moving soon to Olathe, looking for a club

[colbyweb]

Hi guys, I am moving to Olathe soon and looking for a club to join. KCSE has been highly recommended to me so I want to find out more. I can't find a lot of info on your website. I fly all electric, mostly sport and 3D and I have some interest in slope soaring but have never lived in an area where I could try it. I also enjoy indoor flying and I do not know if you guys have an indoor site or not. I am a co-founder and current vice president of our little local club out in Colby, KS. I am a very active member and I want to be involved with an active club . I've been an active rc-modeler for approximatey 35 years off and on. I want to find a medium sized ACTIVE club where I can find some new friends with similar interests and can usually find some company at the flying field. My club is very small and so I usually fly alone but I'd really like to have some company. I used to be a member of a large club in Charlotte, NC and I miss the camaraderie. Can someone jump in and tell me more details about your club? I will be visiting Olathe this weekend and could visit the club or flying field on Sunday. I have a valid AMA membership also. Thanks
-Rick

[mdennis]

Rick,
KCSE is primarily a soaring club. We fly off of a couple of sod farms and since glow fuel kills grass we don't fly it. Several of the guys do fly larger gas powered planes used as tugs for aerotow.

The Kansas City area has many RC clubs that fly everything from indoor electrics to jumbo warbirds. Many people belong to several clubs, (although not always necessary), to find the nitch they like to fly in. In the Johnson County area there are a couple of good clubs. One that flys at Hillsdale Lake just south of Olathe and another that flys at Shawnee Mission Park just North of Olathe. The Hillsdale club is probably more active and sponsored the last national Scalemasters event. The Shawnee club has many local fly in and club fly events.
I can be reached via email at m-dennis@swbell.net if you need further information.

[colbyweb]

That's too bad, I was told there were a lot of sport electric flyers in your club. I don't fly glo at all anymore. Thanks
-Rick

Rick,
KCSE is primarily a soaring club. We fly off of a couple of sod farms and since glow fuel kills grass we don't fly it. Several of the guys do fly larger gas powered planes used as tugs for aerotow.

The Kansas City area has many RC clubs that fly everything from indoor electrics to jumbo warbirds. Many people belong to several clubs, (although not always necessary), to find the nitch they like to fly in. In the Johnson County area there are a couple of good clubs. One that flys at Hillsdale Lake just south of Olathe and another that flys at Shawnee Mission Park just North of Olathe. The Hillsdale club is probably more active and sponsored the last national Scalemasters event. The Shawnee club has many local fly in and club fly events.
I can be reached via email at m-dennis@swbell.net if you need further information.

[Gonnacrash]

Hiya Rick !
Maybe won't be so windy here !!!!
Several web sites but not many up to date.
For indoor this one is pretty active and they are a fun bunch. Winter time in the past flew in DeSoto which will not be far for you in a small gym.
Lenoard is a great guy. http://kcflyingcircuits.com
I think there are some links at that web also.
Don-Basehor, Ks

[lensrc]

Ahhh, shuck's, Don....


Len

[colbyweb]

Thanks Don! I had several emails with Len and just got off the phone with him a little while ago. Len does sound like a great guy and I'm pretty sure I'll be joining their club. I'm going to meet with him and some other members at a fun fly in Wilson, KS this weekend. I was hoping to find an all electric or at least mostly electric outdoor club but it doesn't look like that's going to happen. At least with the KC Flying Circuits I can make some new friends, fly indoors 2 or 3 times a month and apparently there are many established fields where I can fly without having to join another club. Sounds like a good deal to me so that's probably what I'll do. I love flying indoors but 2 or 3 times a month doesn't quite cut it for me so I'll have to have some outdoor options available but it sounds like that won't be a problem.
-Rick

[colbyweb]

Hiya Rick !
Maybe won't be so windy here !!!!
Don-Basehor, Ks
Hehe, the wind is howling right now at 20 to 30 mph and it's like that or worse on a daily basis. It's supposed to be worse tomorrow. I've been comparing weather reports online for a couple of months and I'm really looking forward to calmer conditions!
-Rick - I hate wind!

