[smuzz]

Darren has made a post this afternoon about the field and indicated that it's too wet to mow for a while.

I had a look at the field at about 4:30pm today and it's recovering pretty quickly from the weekend drenching - but there's a long way to go. All the usual dips in the main runway are holding water and it's way too wet to be useable. The cross-strip is pretty good and only has one pool, in it's usual place near where Con's burning F-18 went in. Much of the cross-strip would be serviceable, except where it overlaps the main runway.

Things should be better in a few more days, given that the forecast doesn't look too bad.

[gbanger]

Hey Steve
Let us know how the field is recovering after your flying tomorrow.
If you think it will be still to soggy for Darren to mow before the weekend.
Let me know and I will come and mow the sucker with my big lawn mower.
We can't have a 5 day long weekend with runways that looks like corn fields.
Gazz

[smuzz]

OK Gazz - well, unfortunately the main strip was still wet when we were there today, I reckon that Darren's ride-on mower would be sinking to the axles in the soft muddy spots.
The cross-strip is good though (as usual) but it could do with a mow. It's the paspalum stalks that are the problem, the rest of the turf isn't bad.
Good luck for the weekend mate, Owen and I won't be there - see you on the weekend after!
Steve

[gbanger]

Hey Steve or anybody else that can give a field update.
I am thinking about coming down early tomorrow morning to give the strip a mow if it is still to sodden for Darrens Mower, can anybody give me a strip report.
Gazz

[Skidz]

Hey Steve or anybody else that can give a field update.
I am thinking about coming down early tomorrow morning to give the strip a mow if it is still to sodden for Darrens Mower, can anybody give me a strip report.
Gazz

Hi Gary,

I was driving past around lunchtime and took a look. If I had a ride on mower I'd certainly give it a go due to the wide tyres. The area at the end of the main rwy we call the enging run up bay is boggy and a no go for the mowers. The rest of the strip is good. Some patches are squishy but I reckon the mower wouldn't have an issue.

The cross rwy is bone dry. It is the hairiest though with the end near the factories covered in thick stuff. The main rwy aint that bad really.

Dave

[popeyepete]

Yeh, had a fly at lunch. The strip is a bit mushy in places but definately usable.

Note to self - dont wear office attire to the strip and loose the funjet in the reeds! Nice leather shoes no more!!!!

[robair]

Thanks for the field reports.

I was not sure what to charge up batteries for, big stuff, little stuff, stuff with wheels, without wheels etc etc.

Cheers
Rob B

[Skidz]

Thanks for the field reports.

I was not sure what to charge up batteries for, big stuff, little stuff, stuff with wheels, without wheels etc etc.

Cheers
Rob B

Charge 'em all Rob. Charge 'em all. Then you will have "choices".

Dave

[smuzz]

I stopped by the field today at about 1:00pm for a look, just for laughs ... but it wasn't very funny.
There are pools of water in all the usual places on both strips. If there was to be no more rain before the weekend, then we'd probably get away with it being good to go on Saturday, but Willy seems to be saying otherwise

[stillflyin]

Was there a bit before Steve and had a couple of test flights which went well. Landing in the short grass by the cross strip was the go. Main strip was quite wet, cross strip at northern end was reasonably dry. Took a photo to show it at least isn't a lake which I thought it could have been.

[Flying fisho]

Whilst mowing the lawn last week, I couldnt help thinking that a ton or so of topsoil in low lying places would minimise puddling. The low spots could be filled gradually, at the end of Sunday flying, so as to avoid making runways unusable. I have a trailer and am willing to donate the soil if this opinion is shared.

[gbanger]

This conversation has been going on for quite some time Wayne.
There have been numerous discussions on how best to treat the low lying water and irregularities on our field.
The general consensus is that soil is not practical because as soon as it rains again (with gusto) as it usually does, the soil is gone.
We need a fine mixture of something like crushed cement and road base to fill the holes in then roll them to make it nice and flat and then sprinkle it with a bit of soil to get the grass going. I think mother nature would get the grass sorted in no time flat without our help because every time it rains we get a field top dressing. (The motor bike damage last year was almost completely gone after 2 or 3 good down pours).

Gazz

[smuzz]

There's always the underlying fact that we don't own the land, the council does ... need I go further?

[Flying fisho]

No further comments needed. Was just trying to be helpful.

[smuzz]

I wasn't having a go mate, and I know you were trying to be helpful - it's just that I was trying to indicate that we "hang by a thread" in our use of the land. I don't want to say any more in the "public" part of the forum, because so far we've had a good relationship with the council, and I don't wanna upset that at all.

