>After a one year pause from flying, I've resolved to secure
>more flying sites. I compiled a list of general sites like:
>
>
>Parks
>Schools
>Athletic Fields
>Parking Lots (shopping malls, factories)
>Abandoned/Limited Use Airports
>
>
>Is there anybody who feels they have more luck at one place
>than the other?
>
>Is there anybody/club members who have secured their field
>permently, who would be willing to share that information?
Your two biggest obstacles are going to be noise and crowd control. We have flown at the high school without asking permission. Teachers came over and watched and, being interested, asked questions, but nobody said anything negative about our being there. Of course you would not want to do this during times when school was in session or when other activities are planned. Both noise and crowd control are problems.
We flew off of an empty lot on a cul-de-sac two blocks from where we lived with the owner's permission. We had two sides of the "circle" that were paved, and lots of well manicured grass with no crowd control problems. A couple of neighbors were not thrilled with the noise, however, even though their riding mowers raised the needle on our db meter more than our airplane did. It "sounds" different, and the perception is there.
We now fly at a small, college owned grass strip airport at Vincennes with their blessing. A local, not very active, RC club flies off of the intersection of the two grass runways, with the stipulation that full-scale airplanes have first dibs. (In other words, when they get ready to go out or come in, you had better not be on the runway or in their flight path.) We fly in an open space between the end of the T-hangers and a restaurant, with a "sort of" fence (keeps cars out, but not, necessarily people) between the restaurant parking lot and us. Neither noise nor crowd control is a problem, except for the occasional person who might stray over to watch. Most people simply stand by their cars, either before going in, or after coming out of the restaurant, and will occasionally applaud at the end of the flight. Sometimes you even get your picture taken for the newspaper.
I asked for permission to fly at the Mt. Carmel airport and again received permission so long as I was not in the way of "real" aircraft. I would think that this could be an easy source if anyone has a small airport close by. There is usually open space somewhere not being used and that would not be in the flight path or taxi way of the others using the facility.
Parks would need a dedicated, fenced off area, and would probably need the clout of a club to secure the facility with the promise of doing maintenance. Malls in use would probably be out, although manufacturing facilities "after hours" might be able to be secured. Again a club would have more clout than an individual, unless it is a small facility or you know the people. Sometimes church parking lots will also be a source, and the smaller churches are better because of the fewer activities being scheduled. Of course, the smaller church would still need to have a large enough space. You would definitely need to work around the church's schedule (unless they have an open area, which many often do). And it helps to be occupying a pew there on Sunday morning.