Flying Site Case Study #1
For months the Sun Lakes Model Airplane Club president Tom Tilley had been working every angle he could think of to acquire a new flying site for his club.
A chance comment at a Halloween party resulted in the acquisition of a world class flying facility, just as urban sprawl chased them from their previous flying site.
Hard work, good luck. The new field, situated on private property. It is located within the town of Florence, Arizona.
Nearly a year before that Halloween party, Lyle Bohn, an AMA member who lives in Florence, called to request AMA’s help in convincing the town to build a model aviation facility on some or its park land.
Lyle and the AMA met with city council members, Parks and Recreation staffers, local landowners ... everyone we could think of who might help in the site acquisition effort. At the same time, Lyle gathered the requisite members and chartered the Florence Aero Modelers with the Academy.
He was making some progress. He was working hard.
After Lyle floated various ideas past the local officials, and in cooperation with some recreational land users on an adjacent parcel, a workable plan was constructed. But, as is often the case, the wheels of progress turn ever so slowly.
After showing the mayor other well-groomed flying sites He commented that he would be making sure that consideration for the development of the site received some quick attention. Shortly after the Florence City Council approved a five-year permit for the Florence Areo Modelers to build a facility in the city. In addition, the mayor was so impressed with the other flying sites, additional funding was set aside to assist the model aviation facility.