New Field, What would you want at it?

[Wrench]

I'm in the process of leasing/buying 20 acres to put a new flying field on. The field will be a unusable corner of a sod farm so over fly rights are a given. The nearest house is about 1/2 mile away and we can lay the field out to where we fly looking north so the sun is not a problem. I'd rather not put up with the sun than try to get the runway set to prevailing winds.

The only problem with this lay out is the dirt road to the field would be off one end of the runway. Far enough out that a landing plane won't have a problem but the dirt road will be over flown.

Right now the plan is grass runway and pit areas with a sprinkler system and small club house/bathroom. Covered pit areas are also in the plan somewhere in the future. I detest chain link fences at flying fields and plan to use shrubs as a barrier between the runway and pit areas.

The field right now is an old corn field so there will be a fair amount of tractor work to be done. The field is on a slight grade with the pits being in the low area. probably 4-5' over a 500' run. I motor grader would make short work of it I suppose but at what cost? Not trying to bring the entire 20 acres to level but just where the pits and runway would be. So probably 700x500.

All this will be done without club input as it'll be a "private" flying field that most any AMA member can fly at. I grew tired of the Pollitics of Clubs. I fly pattern, Imac and Gliders, and will develope the field for that purpose. Given that fact the field will be great for most any other type flying.

The only real expense that I dread is getting power run 1/2 mile to the building for the well and sprinkler system. This will take at least a year, I suspect, to get in a flyable stage but nowhere near finished.

My question is what would you love to see done at a flying field if you were designing it yourself? Don't mention pavement as I can't afford that! what size runway? Length, width? How far away from the pit area? right now I plan on using the AMA's guidelines for set backs as a minimum.

[ShortBus]

my field also has a dirt road that crosses the end of the runway. They put up a stop sign right before the road crosses so you stop and look.

[wizard]

If i were designing one for myself. Lets see runway 100 x 600 about a 30 foot separation from the pit area 3 taxiways from the pits to the runway. I like the shrub idea for a separator. As far as having to over fly the road, I would put a line of shrubs at the edge of the road. This does two things. It would prevent an aborted take-off from going into the road or passably into a vehicle. It would also deter vehicles from driving out onto the runway.

I would love to be able to do something like this myself. However outside of winning the lottery, I don't see it as a reality.

Good luck with your field. Keep us posted.

[3D-Seth]

Hi Tim,

We did the very same thing at our home and a private field is very nice. You can hog the field and practice all day with no interruptions if you want to LOL!

We also built it out of a cornfield. My dad first mowed down the stalks with a bush hog. He then spread straight Urea fertilizer and then plowed it all down with a mulboard plow. This turned under all the trash and fertilizer. He did this in the fall and let it sit all winter.

Then in the spring, he used and old antique "landleveler" that he pulled behind the tractor. After that, he worked it up real good with a spring tooth harrow. He then spread more fertilizer, drug the whole thing down with a large wooden drag behind a four wheeler. He then spread the grass seed right before the next rain and let it lay right on top - he did not work in the seed nor cover it with anything. It rained the next two days and in three weeks we had grass starting. We mowed and rolled it in two months following planting. My dad planted straight Kentucky Bluegrass.

Oh, be prepared for rock pick up! This really sucks but we picked up rocks for a whole weekend straight - four of us and I couldn't believe how many rocks came out of the ground. We had to do this before the first mowing.

We were flying off of it that whole summer. We don't use irrigation at all. We just keep it fertilized real good. It is about 150X500 right now and as we speak, my dad has another 500+ foot strip plowed off to make it over 1000 feet by this spring.

The electric is nice but I wouldn't blow a bunch of money on getting water on it unless you live in a really dry area. The past two years has been very dry for us and went without water for two months over the summer and it survived quite well.

Shade would be a plus, either by trees or roof. You will definately need some kind of drainage, either by tiling the field or keeping it slightly high down the centerline of the field.

Just be ready with the mower. We had to buy another mower just to keep it all mowed. It is about 8 acres of pure grass and it usually needs mowed about 2 times a week if it rains alot.

Don't try to cut short the fertilizer or grass seed. Make sure you have plenty to do the job and get full coverage.

I don't think your driveway will be an issue as several clubs I have been to fly over their driveway quite frequently.