[lestingoy]

Rick,

Don't give up on KCSE. We do fly a lot of electric too. Outdoors and indoors, but we don't have our own indoor venue, that's Len's world.

If you want a groomed runway, try the RC Barnstormers.

Our sod farms usually have some skinned areas that work well for ROG ships. Our tugs can handle really thick grass, so it's not much of an issue.

If you are moving to Olathe, you will find our field(s) to be the closest.

Keep an eye on our forum for where and what we'll be flying on any given weekend.

PS - Len, quit poaching and get your owned damned club thread :)

Lee

[colbyweb]

Rick,

Don't give up on KCSE. We do fly a lot of electric too. Outdoors and indoors, but we don't have our own indoor venue, that's Len's world.

If you want a groomed runway, try the RC Barnstormers.

Our sod farms usually have some skinned areas that work well for ROG ships. Our tugs can handle really thick grass, so it's not much of an issue.

If you are moving to Olathe, you will find our field(s) to be the closest.

Keep an eye on our forum for where and what we'll be flying on any given weekend.

PS - Len, quit poaching and get your owned damned club thread :)

Lee
haha! Too late for Len, I've already decided to join his club. I may like to join yours also though. I haven't seen anything about this coming weekend in the forum but I'll take another look. I'll be there this weekend and could come out to visit Sunday, if someone could tell me where/when to go. Thanks!
-Rick
PS, Len, take a look at this other thread I posted on the same topic, you won't be "poaching" there! I started the other thread first, then it was suggested I post something in this forum so there are two similar threads going on about it.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=423287

[lensrc]

PS - Len, quit poaching and get your owned damned club thread

You think RC Groups would consider us worthy?

Totally off topic, but are any of you flatlanders gonna go out to Wilson this weekend?:D

Len

[colbyweb]

Well I guess I am going! I'm counting on you having something for me to fly :) I found out that the friend in my club I told you about is going also. His wife told me he will be taking the boat along with him and will be fishing if the winds aren't right. I don't think he uses this forum though so I doubt you'll hear from him here.
-Rick

[lensrc]

Well I guess I am going! I'm counting on you having something for me to fly :) I found out that the friend in my club I told you about is going also. His wife told me he will be taking the boat along with him and will be fishing if the winds aren't right. I don't think he uses this forum though so I doubt you'll hear from him here.
-Rick


No sweat on the flying stock! We alway's bring several planes. I will have at least 4 slope types, and a few small electrics in case the wind does not co-operate.

Len

[colbyweb]

That's great Len, I will have one or more powered planes along with me, but I don't have a sloper. I'm building a new one that I'll have with me if I can get off my keester and get it finished.
Here's some more off topic info directed at the KCSE club members, it requires a little background info so bear with me. Here in Colby I volunteer with the local TSA (Technology Students Association) and among other things they focus on model aircraft. TSA is an extra curricular CLUB that the kids join it is not part of the school curriculum.What they do is similar to the Science Olympiad that you may have heard about before but science olympiad is not a club. Anyway, I have been helping kids learn to build and fly rubber powered free flight as well as rc model aircraft for the last couple of years and I plan to stay involved when I move to Olathe. I've talked with Len about this and he thinks the KCFC would like to be involved as well. In case the KCSE is interested I have contact info to get you started. There are at least 5 chapters in the KC area that I know about and I will shortly have the state advisors contact info so we can find out more if needed. The instructors involved with the club chapters rarely have any experience with modeling so they are eager to get outside help from people like us. These kids are also involved in other things such as robotics and computer science and I don't know what else. As a perk I have had access to the high school gym, a computerized wind tunnel, computers with CAD software, plotters and large ink jet printers. We picked up half a dozen new flying club members from the TSA group as well. One thing to bear in mind about these kids is that they are doing this entirely on their own and it's something they are genuinely interested in, they are not doing it because they have to so they are excellent candidants for new club members and you're efforts will not be wasted on kids who don't really care. Also these are kids who are exemplary students who have a lot on the ball. If you guys are interested in getting involved let me know and I'll point you in the right direction.
-Rick

[lestingoy]

I haven't seen anything about this coming weekend in the forum but I'll take another look.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=423287


Rick,

This weekend won't be real busy here. We are all going in different directions. You should also know by now that we are at the mercy of the weather, and making plans more than 36 hours in advance is pointless this time of year.

