finished are the flying-field
restrooms. Can you picture yourself doing
at-the-field repairs with power tools and
then washing up at the sink? Or firing up
the RV and plugging in for an overnight
stay?
All of these were hands-on projects
carried out by members, and everything
continues to pass local codes and
ordinances. This is a dedicated and
hardworking group of RCers, and their
community involvement has put DVRC
out in front as a resource for the families
of these Bay Area suburbs.
After all this hype and promotion, you
would think there must be something to
complain about. Actually a couple things
do come to mind that some might consider
negative.
The surrounding terrain does test one’s
mettle, but it has proven to be just another
challenge to club members. The flying
skills of these RC fixed-wing and
helicopter pilots are outstanding!
And remember the wind I alluded to
earlier? It’s not much fun trying to land in
crosswinds in the hills.
The summer months in Northern
California do present us with the strong
westerlies, but then again this area doesn’t
have any poor-weather flying seasons. So
on the windier days of mid-summer,
DVRC members enjoy arguably the finest
glider and Soaring venue in the west.
The nearby hills are thick with
thermals, and access is all two-wheel
drive. Late summer, fall, and most days of
the winter are a power flier’s delight,
thanks to a newly purchased wireless
weather station.
Oh, and the locals used to leave
presents on the runway for the DVRC club
fliers. However, the new cattle guard at the
gate has taken care of that.
DVRC is proud to be a permanent part of
the community of Pittsburg, hosting
everything from the local Veterans Day
commemoration to Boy Scout Troop
functions and a continuing association
with the Orin Allen Youth Guidance
Center.
Look us up if you are ever out West.
DVRC may be the best-kept RC secret in
AMA. When you visit, ask anyone in the
area. He or she will probably say, “Oh
yeah; it’s right up the hill. Turn right at the
firehouse.” Didn’t I mention that we have
our own firehouse?
There are currently 155 club members,
and that number is growing. The facility
has drawn a great deal of attention and
rave reviews. Big events are finally in the
future, and the club and its members are
what AMA is all about. Check us out at
www.dvrc.org. MA
Mike Simi
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/03
Page Numbers: 41,42,43,44
small hill located roughly 50 feet below
the “clubhouse,” for a runway. This
would not be just any runway, though; it
would be a 500-foot-long, paved airstrip
carved into the top of a mountain! And it
needed a name.
One of the founding fathers of DVRC
was Orin Allen—the son of the first
African-American pilot to fly coast to
coast. That was a huge feat in the years
before World War II. Therefore, the
“Thomas C. Allen Memorial Airpark”
was born.
The new airstrip languished in the
state of a usable dirt runway during most
of that first year while work on the
abandoned building and runway drainage
began. Having met wildlife-preservation
requirements, the drainage system was
approved, and the clubhouse—with its
large rock fireplace, meeting room,
kitchen, and restroom—was getting a new
look. The substantial observation deck
was also a prize.
It was time to make a flying field. Up to
this point club members and their guests
were content with the dirt runway. With the
donated help of local contractors and
donated materials and equipment, DVRC
members dug in and saw their new paved
runway completed, along with a small
alternate for windy days. (Windy days are a
facet of this site I’ll cover later.)
Another “freebie” arrived in the form
of artificial turf for the surface of the
pilots’ pit enclosure. The San Francisco
49ers football organization was the
contributor.
At this point it was time to relax and
enjoy the flying, but that didn’t last long;
the group involved in this enterprise were
dreamers, and they wanted to see more.
As the end of that first summer
approached, a series of permanent safety
fences was erected and five access
taxiways became available. A 120-footlong
shade structure was erected over the
pilots’ area, and no less than a dozen
aircraft maintenance tables were
incorporated into this substantial building.
As time passed DVRC recognized
the growing interest in rotary-wing
aircraft, and a large, grassy helicopter
operating area was built. It gets March 2006 41
WAY OUT WEST, in AMA’s District X,
there exists a secret: the Diablo Valley
Radio Controllers, or DVRC. This club has
been around for a long time, and although
the name isn’t too exciting, that’s where
any connection with ordinary ends.
The DVRC facilities are located on the
east side of the San Francisco Bay Area.
This radio-control flying organization was
started in 1967, when a group of local
hobby-shop customers teamed up to
promote RC flight safety and exchange
ideas.
