A Dream Realized
John R. Guenther
Throughout the years, the Southern Indiana RC Modelers, Inc. (SIRCM) club has sought new flying facilities from time to time, as have many radio-control clubs across the country.
My club is incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation in the state of Indiana and is in its 30th year of existence. For the past 28 years, SIRCM has been the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA)–sanctioned club for the Mint Julep Scale Meet. In that period we have had six flying fields. In each instance, residential and industrial land development eventually forced the club to look for an alternate flying site that would, someday, provide a greater degree of permanency.
Finding a Site
After learning five years ago that the owner of the club’s then-current flying field was considering selling the property, an alert SIRCM member brought the officers’ attention to several acres of floodplain owned by Cinergy (a large electric company headquartered in Cincinnati, OH). The acreage, which was part of the New Albany, IN, Gallagher Generating Plant, bordered the Ohio River and was across the river from Louisville, KY.
A couple of club officers made an appointment with the local plant manager, and discussions ensued about acquiring and supporting a new flying facility encompassing roughly 45 acres, with approximately 100 acres of overflight forest and land. The club representatives were well received. After several meetings and visits to the proposed site (with club officers and Cinergy engineers and administrators), a tentative timetable and development plan for the radio-control flying facility was drawn up.
We contacted the AMA for flying-site development guidelines, suggestions for involving the local media and politicians, insurance information, and generalized modeling materials that would be helpful in the final presentation to Cinergy. All of AMA’s information proved invaluable and was an important component of the land-acquisition proposal.
The submission of the SIRCM proposal was the first time a Southern Indiana community-related organization had approached Cinergy for its corporate support and the use of acreage the company considered “unusable.” After all the meetings had concluded, SIRCM signed a 99-year lease with a $1-per-year fee and the yearly option of renewal, which Cinergy management approved without hesitation. As part of the signed agreement, we are responsible for all site development, maintenance, upkeep, and publicity for flying activities.
Developing the Field
Adhering to AMA guidelines and the approved flying-site development plan, plenty of physical labor and club funds went into preparing the road and parking lot, frequency board, two shelters, two portable toilets, several picnic tables, and a storage shed. We were required to install a security gate at the property entrance and to double-lock it so company technicians could access high-tension lines that run over an unused area of the property. To finish the entrance, we contracted a local sign company to make a four-by-eight-foot sign.
Our main task was to construct and develop the runway and approach areas. We built an 80 x 600-foot contoured runway using a special grass suitable for carpet-height mowing, and prepared the area around the impound board, pit area, and shelters. One club member worked for a local contractor, so we were able to arrange for a special discount on materials and equipment. We used most of our funds for materials and heavy-equipment rentals for ground preparation. In all, the club spent roughly $12,000 on third-party materials not covered by volunteer labor and donated services. Many local contractors and individuals contributed equipment, materials, and labor.
When the runway was finished, club members seeded, fertilized, and strawed the area to encourage quick germination. We performed other tasks while we waited for the grass to grow.
We followed AMA guidelines for the pit area, pilot stations, and frequency board. A club member volunteered to construct a steel-framed frequency board. Six pilot stations were installed with removable PVC pipe supports (to allow mowing and trimming) and heavy plastic fencing for pilot protection.
Major site improvements included:
- Road and parking lot
- Four-by-eight-foot entrance sign
- Security gate (double-locked)
- Frequency board (steel-framed)
- Two shelters and storage shed
- Two portable toilets and picnic tables
- 80 x 600-foot contoured runway and approach areas
- Pit area, impound board, and six pilot stations
Dedication and Results
When the site was finished, a big sigh of relief went up from all club members and we decided it was time to celebrate. On May 13, 2000—five years after we began the flying-site project—SIRCM held a special field-dedication ceremony, picnic, and a full day of open flying. The local newspaper, television news, and politicians were invited.
To commemorate the newly finished and newly named Cinergy Riverview R/C Flying Field, AMA and Cinergy representatives were our special guests. Gallagher Plant Manager Dave Renner represented Cinergy, and AMA District VI Vice President Charlie Bauer and AMA President Dave Brown were in attendance.
The dedication event inspired two newspaper articles and one on-site interview for early-morning television. The coverage has increased local awareness of responsible radio-control modeling and driven a rise in spectator attendance at the field during the week and especially on weekends.
Cinergy is very happy with the manner in which we have developed and managed the facility. The company appreciates our frequent communiqués and the fact that we are making the flying site well known in Southern Indiana and the metro Louisville, KY area. The club roster has grown from the mid-60s to more than 100 members, and we hope our membership continues to grow.
SIRCM is the oldest and most well-established radio-control club in the area, and members can finally say, “We have a home.” We appreciate the opportunity to work with a large corporation that is community-minded and farsighted enough to see the value and benefit of getting involved with a local organization that represents a healthy and worthy hobby such as radio-control modeling.
John R. Guenther 21609 Borden-Greenville Rd.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
