Toronto Electric Model Aviation Club Forum

10 years ago (approximately) a group of e-flyers gathered in Milliken Park (McCowan & Steels) to fly their craft.  Those were days of experimentation, development, and creativity.  It was amazing to watch the development of flyers both in building and flying.  I feel the efforts of Michael are to be commended in taking the initiative to do what many have wanted for some time.  I have said many times that a flyer is as good as his/her equipment.  This is also true about the flying facility.  Electric flight in the GTA is going to take an exciting and creative leap forward.  I hope that flyers will see fit to stand behind this effort as we strive to expand our own minds in the area of electric flight as well as the minds of glow flyers and pre-flyers alike.  Show your support with a note to acknowlege Michael with a "thanks."

the Giant

Very well said, Andre.  I couldn't agree more.  

Many have talked about establishing a "proper" Electric R/C field for years.  Michael is doing it.

I too look forward to the increased creativity and experimentation this field will help foster.  It will be part of a huge leap forward for the Electric Flight community in the area.  It IS going to be an exciting time.

Thank you! thank you! thank you! to Michael for taking the initiative and making this happen.

Robert

Andre, very well said. 10 years eh. Has it been that long? I remember loosing the Kyosho Mustang in the pond at the far end of the park, and you helped me and went for a swim and retreived it for me, time "flys" (no pun intended) when you're having fun.

I am really excited with Michael's announcement of the idea, so much so that I took a family outing drive to the new field that very afternoon, and I am very pleased with what i saw, lots of potential.

Mike is to be congratulated for taking the steps to make this a reality, I for one, will definitly join and pay the initial contribution, financially and resourcs wise; to make this a world-class (e?)club. Thank you Mike.

Alex

What is all the talk about an electric field? Is there going to be one? Where? Has there been an "official" anouncement regarding an e-field? Need more info.

Alan

An electric field would be a great development.

This is the first I have heard of it.  More details please.

David

Oh well, the cat's out of the bag.

Here's the announcement.

I have started an effort to open a MAAC chartered and registered flying club devoted strictly for electric model flying. This is to be a proper field, with all the benefits and responsibilities that go hand-in-hand with being a member of such a club. The name of the club is the Toronto Electric Model Aviation Club (TEMAC).

This effort was started on my own to avoid debating and arguing over procedure. For now, this is to be an independent club. The intention, though, is to have the club co-exist with the EMFSO. This relationship has yet to be worked out exactly.

Here is the progress so far:

- I have the support of the following people to prepare and promote the club, in official capacities:
Adam Rogozinsky, Jack Humpries, John Kusterin, Robert Pike and André Wedseltoft. As well, several of the guys at the 'casual' 14th club, such as Alex Lee, are very supportive. Jack Humphries and I are offering financial support, perhaps the EMFSO can help too.

- I have completed MAAC registration and chartering. As long as we follow MAAC rules, we will be flying insured. I have had verbal confirmation that MAAC will approve our submissions.

- The field is big! We will be able to fly all sizes of model aircraft. It is located near the intersection of Kennedy Road and Stoufville Road, about 10 to 15 minutes away from A&J Hobbies, and even closer to Pinnicle Hobby.

- IMPORTANT - Don't quit your own clubs yet - The lease for the field has not been completed. I hope to have this done by early October 2003. Let's all be realistic, it will take some time before the field is in top shape.

A lot of time, effort, negotiations and a little bit of money have gone into this project so far. It will take a lot more of each, especially more money, to progress. Once the land lease is completed, annual memberships will be offered for sale.

I have not made any secret about my efforts, but was intending to hold off on a major announcement until the deal for the land was complete. All details will be made available to everyone once they are finalized, probably by early or mid October.

A full story, map, diagram, club rules, membership rates, etc., will be published in an upcoming EMFSO newsletter and on the website, in due course.


Michael

I think congratulations are in order to Michael for his efforts in this endeavour.
If any help or assitance is needed or required, Michael I'm available.
Leo Sweers

lsweers

Great news! I join others and saying well done Michael.

