Bob Kehoe
The Robson Ranch Radio Control (RC) Club’s facilities continue to expand. Recently, the club added a new wheelchair-accessible gravel pad intended for use by flyers who enjoy drones and/or scale-model RC helicopters. The Drone/Helicopter flying area is located east of the pit area for flyers. The RC is FAA approved as a FRIA site, which means you can fly without having a remote ID device. So, your older drones can fly here.
The RC Club is also announcing a guest flying program for anyone who would like to try their hand at flying. Every Wednesday morning from 9 to 11 a.m., a certified Instructor Pilot will be on hand to get you in the air. The club provides everything you need (airplane, controllers, instructors, and flying space). Just come on out and try your hand at flying an RC aircraft. As well, the club hosts Fun Flys, which is a competition-based event with crowd pleasers like Pylon Racing, Bomb Drop, and Combat. Mark your calendars for the next events on Jan. 3, Feb. 7, March 7, and March 21. Start time (wheels up, we say) is 10 a.m.
The club will host an Open House to give emphasis to the flying side of the club on Saturday, Jan. 10, starting at 10 a.m. There will be instructor pilots on hand to let you try flying, demonstration flying highlighting many different types of RC skills and airplanes, and a swap meet for RC aircraft.
Use of this new flying opportunity is limited to the membership of the RC Club. If one is a resident of Robson Ranch and would like to join, a downloadable application is available on the club’s website: sites.google.com/view/rrrc. Club dues are $60 for the calendar year for individuals.
Additionally, all members, including RC Truck Racers, must now belong to the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA). A Park Pilot annual membership is $48 for one year and an application is available on the Academy of Model Aeronautics website: modelaircraft.org.
The RC Club is all-encompassing. The activities include an airfield for fixed-wing electric or gas-engined aircraft (and now drones and helicopters), two diverse dirt tracks for twice-weekly 1/10th-scale RC truck competition (Tuesday and Thursday mornings beginning at 8:30 a.m.), and Sunday afternoon timed drag racing beginning at 3 p.m. The drag strip is located at the far east end of the Creative Arts Center parking lot.
John Wray serves as the Club President and Henry Morgan is the Flying Director. There are currently about 119 members. As always, spectators are welcome at all of our activities.
For further information, contact Bob Kehoe at 503-869-2883.