[samste]

Field Condition and Flight report as of 3pm Friday afternoon.
Walk through clip below -

http://youtu.be/nmPIQwv4nGY

1. Hand Launch only
2. Walk in Only
3. Gum Boots advised, very wet under feet.
4. Above ground air conditions, Sweeeet.

All In All Best to give it a miss this weekend unless you just cannot help yourself.

[paulj]

Thanks Steve, Looks like another building weekend then

[gbanger]

Thanks Steve
Bloody rain.
Who was bitching about the drought last year?
Ive been working in this crap all week.
I am so over this precipitation.
I say bring on another drought, the only good weather is dry weather.

[smuzz]

Field Condition and Flight report as of 3pm Friday afternoon.

Yes, I thought it might have been you Steve - I could hear a Funjet getting some flight-time in during the middle of the afternoon.
I had a quick look at the field at about 5:15pm too and you're right, things are not good. The ground is truly soaking which wasn't the case early in the week. It will take a while to get over this wet spell - wouldn't be surprised if we were given another notice of ground closure by the council.

[Skidz]

wouldn't be surprised if we were given another notice of ground closure by the council.

That seems odd. It's not like a soccer field where the studs would rip up the turf and damage the "playing surface". If safety related, I think the flash flooding risk has passed.

[smuzz]

Yes Dave - it is odd, but it's happened to us before. Essentially, we got a notice (I think PaulJ received it) which indicated that McCoy park was closed. This probably referred only to the sporting field to the west of the flood basin, but we were shut down too.
There's more rain predicted for the coming week, which might result in the same thing happening again.

[Skidz]

Yes Dave - it is odd, but it's happened to us before. Essentially, we got a notice (I think PaulJ received it) which indicated that McCoy park was closed. This probably referred only to the sporting field to the west of the flood basin, but we were shut down too.
There's more rain predicted for the coming week, which might result in the same thing happening again.

Well, if it closes then it's closed. It is a privilege to have somewhere to fly so if it happens, so be it.

[paulj]

I think if such notice comes from Council again it will
go to Kevin Barnes our secretary.
The last one actually went to John Considine who was our secretary
before Kevin.
I was just the bad bastard who announced it to the members

[smuzz]

The field is improving quickly! There are still pools of water on both runways in the usual places, but considering the ground was completely saturated on Sunday, it's a big improvement.
Willy (fortunately) seems to have got it completely wrong by promising a 100% chance (no less) of 10 to 15 millimeters yesterday - but it never showed up. The forecast for tomorrow, Friday and Saturday also indicates no rain. I don't know whether the water on the runways will be all gone by Saturday so another report on Friday afternoon will follow.

[Claudius]

The field is improving quickly!

I don't know whether the water on the runways will be all gone by Saturday so another report on Friday afternoon will follow.

Thanks for the update Steve. Here's hoping. Weather and other committments conspired to kept me out of action last month. Getting withdrawl symptoms...

[Servo]

For those who want to check on the Council's status of fields there is a phone line 9294 8586 with a recorded message that is updated at 3pm each day.

Current status has the field open.

KevB

[Skidz]

For those who want to check on the Council's status of fields there is a phone line 9294 8586 with a recorded message that is updated at 3pm each day.

Current status has the field open.

KevB

Happy days!!

[samste]

Manage to get down field This late morning and gave it a somewhat of a haircut with the old faithful hand pusher mower to half of cross strip and to a patch of dry area on main strip.
Not sure how much of Field has dried since then as was not much change from Thursday.

Steve

[smuzz]

I just got back from a check of the field at about 5:15pm - Steve, I noticed you'd given some parts of it a trim - good on you!

The synopsis: Good to go
The details: Like Steve says, it's still mushy in parts but a couple of orders of magnitude better than last weekend. Some sections of the main strip are difficult to walk across without getting mud up the sides of your shoes, but overall it isn't that bad. I'd recommend bringing chux wipes or something similar for wing and fuselage undersides because some soft mud will be thrown up by undercarriage. But other than that - all good. The cross-strip has repaired itself more rapidly than the main strip (as usual) and would support all our planes. Landing on the main strip would be more of a lottery - most of it is fine, some parts are still boggy. The main strip won't be ready for Darren's mower this weekend.
One good thing to note is that the grass is not growing anywhere nearly as quickly as it was a few weeks ago - it's only the paspalum which is a problem, but not as much as it was late summer.

See you there

[Skidz]

Some are planning to come down early and give the field a mow. Even if that were not to happen, the field is fine for flying. The cross strip is perfect. The elves must have cut the strip through the week. There is no hairy bits at all.

Some photos below. Please see my comments in Flying This Weekend for more detail on the field conditions.

D.