Gemma Jane Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 I share the field with something a little more exotic, but they are no problem I quite like them. I'll get some piccies next time I'm there. Had the first three flights yesterday from the strip after strimming it over, a bit rough for a PZ Trojan, so next task is to get a roller across a pasture and flatten it down a bit. Flying though was fine once it was off the ground, the fence is low enough to not get in the way and there is no public access, bliss! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Grigg Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Sounds promising Gemma,couldnt go to the field today because the farmer was auctioning off the cattle, didnt want to buy one by mistake! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Claridge Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 hi gemma are you any where near billericy i go there three or four times a year i could bring my trojan and do some formation flying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemma Jane Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 I'm not really near anywhere Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delta Whiskey Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Artificial grass like astro or whatever it is these days would be brilliant ! yes more expensive outlay, but no maintenace, petrol mowers etc ! My local park just put a 5 a side pitch all weather material right in the middle with real grass all around, be ideal for flying if it was private! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemma Jane Posted March 4, 2009 Author Share Posted March 4, 2009 More good news today, went for three flights to practice for the 'A' test this afternoon, sky looked a bit watery but it stayed dry and very light breeze. Farmer has agreed I can keep a roller onsite. This is really good because it will save me dragging the thing across the pasture in future. Flights went well, but can't wait to get the strip rolled so I can fly more models at the site. Forgot to take the camera today though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flytilbroke Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 A nice big 4x4 makes a good roller, as long as the ground is not too wet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemma Jane Posted March 5, 2009 Author Share Posted March 5, 2009 Might be a bit too wet for that, I have several available! Plan was to get the hand roller over there while it is still nice and squishy after the winter. Last time I tried to drive a Discovery across a local pasture.... hmmm welll lets just say it took a tractor to pull it out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Best grass to use is the type that never needs any cutting or rolling. They use it on my Phoenix simulator Good luck with the new site... but where is it? jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemma Jane Posted March 5, 2009 Author Share Posted March 5, 2009 It is in Essex Jon. Can't really give much more as the arrangement is strictly between the farmer and myself. A club is not possible at the site, it is a long story but he can only allow my personal use of the site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 I have an arrangement with a caravan site owner who lets me use one of his fields, Its a really great feeling flying in free air space so I know how you'll be feeling... enjoy it jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemma Jane Posted March 5, 2009 Author Share Posted March 5, 2009 It's fantastic Jon, I've enjoyed joining a club, but with the club field out of use for a month I was suddenly again without a flying site. I've had permission to fly at the farm for a couple of years but the farmer had not really appreciated that what I needed was a permanant area I could improve to fly models from. That I now have, I feel really lucky, as I know all too well the frustration of not having anywhere to go to fly so it really has made my year! It is a bit like having my own little private airfield Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter 'Ivanna Crashalot' Savage Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 You don't want to spend ages tending to it then one bad landing and it has all been chewed up :s When /If i am rich later in life, i will get a massive field, get a full size runway in the middle then build a massive hanger to build my full size projects and hire it out to rc clubs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemma Jane Posted March 5, 2009 Author Share Posted March 5, 2009 It would have to be a pretty bad landing to mess up a 350ft strip - I wasn't going to try and put a full-size plane down on it I had that dream also Peter, sadly all I have done is grown older. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter 'Ivanna Crashalot' Savage Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 It doesn't help me watching those a plane is born discovery channel programs with Mark Evans building a helicopter, a plane restoring an E-type jag etc Not bad for a vet! Sods Law, never have money at the right time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemma Jane Posted March 5, 2009 Author Share Posted March 5, 2009 Keep your dreams Peter, I really thought when I was young that I would never ever be able to afford flying lessons, eventually I did it though. I wouldn't really be happy until I had a P51 D in the hanger - that really isn't going to happen but I still dream Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Ireland Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Can't find the "green-with-envy" smiley! I fly at the local club when there's no one else about. My ambition was to fly a Spitfire, ain't going