DVRC enjoyed its early existence at a
half-dozen venues in the area, but, as is the
case with many AMA chartered sites,
nothing was permanent. That all ended in
2001.
After some success operating at a
regional park, the DVRC group’s time ran
out and it had to start looking for a new
place. But this time would be different; it
was time to look for a “permanent home.”
The 32 years of renting space would
become history.
The small town of Pittsburg, California, is
a semirural community located along the
banks of the Sacramento River. The local
constabulary had decided to abandon a
long-unused pistol-firing range situated
back in the green, rolling hills of Northern
California. The site even had a “house”
that was used for urban training. An
arrangement was made, and DVRC signed
a 10-year lease with a 10-year option to
occupy and maintain this property.
But not so fast. There was still an
airfield to build, and there was nothing flat
about the terrain. A long, winding dirt road
led to a small hill, on top of which sat
what would become the DVRC clubhouse.
During the winter of 2001-2002 this “new”
club’sJack Schonberger and Bill Bradt enjoy
A gathering of Cub Scouts at the DVRC annual Kids’ Day fly-in. This is a civic-minded club. teaching the youngsters how to fly RC.
DVRC members Jack Schonberger and Ron Pogue prepare for a
morning of Giant Scale flying. Nice benches!
Participants at the annual gathering on Veterans Day in
November at the DVRC field.
It doesn’t get any better than this! The finished site with paved
runway and pavilion. Gallegos photo.
Can you say “picturesque”? The DVRC flying site sits on a longunused
pistol-firing range. Gallegos photo.
42 MODEL AVIATION
March 2006 43
This gives some idea of the topography around the new DVRC field. Gallegos photo.
The DVRC site as construction progresses. The members put in a lot of “sweat
equity,” but the results were certainly worth it! Gallegos photo.
Author Mike Simi displays one of his
warbirds on Veterans Day in 2005.
New 2005 DVRC member Kristie Hicks
gets ready to solo.
Father and son Jeff (center) and Travis
(R) Raaberg use a buddy box to instruct
the local Cub Scout pack.
Kristie Hicks and Phil Young enjoy a
DVRC monthly meeting lunch at the
field.
Longtime DVRC board member Phil
Young with his Scale aircraft.
substantial use these days.
Slowly, while continuing to enjoy the
new field, the members became restless
again. Another notch was carved in a
hillside, and the barbecue/picnic area was
opened. Parking and an RV camping site
were added behind a protected hill that
once enclosed the pistol range.
Spectator bleachers were assembled
between the helicopter pads and the fixedwing
areas, as were flagpoles, a wind sock,
and an impound building—everything a
modern airfield would need. DVRC
members even had to “X” the runway
because they were getting occasional fullscale
traffic!
In November 2002 the DVRC airfield was
formally dedicated with a grand opening
presided over by the city of Pittsburg’s
mayor Nancy Parent and police chief
Aaron Baker. After that it was time to fly
again.
But something was missing ... Aha!
Power and water! Because of the facility’s
somewhat remote location, no reasonable
amount of thought was given to running
power and water lines, so DVRC decided
to use the existing terrain to its advantage.
The club recently completed a gravity
water-supply system, a septic tank and
leech field, and the construction of two
concrete pads for the power generator.
Soon to be finished are the flying-field
restrooms. Can you picture yourself doing
at-the-field repairs with power tools and
then washing up at the sink? Or firing up
the RV and plugging in for an overnight
stay?
All of these were hands-on projects
carried out by members, and everything
continues to pass local codes and
ordinances. This is a dedicated and
hardworking group of RCers, and their
community involvement has put DVRC
out in front as a resource for the families
of these Bay Area suburbs.
After all this hype and promotion, you
would think there must be something to
complain about. Actually a couple things
do come to mind that some might consider
negative.
The surrounding terrain does test one’s
mettle, but it has proven to be just another
challenge to club members. The flying
skills of these RC fixed-wing and
helicopter pilots are outstanding!
And remember the wind I alluded to
earlier? It’s not much fun trying to land in
crosswinds in the hills.
The summer months in Northern
California do present us with the strong
westerlies, but then again this area doesn’t
have any poor-weather flying seasons. So
on the windier days of mid-summer,
DVRC members enjoy arguably the finest
glider and Soaring venue in the west.
