8750 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota, FL 34241
Center of runway coordinates:
N 27degrees 17' 814" - W 082 degrees 23' 385"
The flying field is located at the closed landfill at the East end of Bee Ridge Road. This is a new facility that opened May 20, 2000. It is a complete facility with a blacktop 100 x 500 foot runway, taxi ways, a large pit area with pilot parking close to the pits, permanent shade, an operations building, a storage building and portable toilets. If you are arriving from outside the local area take I-75 Exit 207 (old 38) (Bee Ridge Road) East about four miles to the entrance. Be advised that the facility is not a public park, therefore, as required by our lease with the County, the entrance gate is locked at all times. If you plan to visit, prior arrangements are highly recommended. Waiting at the gate for a random visit by a member can be a frustrating experience. We do welcome visitors, if you plan to do so, a call ahead to one of our OFFICERS is recommended.
DESIGNATED FLYING AREA - MAP - FIELD PICTURES - FIELD RULES - PROPOSED AREA LAYOUT
The two pictures above were taken during the break between rounds of the Corvin Miller Memorial Scale R/C Contest on November 24, 2002 by SRQ member Bill Sterka with a film camera mounted on a model aircraft.
The camera that took this picture is facing north-west. Runway orientation is east-west with pilots facing north. The sun is only a problem early in the morning or late in the evening. The maintenance building is closest to the camera, to its west is the operations building and the open sided building is strictly for shade - a necessity in Florida. The three concrete pads will eventually support additional shade buildings as monies allow. The old field can be seen in the background just this side of the white gravel road.
The designated flying area is shown in the image below. Flying within the defined boundary, with aircraft that do not exceed the sound limits defined in NOISE, ensures that we do not exceed the Sarasota County sound limits at our property line.
The three pictures below were taken by SRQ member Lyle Wheeler, from his full scale J-3 Cub. They were taken in late August, 2000. Thanks Lyle for your efforts.
The picture below was given to me by Jim Lasik. I asked him for some background information and received the following:
Hi Mike, I took the picture with a Minolta X700 35 mm camera. New member Ken Brennan was kind enough to invite me and Jean for an airplane ride in his Beech Bonanza TurboProp. He asked where we would like to go (within reason) and I said I'd like to see SRQ field from the air. He circled the field and I got what I could. We flew out of Sarasota airport and we were there in a twinkling of an eye. Thanks, Jim Lasik.
PROPOSED AREA LAYOUT 2001 - 2002
On July 11, 2001 several SRQ board members attended The Bee Ridge Community Open House held by Sarasota County, to explain the additions to the County landfill property. The yellow dashed lines indicated where the new fence and gate will be surrounding the SRQ flying site. Click on the thumb nail below for a larger view.
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An SRQ objective is to extend the privilege of enjoying the R/C hobby to all members and authorized guests, with maximum emphasis on safety and control. While this guide sets forth SRQ rules for this objective, nothing herein should overrule common sense and courtesy.
1.
All model aircraft operation shall be in accordance with the official
Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) Safety Code and these field rules.
2.
All pilots shall be current members of the AMA.
3. Alcoholic beverages are strictly forbidden at the flying field.
4.
Pilots must have both a current AMA License and a current SRQ membership
or be a valid registered guest for verification when engaged in flying
activities at the SRQ field.
5.
SRQ will issue I.D. badges annually to active members. This I.D. badge must be displayed by each member for easy
viewing. All SRQ members must have
their current I.D. badge at the field and connected to the frequency board when
a frequency pin is in use by them.
6. Sponsoring members will be responsible for assuring that their guests’
conduct is in accordance with SRQ conduct.
7.
All members shall:
a. Ensure
that spectators be aware of restricted areas;
b. Leash
their pets;
c. Supervise
their children;
d. See
that their pit area is free of litter, cigarette butts, airplane parts, etc.
1.
A single line (flight line), north of the runway pilot line, has been
established for all modeling activity, one side of which is for flying, the
other side for pilots, helpers and spectators.
2.
Deliberate flying behind the flight line is prohibited.
3.
Directing exhaust or prop wash toward another model or modeler is
prohibited.
4. Flying beyond the
designated boundaries of the field is prohibited.
5.
Taxiing in the pit area is prohibited.
6. Preflight check your model
before the first flight of the day.
7. When starting your engine, have the model restrained.
8. Adjustment of the model engine must be done from behind the propeller.
9. Refrain from smoking when refueling your engine.
10.
