Mother Lode Electric Airplane Trek, Central California Foothills

[MISTERSCOTT]

MOTHER LODE ELECTRIC AIRPLANE TREK#6

SUNDAY, April 22th 2007
In Central Calif.
FUN FLY hosted by the Sonora R/C Flying Club.
LARGE 600x40 ft. paved smooth runway at 850 foot elevation.
Covered spectator deck.
BBQ lunch included with pilot fee.
Fun Fly starting at 7am for the light weight floaters. .
Lots of open flying time all day.
$10.oo Pilot fee, AMA REQUIRED
NON-FLYERS free, Also lots of antique shopping at historic Sonora and Jamestown 10 min. away.
Just one and a half hours from Livermore. Take Hwy 120 east toward Yosemite, left on O'Byrnes Ferry Rd. (24 miles past Oakdale), toward Copperopolis, turn first street on right, New Peoria Flat Rd., toward Baseline Conservation Ctr., at 3 miles go right before gate and follow signs to field.
Contact, John Scott at RCgroups.com in Electric Flight Events or 1-209-533-9522

[MISTERSCOTT]

Also,
E helis are welcome.
Our field GPS location is 37.92920,-120.52917
John

[D Oglesbee]

John,

I'll be there. I really look forward to coming up to Sonora each spring for the fly-in.

Dick Oglesbee

[MISTERSCOTT]

Hi Dick,
Keeping an eye on the weather...
John

[MISTERSCOTT]

I'll be there rain or shine.
If its a total washout we'll have another in th fall.
John

[MRadu]

I live somewhat close and love to fly electrics. I'd love to join you all, however, it's Sat. now and tomorrow looks like rain! Please post when another date is the fly-in is going to take place and I'll be there.

[MISTERSCOTT]

Hi Mike,
Yea, first time we'll be washed out.
Keep an eye on events, I'll check the schedules for this fall.
John

[D Oglesbee]

John,

I missed you at your fly in this morning. A couple of your other club members were there, and we each flew once before deciding it was too windy. Anyway, I had a pleasant drive, and I'll look forward to coming up for your next fly in .

Dick

[MISTERSCOTT]

Sorry to miss you Dick.
Rained all night.
I got there at 7:30 am and it was pouring and windy, 10-20 mph. The wind sock didn't drop once. Was straight out.
I'll fly when its windy or rainy, but not both.
I went home at 8:00.
It stopped raining, 2:00 pm.
It just started raining again. 2:24
John

[D Oglesbee]

John,

I got there about 8:45. It was pouring as I drove through Escalon, so I stopped in Oakdale for breakfast. Anyway, I had a pleasant Sunday drive, something I seldom do anymore.

Maybe I'll see you next weekend in Fresno at their electric fly in.

Dick

[delsol]

Me and the wife was heading up there this morning
from Merced but with the rain and wind we decided
to wait untill your next fly-in! Hope you had a chance
to fly this weekend but let us know when your next
fly in will be and we'll be there!
Please post?
Brad

[MISTERSCOTT]

Dick and Brad,
Thank you for trying.
I got to fly at my house between showers about 5:00.
See you later.
Good flying,
John
P.S. Dick, I'm going to finish the Request before starting ANYTHING else.
Just the wing to build...

[Michael Heer]

The weather kept me here in Stockton and so I went to church. I was afarid it would be a no go because of wind. Better luck next time. Hope to see you guys in October. Our fun fly in Modesto will on on Sunday the 14th of October.
Dick the video clip of your autorotation plane from our event last year has been very popular with those who have viewed the article. Mike Heer

[D Oglesbee]

Mike,

I just put your flyin on the calendar. Let's see, that's Richmond on the 13th, Modesto on the 14th, Salinas on the 20th and Devil Mountain on the 21st. October will be a busy month.

The Spin Doctor autogyro will need new rotor blades before it flies again - it was involved in a mid-air. I'm glad you made the video.

Dick

[jlballou]

Since I had some free time on Sunday, I decided to make the trek up to Sonora to check the conditions. Since it had stopped raining about 3-4AM in the Bay Area, I thought that the rain may clear out in the afternoon. When I arrived at the field, there was only one truck there, and Scott was preparing to fly one of his helis. He told me that the event had been postponed, but that I could fly if I wanted to. He said the rain had stopped around 45 minutes before I arrived, and the wind was down, too. There were light winds that come through during the next couple of hours, but it was as if they were just intervals between the thermals that the patches of blue sky were kicking up all around. Hawks and buzzards were in the sky, so we spent the next three hours flying, and having a great time.

I flew everything that I brought, including my light, slow stuff (GWS C-130, C-47), my reasonably fast GWS F-4U, my Stryker (with steerable landing gear), the L-4 Cub (electric conversion of a 40-size Great Planes Cub kit), and, of course, the CN2X, my aerial photography ship.

At 3PM, another guy stopped by with a flat foam 3Der, but it started to hail, and I had to get back to the Bay Area.

Thanks to the Sonora club for the use of the field. I hope to come to the rescheduled event.

Attached are some pictures (including one stereo shot of the field). Cross your eyes, and check out the depth!

Oh, and the final shot is Scott flying his heli in 3-D.

John