Smothing out a field....

exeter_acres · Sep 29, 2004

Hello all...have a project question..

I have a back field that is in a natural state now... used to be a farm field years back so it is rough and bumpy...

I have a new hobby to throw money at..
Just getting involved in R/C planes.
There is a club nearby that I have joined and will fly there with instructor.

But in the future it would be great to fly in my own field...

Now...what would be the best method or combination of methods to smoth the back field out in order to be used as an R/C grass runway...

the area would be about 1.5 acres that I want to work

It would need to be quite smooth.......

I have access to rentals nearby, but I don't want to break the bank....

Any thoughts on what to do??

Cheers and Thnaks in advance
Exeter

EddieWalker · Sep 29, 2004

Without a photo, I make the following suggestion.

I'd first brush hog it down as short as I could.

Then I'd disk it up in order to break up the top six inches or so.

To smooth it I would get a log, or an I beam or chan link fence or bed frame and drag it behind your tractor. Just pull it around in circles. You will see high spots and low spots and be able to fill them in by eye.

I wouldn't reckomend a box blade for something that big or back draging a FEL. Too many woop de doos and almost impossible to get as good of results as a simple log.

It also helps to go as wide and heavy as you can get. The wider it is, the flatter it will be. The heavier it is, the faster you will be done.

If you want perfectly flat, you will need lazers and a motor grader.

Good luck and post pictures.

Eddie

theboman · Sep 29, 2004

Till it. Drag it. Plant it. Happy landings.

Soundguy · Sep 29, 2004

mow, disc, drag. grass.

Soundguy

ByronBob · Sep 29, 2004

Having the farmer do this to my yard. His method (I had no say in it or he wouldn't do it) Mow, spray with Round-up, disc, harrow, seed.
The grass dying allows the disc to penetrate the yard better and break the soil up to fine powder. This process will take some time.
Best of luck to you and happy flying /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

ronjhall · Sep 29, 2004

Exeter
I live near a new Golf Course, Lyon Oaks. In an area near the main road, they have been working on leveling out the land. One area had some type of artificial grass put down. It is about 6' X 50'? The other day I drove by and found out what the area is for. It is a landing strip for model airplanes. If it would help, the next time I go by there I will stop and take some pictures.

The best tool I have seen to level out land for a model airplane landing strip would be a power rake. This should leave a stone free flat area.

exeter_acres · Sep 29, 2004

Thanks for the great info!
(oops...just noticed I misspelled my topic!)

Sounds like the mow, disk, drag method is worth a go!

I can borrow (or maybe rent for a day) a tractor... to disk it

do you think a garden roller would work?
I have easy access to that?

Again cheers!!

I do have a club field very close...but hey...be nice to just walk out back and fly!

Maybe talk Worksmart into getting a plane and having dogfights!!

ronjhall · Sep 29, 2004

I had to make a trip to Home Depot this afternoon. Stopped at the park to look at the runway. It is made with grass carpeting. It has been in less than a year. Grass is growing through the carpeting. Geese have left their droppings all over the place. In areas it looks like take-off and landings have worn the carpeting.
You have a lot of work ahead of you to make a runway smooth enough to land a model airplane. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Mark4510 · Sep 29, 2004

I am not sure how smooth it needs to be but based on watching those things fly around it seems like it would be tought to get smooth enough and a lot of work keeping it that way. Would it make sense to pave a small part of it?