Flite Fest West 2017 - "Review"

[thenated0g]

Just wanted to share some of my thoughts on the event. Fyi i am a mega flite test fan who has been looking forward to attending for a long time, i read everything i can about these events, and i volunteered at this event so i have a little bit more inside info than people just attending. In other words im probably more forgiving of them than a random spectator.

Camping:

Camping was pretty basic as far as facilities. There was trash bins, Portapotties, and a shower trailer. Thats it. No designated place to do dishes or get water. When the expo hall was open you could use the bathrooms in there if you wanted. But no real spot to do dishes. The showers were awesome. 6 stalls for girls and 6 for boys. Non stop hot water. I dont think i would have made it without that. The camp spots were HUGE. We fit my tear drop trailer, 4 door jeep, friends car that he slept in, a 8x16 tent 2 other friends slept in and 6 foot table and chairs to cook and hangout. Some people had some amazing workshops setup in the tent areas. Also this was a family event and it seemed like most people went to sleep early and not one night was there that "loud" group keeping everybody up at night. Plus it was just seconds to walk to the flight line.

Food:

There was only a couple vendors for food but it was pretty dang good stuff. If you need to run to the store, it was 1.5miles to a shopping area with safeway, target, costco, homedepot, etc.

Flight line

Most people just put a pop up tent on the flight line and left it overnight. Some with planes and parts. Just get up at 7am or whenever and start flying until 11pm at night. They rolled in huge stadium lights and had music blasting. You could fly without leds on your plane. It was pretty entertaining just to walk the flight line and look at every-bodies stuff. The highway seems close on paper, but in reality its over 800ft away and only once or twice did people actually get that far. The one "issue" that didn't actually stop anybody from flying totally was the wind. A lot of wind. But people were always flying.

Expo hall and build tents

They were a TON of tables and chairs everywhere in every tent and the expo hall. Every one of them had a multigang power box. If you think about how much power a fair grounds has to supply for shows and fair rides, its really a perfect place for a power tool convention. You could work on your stuff in the expo hall until the ft store closed which was usually around 8-9pm.

People

The people were amazing. Everyone was sharing tools, tents to get out of the sun, food, build assistance. It was amazing. The only problem i had was on the flight line when they had some of the timed special events. I dont think the spectators realized that all the tents were private pilot owned tents and thought they were first come first serve style. Several times i would come back from getting something and it would be filled up with people. Even stepping on peoples planes. And than they get mad when you ask them to leave. Not a big deal. Just the one sour point. Next year i think i will be more aggressive with protecting my area. Maybe some type of wall. Its not that i didn't share. I invited anybody that looked like a lost pilot to come hang out. Especially any kids that were watching. It was just those that took advantage of it and didn't even say hi or ask first.

Fun?

Dang so much. Too much. Not even joking slightly. Like next year i need to pace myself. I was so worn out. Most fun i have ever had at any event or amusement park or vacation. Flying, building, watching, hanging out talking. Having gone, i think that even if i drove the 5,000 miles round-trip to east i would be traveling home super happy.

"Celebrities"

It was pretty strange meeting all these people that you have only seen on YouTube. But they were super inviting. Always with a smile. And helping people out was always top priority over recording special events. Twice i saw Josh Bixler hold up an event because he was helping some kids build something or he was in the middle of a meet and greet with some little kids.


________________________

Im sure there is more to say and im sure others will eventually get videos up and talk about it. Just wanted to get my thoughts down while i still remember.

As far as negatives.....The only other thing i can say is that i got a general feeling from attendees that the FPV was not enjoyable. Personally i expected this and so prepared only to do line of sight. But i heard a lot of grumbling. Not only from frustrations of people trying to follow the directions and getting knocked out of the sky by people that were not following directions but i heard repeatedly that the people running multigp are not very....nice? I didn't personally go down that way but i definitely got the feeling that they didn't talk to people respectfully when mistakes happened. Having said that my personal experience with those guys was on wed as volunteer. I had a dad and two boys following me around helping out with things. I knew the boys were interested in racing quads and Austin had asked me to go see if Chris needed any chairs or tables. They were in the middle of setting up the race gates. Now teaching two young teenage guys how to setup race gates and where to put them to form the race path was definitely not the fastest most effecient way to get the area setup. But he took the time and was very nice to this family. Myself and their father thought it was pretty special.

 

[PsyBorg]

Ahhh Flight Diva's... Gotta love em....

Sounds like over all it was a great time to be had and a very successful first run event. As all FF's things are learned and ironed out for the next one. It can only get better.