The nearby hills are thick with
thermals, and access is all two-wheel
drive. Late summer, fall, and most days of
the winter are a power flier’s delight,
thanks to a newly purchased wireless
weather station.
Oh, and the locals used to leave
presents on the runway for the DVRC club
fliers. However, the new cattle guard at the
gate has taken care of that.
DVRC is proud to be a permanent part of
the community of Pittsburg, hosting
everything from the local Veterans Day
commemoration to Boy Scout Troop
functions and a continuing association
with the Orin Allen Youth Guidance
Center.
Look us up if you are ever out West.
DVRC may be the best-kept RC secret in
AMA. When you visit, ask anyone in the
area. He or she will probably say, “Oh
yeah; it’s right up the hill. Turn right at the
firehouse.” Didn’t I mention that we have
our own firehouse?
There are currently 155 club members,
and that number is growing. The facility
has drawn a great deal of attention and
rave reviews. Big events are finally in the
future, and the club and its members are
what AMA is all about. Check us out at
www.dvrc.org. MA
Mike Simi
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/03
Page Numbers: 41,42,43,44
small hill located roughly 50 feet below
the “clubhouse,” for a runway. This
would not be just any runway, though; it
would be a 500-foot-long, paved airstrip
carved into the top of a mountain! And it
needed a name.
One of the founding fathers of DVRC
was Orin Allen—the son of the first
African-American pilot to fly coast to
coast. That was a huge feat in the years
before World War II. Therefore, the
“Thomas C. Allen Memorial Airpark”
was born.
The new airstrip languished in the
state of a usable dirt runway during most
of that first year while work on the
abandoned building and runway drainage
began. Having met wildlife-preservation
requirements, the drainage system was
approved, and the clubhouse—with its
large rock fireplace, meeting room,
kitchen, and restroom—was getting a new
look. The substantial observation deck
was also a prize.
It was time to make a flying field. Up to
this point club members and their guests
were content with the dirt runway. With the
donated help of local contractors and
donated materials and equipment, DVRC
members dug in and saw their new paved
runway completed, along with a small
alternate for windy days. (Windy days are a
facet of this site I’ll cover later.)
Another “freebie” arrived in the form
of artificial turf for the surface of the
pilots’ pit enclosure. The San Francisco
49ers football organization was the
contributor.
At this point it was time to relax and
enjoy the flying, but that didn’t last long;
the group involved in this enterprise were
dreamers, and they wanted to see more.
As the end of that first summer
approached, a series of permanent safety
fences was erected and five access
taxiways became available. A 120-footlong
shade structure was erected over the
pilots’ area, and no less than a dozen
aircraft maintenance tables were
incorporated into this substantial building.
As time passed DVRC recognized
the growing interest in rotary-wing
aircraft, and a large, grassy helicopter
operating area was built. It gets March 2006 41
WAY OUT WEST, in AMA’s District X,
there exists a secret: the Diablo Valley
Radio Controllers, or DVRC. This club has
been around for a long time, and although
the name isn’t too exciting, that’s where
any connection with ordinary ends.
The DVRC facilities are located on the
east side of the San Francisco Bay Area.
This radio-control flying organization was
started in 1967, when a group of local
hobby-shop customers teamed up to
promote RC flight safety and exchange
ideas.
DVRC enjoyed its early existence at a
half-dozen venues in the area, but, as is the
case with many AMA chartered sites,
nothing was permanent. That all ended in
2001.
After some success operating at a
regional park, the DVRC group’s time ran
out and it had to start looking for a new
place. But this time would be different; it
was time to look for a “permanent home.”
The 32 years of renting space would
become history.
The small town of Pittsburg, California, is
a semirural community located along the
banks of the Sacramento River. The local
constabulary had decided to abandon a
long-unused pistol-firing range situated
back in the green, rolling hills of Northern
California. The site even had a “house”
that was used for urban training. An
arrangement was made, and DVRC signed
a 10-year lease with a 10-year option to
occupy and maintain this property.
But not so fast. There was still an
airfield to build, and there was nothing flat
about the terrain. A long, winding dirt road
led to a small hill, on top of which sat
what would become the DVRC clubhouse.
During the winter of 2001-2002 this “new”
club’sJack Schonberger and Bill Bradt enjoy
A gathering of Cub Scouts at the DVRC annual Kids’ Day fly-in. This is a civic-minded club. teaching the youngsters how to fly RC.
