Florida Flying

[bweaver]

@davidk , does every flight station have a weather vein on top? 

If not, how does the person who is using this flight station determine the wind direction?

What do you think about the quality of shade you get at the individual flight stations with the roof over top?

With a corrugated metal roof over ones head, is it not hot under there and self-defeating?

Is this roof arrangement intended to discourage persons from flying over the pits?  Does this work?

Does the roof provide shade all day or only at noon?

Does this roof mean that you can fly in the rain?  Does it not attract lightning?

Do all the posts pi** off the guy that has to cut the lawn?

[davidk]

@bweaver , no... just 2 stations.
There's a wind sock in the middle of the field along the stations.
The airplane vane was just something one of the guys made 'cause he though it was cool.  And it is... but that prop is too noisy with a bit of wind.

The station roofs are actually pretty good.  The field is arranged at an angle just off West to East.  The sun is always behind you... and so... shade.

The roofs are high enough and not that big so there's always good airflow.  I haven't been under one when it's 100 degrees and no breeze, however.

Flying airplanes in the pits does not happen.  Taxing does... or did... a lot... in front of the safety guy... when I first joined.  He scolds and goes back to chatting.  It rarely happens now.  Drones... one drone... is the problem.   There's one guy who flies through the parking lot, over the pits, never calls anything he's doing, and all with FPV and no spotter.  He's been talked to, but doesn't care and no one is going to boot him... so... he keeps doing it.  Everyone else follows the rules.  I showed up last week and he was already there.  I was setting up and he took off from the middle of the pits.  When I asked him if that was a good idea he grumbled and said that since I showed up he guessed he'd have to fly from the field.

Shade all day... you just scooch from left to right as the sun moves.

There are much bigger shelters behind the pit with picnic tables and a big tree next to that... the lightning is supposed to hit there first.

They weed wack around the posts.  The guy who cuts the grass seems happy.  The land is owned by a large equipment auction house.  Twice a year they hold a huge auction... big enough to need golf carts to get around.  Usually the flying field is used as parking... and so... the club must take down everything... EVERTHING... except the 3 big shelters.  That's each station, shade stations, posts, all picnic tables and the entire electric fence around the field.  It's all stored in a shipping container north of the field.  Then they put it back 3 days later.  This year, for the first time... the auction house said they made other parking arrangements.  I, of course, claimed it was because I just joined the club.  They were a bunch of happy guys... mainly because their field wouldn't get creamed by all the parking.

This field is empty during the week.  I'm always there by myself Mon-Thurs.  Sometimes on Friday another person or 2 shows up.

The charging station is a treat.  I took 4 batteries today and charged and flew for hours.

[bweaver]

@bweaver , no... just 2 stations.
There's a wind sock in the middle of the field along the stations.
The airplane vane was just something one of the guys made 'cause he though it was cool.  And it is... but that prop is too noisy with a bit of wind.

The station roofs are actually pretty good.  The field is arranged at an angle just off West to East.  The sun is always behind you... and so... shade.

The roofs are high enough and not that big so there's always good airflow.  I haven't been under one when it's 100 degrees and no breeze, however.

Flying airplanes in the pits does not happen.  Taxing does... or did... a lot... in front of the safety guy... when I first joined.  He scolds and goes back to chatting.  It rarely happens now.  Drones... one drone... is the problem.   There's one guy who flies through the parking lot, over the pits, never calls anything he's doing, and all with FPV and no spotter.  He's been talked to, but doesn't care and no one is going to boot him... so... he keeps doing it.  Everyone else follows the rules.  I showed up last week and he was already there.  I was setting up and he took off from the middle of the pits.  When I asked him if that was a good idea he grumbled and said that since I showed up he guessed he'd have to fly from the field.

Shade all day... you just scooch from left to right as the sun moves.

There are much bigger shelters behind the pit with picnic tables and a big tree next to that... the lightning is supposed to hit there first.

They weed wack around the posts.  The guy who cuts the grass seems happy.  The land is owned by a large equipment auction house.  Twice a year they hold a huge auction... big enough to need golf carts to get around.  Usually the flying field is used as parking... and so... the club must take down everything... EVERTHING... except the 3 big shelters.  That's each station, shade stations, posts, all picnic tables and the entire electric fence around the field.  It's all stored in a shipping container north of the field.  Then they put it back 3 days later.  This year, for the first time... the auction house said they made other parking arrangements.  I, of course, claimed it was because I just joined the club.  They were a bunch of happy guys... mainly because their field wouldn't get creamed by all the parking.

This field is empty during the week.  I'm always there by myself Mon-Thurs.  Sometimes on Friday another person or 2 shows up.

The charging station is a treat.  I took 4 batteries today and charged and flew for hours.

Only in America!

[davidk]

4th day of no wind.
Today saw a Pitts Special and an FreeWing F4 Phantom.  The Pitts did very well, the Phantom not so much.  It went through the top branches of a tree and I just kept remembering the words of every TEMAC Instructor... keep some sky between your plane and anything below it.
This Phantom was the 2nd for this pilot... the 1st meeting the same fate.

[Frank v B]

David,

re: "This Phantom was the 2nd for this pilot... the 1st meeting the same fate."

An expert has made every mistake once and learned from it.  An idiot makes every mistake two or more times and doesn't learn from them.

Was the tree OK?   


Frank

[davidk]

Yes, the tree is fine.  Oddly enough, this is the same tree the Mud Duck landed in.  The section I've circled is the area the Phantom tried to navigate.  The Phantom is 90mm... this section of the tree is 80mm.  I know this because there's 10mm missing off the wing.  It's a case of... missed it by that much.

For a second... I thought he was going to make it through... but that tree is really tired of getting smacked.  The 6S was undamaged and sitting 50ft away.  The tree kept the nose cone as a souvenir.

[davidk]

eliminating paper Roll Up The Rim cups

That's it!!!! I'm not coming home, Canada.  This, was the last drop

[Frank v B]

DAVID,

re: "missed it by that much.."

For our younger audience:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox-NkyEFTmo

Frank

[davidk]

Excellent show... thanks for that.

[Frank v B]

David,

Rogo Field is ready for you.  We even located a clutch of eggs at the base of our control tower to make you feel at home.  Your romp through nature can continue.   We are having a problem locating alligators though.  It will be an adjustment for you.

Safe home.

Frank

[davidk]

Glad to be home amid all the craziness, but I do miss those warms days.  My last post for this thread... me and my Florida Maule.

[sihinch]

Welcome home David.

[BJROB]

Ok yes 
The Canadian....Floridians have returned 
Spring has sprung