Flite Fest West 2018 location suggestion?

xtrmtrk

New member
We REALLY need to know a time and place for FFW18. I'm having a hard time keeping my calendar open for all of April and May. Do you think there's a chance it might not be happening?
 

thenated0g

Drinker of coffee, Maker of things
Mentor
i doubt it will be in a county park. It needs to allow camping and be locked down for paying customer access only.
 

sprzout

Knower of useless information
Mentor
I'd personally want it to be around Sacramento, CA-the capitol of the state-but I know that it may not happen. I live right next to an airstrip with real full-size airplanes, but the other people that live around us may not be happy to do that. Ugh! For all of you wanting it to be in southern CA down by LA, good luck-I would become a hater if it was down there.

The only other reason I suggest SoCal is for those who would want to do things other than fly all weekend - Say, take the kids to see the Mouse, or check out the Kodak and El Capitan theaters, etc...And if you're a flight nut, in all seriousness, San Diego has a HUGE (and I mean HUGE) aerospace history. Spirit of St. Louis was built here, Ryan Air, General Dynamics/Convair, and the San Diego Air & Space Museum is really impressive with an A-12 out front.

I know, weird reasons, but hey, it's always a possibility, right? :)
 

crimsonera

New member
I'd love to see a Flitefest Monterey but I'm biased because that's where I'm from. It might be possible to get permission to do it at the Marina Municipal Airport. Leguna Seca would also be a cool spot but it's kinda close to the Monterey Airport. There are a lot of hotels due to this being a touristy area but the weather can be a little windy in April but usually calms down around May.

Another suggestion would be the Fresno area. There are a lot of farms and open land that we might be able to use. The Fresno Fairgrounds are pretty big but not sure if it would be the best spot due to how close it is to the Fresno Yosemite International Airport.

These are just a couple of my suggestions. Almost no matter where you have it on the west coast, I'll be there!

Edit: I just thought of another site that could be considered. The Alameda Runway where Mythbusters filmed a lot of their tests could fit everyone and there is an Air Museum nearby.
 
Last edited:

sprzout

Knower of useless information
Mentor
I'd love to see a Flitefest Monterey but I'm biased because that's where I'm from. It might be possible to get permission to do it at the Marina Municipal Airport. Leguna Seca would also be a cool spot but it's kinda close to the Monterey Airport. There are a lot of hotels due to this being a touristy area but the weather can be a little windy in April but usually calms down around May.

Another suggestion would be the Fresno area. There are a lot of farms and open land that we might be able to use. The Fresno Fairgrounds are pretty big but not sure if it would be the best spot due to how close it is to the Fresno Yosemite International Airport.

These are just a couple of my suggestions. Almost no matter where you have it on the west coast, I'll be there!

Edit: I just thought of another site that could be considered. The Alameda Runway where Mythbusters filmed a lot of their tests could fit everyone and there is an Air Museum nearby.

Alameda's a NIGHTMARE to get to. I've been once to go play at the Pinball museum there, and it's SKETCHY...Like, "You look at the people in the neighborhood wrong, and you might get stabbed" sketchy. You have to go through some of the scummier areas of Oakland, drive through a tunnel (which negates a semi or campers going through due to clearance)...And there's no real places to set up tents and such there. And, with how close SFO and Oakland International are, flying anything in that area is pretty much going to be nixed...

Ignoring all of that, yes, it'd be a nice place to fly, but everything else makes me want to avoid it like the plague.

That said, I know of a place that might be good; we could go out to the Salton Sea. Sea planes, camping, lots of space...
 
I would like to suggest Castle Airport in Merced County, near the town of Atwater, CA, as a site for Flite Fest West. It is a former Air Force base, has a 11,802 ft. runway, tons of room for RV and tent parking. It is also the location of the Castle Air Museum, The Central California Model Flyers – AMA chartered club 4021, and hosts the annual Giant Scale Flyin. See pictures attached.

Castle airport is in central California, 2.5 hours ESE of San Francisco, 4.5 hours NNW of LA, 2 hours SSW of Sacramento, and 2.5 hours NW of Monterey. It is an active public airport but accommodations can presumably be made for RC activity as they are for the annual Giant Scale Flyin. The airport is jointly owned by the City of Atwater and Merced County.

The California Central Valley is hot and dry in mid summer and temperatures up to 110F are not uncommon. September or October are probably most suitable. Average daily highs are 92-82F, average daily lows are 59-45F and the mean temperature is 75-64F. Wind averages 5-3 MPH with gusts to 21-24 MPH. Winds are usually low at night and early morning, building in the afternoon. Some days can be very windy. Rain at that time of year is unlikely.

I have not determined whether airport management is interested in hosting the event, nor have I checked to see how the local RC club would feel about it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Airport

https://www.castleairmuseum.org/

http://www.centralcamodelflyers.club/

https://www.wunderground.com/histor...reqdb.zip=95388&reqdb.magic=4&reqdb.wmo=99999


Ran D. St. Clair
RV Parking.JPG
Castle Aerial View.JPG
 
Last edited:

vihila

New member
i doubt it will be in a county park. It needs to allow camping and be locked down for paying customer access only.

It appears Gibson Ranch allows camping. I don't know about locking down for paying customers, but they host some big music festivals there, so I wouldn't be surprised. It is also where they host the MultiGP drone races for Sacramento area.
 