Congratulations and thanks, Michael!  As one of the 14th Avenue crew, I'm happy to pay a little more and travel a little further to get the benefits of a large, sanctioned field and MAAC insurance. I'm now looking forward to adding some bigger planes to my current 7-cell based fleet.




Gordon Braun-Woodbury
“Crashing builds character. Really!”

I think Michael and his buddies are doing EMFSO a great service. I will be joining for sure, even though I do not live in the GTO. I cannot help physically but may be able to provide some money if required.

R E Martin

It would be horrible having that field less than 10 minutes from my house here in Stouffville.
And right on my way to work!

Just let me know if you need any help.




Edited by - Vince on 11 Sep 2003  11:53:54 PM

Hey Michael !

You make it sound like the EMFSO would require persuading to get financial support for the flying field.  When, in fact, I've been offering money (on behalf of the EMFSO), from the very beginning.  We just need to make it official    

Just wanted to make that clear so everyone knows we're behind the project 100%

Robert

UPDATE:

- TEMAC will take care of all responsibilities related to outdoor flying at this field, awarding "pilots wings" and maintaining the field; EMFSO will report on TEMAC activities in the EMFSO newsletter, provide some space on this website, and promote TEMAC. All TEMAC members must be MAAC members. TEMAC membership, which will cost $80 per year, includes an annual EMFSO membership as well.

- A&J Hobbies, Pinnical Hobbies, the EMFSO and I are offering financial support. So far only I have invested money.

- TEMAC is officially MAAC registered and chartered.

- A lease for the land has been finalized. It's a year-to-year lease for 3 acres of land including parking, pits and runway. I was there recently and I assure everyone, this is a big area to fly from (not neccessarily perfect to suit everyone, but pretty good).

- I am looking into the possibility of incorporating the club. Once this is done, memberships will be accepted. Membership applications and brochures should be printed soon.


Michael

Michael,

That's amazing.  Congratulations and thank you for all the work you've done.  It sounds like the field is going to be right on the GO line, which will make it accessable to me (see another post about being stranded in TO).

I'm new to Electric RC and I'm looking forward to becoming a member of TEMAC.  



Slehmann

I flew at TEMAC today!

I had 2 good flights at about 5:15pm in a slight south wind with the sun to my back. It was a great feeling, flying on our own field.

The crop is clear, but there are still remnants, about 6" average height; definately no smooth landings. I find the field is actually quite smooth underneath. It's going to be nice.

I'm talking to a lawyer about incorporating the club, and will be accepting memberships soon.

Michael

The concept of EMFSO having an electric field is fantastic!!! Michael, well done! And thank you also to everyone else who stuck their neck out for this (Andre etc etc). At a time when there are very few flying spots in the GTA, here we actually see growth happening. One of the magic things is the WINGS program coupled with e-flight! I'm sure that each one of us in emfso in the GTA can contribute somehow to this project. And it will be a model project (bad pun) for other cities in the emfso umbrella to get their own "electric" fields; one thing we have going for us is that e-flight is QUIET !
Stouffville is about a one-hour haul for me from Etobicoke but I work in Aurora so flying at 3:30 pm is a real possibility. I look forward to flying with persons of like mind (no castor oil in the handshake!).

Rod



Edited by - bald warthog on 08 Oct 2003  7:29:33 PM

Wow an electric only field thats great news and I am ready to join and I am also willing to give some finacial support to TEMAC let me know how and when

Fifty-six years ago today I was six weeks old and living in Stouffville; I awoke this morning and I thought "it's about time that Terri-Lynne saw where I started this adventureous life".

We found the TEMAC field without incident altho Michael's, Robert's and Andre's directions all helped very much. The pickup camper (sans pickup) is the important marker. We drove in the laneway until it widened into a field, got out of the car, and surveyed the scene; it looks VERY good! No one was flying, there was NO wind ! and NO ONE was flying ! A monster tractor dragging a horrendous harrow was parked on what I imagined would eventually be our runway. In fact, maybe this behemoth had already begun preparation of the grassed airfield ? WOW ! This is going to be fantastic! Thank you !



