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Palouse Ridge Runners R/C
Newsletter
Pullman Ridge Runner Moscow
========================== August 2003 =============================
The August club meeting will be at John Sawyer Field, flying begins about 5pm with a short business meeting at 7pm on Tuesday, August 5. In the event there is unflyable weather (unlikely according to the forecast) the meeting will be a Jack-in-the-Box in Moscow at 7pm (contact Dave Walker for information (208) 882-9180).
Agenda:
By Don Hart
Thursday flying sessions at Sawyer Field have been very well attended even with the HOT weather we’ve been having. There have been sessions with nearly half the club attending. Unfortunately, there have been a few crashes. Fortunately, only one plane was a writeoff.
Evening flying sessions usually
have lighter wind conditions, cooler temperatures and plenty of shade, making
this a really great time to fly. High temperatures are expected to be below 90
beginning Saturday and continuing through the weekend and into next week.
Come on out and join the fun!
By Don Hart
Attending:
Dave Walker (president)
Mel Colvin (VP)
Ihnchoel Park
Joe Bolden
Vance Penton
Terry Koltes
Tom Sandell
K Tarbet
Howard Hosick
Les Grammer (secretary/treasurer)
Bruce and Colleen Bumgarner
Pat Gates
Wally Bigelow
Trevor Young
Jeff Nelson
Don Hart (newsletter editor)
The July meeting was held at Jack-in-the-Box in Moscow at 7pm. This was a special meeting to bring members up to date on the status of the new park south of Moscow and the possibility of a new R/C flying field being included in the planning.
Dave Walker (president) and Joe Bolden have met with Moscow Parks and Rec three times. There is room for a flying site at the northwest corner of the proposed park.
Flying may have to be restricted when there are activities underway at the play fields south of the proposed runway location. Other concerns include safety, security, interference from park flyers not at the r/c flying site, and noise due to three nearby homes.
A large tree at the end of the proposed runway will have to be removed.
Runway surfacing options were discussed with grass, geo-textile and pavement as options. Grass is probably the most likely option in the short run. A hard surface runway may be possible in the future depending on cost and availability of donated materials and equipment. A minimum 50x300 foot runway was suggested.
Members and guests will be required to have AMA membership to fly to provide liability insurance coverage. The AMA sanctioned 30 day flight training program, a reduced club membership cost for students, and $1.50 AMA membership for flyers under 19 years of age (without magazine subscription) may help attract more flyers to the club.
Fencing with a locked gate, signs detailing rules, and frequency control will be needed. Restroom facilities, irrigation, grading and grass planting, and a covered pit area were discussed.
The next hurdles in the park planning process for Moscow Parks and Rec are a public meeting and a meeting with the Moscow City Council.
We will continue meeting at Sawyer Field through the summer. Flying will begin about 5pm with a business meeting at 7pm. Be there the first Tuesday of each month.
By Don Hart
Bruce and Colleen Bumgarner hosted this annual glider meet at the Lewiston club field at Mann Lake east of Lewiston. There were more than twenty pilots from all over the Northwest, some flying in all three competition classes (two meter, rudder-elevator-spoiler (RES), and open). This was a very good turnout considering the heat and competition from a well publicized contest in Joseph, OR on the same weekend.
Flying was 9am to 4pm Saturday, and 9am to 3pm on Sunday. A helicopter flying demostration and aero tow were scheduled as entertainment.
Congratulations to Bruce and Colleen for a great event!
Spokane
IMAC (Newman Lake, ID)
By Don Hart
I went to the Spokane IMAC competition on Sunday
morning. I got there about 9:30am and left about noon. It was cool and breezy,
with the wind blowing directly across the runway. It must have been
challenging, but many of the pilots handled the wind very well (especially the
large planes).
There were about 15 flyers spread across all
classes. Most of the planes were 80 inch and larger wingspan. There were a few
smaller planes.
The flying site is in a marsh at the south end
of Newman Lake. The parking lot is about a quarter mile from the runway. Only
foot traffic and golf carts are allowed between the runway and the parking lot.
They have trailers on the golf carts to haul planes and equipment - it works
very well. The runway and pit area are grass surrounded by ... GRASS! Tall
grass. I have no idea what lurks in the grass. Probably some very soggy areas
and ponds as you get close to Newman Lake.
Fortunately, nobody landed off
the runway.
I was very impressed by the planes and by much
of the flying. Some of the pilots obviously had limited experience and had a
lot of trouble with the wind.
I talked with a fellow who drove up from Oregon
(about 320 miles). He said he's been flying IMAC about two years. He apparently
goes to all the meets in the Northwest. He carries his plane and gear in a
mini-van. He flies a large gas powered plane - fortunately it disassembles to
fit in the vehicle. Wings are mounted on a tube that goes through the fuselage,
the tail surfaces come off and the landing gear is removed.
I would like to give it a try, but won’t make it
this year because of my work schedule
The next nearby IMAC meet is August 9-10 at the
Coeur d'Alene club field near Rathdrum.
http://www.backyardflyer.com/ Backyard Flyer Magazine
http://www.balsapr.com/ Balsa Products and Supplies
http://www.fly-giantrc.org/links.html Giant Scale Links
http://www.homefly.com/ Homefly - scratchbuilder supplies & kits
http://www.nesail.com/ Northeast Sailplane Products – sailplanes and electric power planes and supplies
August 9-10 – Coeur d’Alene IMAC competition
August 16-17 – Spokane electric fun fly
September 7 - Four Mounds Fall Fun Fly, Spokane
September 20-21 – Jump-Off-Joe float fly, Chewela, WA
Go to the PRR web site and click on the “events” link for more information.