[Steven]

On the upside, I taught myself how to knife edge in theory, on the sim

[BOB]

Hi guys.I call into the field. This morning, while on my way to Bunnings.besides the normal laying water most of the field is very soggy and unusable. I’d say about 70% of the field is unusable it this moment, but that could change if it gets some warm weather???.

Kind regards, Bob

[Chris Mc]

COME ONNNNNNNN SUNSHINE!!!!!!!!!......DRY UP THE FIELD...................

[riblit]

Forecast looks good. SHMBO has organised things to do tomorrow and Saturday. Sunday will be my day.

[Build 'em crash 'em]

Hey guys... Will be heading down to the field this Friday 18th to brush off a few cobbwebs :-)

[samste]

Just Would like To say a big Thankyou to all Who have been going out of there Way in the the Looking After of the Field, Mowing Etc.

It is very well appreaciated by all, Thankyou

Steve

[Flying fisho]

Just when the field started to recover from all of the rain, Tuesdays rain has given a setback to obtaining a full length runway.
We are back to only having 2/3 of runway width usable near pilot box and remaining 1/3 was too soggy to be mowed today. The McCoy ponds are back again too. Entry ramp end of runway & creek end of cross strip were mowed by Peter H today but due to the length of the grass has left piles of cut grass everywhere & unusable. Stage 1 of recovery but still a big head start. Thanks Pete.
Am hoping Willy's prediction of 90% chance of 5-10mm rain on Saturday doesn't come to fruition, otherwise our field will be unflyable again for the whole weekend. Fingers crossed.

[Flying fisho]

Took a trip to the field about 3ish this arvo & was quite surprised. Given the rain this morning, the field is in much the same condition as Thursday. Ground is still a bit soft on the far side of the strip & the usual pools to the right of the pilot box. Other than that, the majority of the runway is usable albeit a bit narrowed. If the wind forecast abates for tomorrow and no more rain, should be fliable.
Fingers crossed.

[Flying fisho]

Took a trip to the field today to see if the soggy areas have dried out enough for mowing and got a rude shock. Somehow a truck of some description has left deeeeep furrows accross our strip
Ruts accross runway towards cross strip
   
Taken from the reeds end of cross strip
   
View from Grace end of main strip
   
Ruts are several inches deep & I dont think rolling will clear them. Without filling them, the ruts are likely to take of sets of undercarriages from landings.

[symowallo]

Bastards!!!

[dingy]

Took a trip to the field today to see if the soggy areas have dried out enough for mowing and got a rude shock. Somehow a truck of some description has left deeeeep furrows accross our strip
Ruts accross runway towards cross strip

Taken from the reeds end of cross strip

View from Grace end of main strip

Ruts are several inches deep & I dont think rolling will clear them. Without filling them, the ruts are likely to take of sets of undercarriages from landings.

This should be bought to the attention of the Police & Council!

If it was a truck, someone had to let it in to gain access.

A record of work attendance if this is council or a contractor will be able to be traced.

This should not go without someone paying for the repairs & maybe legal action.

This is totally vandalism .... and should be persued.

[secant0give]

After talking to Wayne last night, He said it looked like was a truck that did it??
And it was done during the day, only us and the council have a a key to the gate so I'm wondering if it was a council truck. Trucks are not the usual mode of transport for vandels.......Nothing is impossible when it comes to vandels tho'

[Steven]

I can't say I have ever seen a Castle Hill council truck, but most of those municipal vehicles have dual rear wheels, a set up common with tipper trays to accommodate the extra payload capacity. I'm not seeing signs of tandem rears. I'm thinking possibly it may of been whoever maintains the HT tressles and power lines trying to gain access from the wrong side of the park. They normally drive cab/chassis heavy utes with custom box trays. This would explain why they drove up the cross strip.

Whoever, would of had to get access from the council and I'm with Ingo on this.

[paulj]

If it was the electricity line maintainence people
I don't think they need to talk to council first.
I believe that they have a master key that opens all parks and sports fields everywhere.

[Servo]

A letter has been sent to Parra Council regarding the damage.

Not only council have keys to the park, as Steven has said it may have been another utility organization. We do not have the strip marked out to show that it is special or are there signs at the end of the strip saying "stay off" the strip. This has been discussed before but it might be time to re-look at the issue.

[disoriented]

A bunch of knuckleheads out to do damage might have left more tracks. This looks more like genuine confusion, as if someone in a heavy vehicle was looking for a path across the reeds.

[Servo]

A bunch of knuckleheads out to do damage might have left more tracks. This looks more like genuine confusion, as if someone in a heavy vehicle was looking for a path across the reeds.