Sadly there are people in the world that just don't get the fact it does NOT revolve around them and that cohabitating is a must. Hopefully THOSE people did not have fun and will filter out of future events.

 

[rstellhorn]

I had so much fun on Saturday that it should be a crime. Everyone was friendly and willing to help. I was one of the pilots who setup an easy-up and invited a couple of father and son groups to hide in my shade. It was awesome to see kids come down from the build tables directly to the flight line and get their planes in the air! And when they needed help, they got it from everyone around them! I ended up lending out to a few people tools, batteries, charger time, and even my TX / RX combo to get a kid with a newly built mini guinni into the air for the first time. So Awesome!

My one complaint about this event... you needed better coordination via P/A announcing on the entire flight line and also in the building. I was at the end of the first runway and never knew when special projects where going to be launched unless someone was walking the line announcing to land and clear the line. Also my 4yo son and i on Friday where in the build area building a Mini Mustang at noon killing time until the glider build was to happen, but ended up missing it as we went just outside for a hotdog and didn't hear any announcements about the session.

I know that it's difficult to spread speakers across such a large area, but it can be done as I've done it in my jet-ski racing days Just get self amplified speakers and build long power and audio cord combinations and daisy chain the speakers down the entire line. Also, a couple of wireless receivers could be used to get the PA audio up to the buildings and tent area too.

In any case... you guys rocked it! I look forward to next years FFW!

 

[thenated0g]

Yeah i had a big size 29 Dc battery at my table and we had tons of people charging off of it for 2 days. I let one family borrow my soldering iron to build a quad.

I noticed that when they did the first large quad demo race that there were ZERO flight line chiefs. Like nobody. And the crowd was up on the runway. I had to go tell the guy in charge to make everyone step back behind the tents.

Even though there have been previous events. Most of those volunteers (and by that i mean all the experience they have acquired) from those events are not at this event. We had some for sure, but next year we will be that much more prepared. Andre took a ton of notes the entire event.

 

[Datum]

One thing I'd add is that the runway seemed really close to the flight line- it made landings a little dangerous as any overshoot had you flying towards tents and people, especially since we had to fight the crosswind. I'm not sure if they would have been able to put it any further away but it just seemed a little close for comfort.

Also I've never had such a positive experience meeting the people behind a hobby, seriously every single one of you I met was a grade-A individual. One friend I made even loaned his Taranis QX7 for me to try since I had so much interference trouble with my Turnigy controller! He definitely sold me on that controller, I bought one a couple hours later inside!

 

[thenated0g]

They talked about putting tape up. Only pilots and spotters were supposed to be forward of the tents. everyone else was supposed to be in the tents or behind.

It was so great being somewhere that everyone around you was into the same stuff.

 

[SlingShot]

It was so great being somewhere that everyone around you was into the same stuff.

Yup. Agreed. It was extra special for me. It was nice speaking english and it was the first time in 30 years that I was amongst my people. I'm a happy boy.

 

[JimCR120]

Valuable thread. Good on you Nate for starting it and setting a good tone, even with the aread to improve.

 

[Stevo]

I was another of the folks that was out there volunteering since day one. Did we have a few hick-up's? Sure. But as Nate said, Andre (the volunteer coordinator) kept a log of all areas to be improved for the next go around.
I'll also echo the comments on what an amazing time it was. I've been in the R/C hobby for 30 years, have attended a number of different events, and fly everything from large gas airplanes to indoor electrics, and gliders (haven't quite made the jump to quads just yet (unless you count the Mavic)). Even though I didn't I didn't fly a single time during the event, I had an absolute blast! Walking through the build areas, seeing families putting together the airplanes they just bought, then later seeing them out on the flightline flying them... that's Flite Fest to a T!
It also didn't hurt that the guys and gals that we all know from the Flite Fest videos are very approachable and genuinely nice people that LOVE what they do.

 

[Ran D. St. Clair]

Safety Issues

It was a great time, I loved it, I would love to go again, however, there were issues.

Due to venue limitations the crowd was very close to the flight line which was very close to the runway. All 3 merged at various points. I personally loved it. It was intimate, fun, and exactly what I was hoping for.

That said, it can’t go on. There were too many large, heavy, or fast planes passing within a few feet of too many people. Statistically it’s an accident waiting to happen. If it was just the kids crashing their newly built 2 pound creations I would say it is just fine the way it is, but the big fast stuff has got to operate farther out.

