SIMON CRAGG Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 We are toying with the idea of improving our flying site by laying some astro turf. I have watched a few videos, and it is as expected very labour intensive. Has anybody out there laid astro turf at their club site?. Ideally we want to do the job ourselves. Any advice welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denis Watkins Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 Abandoned now, but we did a small piece for small wheeled electrics to take off from Simon. You have seen the vids, levelling, drainage etc etc But we had to give it up as it got absolutely filthy, from where? From the sky ! ! The rain must carry so much dust and dirt, that the fabric grass was filled quite quickly. Some attributed this to us being downwind of the motorway. Local sports groundsmen flush theirs and vacuum them. Grass cutting became the very easy option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Lee Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 Have you seen the Club Profile article in the latest BMFA News on West London MAC? They have laid 120mx30m Astro-turf. Contact details are given in the feature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIMON CRAGG Posted February 4, 2021 Author Share Posted February 4, 2021 Posted by John Lee on 03/02/2021 21:52:16: Have you seen the Club Profile article in the latest BMFA News on West London MAC? They have laid 120mx30m Astro-turf. Contact details are given in the feature. Thanks John, must have missed that article! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iflylilplanes Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 Our club managed to score a whole hocky field of astro turf, the local council was resurfacing the sports field, so we asked if we could have the old surface, it was only going into land fill. Our field was virgin bush when we leased the land 50 + years ago, and in all that time, we have tried hard, grass will not grow, when it did the local off road motorcycle riders thought differently and ground up what grass they could find. The field is now fenced off, and the astro turf is a great runway, I would have posted a google earth view of the field, but I don't know how. Look here on Google Earth for a view of the runway 34°00'44.5"S 150°59'20.0"E Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucksboy Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 (edited) I fly at West London, the Astro turf runway is excellent. As you guessed, it’s not cheap to lay. We used a professional firm to lay the foundations and lay the turf. We extended it a year or two later as it was very popular but a bit small. We too used a second hand hockey pitch given to us for free. The main reason we went for such a strip was that rabbits were constantly digging holes in our strip. We tried everything we could to stop them, this solution works. Once laid the strip is near maintenance free. Weeds still manage to grow in the joints and moss will grow. Work parties are organised to clear the moss. The surface is excellent, small foamies and their undercarriage love it. Big four strokes can nose over and still don’t damage the turf. Edited February 15, 2021 by Bucksboy Delete photo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale Bradly Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 My club is considering it too, have been offered a removed hockey turf, and with a similar dry climate to iflylilplanes across the ditch (that looks great from above!), it could be a goer. We won't be using professionals to lay it, and won't be after a hockey grade surface, but if it keeps down the weedy growth (we have no water/rain to grow grass), and stops the bunnies, we've got to be winning. Does anyone have the DIY gen on how to hold it down? Spikes/staples through it into the ground? Similarly, how to join the various parts back together? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 1 hour ago, Dale Bradly said: My club is considering it too, have been offered a removed hockey turf, and with a similar dry climate to iflylilplanes across the ditch (that looks great from above!), it could be a goer. We won't be using professionals to lay it, and won't be after a hockey grade surface, but if it keeps down the weedy growth (we have no water/rain to grow grass), and stops the bunnies, we've got to be winning. Does anyone have the DIY gen on how to hold it down? Spikes/staples through it into the ground? Similarly, how to join the various parts back together? Hi dale, spikes of your choice and tape to join pieces, just google it and a big selection comes up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Sanders Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 On 04/02/2021 at 02:23, iflylilplanes said: Our club managed to score a whole hocky field of astro turf, the local council was resurfacing the sports field, so we asked if we could have the old surface, it was only going into land fill. Our field was virgin bush when we leased the land 50 + years ago, and in all that time, we have tried hard, grass will not grow, when it did the local off road motorcycle riders thought differently and ground up what grass they could find. The field is now fenced off, and the astro turf is a great runway, I would have posted a google earth view of the field, but I don't know how. Look here on Google Earth for a view of the runway 34°00'44.5"S 150°59'20.0"E Looks good on Google Earth. Does my former friend John Sharpe fly at your club? He is probably getting a bit long in the tooth for the full size planes. He was doing aerotows for the gliding club when I last spoke to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Marsh Posted February 17, 2021 Share Posted February 17, 2021 Never smoked Astro Turf...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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