Aircraft stalled on the runway should be retrieved as quickly as
possible. Intent to walk across the
flight line or onto the runway shall be announced before doing so. A spotter
should be requested by the person entering the runway area,
to watch for landing aircraft.
11.
Engines are to be run in the start-up area only, not the pits.
12.
Engine break-in or extended engine tune-up is to be done in the
designated break-in area at the east end of the pits.
1.
All transmitters must meet AMA and FCC current standards.
2.
Each pilot must have the correct SRQ frequency control pin attached to
his transmitter prior to operation of that transmitter. All transmitters shall
be placed in the transmitter impound when not in use.
3.
Frequency control pins may not be removed from another pilot’s
transmitter without the acknowledgement of that pilot and the placement of that
transmitter into the impound area.
4.
Anyone operating a transmitter without possession of the correct
frequency control pin, thereby causing the crash of another pilot’s
aircraft on the same frequency who is in possession of the correct frequency
control pin, is liable for all damages and injuries
resulting from such crash. These may include, but are not necessarily
limited to:
a. Repair or replacement of radio equipment;
b. Repair or replacement of engine;
c. Repair or replacement of aircraft.
The monetary value of damage to models should be
determined by the parties involved. If satisfactory assessment of such damage
cannot be reached in this manner, all parties agree to be bound by an evaluation
made by the Club’s current Board of Directors.
Any accident involving personal injury or damage to property other than models shall be immediately reported to an SRQ officer or current member of the Board of Directors.
1.
Servicing engines on the runway is prohibited.
2.
Two-stroke engines will be equipped with an effective muffler.
3.
There shall be no more than five (5) aircraft in the air at one time
except during controlled exhibitions.
4.
All fixed-wing powered aircraft flights shall be controlled from a
designated area adjacent to the runway.
5.
Pilots shall ensure safe clearance onto the runway by looking both ways,
then announcing their intent to enter the runway for takeoff prior to doing so.
6.
Pilots shall announce their intent to land prior to doing so.
7.
All aircraft shall land on the active runway of the flight line in
accordance with a left hand or right hand traffic pattern approach. Wind direction shall determine the appropriate approach
direction.
8. Emergency and dead stick landing aircraft shall have priority.
9.
Aircraft sound emission limits:
a.
Statically with plane on a hard surface: meter 12" high in propeller
plane, greater of left and right sides: 104dB(A) at 9ft., or 103dB(A) at 10ft.,
or 98dB(A) at 18ft. (primary static test standard).
b.
In flight: 55dB(A) at Misty Creek, 71dB(A) at 440ft., limits at other
appropriate distances to be determined using the club performance curve
standard.
c.
Enforcement on an airplane-by-airplane basis:
-Voluntary testing at monthly testing sessions on Saturday following each
monthly club meeting or during the week as prearranged with a committee member.
-Individually as requested by a committee member.
-At sanctioned events.
-Mandatory compliance, cited airplane grounded.
-Mandatory retest and certification before flying cited airplane.
-Permanent records kept by committee.
-Penalties for non-compliance; referred to Board of Directors for
appropriate action if:
1)
member refuses to comply with test request,
2)
aircraft is not retested and certified within 30 days,
3)
aircraft is flown without retesting and certification,
4)
details posted in newsletter.
d.
Advisory assistance to resolve technical problems.
1. If an AMA or SRQ rule is violated by an individual, the infraction must be brought to the attention of the Safety Officer by no less than three (3) SRQ members. This infraction will be reviewed and documented, and the individual will be notified by the Safety Officer of the violation.
2.
If a second infraction is reported in the same manner as above, the
Safety Officer will report the infraction to the Board of Directors. The Board
of Directors may suspend that individual’s flying privileges for thirty (30)
days.
3.
If a third infraction is reported to the Board of Directors in the same
manner as above within a twelve (12) month period, the individual’s SRQ
membership may be terminated in accordance with Article V of the SRQ By-Laws.
However, he may reapply after a one year period.
4.
Infractions cannot be accumulated beyond one year.
The Safety Officer will maintain appropriate records, such that an
infraction occurring after one year from the first infraction shall be treated
in accordance with paragraph 1 above, and restart the sequence.
5.
Should an individual violate his suspension, his SRQ membership may be
terminated, in accordance with Article V of the SRQ By-Laws.
