Re: All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go?

From: Jeff Hood <jhood_at_hmcon.com>
Date: Fri, 16 Dec 2005 13:00:07 -0000

> Those of you who have secured a suitable local flying site within the
> last few years, please jump in and tell us how you did it. Was it a
> windfall opportunity, or did you methodically "find" it and get it by
> skill and cunning?

I guess I'm one of the really lucky ones... I get to fly pretty much
whenever I want in our church gym, which has a 20' clean tiled
ceiling, with the only obstructions being the typical light fixtures,
about 3'x3' square that only descend about 1', and they are spaced
about 15' apart... all the other lights are recessed, so it is a
great site to fly in... and the air handlers are just turned off in a
breaker box in the gym... I can go in at night when no one is using
it (usually from 8-11) or on Saturdays if it isn't being used...
doesn't cost anything for just me to use by myself, but I can get it
for $50-$100 a day for a Saturday if I wanted to invite others... (I'm
thinking of trying to get a Saturday in Feb for a Cat I sanctioned
event thru the AMA... if anyone would be interested in it... probably
a long way for most to drive though...)

I have also looked around, and as others have mentioned, private
schools are pretty good about using their facilities... although it
does make it much easier if you know someone... I fly occasionally in
another private school gym, but it is only about 25' with girders, so
it isn't as nice as my usual place... I also talked to a local
community center, and could get their gym for the standard fee if I
wanted... something like $50 an hour for the rental... and the local
indoor soccer fieldhouse can be had for the bargin price of $150 an
hour... which might be good for a contest, but out of the range for
just me... although it looks like the ceiling is about 60' or so...
could be good for a day contest if the rate could be negotiated...

Also the local indoor RC guys have the use of an indoor hockey
stadium, which is a great site, in Hershey PA on Saturdays in the
winter... only problem is that most of the time, their is ice on the
rink, which would make things both cold and interesting... Haven't
been with them yet, but they invited me anytime I want to go... I'm
going to try to get there after the holidays...

JH
Received on Fri Dec 16 2005 - 05:01:05 CET