to happen though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter 'Ivanna Crashalot' Savage Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 I always remember when i was about 7 i was round my mate's house messing around with old wooden crates, we were trying to make a replica spitfire Doesn't help that the economy is screwing up bye bye dreams Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemma Jane Posted March 7, 2009 Author Share Posted March 7, 2009 Well Peter I'm one of those who has seen my business grind to a halt with the economy, it will be a while before I fly full size again, just can't afford it any more. It was mixed emotions last night as I finished the solo circuits needed for the night qualification and then tied down the plane for the last time for a while. But on the bright side of life, as I've always believed in doing what one can do rather than feeling bad about what one can't - today we went out to find a roller for the model patch. Went to the local scrappy, no garden rollers... but he did have a Ransoms ride on mower and roller as used for football pitches. Of course it didn't run and he wanted £50 which seemed like a lot for an unknown quantity, but only £10 more than I had spare for an ordinary roller which I would had to have pushed up and down the model strip and then also found a way to mow it. The Ransoms seemed to turn over OK but when I checked for a spark.. nothing, so I parted with the cash figuring that it probably had ended up at the scrap yard because of some sort of ignition fault rather than a drastic mechanical problem. Got it home, fuel smelt like it was a hundred years old and the air filter dissolved when I tried to wash it. Hubby was sent off to obtain fresh go juice whilst I took the thing apart to look at the ignition. It has an old points system hidden behind the fly wheel, so after figuring out how all that came apart and hunting for the ball bearings that fell out of the starter.. I finally found that the wire strapping had come off the points arm. Out comes the soldering iron (a very big one) and the wire was duly put back on and the points cleaned. Fresh juice added, temporary air filter in place, quick check and a nice fat spark, pulled the starter cord and it fired first time! So now I can have a perfectly mowed and rolled model patch. A coat of hammerite has brightened her up and she is now called 'Bessie', see life could be worse, I now have the ability to tend the model patch whilst grinning from ear to ear on a ride on mower Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delta Whiskey Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 My dream summer job, ear phones on, nice day, riding up & down on a mower! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p_hill25 Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 the club I fly with we have a circle cut which gives us many options for landings. i find this a very acceptable way of laying out a patch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemma Jane Posted March 7, 2009 Author Share Posted March 7, 2009 My club patch is like that and I can see the advantages, though the strip gets me coordinating the rudder and ailerons for crosswind landings, which is kind of fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter 'Ivanna Crashalot' Savage Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Because my club field is a common it is cut for free, the government saw it too dangerous for modellers to do it so they offered to do it! if we could get them to roller it, it would be great, as now when you go to launch there is a 1 in 4 chance of going down a rabbit hole! there is a massive bump which can sometimes help get stubborn planes aloft. I have always wanted to fly a plane, in all my 16 years of doing nothing more than existing i have never flown on a plane quite strange how i fly RC planes and i have always been obsessed with planes huh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Nice one Gemma Now all you need to do is fit some wings to it and fly to our site which could really do with your help. See, now your in business... jon oh and Some Pic's please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemma Jane Posted March 8, 2009 Author Share Posted March 8, 2009 LOL Jon, a 'flying mower service' for model clubs, hey that £50 might have been a better investment than I thought Bessie is still at home at the moment, oil change and general TLC today, I'll get piccies of her up at the strip when I take her up there. Peter you said, "I have always wanted to fly a plane, in all my 16 years of doing nothing more than existing i have never flown on a plane quite strange how i fly RC planes and i have always been obsessed with planes huh!" Not strange at all, you will do it one day if you really want to which I think you do. There are some of us like that, kind of born to do it and life before you fly is kind of always empty. At 16 there are lots of opportunites, ATC and scholarship schemes, look into it all we have 16 year olds flying at our club on schemes who are not paying anything for it - I really wish I had found something like that. You saying about your 'spitfire' made me laugh, but only because I did the same thing when I was about five, there is a picture of it somewhere in our family album. Me sat in an old wooden box, plank for wings, pram wheels undercarriage. I did not start lessons until I was 40 - they say it isnt' a bad time, young enough to still learn, old enough not to kill yourself - but keep the dream, you never know if you can get that first model engine going you could have a very nice business in a few years and own your own aircraft Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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