I am not talking about demo flights with expert pilots and the flight line otherwise shut down. I think they can have their own reasonable rules on a case by case basis. I am talking about the mass of flyers who are just having crazy good fun.

I hate saying this, I really do. I don’t want to change the flavor of the event, and I don’t want to turn it into a standard RC Airshow. I don’t want a rules based culture, but if we don’t do something, someone is going to get hurt.

I think we have got to have a little more room to operate. There has to be a little more space between the spectators, pilots, and the runway.

I also think we need a separate flight line for aircraft above a certain weight or speed limit. That way it can still be up close and personal for the light/slow stuff, but have a larger safety margin for the big/fast/heavy stuff. We already had that to some degree. The pilots flying the more expensive aircraft were located to the far right. They needed some less crowded airspace and by degrees they got it. Now we just need to identify what aircraft must join them in that area.

I will suggest anything over 5 pounds or 1,000 Watts. Beyond the numbers, I think we all know what can be dangerous. Even a hopped up FT Arrow can be scary fast. All I ask is that they be scary fast at least 50 ft. from the crowd.

 

[earthsciteach]

Its nice to hear people had a great time! This community of people is top notch!

Ran D. - I hear ya and agree with you 100%. I love the relaxed, fun atmosphere of Flite Fest and do not want that to change at all. But, there are some things that could be changed to make things safer for folks.

Even though I could not be there, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing people having a good time on the Vlogs and live streams. Can't wait for FFE!

 

[Burly]

Sounds like Flite Fest West was a great success.
A lot of good work by Flite Test, the volunteers, and the vendors.

On the negative side, trying to do any FPV at these large events is always problematic due to the lack of video channels.
It's best to ban FPV from the entire flight line except for the confined space where channel allotment can be tightly controlled. And it never fails...when competition enters the picture, a number of primadonnas will be there to fill the void. Hopefully those numbers remain relatively small.

As far as having personal pop up tents along the flight line, I think the flight line boundary for spectators should be unobstructed for it's entire length. No one should lay claim to this valuable real estate and force spectators to detour as they walk along the flight line. There should be a 15 to 20 foot right-of-way. In addition, maybe Flite Test should erect a number of 10'x20' or 10'x30' spectator/eating tents behind the right-of-way. They could consist of a single row of chairs facing the flight line for the attendees to get some shade and watch the flying. Behind that, a single row of tables and chairs for viewing and eating...but no storing of your equipment or building planes. Those build and storage functions should stay in the campsites, personal popups, or the build tents(buildings).

I'm sure Flight Test will send out customer surveys to the attendees.

I do have a few questions for those who attended:
Were the numbers of attendee's and vendors what you expected (yes, higher, lower)?
If Flite Fest West becomes an annual event...would choose this venue location again?
For those who has been to both Flite Fest East and West...and how do they compare?

 

[thenated0g]

One of the reasons they had the tents so close to the runway was so that the road could still be used by people to drive in there planes and gear. I didnt see this used too much. If they can legally elimnate that section for cars they could make a separation between spectators, tents, pilots flying area, and than airstrip.

Foot Path
Spectators
Pilot only tent area
Pilot and spotter area
Landing zone

 

[Mid7night]

There also is a lot more room to expand to the south end of the track. That far end wasn't really utilized much at all, and there was more depth available there, if they could figure out a good way to funnel people down there. There's a huge grandstand that could be useful, but perhaps the cleanup/upkeep was more than they wanted to mess with... ?

I think there's lots of room to grow at the venue, and I think it has a lot going for it. As crowded (near freeway, shops, etc) as it may seem compared to Ohio, there aren't a lot of places in California with that much open air, that aren't already near an airport, AND are in areas with more temperate climates.

There's lots of room inland, but NObody wants to go there and hangout outside in the spring/summer.

 

[Burly]

I also think we need a separate flight line for aircraft above a certain weight or speed limit. That way it can still be up close and personal for the light/slow stuff, but have a larger safety margin for the big/fast/heavy stuff. We already had that to some degree. The pilots flying the more expensive aircraft were located to the far right. They needed some less crowded airspace and by degrees they got it. Now we just need to identify what aircraft must join them in that area.

I will suggest anything over 5 pounds or 1,000 Watts. Beyond the numbers, I think we all know what can be dangerous. Even a hopped up FT Arrow can be scary fast. All I ask is that they be scary fast at least 50 ft. from the crowd.