Edited by - bald warthog on 18 Oct 2003  8:38:19 PM

I was up there this past Monday with Ben and Richard.  Ben had his hand held GPS, so we pased out the 400x300 dimensions.  we found that the area that had been turned over, that strip running north/south from the row of small trees, is actually the dimensions of the 400x100 foot runway.  The remaining area over to the large tree line on the west side will be for pits and parking.  

Ben and Richard were very excited about the possibilities, and I was even more excited than before when I realized how nice and large an area we'll have.

Michael, with the help of Jack Humphreys and Andre Wedseltoft, has done a great job of negotiations.  Something that cannot be taken granted for, especially in the T.O area.

We're going to have a top knotch field when it's ready.

Here's a thought.....we're moving forward, in a big way, with the advent of this flying field.  Why not start building aircraft worthy of the flying site.  I would like to see more larger planes with larger power systems.  

Robert

Sounds great! Which corner of Kennedy/Stoufville intersection? Is the field that obvious when driving in the area? Is a map available yet?

Alan

It is about 1/2km (or slightly less) east, on the south side from the intersection.

I will have photos and a map up by next weekend. I will have membership forms and brochures ready before the next EMFSO winter workshop. (Membership will be $80 including 2004 EMFSO membership).

According to André (The Giant), we should be able to fly from a finished field some time in May 2004. Before that we may be able to fly, but most likely by handlaunching and belly landing.

Michael

South Side.

Look for the camper.

Oops, yeah, right, ... south side. Thanks Robert. I went back and edited and corrected my previous post.

Michael

Yes, the camper is the big clue. As you drive east on the Stouffville Road from Kennedy, you'll pass a church, then a planing mill. Slow down, the driveway into the field is barely noticeable and the yellow pickup camperback is a few hundred feet south of Stouffville Road. From the entrance, you're going to wonder where the field is. Proceed in the driveway, past the camperback which will now be on your east (left) side as you head south, and drive past the line of low trees that will be on your left. Suddenly you'll enter a field, you'll have high trees between you & the planing mill, and the low line of trees will be to the north. You're now ON the field, in the parking area. To the east will be first the pit area and then next the runway (which has been ploughed). Its a beautiful site !

Update on field preparation:

I have spoken to a landscaper friend of mine who is of the opinion that at this late in the year we are unwise to try to proceed with any field preparations.  We are best to leave the soil loose through the winter.  In the sping, we will try to either get the farmer who is already doing preparations to the surrounding field to make a few passes over the flying area. Or we will hire a landscaper with the appropriate equipment to assist us.  We will still have to come out with our rakes and work with them to get the "table top" smooth surface that we are looking for to fly from.  With any luck we will be able to do this early in the spring so that we can be flying from the field by mid to end of May.  

Keep your fingers crossed for an early spring.

Andre

Sounds great, André!

Thank you very much for taking care of this.

I'm preparing membership brochures and cards. I'll start accepting memberships on Wednesday evening at the Nov. 5 EMFSO Winter Workshop. Cost is $80 and includes 2004 EMFSO membership.

Low or specific membership numbers are available upon payment.

Michael

"Low or specific membership numbers are available upon payment"

Michael, maybe the Club could surcharge this, just like vanity licence plates, and make a little extra $$ from whomever wants #7 or some other special or "lucky" membership number. I bid $20 for #47

Rod

Actually several people have suggested different ways to raise money: having a club initiation fee, asking general members for donations, etc.

For now, I'm trying to avoid asking for too much money. It's true that the costs for getting this club and field up-and-running are high, and field maintenance will cost a lot too, but at first, I'm hoping that the money we've invested so far and memberships will cover expenses.