Liam B

Well-known member
It appears Gibson Ranch allows camping. I don't know about locking down for paying customers, but they host some big music festivals there, so I wouldn't be surprised. It is also where they host the MultiGP drone races for Sacramento area.

I’ll be there for the Sacramento Qualifier today:)
 

zuult

The gate keeper of Gozer.
FFW 2018 Location Suggestion Indio, CA Empire Polo Grounds

Empire Polo grounds are home to several large outdoor music festivals each year to include the likes of Stage Coach and Coachella music festival.

Empire Polo Grounds are large with manicured turf lawns, lakes, camp grounds, tented and indoor event space plus many other amenities. A not to distant drive for all of Southern California, AZ and NV residents. Really it is the ideal space if not for the price maybe to rent it. Very similar to FF event spaces on the east coast I would believe.

https://empirepoloevents.com/venues/

https://empirepoloevents.com/sample-page-2/

https://www.google.com/maps/place/E...7d737749a6ce8!8m2!3d33.6808741!4d-116.2372318
 

Liam B

Well-known member
So there seems to be a lot of applicable places. I wonder if FT has investigated any of the suggestions.
 

sprzout

Knower of useless information
Mentor
Empire Polo grounds are home to several large outdoor music festivals each year to include the likes of Stage Coach and Coachella music festival.

Empire Polo Grounds are large with manicured turf lawns, lakes, camp grounds, tented and indoor event space plus many other amenities. A not to distant drive for all of Southern California, AZ and NV residents. Really it is the ideal space if not for the price maybe to rent it. Very similar to FF event spaces on the east coast I would believe.

https://empirepoloevents.com/venues/

https://empirepoloevents.com/sample-page-2/

https://www.google.com/maps/place/E...7d737749a6ce8!8m2!3d33.6808741!4d-116.2372318

That would be nice, just NOT DURING THE FRAKKING SUMMER!!! LOL Inland Empire is WARM. I went to Coachella back in the early 2000's, before it really took off, and it was 92 in APRIL. If we do it in the summer, people will need to be warned to be hydrated and made aware of fun stuff like rattlesnakes.
 

Liam B

Well-known member
That would be nice, just NOT DURING THE FRAKKING SUMMER!!! LOL Inland Empire is WARM. I went to Coachella back in the early 2000's, before it really took off, and it was 92 in APRIL. If we do it in the summer, people will need to be warned to be hydrated and made aware of fun stuff like rattlesnakes.

Only 90? Was 100 for a week up here last April!

On a side note, I think there are a LOT of really good options we’ve come up with!
 

Ketchup

4s mini mustang
I don’t have any location ideas but my suggestion is that it should be in the summer because more people can come and stay longer because a lot of people bring their kids and they have to go to school. Last year, my dad and I could only stay for a day during the weekend because of school
 

mikej997

New member
I agree with it being held in the summer.

I am in Colorado and all of the locations are way too far to be feasible (15 hours to Flite Fest Texas). I would like to see one closer and think maybe Albuquerque, NM would be a good spot. There are two interstates that intersect there, I-40 and I-25. These could put everywhere from Phoenix to Denver to Amarillo within a 6 hour drive, which is more manageable I think. There is a park where they hold the Balloon Fiesta every October that has space for RVs and is used already for RC flying. Could be perfect. I know it is probably too far for all of you in California, but we are missing the action here in the Rockies and want in on a Flite Fest as well!
 

sprzout

Knower of useless information
Mentor
I agree with it being held in the summer.

I am in Colorado and all of the locations are way too far to be feasible (15 hours to Flite Fest Texas). I would like to see one closer and think maybe Albuquerque, NM would be a good spot. There are two interstates that intersect there, I-40 and I-25. These could put everywhere from Phoenix to Denver to Amarillo within a 6 hour drive, which is more manageable I think. There is a park where they hold the Balloon Fiesta every October that has space for RVs and is used already for RC flying. Could be perfect. I know it is probably too far for all of you in California, but we are missing the action here in the Rockies and want in on a Flite Fest as well!

And it puts Southern California on a 12 hour drive to get to ABQ...Been there, done that, prefer not to do it again. LOL :)

That said, the Balloon Fiesta field would be pretty nice; flat area, lots of room, areas for people to bring in campers/RVs (all the balloon people did that), spots for food vendors, clubs, RC vendors/sponsors, build tents, blue meth (j/k, but there are bound to be Breaking Bad fans)...

I dunno. I feel like that would be a better FF Southwest. I guess I want something on the West Coast.

I just had a thought that might be fun, but I don't know if Clark County would allow camping there - Bennett Airfield in Las Vegas, and take over the Sam Boyd/UNLV stadium for builds, vendors, etc? I know it's not quite west coast, but it'd be a nice AMA field, it's not too far from the ritz and glitz of Vegas and hotels for those that don't want to camp out (like my wife)...
 

mikej997

New member
And it puts Southern California on a 12 hour drive to get to ABQ...Been there, done that, prefer not to do it again. LOL :)

I feel like that would be a better FF Southwest. I guess I want something on the West Coast.

I like the sound of FF Southwest. I know they are trying to cover more areas, and I can't imagine how much work the folks at Flite Test and everyone else involved put into all of these already. I am hopeful that someday, one will happen within driving distance of me!
 

Ketchup

4s mini mustang
There could be a flite fest central with it right between all of the other ones so other people can come, or the flite fests could be moved closer together so more people can come, it would require a longer drive for some but it would help most people come.