Lee

[colbyweb]

I know what you mean about the weather. I wont be leaving until Saturday mornng so I'll be watching thread until then if anyone has any news. Thanks
-Rick

[soarcat]

Rick,

Glad to hear you will be moving to Olathe. By way of introduction you have already heard from Lee Estingoy (KCSE President), I am the treasurer. As you already know, Len has the indoor venue wrapped up and it's a great group to fly with, I have flown with them in past years but was too busy last year. But another winter is coming!

I fly more electric than pure gliders, but our club does fly everything from foamies to high powered F5J (electric powered gliders) along with a strong Thermal Duration following from sport to competition to large scale aerotowing. I will be flying this weekend, probably Sat. afternoon or Sunday morning at what we call our Gardner field which is located at 175th St. and Lone Elm Road. (you can use Yahoo for driving directions using that intersection, and go another .5 mile west on 175th St. and you will see a large sod farm on the North side of the road.

I would be interested in talking with you about your student activities as well, I did this previously in Omaha with several groups of teenagers about 10 years ago but there was no formal program at the time.

If you have any questions don't hesitate to contact me.
Rex Burton

[colbyweb]

Thanks Rex, I'll see what if I can get out there this weekend. By the way, do yourself a favor and remove your phone number from your post. You can PM it to me. Thanks again and hope to catch up with you this Sunday.
-Rick

[colbyweb]

Oh yeah Rex, I'll get back to you about the student activities. I'm waiting right now for the TSA state adviser to get back to me with contact information for the KC area. I already have a partial list of schools who are involved but I do not have contact names or phone numbers. The adviser is out of town for a few days so I don't expect to hear from her until next week. I'm happy to see that my post raised some interest, it is a very rewarding program. I don't think the TSA chapters are actively seeking volunteers which may be a stumbling block. My involvement was due to the local adviser's concern that she wasn't able to offer enough guidance so she went seeking help. She knows most of the other advisers throughout the state and she is confident there is a need in other areas as well so I have a good feeling about it.
I'm going to definitely join Len's club, but I think I might join another as well and I'm still really interested in your club. Thanks for the advice.
-Rick

[soarcat]

Just keep me posted as your information develops. Maybe we will see you at the field. Thanks, it's always great to hear from new modelers.

[Bernie Wolfard]

Rick,

Welcome to KC! KCS&E flies a lot of glider, my primary love, but I also fly F5B(F) and other electrics up to ¼ scale. We seem to have an in with a fairly high profile electric company you might have heard of. :rolleyes:

Bernie

[colbyweb]

Yeah I know all about the company and I have a LOT of their products! I'm hoping I can get to one of the fields this Sunday, depends on what my wife has in mind. Thanks and hope to see you around.
-Rick

[colbyweb]

Subliminal message to Bernie... I'm looking for a job :)
-Rick

[colbyweb]

Hi Guys, I've moved and looking for a place to go flying tomorrow (Saturday) morning. Any ideas appreciated :)
-Rick

[lestingoy]

Turkey Fly is Sat. Nov. 4. 9:30 on.

We fly sailplanes and electric sailplanes. I have no idea what you fly.

Location, 175th, 2 miles east of I-35. North side of the road. Sod farm that has been a little neglected lately.

Lee

[mdennis]

Lee beat me to it

[colbyweb]

Drats, I don't have a sailplane! I plan to rectify that situation sometime soon though
Thanks!
-Rick

[jfrickie]

I flew all day at 175th and it has been mowed. Also used up most of the thermals, but I left some for tomorrow. They just may be hard to find.