Since flying will likely start mid-spring 2004 (early May, hopefully before), I will certainly appreciate as a vote of confidence all the people who purchase a membership in the club.

As mentioned earlier, memberships will be accepted starting the evening of Nov. 5, at the EMFSO Winter Workshop.

Michael

I live in Kitchener, so it's unlikely that I'll join TEMAC although I will probably pay a visit or two thoughout the summer even though it's way over a one hour drive to the field. I have never been a member of a club, am a self-trained pilot, MAAC member and have studied the MAAC wings program documentation and MAAC safety guidelines. I feel that I am a competent pilot, but I have never "officially" earned my wings.

I suspect that there are a number of e-pilots and park-flyers who are in the same situation and would like to get their wings.

May I suggest that TEMAC develop an MAAC Wings testing program for experienced pilots with valid MAAC memberships - primarily involving a "final exam" flight test where the candidate flies under the supervision of an instructor and demonstrates the skills required to complete the normal wings program.

I personally would not have any problem paying the normal field fee plus a testing fee and $10 for the wings pin. A total fee in the neighbourhood of $30 for a flight test seems reasonable to me. I'm not sure how many flyers would take advantage of this so it may or may not be a source of revenue for the club.

My other options are: a) keep flying without my "official" wings b) join TEMAC, get my wings and then hardly ever fly there or c) join a local glow club and hopefully convince them that I can demonstrate adequate skill on a 16oz aircraft.

This is clearly a minor issue compared to starting a new club from scratch - I don't expect an answer anytime soon - but hope this idea goes into the "job jar" for the future ...

Nick Jones
Kitchener, Ontario
EMFSO #780

There would be no fee to acquire your wings at the TEMAC field. As long as you show one of our designated instructors that you can fly a simple requested pattern safely, we will give you your wings pin and a certificate stating that you are allowed to fly your electric model aircraft, on your own, without supervision, at the TEMAC field. The reason the certificate will state "at the TEMAC field" is since someone can earn these wings by flying a GWS Tiger Moth, this doesn't mean they are then able to fly a heavy gas-powered quarter scale model at another club.

This is available to anyone who joins TEMAC. We would be honored and grateful to any out-of-town members who join.

Michael

Thank you.

TEMAC now has 16 members in good standing (that means fully paid up!). That's pretty good for a club that's about one month old and won't be flying for another 6 months or so.

Please note... I will be at the Dec. 3, 2003 EMFSO Winter workshop accepting memberships and handing out membership cards. It's $80, and includes next year's EMFSO membership as well. Please show your support.

During the few weeks, this Forum/Topic has become the most popular (most read) in the history of the EMFSO website. This is just an indication of the interest and excitement that this project is generating!

Michael

We might be getting that "early spring" that Andre suggested we pray for. I haven't seen much snow this winter in either Etobicoke or Aurora, so the TEMAC field is likely just as bare.With luck we can prepare early,plant early,and watch the grass grow (early).

See you all on the 7th at the next Winter Workshop ??!!! Looking forward to it

Update: Jan. 6, 2004

There are now 21 fully paid-up members of TEMAC! That's not bad considering it's winter and we're still months away from flying. As it gets closer to flying weather, many others will join.

André and I have been in contact with various individuals with whom we are discussing preparing the field for our use. We are trying to come to a reasonable compromise between cost, timing and field ground quality. As soon as spring weather approaches, we will "spring" into action.

I've been in contact with the lawyer who is incorporating our club; he has confirmed that the TEMAC name is legally and officially ours!


Michael

24 members now.

As soon as the weather warms up a bit, I'll meet the person we lease the land from, and start the clean-up. I'll discuss with him the preparation and maintenance of the property, and also with the person who runs the nearby helicopter club; he said he would cut our grass at a "good" deal.

Signs will go up by the end of march (including a permanent Frequency board, and by early April fences according to MAAC rules.

