[AlaskaRC] The Field

[Tom Simes]

On Mon, 11 May 2009 10:23:21 +1200
"Ira Hemphill" <twohedwlf at xtra.co.nz> wrote:

> If you'll forgive an outsider for asking a few questions about things
> I'm curious about that I'm not clear on.  I was discussing what I've
> been reading with a member of our club's council on Sunday, yesterday.
> 
> That field looks like it's an hour and a half or two hour drive
> outside of Anchorage?  Am I correct in assuming that most members
> would live in the Anchorage, Eagle River area?

You are correct Ira, driving out to this new field is basically an all
day affair for the majority of the club membership.  It's an irony of
living in Alaska that although the state is positively VAST, very little
of the land is suitable for R/C use due to ownership, regulation
(particularly sound ordinances in the Mat-Su valley just north of
Anchorage), or a combination of topology or vegetation.  Land in and
around Anchorage has gotten valuable enough recently that it became
economically viable to fill in a 200 foot deep gravel pit and build
houses on it.

> Is the strip at Elmendorf currently the only permanent field?  Back
> when I visited what must have been a fun fly there 20 years it seemed
> like a great field to me.  I should have gotten into it back then
> isntead of waiting another 15 years and doing it in another country.

Currently Elmendorf is our only permanent field, it's paved and quite
nice for what it is.  However, the field and flying rules have changed
quite a bit since you saw it 20 years ago.  The field is on an active
military base and back then the general public could drop by the field
simply by telling the gate sentries where they were headed.  Sadly that's
no longer the case and the general public is basically prohibited from
visiting the field.  The field is also basically right off the end of an
active runway, so there is a 300 foot altitude restriction at the field.
20 years ago when most folks were flying .40 or .60 size planes, that
was less of an issue than it is today with 50 CC and up IMAC planes
gaining popularity.  

The recent sound ordinance issues out in the Mat-Su valley have taught
the R/C community up here a hard political lesson.  In order to gain
flying fields, we need broad community support.  In order to gain broad
community support we need to be visible as a positive and beneficial
group within the community.  Unfortunately it's hard for us to be
visible to the general public when sequestered away at the Elmendorf
field - so it's kind of a chicken and the egg problem.  We've made good
progress with the Parks and Recreation department, and they are willing
to give us a letter of support as we approach other entities in the
Anchorage and Eagle River areas requesting to use their facilities for
R/C activities.

Sorry for the long winded explanation, the upshot is my current first
priority is getting the new field squared away from an insurance
standpoint so people can fly there - spring is here and people are ready
to break out the planes.  My second priority is getting the club website
back to a functional state.  My third priority is pursuing a publicly
accessible flying site closer in to Anchorage with as few restrictions
as possible.

> Here we have a field that has been leased continuously to our club
> since 1937, that's only 10 minutes drive from me.  Another about 45
> minute drive that's even better belongs to another club.

Count yourself as fortunate!  Not only for having nearby fields, but
also for living in a beautiful country with filled with friendly people
:)  We took a wonderful two week tour through NZ in a rented camper van
when my oldest daughter was around 2 years old.

-- 
Tom

_____________________________________________________________________

       |  ,  |               Tom Simes - President
---------(@)---------        Alaska Radio Control Society
        --|--                AMA Chartered Club #1998
          '                  president at alaskarc.org