Flight line safety is an issue that seems to remain. And I don't care if the guy doing the flying is the best in the world, there is always a chance of signal loss and equipment failure. Last year I was fairly close to where a superstar buried his helicopter in the dirt way too close to the spectator line where I was standing. Actually, I was a bit concerned even while it was flying normally, knowing that a little oops could have put a giant food processor in our midst within fractions of a second. Luckily nothing happened except a broken helicopter.

When even small planes can exceed 100mph it's time for either a separate flight line, or move spectators back to account for worst case scenarios.

 

[Burly]

There also is a lot more room to expand to the south end of the track. That far end wasn't really utilized much at all, and there was more depth available there, if they could figure out a good way to funnel people down there. There's a huge grandstand that could be useful, but perhaps the cleanup/upkeep was more than they wanted to mess with... ?

I think there's lots of room to grow at the venue, and I think it has a lot going for it. As crowded (near freeway, shops, etc) as it may seem compared to Ohio, there aren't a lot of places in California with that much open air, that aren't already near an airport, AND are in areas with more temperate climates.

There's lots of room inland, but NObody wants to go there and hangout outside in the spring/summer.

I'd like to hear from people who have been to both events to get their take on the pros and cons of each venue.

 

[Mid7night]

I'd like to hear from people who have been to both events to get their take on the pros and cons of each venue.

I attended last year in Ohio, and this year in Vallejo. We actually discussed a lot of what you're talking about in the latest Community Podcast, you may want to give it a watch/listen... the venue and safety talk is towards the second half of the video, I think.

 

[SlingShot]

There were a few communication issues. In particular there was a dearth of announcements in the expo hall and the auxiliary build tent. I was probably late for a meeting, but I missed some things because I didn't know they were happening. I think that there should be a pilot's checklist included with your pass lanyard. For people that missed a pilot's meeting there should be a way to receive critical information.

As far as lone wolves, there were some. Being pretty lonesome myself, I adopted a few as spotter buddies. (Hey Sam ("Rat" 3D); and Warren (Bee Jee and P-51 EPO/EXP)).

I agree with others with respect to the flight line. I would move the tents to the road and establish a buffer zone. I felt a little crowded landing as the into the wind approach was about a 45 degree angle into the flight line. I dumped short a few times out of precaution.

Word etymology:

The origin of "lead sled" generally referred to a glider that had "put on a few pounds" as the result of repeated 5 minute epoxy repairs. Now evidently it means something awesome.

 

[meehan]

Sounds like Flite Fest West was a great success.
A lot of good work by Flite Test, the volunteers, and the vendors.

On the negative side, trying to do any FPV at these large events is always problematic due to the lack of video channels.
It's best to ban FPV from the entire flight line except for the confined space where channel allotment can be tightly controlled. And it never fails...when competition enters the picture, a number of primadonnas will be there to fill the void. Hopefully those numbers remain relatively small.

As far as having personal pop up tents along the flight line, I think the flight line boundary for spectators should be unobstructed for it's entire length. No one should lay claim to this valuable real estate and force spectators to detour as they walk along the flight line. There should be a 15 to 20 foot right-of-way. In addition, maybe Flite Test should erect a number of 10'x20' or 10'x30' spectator/eating tents behind the right-of-way. They could consist of a single row of chairs facing the flight line for the attendees to get some shade and watch the flying. Behind that, a single row of tables and chairs for viewing and eating...but no storing of your equipment or building planes. Those build and storage functions should stay in the campsites, personal popups, or the build tents(buildings).

I'm sure Flight Test will send out customer surveys to the attendees.

I do have a few questions for those who attended:
Were the numbers of attendee's and vendors what you expected (yes, higher, lower)?
If Flite Fest West becomes an annual event...would choose this venue location again?
For those who has been to both Flite Fest East and West...and how do they compare?

Numbers were what I expected.
This location was not bad. Windy in the afternoon but really nice early morning and at night. My biggest concern with this location is the freeway. I know of at least one plane that went down on the berm.
West was smaller than East. But that was kinda nice. More room to build, less crowd on the flight line ... Atmosphere was really similar.

 

[Tench745]

Word etymology:

The origin of "lead sled" generally referred to a glider that had "put on a few pounds" as the result of repeated 5 minute epoxy repairs. Now evidently it means something awesome.

Quick correction, "Lead sled" initially was used in reference to customized cars.
The chrome trim would be removed, leaving holes in the bodywork where the clips for the trim had attached. These holes were filled by melting lead into them then filing the lead flush before repainting. Thus, a tricked-out car was a "lead sled."
So, something awesome is probably closer to the original term than an overweight glider. Isn't language fun?