I am new to the forums, I haven't flown RC airplanes in about 25 years and am looking for a club / airfield that permits gas powered aircraft. The biggest reason I went with gas, is I wanted a model that I could build with my stepson to help him build confidence and a sense of accomplishment. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area (Napa, CA), I have checked the AMA website and the clubs they have listed seem to be defunct or no one updates their websites (if their sites work at all). Thank you in advance.
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Welcome to Hobby Squawk! I'm on the other end of the country and can't help with a local club but I'm sure one of our members can point you in the right direction. -
Good morning, and thank you. It's rather sad to see what seems to be a huge decline in the hobby and least seemingly in my area. Along with the decline in balsa build up models, that was half the fun... building it and having that feeling of gratitude when it finally takes flight. I understand the shift to electric, less noise and pollution and I would be ok with going electric but they really need more build up models instead of this foam plug and play.Comment
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People build up balsa electric planes all the time. Electric does not equate to foamy but there is a huge Plug and Play industry because many lack the skills or time to build much and just want a good looking plane they can fly fairly quickly. There are also many wood frame film covered ARF planes on the market, not just foam. A lot of built up kits are available to use electric or gas so build away.Comment
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I highly recommend this tool on RCG: https://www.rcgroups.com/places/. Just type in your zip code, filter to flying fields, and it will give you all of the local clubs/flying sites in your area. Also, it is not surprising that the websites of many clubs appear to be old or defunct. For many clubs, the website is far from their top priority, and tend to be neglected a bit. When in doubt, try to contact them. Generally there is a contact phone or email listed somewhere on most sites.Comment
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Hi Medic. Welcome aboard! There are plenty of balsa build up models for electric flight. Take a look at Manzano Laser Works. Also visit the Scale Kit/Scratch Built section at RC Groups to see many examples of kit builds.Comment
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As others have said, there are plenty of balsa kits out there for electric. Personally, I would recommend starting out with a kit like the mini telemaster: http://www.hobbyexpress.com/mini_tel...37035_prd1.htm It is a nice, fairly simple build, and a wonderfully forgiving trainer in the air and is designed for an inexpensive electric setup.Comment
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I just plugged "remote control airplane clubs san francisco area" and it came up with several hits. One of them was this:
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Thank you all for the responses, it's greatly appreciated.Comment
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