DVRC members Jack Schonberger and Ron Pogue prepare for a
morning of Giant Scale flying. Nice benches!
Participants at the annual gathering on Veterans Day in
November at the DVRC field.
It doesn’t get any better than this! The finished site with paved
runway and pavilion. Gallegos photo.
Can you say “picturesque”? The DVRC flying site sits on a longunused
pistol-firing range. Gallegos photo.
42 MODEL AVIATION
March 2006 43
This gives some idea of the topography around the new DVRC field. Gallegos photo.
The DVRC site as construction progresses. The members put in a lot of “sweat
equity,” but the results were certainly worth it! Gallegos photo.
Author Mike Simi displays one of his
warbirds on Veterans Day in 2005.
New 2005 DVRC member Kristie Hicks
gets ready to solo.
Father and son Jeff (center) and Travis
(R) Raaberg use a buddy box to instruct
the local Cub Scout pack.
Kristie Hicks and Phil Young enjoy a
DVRC monthly meeting lunch at the
field.
Longtime DVRC board member Phil
Young with his Scale aircraft.
substantial use these days.
Slowly, while continuing to enjoy the
new field, the members became restless
again. Another notch was carved in a
hillside, and the barbecue/picnic area was
opened. Parking and an RV camping site
were added behind a protected hill that
once enclosed the pistol range.
Spectator bleachers were assembled
between the helicopter pads and the fixedwing
areas, as were flagpoles, a wind sock,
and an impound building—everything a
modern airfield would need. DVRC
members even had to “X” the runway
because they were getting occasional fullscale
traffic!
In November 2002 the DVRC airfield was
formally dedicated with a grand opening
presided over by the city of Pittsburg’s
mayor Nancy Parent and police chief
Aaron Baker. After that it was time to fly
again.
But something was missing ... Aha!
Power and water! Because of the facility’s
somewhat remote location, no reasonable
amount of thought was given to running
power and water lines, so DVRC decided
to use the existing terrain to its advantage.
The club recently completed a gravity
water-supply system, a septic tank and
leech field, and the construction of two
concrete pads for the power generator.
Soon to be finished are the flying-field
restrooms. Can you picture yourself doing
at-the-field repairs with power tools and
then washing up at the sink? Or firing up
the RV and plugging in for an overnight
stay?
All of these were hands-on projects
carried out by members, and everything
continues to pass local codes and
ordinances. This is a dedicated and
hardworking group of RCers, and their
community involvement has put DVRC
out in front as a resource for the families
of these Bay Area suburbs.
After all this hype and promotion, you
would think there must be something to
complain about. Actually a couple things
do come to mind that some might consider
negative.
The surrounding terrain does test one’s
mettle, but it has proven to be just another
challenge to club members. The flying
skills of these RC fixed-wing and
helicopter pilots are outstanding!
And remember the wind I alluded to
earlier? It’s not much fun trying to land in
crosswinds in the hills.
The summer months in Northern
California do present us with the strong
westerlies, but then again this area doesn’t
have any poor-weather flying seasons. So
on the windier days of mid-summer,
DVRC members enjoy arguably the finest
glider and Soaring venue in the west.
The nearby hills are thick with
thermals, and access is all two-wheel
drive. Late summer, fall, and most days of
the winter are a power flier’s delight,
thanks to a newly purchased wireless
weather station.
Oh, and the locals used to leave
presents on the runway for the DVRC club
fliers. However, the new cattle guard at the
gate has taken care of that.
DVRC is proud to be a permanent part of
the community of Pittsburg, hosting
everything from the local Veterans Day
commemoration to Boy Scout Troop
functions and a continuing association
with the Orin Allen Youth Guidance
Center.
Look us up if you are ever out West.
DVRC may be the best-kept RC secret in
AMA. When you visit, ask anyone in the
area. He or she will probably say, “Oh
yeah; it’s right up the hill. Turn right at the
firehouse.” Didn’t I mention that we have
our own firehouse?
There are currently 155 club members,
and that number is growing. The facility
has drawn a great deal of attention and
rave reviews. Big events are finally in the
future, and the club and its members are
what AMA is all about. Check us out at
www.dvrc.org. MA
Mike Simi
[email protected]