Flying field closures due to coronavirus

[Martin]

I read it's already happened in Germany, despite them being a week or so behind the UK on the number of cases. Apparently, flying fields in Germany are classed as 'sporting facilities'. I don't know how true the reports are: hopefully our German members will tell us.

I guess it might happen in other countries too, depending on the opinions of farmers and club officials - and eventually our governments will impose curfews and outlaw all "non-essential" travel such as driving to and from the flying fields.

Damn. I've not flown yet this year, due to bad weather and waterlogged fields - now it looks like I may have paid all my club subs for nothing.

[iflylilplanes]

Here in OZ we just received an email calling off the National Electric Flight Rally in Easter because quite a few of the pilots are in the age group 70+. The first comp for the year was called off due to bad weather the next comp is on the April 5th, hope it's still on.

Full size air shows have been called off as well Tamora and Illawarra.

Just this minute received an email from the MAAA, advising all clubs to up our hygiene practices, they can't see why we can't keep on flying if we are extra vigilant and cautious.

[F2B]

Here in the Netherlands, all official flying sites are closed as of yesterday.
While flying from other locaties has been limited in a similar way as I understood to be the case in the UK, it's full steam at the building board.
And Arduino experimenting will be stepped up, top.
So far, April 6th has been named as a first evaluation date.
That won't be the end of this, I'm afraid...

[tiptipflyer]

Here in Germany, all club flying fields are closed since yesterday. So no flying for the next weeks.
For me it is no problem, plenty of work to do at home.
Yesterday I started to build two S/C transmitter replicas. Several rebuild project are in my workshop under construction and several new-builds on the to-do-list.
I hope all of you are well and stay well.

All the best
Frank

[PaulJ]

I would have thought that an outdoor activity such as model flying would be safe enough, particularly since there is no need for people to be in close proximity to each other....... I hope they don't cancel Old Warden!

[Martin]

The modelling organizations - BMFA and equivalent, could publish some safe operation guidelines:

• Don't touch other modellers' planes, transmitters, cars, tools, ... only touch your own stuff!
• Don't stand closer than [whatever] distance to other people.
• Don't directly touch any gates used to access the flying field - use disposable tissues or similar.

I would have thought that, with these precautions, model flying would be one of the safest activities possible - much safer than going shopping, and probably safer than walking the dog. But, alas, it seems like the authorities will impose rules preventing our activities - whether those rules are sensible or not.

[Stew]

It doesn't affect me as I fly 'off piste' anyway. But I will miss the nationals, old warden etc if they are cancelled. It will be a real shame.

To try and be positive I'm sketching out an own design model so something good can be born during this 'embuggerance'
A little vintage style low winger, perhaps 30 to 36 inch span, for .75 diesel.
Going green to call it 'Larvi' (viral).
Anyone else planning any builds?

Stew.

[tiptipflyer]

Yes Stew, when I am finished with rebuilding my Flyline Kinner Sportster (39 years old), my Orline Deveyville Special (37 years), my Leima Cessna 172 (45years), I plan the following newbuilds:
Graupner Trabant glider (from the 50ies)
Jet Provost from RCM&E from Tony Nijhuis kit and
something for S/C operation, not yet determined which one.

Frank

[PaulJ]

Yes, you have to look on the bright side and I am not too upset at the prospect of being "locked down" in my mancave . Back in the 70s and early 80s I was heavily into gliding and I still have the moulds for a couple of gliders I built...... One a kipper, the other a thermal soarer. Both had V-tails. I don't have a picture of the thermal soarer but this was the kipper.....

So I have dusted off the moulds and repaired them in a couple of places and have made a couple of fuselages. First effort was not too successful, I think the kipper is useable but the thermal soarer is quite heavy and has too many bubbles in it, I have ordered some lighter chopped strand matt and will have another go at that one....

I intend to chop the nose off the thermal soarer and "electrify" it. I just hope the lockdown doen't end too soon.......!

Paul

[Sundancer]

..................... I just hope the lockdown doen't end too soon.......!

Paul

Speak for yourself Paul - as far as I can see the UK really hasn't got a lock down yet. Here in rural France we certainly have, enforced by the law. There are only five permitted reasons for being away from home, the only one bearing any remote possibility of relating to model flying is the one permitting taking exercise - but only alone, and only within 2 kilometres of home. Illustrative of the fact that things are being taken seriously is that cycling is completely banned now - and cycling is something between a national obsession and a religion in France. You have to carry a signed and dated "Attestation" with you giving all your details with one of the five permitted reasons ticked (typical of French beaurocracy only ONE reason can be ticked - if you are, for example, going out for essential food shopping AND for health reasons, eg to visit the pharmacy, you need two separate forms). The Gendarmes are out in force stopping people and checking the forms, even in our sleepy little rural locality, and the penalty for either not having a form or being caught "out of area" is a fine of up to 350 euros, big enough to be no joke.

All pretty frustrating, especially as this week has presented five beautiful flying days, for someone who is used to going flying on every suitable day to our lovely little field at Vayres, 10 kms away and has a workshop with 30-odd models equipped and ready. OK, I am both luckier and unluckier than most - luckier in that I have a very rough field attached to the north end of our garden wherein I used to, and still could fly the smaller models, those that do not demand a runway, and unluckier in that, due to limited mobility, especially over rough ground,and the fact that standing for more than 30 mins brings on agonising back pain I cannot really use it now. These days I need the comfort of the model assembly tables and chairs which the Vayres field provides, as well as the smooth well manicured grass pit area and runway. None of my current models is suitable for flying from the garden, where I could sit comfortably on the terrace - the garden is big enough at 3000 square metres for some of them but there are A LOT of big trees so something slow flying and highly manoeuvrable is required. Sadly I foresee that the current restrictions, nominally for 15 days, will be in force for a hell of a lot longer than that, possibly the whole summer, and may even be ramped up in severity. So I guess I'll just have to concentrate on building and reducing the kit mountain, but the first priority is to build a little o/d "garden flier" so that I can at least keep the thumbs exercised.

As someone who, at nearly 79, is in the most likely category to be killed by this thing, I guess I'll just have to hang in there and hope for better times to come. Best of luck to you all.