Sometimes, finding somewhere to fly is a real challenge. Sure, it's easy if you're part of a club that has a manicured grass strip or even if you live in the middle of a vast empty space with little to no wind, but lots of us don't have that. Here is some advice to help you find the perfect location for you.
1. Decide on what kind of flying you want to do
This is the necessary first step to finding a suitable location. If you want to mainly fly sailplanes, you may end up on the side of a large hill - if you mainly fly quads, you may end up in a forest. It really depends on what you fly! Some places can be used to fly a variety of aircraft. Open grassy fields are usually a good option as you can belly land many aircraft in long grass and quads are equally at home zipping around.
2. Look to see where everyone else is at
This may be quite an obvious point, but looking up flying clubs and groups of RC pilots local to you is a great idea. Connecting with others who have common interests is a big part of the hobby and something we hold dear here at Flite Test! Many radio control airplane clubs also have dedicated runways/ fields that you can use. Many clubs charge joining fee's but this may be well worth what you take away - memories and new friends.
3. Reach out to individuals
If there are no clubs near you, it may be necessary for you to ask local farmers, landowners and whoever else is in charge of potential locations to fly. If you know a friend of a friend owns a big open field, send them an email! As a case study, I recently reached out to a local cricket club here in the UK (I know, super English) who have since allowed me to use their flat and smooth grass pitch to fly my larger planes from. For this type of flying I like to do, it's perfect!
4. Check your local laws
It's always a good idea to stay informed about the law. There may be areas that are out of bounds to RC flyers. This might include parks that ban quad flying as they're often busy with people. Look up your council or board of governors and ask, if necessary. Often there will be web pages with helpful information you can read. Show you're responsible and mean well by being up to date.
Where do you fly? Let us know in the comments!
Article by James Whomsley
Editor of FliteTest.com
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