9 replies to this topic

[SkyPuppet]

is there anybody... OUT THERE...

Hello everyone!
If you happen to be in the North Las Vegas area, you will find me flying at one of these 3 parks, every morning, at 9:30 AM:

N. Las Vegas park map - Aliante community. I fly at these 3 parks because I can walk to them:
1. Deer Springs park. My go-to park. The wind here is relatively clean, despite the park being surrounded by houses. One large field, will accomodate 4-6 fliers.
2. Aviary park. 2 soccer fields, side-by-side. Wind conditions here are best when blowing NE, N, NW. The field itself is rough - half grass, half dirt, lots of dandelion stumps to snag your lines on. Close to home though.....
3. Nature Discovery park. One of the coolest parks I've ever been too. Any west wind is blocked by houses. Affects the wind up to 30' off the ground! Conditions are best when the wind is blowing N, NE, E, SE, S. 3 soccer-sized fields, layed end-to-end, could accommodate about 3 pilots per field. However, this park is VERY busy. Plan on having people encroach on your flying space. Often. Taking up all 3 fields with kite fliers wouldn't be feasible. Also, for now, flying over the pond is off limits. I asked security, and they advised me that the wildlife that inhabits the pond is "protected" and that I would need "special permission" to "disturb the wildlife" (ducks, geese, etc.)

I fly at one park located in Las Vegas, just south of the Aliante area:
Viper Lacrosse Fields. By far, my favorite park! Clean wind no matter which direction its blowing! This park is free every weekday. 2 soccer-sized astro-turf fields. You cannot use a stake here, so bring some sort of weight to hold your handles down. Also, astro-turf is VERY dirty, so be prepared to give your Rev a bath after flying here! I would fly here every day, if it weren't for the 10 minute drive.

There is a fun-fly held in Las Vegas, every Friday at 6:30 PM, at Silver Bowl park. This is probably the best park in all of Las Vegas to fly. Many people here every Friday! Silver Bowl park is huge with many, many soccer fields, and a R/C track. Accommodates 20 fliers+. However, I wouldn't fly at this park alone. I've ran into problems with the homeless people here. A homeless man tried to steal my friends Hpi Baja (expensive 1/5 scale R/C buggy). Flying with a friend is better anyways!

If you can, please join me for a fly! PM me, and check my status on my profile page, as I update it every time I go out to fly. I know, I know....... I fly when most folks are working.
If you're traveling to Vegas, PM me ahead of time and I could probably take some time away from work to fly!

Happy Winds!
-Dave

[stroke survivor]

Ain't it nice to have flying areas so close!!! My "go to" little park is a mile from home and there's a weather station on the Weather Underground within a 1/4 mile!! A little direction-ally challenged, but so close!! Astro-turf fields!!! My friend (Skyhook) and I have met at a facility that has a soccer field in Astro-turf, great flying, no issues with footing or lines snagging!! Just gotta yield to traffic that uses the field regularly! Nothing like having a place to go!!!

[SkyPuppet]

There's a Weatherbug station within 1/4 mile of all 3 N. Las Vegas parks I mentioned (Cram MS station). Since the lacrosse field is a drive, I'm fortunate that there is a weather station within a 1/4 mile! Very handy!

I really do like the astro-turf fields!
For sure, great footing - never any missing patches, all level. Perfect! I wish I had more astro-turf field options
Now for some devil's advocacy
No rain in Las Vegas, so this astro-turf field is DIRTY DIRTY. Real fine, abrasive sand. Must wash the Rev after flying at Viper.
The ground is impenetrable - cannot use a stake here. I load up all my line sets wrapped in a couple grocery bags, and place them on my handles for setup.
The ground has little rubber pellets that work their way up thru the "grass". These get into your shoes, kite bag, etc.
Because of the makeup of the ground on an astro-turf field, its very hot at ground-level. I can see the heat distorting the scenery up to 5' off the field during the summer. Tough on me, and I try and only bring one kite out so the second one isn't lying on the hot astro-turf.

I'm with you SV - Nothing like having a close place to go

[Dano]

My trips to Vegas to visit the in-laws are always planned around visiting my friend Kent at AWOC & the friday night fly.
Thanks for the add'l park info you posted.

Missed meeting you during my last visit May 15th, maybe in the Fall when it cools down again.

-dano

[stroke survivor]

I've found that a small dumbell (the weight, not me) works very well to hold your handles!!! Be sure it has a octagon shape so it won't roll around!!

[SkyPuppet]

My trips to Vegas to visit the in-laws are always planned around visiting my friend Kent at AWOC & the friday night fly.
Thanks for the add'l park info you posted.

Missed meeting you during my last visit May 15th, maybe in the Fall when it cools down again.

-dano

Hey Dano,

You didn't miss meeting me at the Friday night fly, I haven't made it to a single one yet . I work Friday nights, very consistently.

I've found that a small dumbell (the weight, not me) works very well to hold your handles!!! Be sure it has a octagon shape so it won't roll around!!

That's a great idea! Genius, SV I'm on my way to Walmart after flying today to pick one up

[stroke survivor]

Might be able to find one at a thrift store for very cheap!!!

[--Pete]

I have a bar of nearly pure tungsten about the size of a soda or beer can (which each weigh about a pound when full). The tungsten bar weighs about 18 pounds. it is a visceral shock to pick it up. Your mind keeps telling you that it cannot POSSIBLY weigh that much. (Iron would weigh about 7 and lead would weigh about 11 pounds.)

Now that might make an interesting "anchor", although a cylinder is not a very good shape for such a purpose.

(Its primary use - the reason I bought it - is to amaze people, including myself.)

[SkyPuppet]

@ stroke victim - its a funny thing, the nearest dollar store is a 10 minute drive each way. I can walk to Wallyworld and back in 10 mins!

@ --Pete - Awesome! Heavy metal lol! If you could put a label on it and make it look like a beer can, you would have a nice little prank to play on your friends:kid_devlish: I think the shape you have would work considering the weight. If the top and/or bottom are flat, or if you could lay it down on its side, with the longest edge parallel to the strings, i think the corner of the handle and leader would catch under the curved edge nicely.

I saw a demonstration of the weight of osmium once, possibly the densest of all naturally occurring metals (osmium or iridium, the debate rages on lol). My middle school science teacher had a piece that was the size of a cassette tape. Weighed nearly 20 pounds, if I remember correctly!


Oh yeah, for clarification, I've flown at Silver Bowl park, just not at the Friday night fun-fly. Its about as far away from my house as a park can be that's another reason I'm not out there too often.

[--Pete]

Iridium would be almost 21 pounds, so a bit heavier (but WAY more expensive - $1000/oz) than the tungsten at 18 pounds ($750 total). My cylinder (2.5"D x 5"L = 402cc) is just a bit smaller than required to equal the density (as a multiple of water=1) in pounds, which makes it easy to estimate the weight of other materials.