I figured my kid was old enough that we could try some of them without someone losing a limb, but it kind of dawned on me that I don't know of anywhere that's good to launch them!
When I was a kid my uncle had a farm so we launched them from there, but I don't think wandering onto a random farm would be a good idea nowadays, and most fields are tall with crops anyway there'd be no chance of finding the thing after it came down.
Anyone know of a good place (preferably east of the city) to do so?
Not huge rockets, I just have a few simple ones and mostly test motors so only a few hundred feet expected. 200 feet will be just as impressive to my kid as 2000 feet at this point
__________________ Uncertainty is an uncomfortable position.
But certainty is an absurd one.
Nice, I've always wanted to get into remote controlled airplanes, but there's a hobby that takes $$.
Lol my kid got one of those really cheap remote controlled airplanes for his birthday, the foam ones with two small motors, the ones that plug into the controller to charge.
We've been waiting for over a month for a day calm enough to fly it.. earlier today it seemed calm enough so we went and tried it.. the field behind the nearby school is pretty huge, I figured it would be big enough.
Well once I got it into the air, I was doing pretty well except that there was still an overall wind, and I couldn't keep it pointed in one direction long enough, so I kept drifting closer and closer to the school... until I was finally over it and managed to land it nicely on the top of the school
Need a bigger field I guess to practice remote control airplanes too.
I figured we'd call the school tomorrow and go with a ladder and get it, except with tonight's deluge I doubt it'll be working.
I guess I owe my kid a new airplane lol.
__________________ Uncertainty is an uncomfortable position.
But certainty is an absurd one.
Need a bigger field I guess to practice remote control airplanes too.
It’s against bylaw to fly any model aircraft at a public field too, by the way. There are a couple of clubs around town; I fly at CRAMS, which is a nice field with great people.
I can usually launch them right behind my house in Langdon. Though there is a field that is being farmed just to the west of our house so if the wind is strong enough or if I dont aim enough to account for it, it will get lost in the canola.
I dont have any fancy setups, just a basic starter kit that me and the kids goof around with occasionally. Its fun.
It’s against bylaw to fly any model aircraft at a public field too, by the way. There are a couple of clubs around town; I fly at CRAMS, which is a nice field with great people.
I guess I should check to see if there's a similar bylaw in Chestermere.
But yeah I guess I could see why.. I don't really want to join an association just so I can go crash my kid's $30 remote control airplane a bunch of times. Man you can't do anything nowadays.
EDIT: Do you have to schedule to go out to that field, or can you just go? It's close to me.
__________________ Uncertainty is an uncomfortable position.
But certainty is an absurd one.
I can usually launch them right behind my house in Langdon. Though there is a field that is being farmed just to the west of our house so if the wind is strong enough or if I dont aim enough to account for it, it will get lost in the canola.
I dont have any fancy setups, just a basic starter kit that me and the kids goof around with occasionally. Its fun.
That's awesome!
Yeah that's all I want to do, nothing fancy or crazy.
__________________ Uncertainty is an uncomfortable position.
But certainty is an absurd one.
I guess I should check to see if there's a similar bylaw in Chestermere.
But yeah I guess I could see why.. I don't really want to join an association just so I can go crash my kid's $30 remote control airplane a bunch of times. Man you can't do anything nowadays.
EDIT: Do you have to schedule to go out to that field, or can you just go? It's close to me.
The field is on city property, and access after hours is restricted via the gate that closes the entrance to the dump - but we have a keypad code for the gate that allows us to access our field any time we want. When the dump is open, you can drive right up. You do need to be a member to fly there though, and all members must also be members of MAAC (Model Aircraft Association of Canada)
Most weekends there will be 10-20 guys out at any given time. Lots and lots of helicopters this year, as a helicopter club joined CRAMS to use our field.
The nice thing about belonging to the club, besides the camaraderie, is you have a nice field with two runways, a clubhouse, windsock, and no houses nearby to crash into. Free instruction for beginners too, from some really great pilots/people. You are also insured for a large amount of money under the MAAC organization.
Ugh, having to go to way out into the boonies was the biggest reason I ditched nitro for electric R/C park planes. So much easier being able to fly at the local school field instead of driving out to Springbank/Airdrie etc.