Yes I tend to agree and that is why I think we need to put in some clear signals to prevent future occurrences.

I understand Wayne will be heading up repairs this weekend so if anyone can pitch in to help him that would be great.

[symowallo]

Should we be bringing shovels/spades tomorrow ?

[Flying fisho]

I plan on bringing a trailer load of soil to the field early. The landscaping supply yard opens 7am and I hope to be there on opening. I should be at the field about 7.30ish to make a start. An extra shovel & barrow or 2 will make a difference to early readiness for flying. Hopefully the repairs will not use the full 1/2 tonne and the balance can go towards filling one of the hollows.

[Flying fisho]

Slept in this morning but still managed to get there before 8 with the trailer load of soil. Strip is in good landing condition now. Will try & seed with couch to try & have some roots hold it together before next heavy rain. Still more ruts to fill & hope to be there a little earlier tomorrow with another load of soil to finish off.
   

[smuzz]

Nice work mate - top stuff!
I saw that Pete had smoothed the edges out nicely yesterday and it didn't look too bad, but the extra topsoil you've put down is excellent. In a couple of weeks most of the damage will have disappered.
Thanks very much for making the time and delivering the effort to get this sorted out so quickly ... and send me your receipts!
Cheers,
Steve

[symowallo]

Looked great today Wayne, thanks for getting there so early and getting the field fixed. If it weren't for the lack of grass, you wouldn't even know there had been damage.

[Flying fisho]

Oops, ANL do not open till 8.00. Waiting there now for them to open. Should be at the field by 8.15.

[Flying fisho]

On my Pat Malone for a short while today until Bob arrived, followed by Jason V shortly after. Good headway was made to fill the remainder of the many wheel ruts. Dribs & drabs more pilots arrived who chipped in to make a start on the runway hollow beside the cross strip. Many thanks to Jason V who slaved to provide some heavy duty filler to this soon to disappear ponding spot which will eventually help to take the bend out of our strip for landings. Every little bit of help is appreciated and lifts the spirits of the regular starters, so thanks guys.
A bigger task is ahead of us to fill a much bigger hollow which has severely shortened our left to right landing zone for so long. It will take much more than the 1 tonne used over the last couple of days, so when the time comes, it is hoped that many hands will make light work of that job.

[Steven]

Thanks guys for the repair work. Sorry I could not be around this week end, nor the following two.

[Flying fisho]

Bought a new mower blade today for the club mower as the last time I mowed, the severe wear on the ends of the blade reduced it's ability to cut the grass let alone mow the strip low. Took a trip to the field on the way home this morning & both ends of the strip & the reeds end of the cross strip are soggy. Apart from the normal pooling areas, the majority of the field is mostly firm.
Has been a fortnight since I was able to mow at a longer than desired length. Will give the strip a little more time to dry out & attack the accessible area this afternoon.
We have had mongrel bikers at the field again who delighted in donutting the muddy strip at the Grace end of the main runway and also at the other end but fortunately off the strip.
Does not look promising for the weekend though, there is a small chance of rain Friday, 65% of 1-5mm Saturday & 65% of 25-50mm on Sunday. 10mm of rain will flood the field, so we can expect Lake McCoy to make all the grass disappear.

[Flying fisho]

Took a trip to the field about 9.30 and water level not as bad as predicted
   
Was a steady downfall of rain while I was there so took another photo about 10 minutes later. You will notice a reasonable rise in water level.
   
I imagine water level will continue to rise as rain persists.

[Flying fisho]

Took a trip to the field this afternoon. Not a pretty picture.
Pooling in the usual spots.
   
There is a small trickle of water running down the concrete culvert indicate the water is still draining but will take a while. Apart from the pictured pooling in the usual spots all of the runway is sloshy underfoot.
My rain gauge indicated 110mm of rain from Saturday afternoon till Monday morning but only 3mm since. The water must have come up pretty high as a lot of flotsam in the majority form of plastic bottles have been deposited where our cars park.
   
If even the slightest amount of rain comes before the weekend, I would say that the weekend flying will be a washout. But with a bit of luck it may be suitable for belly landers.
I suggest all who fly on the weekend bring a garbage bag for rubbish pickup. With one bag per pilot we should be able to clear the rubbish.

[BOB]

2.55PM 22-8-14

Hi guys. Called into the field this morning. There is still a lot of water laying around, the stripis very much on flyball at the moment all so is a lot of rubbish laying where we normally park a cars. So it looks like a working be once the stripis has dried out.

Kind regards, Bob.

[Chris Mc]

I am curious to see how Lake McCoy is holding up. Have we ever considered adding boats to our repertoire?