Anyone here from Southern California? - Ventura area?

[SteveNeill]

Just curious and trying to hook up with locals into this hobby. I live in Ventura California. Best place for me is Visalia CA. About a three hour drive for me but a great field from what I can tell.

I'll be going there for the first time on the 14th of Dec. It's the CVRC club which I recently joined. But in the interim it would be nice to know some local people especially being a beginner with large scale aerotow gliders. I feel like a lone beacon of restraint out here.

I've met plenty of FB3 folks, slopers and bungee people but no 1/3 or larger "scale" sailplanes builders and flyers.

[DennisB]

There are quite a few of us Steve, John Ellias lives in Camarillo, Scott Marnochs is in Santa Clarita. But you have already found the good and bad, good being Visalia, bad is Visalia is it! There is nowhere else aerotowing is active, we do towing at Camp Pendleton Marine base but the entry requirements have gotten extremely restrictive making it tough for even locals. December in Visalia usually has a low turnout since the day is short, the weather is usually cold and dreary, but by February Visalia gets good again. I am in Orange County but many of the Visalia regulars are south of me and in the San Diego area. Dennis

[SteveNeill]

Dennis thank you. It's nice to know. I know there's a group down near Palm Springs too but I took a look at the runway and field and it wasn't exactly green with grass and open fields so I passed. That and they weren't very communicative. I never did get a response from them unlike CVRC. I'm shooting for Dec 14th but if the weather keeps up like it is now I be there in Feb. for sure.

[DennisB]

Steve, it’s not so much a “group” in Palm Springs, it’s me calling the club president and us finding a Saturday that is clear of club events, we only tow once a year there, usually December or early February. A grass field in Southern California is only a dream, none exist, period. So Visalia is where we all congregate. When operating on pavement you need a very reliable retract or a fixed gear model. I only fly my vintage models at Visalia since they have mostly a wooden skid. I may call you and talk about your work, I did a fair amount of film work (models) when Boss Films was active.

[SteveNeill]

Dennis I worked at Boss films on Ghostbusters and Fright Night. Sure give me a call. You can PM me for the number or it's on the SNG Studio website. Yes the city even killed the lawns at the Apollo field. I have been flying there since I started back in 1985 and was appalled to see the lawns are all dirt now. I had to land my ASW 28 on the runway and scuff up the wing tips. Very sad.