And don't bother with any of the flying clubs, unless you're into rules, red tape, and listening to old people talk to you all day. They are definitly a good place to go if you are looking to get into the serious side of the hobby, but not if you just want to get out and have some quick fun.
There a few good electric trainer kits out there. Just ask at any hobby store. Its ~$340 all in to get yourself a good setup up and in the air.
Ugh, having to go to way out into the boonies was the biggest reason I ditched nitro for electric R/C park planes. So much easier being able to fly at the local school field instead of driving out to Springbank/Airdrie etc.
And don't bother with any of the flying clubs, unless you're into rules, red tape, and listening to old people talk to you all day. They are definitly a good place to go if you are looking to get into the serious side of the hobby, but not if you just want to get out and have some quick fun.
There a few good electric trainer kits out there. Just ask at any hobby store. Its ~$340 all in to get yourself a good setup up and in the air.
Good luck when your park flying results in an accident or injury. The clubs are there for a reason, controlled airspace and liability insurance being the most important. Except for the very lowest performance park flyers (toys), the potential for injury to a small kid is still pretty high. Let’s face it, even a perceived injury to a kid is going to land you in no end of trouble once a parent gets wind of it.
As for the club being full of old people, nice stereotyping. Our club has a demographic cross section running from kids all the way to old timers, of all kinds of professions, sort of like...real life. Sucks, I guess, if that’s an issue for you.
Good luck when your park flying results in an accident or injury. The clubs are there for a reason, controlled airspace and liability insurance being the most important. Except for the very lowest performance park flyers (toys), the potential for injury to a small kid is still pretty high. Let’s face it, even a perceived injury to a kid is going to land you in no end of trouble once a parent gets wind of it.
I fly a basic brushless park flyer. Its foam and likely wouldn't be able to break a window let alone a kid's face. I haven't come across anyone who isn't enthralled upon seeing it. Parents always stop by and ask where to get one as they think it would be a great parent/child activity, which it is.
Quote:
As for the club being full of old people, nice stereotyping. Our club has a demographic cross section running from kids all the way to old timers, of all kinds of professions, sort of like...real life. Sucks, I guess, if that’s an issue for you.
And I wasn't trying to stereotype flying clubs. As a one time member, I'm not simply spewing off nonsense, I was listing the reasons why I no longer go there, as advice for someone thinking about joining.
Members at most clubs are indeed diverse in age, but its the old people that will talk your ear off about "this plane they used to have" etc.
Clubs have their place (social, technical), but for me, I'd rather take a quick walk to the field and be able to fly after dinner, instead of spending half a day at the flying club outside of town. Two totally different experiences.
I fly a basic brushless park flyer. Its foam and likely wouldn't be able to break a window let alone a kid's face. I haven't come across anyone who isn't enthralled upon seeing it. Parents always stop by and ask where to get one as they think it would be a great parent/child activity, which it is.
Just to put into retrospect how much damage something can make, a gentleman launched a cardboard rocket in Calgary a few summers back. The ejection charge didn't go off and it nosedived right into a school roof. It actually punctured the roof, requiring repair and an insurance claim. Luckily I believe this was a club launch and the membership insurance took over if I remember correctly.
Ducay and I both have umbrella liability policies that cover us. Mine is up to $2MM for any non-exempt hobby activities. So we're more than insured, and if one of our our planes hurt someone, I'll give them $5 and a band aid.
Park flyers aren't more than a few feet long and tall, and are made of high density foam...They're not going to kill someone.
Ducay and I both have umbrella liability policies that cover us. Mine is up to $2MM for any non-exempt hobby activities. So we're more than insured, and if one of our our planes hurt someone, I'll give them $5 and a band aid.
Park flyers aren't more than a few feet long and tall, and are made of high density foam...They're not going to kill someone.
So does that insurance cover operating them in fields where they aren’t allowed - no city park or recreation field permits it.
Edit: I agree a true park flyer is highly unlikely to injure someone. There are plenty though, of higher performance foamies that could operate at a park that could definitely cause harm. Some of the ducted fan stuff really moves.
__________________
-Scott
Last edited by sclitheroe; 08-03-2010 at 08:02 AM.
Model Rockets!