Here is a link as to how ours turned out:

http://www.flyinggiants.com/gallery/...h&name=3D-Seth

http://www.flyinggiants.com/gallery/...h&name=3D-Seth

We also did the same as far as the sun. The sun comes up in your face a little, but once it is about 10:00 am, it is over you then behind you and you can fly right up till almost 9:30pm during the summer with the sun to your back it lights up the airframe real good. It gave us a slight cross wind but that is nothing compared to staring at the sun.

Hope this helps. If you have any questions, just PM me!


Later............................................S eth

[rc4flying]

Man Seth, where is your field ? I would love to fly there.

Great job by your dad.

[toprudder]

If you are in the southeast like I am, having power and a small airconditioner in the summer would be nice on the really hot days, just to cool off some between flights.

Best kind of grass, overall, is centipede, IMHO. Of course the best flying surface period is the putting green type of grass like they have at Triple-Tree, but that is a somewhat high-maintenance grass. Centipede OTOH needs very little cutting, small wheels roll very easily, and it is self healing like Burmuda grass. It takes a long time to get established, and I think you can only plant it with plugs, not seed (I may be wrong about that).

If it is an unused corner of a sod farm, hey maybe the sod farm owner could help you out with the centipede.

Hedges/shrubs may be nice, but can be another maintenance item.

Bob R.

[Wrench]

Hi Bob

I was really thinking about using the grass they have at Triple Tree. The sod farm owner might very well plant it for me. He did the current club field here and it does well. I hadn't thought about A/C in the "club house" but that might be an option. I hope I don't take too many airplanes home in a bucket.

The main reason I'm trying to do this is because of the location of our current club. The club passed a rule no flyng over 400' and they want nothing to do with any sort of contest/fly in. Sunday fliers is a nice place but for our purposes it sucks. So I hope this all works out for me.

[ShortBus]

I hate Seth for obvious reasons. lol

Japan3D has a hot tub at his field, that would be nice after a day of flying.

[wizard]

One thing you haven't mentioned is the beer fridge - complete with time lock that doesn't open until sunset (don't want to mix drinking and flying). One of the things that I really enjoy at one of the private fields where I fly, is the time after were done flying on a warm summer evening. Everything is packed up and we just stand around "hanger flying". Some times these sessions can last until almost midnight. Story telling is mighty thirsty work.

[plaster93]

Really, thats is a sweet field Seth!

[3D-Seth]

	Quote: Originally Posted by rc4flying
	Man Seth, where is your field ? I would love to fly there. Great job by your dad.

We are in Ohio about an hour south of columbus - pm me if ya want to fly sometime!

Thanks for all of the compliments guys!!

Seth

[toprudder]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Wrench
	I was really thinking about using the grass they have at Triple Tree.

I'm under the impression that the grass at TT is high maintenance -- have you seen the lawn mowers that they use to cut it?

Perhaps Biff could chime in here regarding the type of grass at TT.

Bob R.


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[SUPERFLYJAY]

OUR CLUB OWNS OUR FIELD AND WE CAN NEVER BE PUT OFF THE LAND ITS 20 ACRES RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF FARM LAND WHICH CAN NEVER BE BUILT ON DUE TO THE SOIL. THE NEAREST HOUSE IS 1 MILE AWAY AND WE DONT HAVE ANY SOUND ISSUES AT ALL WE HAVE A 200FT X 700FT GRASS RUNWAY AND A X RUNWAY 200FT BY 600FT WHEN WINDS CHANGE WE MAINTAIN THE FIELD OURSELVES AND WHEN WATER WAS NEEDED SINCE ELECTRIC WASNT AN OPTION WE SUNK A WELL FOR WATER HIT IT AT 100FT ABOUT 10GPM BOUGHT A GENERATOR TO FIRE UP THE PUMP AND RAN SPRINKERS WHERE NEEDED. PAPA STEK EVEN CAME AND FLEW A FEW YEARS AGO !!!! SO PRICE OUT A WELL IF THE ELEC IS TOO EXPENSIVE

[Biff]

The grass at Triple Tree isn't that bad as far as maintenance. Auto sprinklers, a full time horticulturalist , gobs of fertilizer and gets cut quite often. They do use reel mowers and can only cut 1/8" per cutting. Not sure what it is, but it does feel good without shoes on!!

[BillyGoat]

Wrench, if your neighbor is a sod farm why not lease several acres to them with the stipulation they must seed, mow, fertilize and water your runway?

The only thing I would want at a flying field, other than the stuff you mentioned, is my house and workshop.