Gauging interest in RC flight classes

Aerospace / RC
#1

I am trying to gauge interest in classes on RC flight, as well as building planes/multirotors. I am by no means an expert, but I have plenty of experience (and plenty of crashes). Here are some example classes I could teach:

  • Intro to RC airplanes
  • Intro to RC multirotors
  • Intro to FPV flight
  • Building a budget plane using the laser cutter and 3d printer
  • APM autopilot basics, setup, and tuning

Here are my main questions:

  1. Would anyone be interested in these classes?
  2. Would anyone be interested in a recurring group fly event? Any suggestions for location?
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#2

I am interested in all but #2…

Used to make SPAD planes on the cheap out of coroplast signs and rain gutter pipe. Servos and the engine were the only expensive pieces.

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#3

Samuell Garland Park, Northwest Highway and Garland Road has an RC Airplane area.
http://www.dallasparks.org/Facilities/Facility/Details/SamuellGarland-Park-649

#4

“RC Airplane Area” is pretty vague. I can only assume they mean small battery powered park flyers. …or is this a full fledged AMA field?

I like to fly .40 and .25 glow fuel engine planes.

#5

I also have quite a bit of experience and a number of planes ,however, I’ve not flown in a number of years. I’d be interested in your classes. Do we have a flight simulator that you know of like Real Flight?

#6

It doesn’t appear that we have RealFlight currently, but I will work on getting it. I am familiar with that field at NW Hwy and Garland road, and I would definitely say nitro is probably not a good idea. There is a football stadium right down the street from DMS, with a big open parking lot. It might make a good flying site, but I’m not sure if the police would run us off.

#7

Discussion about RealFlight here: Do we have a copy of RealFlight?

#8

They used to have the round paved areas for the line control stunt plane things. I don’t think there is (or ever was) any infrastructure there other than that.

#9

I happen to know there is full time security… that will run you off if you pull into the parking lot at night.

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#10

I would be interested in any of the multirotor, FPV and APM classes. I’m in the very early stages of building my first multirotor from plans from Make magazine.

#11

Airplane flight classes would be mildly interesting to me. I’d be much more interested in LANDING classes, though, if I could get the time. I have a plane I got from a friend a long time ago that originally had a square PVC body with styrofoam wings and tail. He crashed it years before I got it and gave me the parts and was supposed to help me learn it, but moved. I’ve flown it several times, but I always end up building a new body after “landing”.

I had an AMA membership so I could fly at the field at lake grapevine, but the people there didn’t seem very helpful, so I dropped it.

#12

I have not flown in the dallas area for over 10 years… Do you know that the lake grapevine field is still in operation? Field tends to disappear over the years as city growth swallows them up. :wink:

#13

It was still active until the flooding. I haven’t driven by there since, and just moved out of the area, but if the park is open again (meadowmere, I believe) I can’t imagine that it would have been shut down. There’s no neighborhood construction impending that I know of, or anything like that that would stop it.

Huh. I was going to put a google link, but I realized I don’t have to. It’s actually shown and named on there. “114th RC Aero Squadron Field”

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#14

http://114thrc.org/

Looks active. They have a few events scheduled in October.

Sunday, October 4
9:00am 114th Float Fly
Sunday, October 11
9:00am Warbirds Fly-In
Tuesday, October 13
7:00pm CLUB MEETING
Friday, October 30
9:00am Aero Hobbies Heli Fun Fly
Saturday, October 31
8:00am Aero Hobbies Heli Fun Fly

#15

Hey all guys and gals interested, please attend one of the 2 Aerospace/RC Committee meetings I have scheduled (Oct. 7 or Oct. 14) to discuss RC flight classes.

#16

I did some checking around today, and have possibly found a good flying location. I called the Carrollton Parks & Rec department today and asked if flying model airplanes was allowed at parks, specifically the McInnish Sports Complex up at Belt Line and PGBT (just a couple miles north of DMS). The guy I spoke with said it was in fact allowed. He did ask how big of an airplane, and I gave him the specs of my E-Flite Apprentice - 59" wingspan, electric, and only a few pounds. McInnish is also 5.29 miles from DFW airport, just barely outside the FAA limit of 5 miles (Inside of 5 miles you must contact ATC before flying). There are a bunch of soccer and baseball fields, and even a small lake if we ever want to give float planes a try. According to the city website, park hours are 5am to 10:30pm, so we could even do a little night flying. I’m keeping my fingers crossed, but it looks promising!

#17

It would be interesting to construct a scaled down RC Wing in Ground Effect model Home Built Wig Commercial WIG “Wing in Ground Effect” vehicles.

#18

Maybe a scale model of the Caspian Sea Monster, that would be cool.

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#19

Here is another one in Denton too. http://www.cityofdenton.com/departments-services/departments-g-p/parks-recreation/parks-and-trails/parks-and-trails-listing/north-lakes-park

#20

I am a former member of dms, but I run a FB group of around 330 members. I also run a MultiGP chapter. We hold weekly FPV multirotor racing, fixed wing racing, and general fun flys. I would love to work with DMS to set up some events. I could also help out with classes.

Anything to advance the hobby I love!

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