As soon as possible we will give out "wings" to pilots, and help those who need to "earn" them for the first time. These "Wings Certificates" will indicate that the pilot can safely fly their indicated model(s) at TEMAC. (This will not allow pilots to fly giant scale models at other clubs, for example).

Frequency use will be open to any MAAC legal frequency, including "toy" airplanes. Any problems or concerns will be dealt with if there is a need; Remember - the point is to have as much relaxed fun as possible - within MAAC rules. We don't need difficult probelems if they are not really an issue.

Please note: This club is not open to all EMFSO members; only to TEMAC paid members. EMFSO members, and other pilots, are welcome to come try out our field as a guest of a TEMAC member once. The preparation and maintenance of the club/field is expensive, and any and all flyers should bear at least the membership cost.

Michael

Hey There!
I have recently been acquiring MAAC information about the Wings program.  Obvious to me is our need for flexibility in the area of Hand Launch aircraft.  MAAC requires that a take-off (ROG) be accomplished to obtain one's wings.  The instructors will be meeting together before the AGM where i intend to report further.
the giant.

March 12 update.

The 14th ave field is closed. So what's happening now?

I spoke with the TEMAC land owner today. I told him we need proper (dry) access to the field, and the field has to be cleared and flattened. I told hime I would like to do this as soon as possible. He indicated that the field is extremely wet from mid-March to May 1. I asked about putting down gravel on the driveway. He said the right thing to do was to make a proper gravel road. He also said his nephew has the equipment to do this. Since this is to be a 1-time expense, I've asked him to look into the expense. He also suggested a cheaper alternative; making a roadway and parking area before the trees, and we could just walk out the rest of the way on wet days. Dry days would be no problem to drive further in.

He is also looking into preparing the actual field for us.

We will be following up next week, and I will talk to members and the ecexutive to decide how to proceed.

I am now getting ready to prepare WINGS certificates, proper rules, fences and signs. I already purchased MAAC wing pins. I think we will have to have a rule insisting that members either wear these pins (once distributed) or at least have their TEMAC membership cards with them.

I don't want to nag, but to prepare this club and field properly, it cost $$$. If you want to fly, become a member.

Email me if you need an application form.
[email protected]

Michael

I received a telephone call today from TEMAC's lawyer. TEMAC is now incorporated as a non-profit organization; we are a now legal entity.

Members and the executive are now further protected than ever for liabilility should a problem ever occur, and (when I receive actual papers in the mail) I will start preparing a presentaion for a grant.


Michael

Good news...

I spoke to the land owner today. He feels that the field may be dry enough and ready to have work done on it by mid-April. As well, he may have someone who can take off some soil from the drive-way, and put down some "filler" and then crushed stone, from a source that he says is really cheap. He said we can smooth out the field ourselves within a few weeks, or he'll make some arrangements for us.

I know that as the weather is improving people (ex 14th'ers) will be wanting to go fly. I am working on TEMAC literally everyday, and it will soon be a reality.

I was there yesterday. It was too wet to even walk there.

Michael

Is there any consideration to people who want to fly electric gliders? do you have a hi start or winch? would i need my wings to fly my own foamie glider?

When darkness falls, i'll be sleeping

There are no provisions for glider flyers.

PLEASE NOTE ...

Weather permitting, some flight and field testing is due. I will be at the field at 3 oclock Sat afternoon (May 8, 2004). Any TEMAC member is welcome to come along.

Just in case, please bring boots in case the ground is wet. If you want to bring a plane, be aware that delicate models and landing gear is not suitable at this time.

If it's raining or very windy, I won't be there.

Michael

Updates, photos and flying at TEMAC; on the TEMAC website.

Click here and press WHAT'S HAPPENING
http://www.emfso.org/temac/

or

Press here to go directly to the updates:
http://www3.sympatico.ca/m.rogozinsky/temac-news.htm

Michael

Looks like fun.  The weather was MUCH nicer today (Sunday), than yesterday.

I hope to get to TEMAC for some flying next weekend.  The rain has to stop eventually and give us some reliable flying weather.

Robert