RC Flying Club
The MMAA is an Association of modelers organized for the purpose of flying, building, promotion, development, education and advancement of model and radio control aviation. We are a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization and as such any gifts made to MMAA are Tax Deductible.
The Montrose Model Aircraft Association was originally formed as the "Montrose Mini Flyers" in 1976. The club adopted it's current name and reorganized as a nonprofit corporation registered in the State of Colorado in 1996. Also in the same year we became an A.M.A. chartered club #3814.
The majority of our members fly R/C but we do have some interest in U-Control and Free Flight. Just about everything imaginable is flown from peanut scale to quarter scale, sailplanes, gliders, slope, 3D, electric, helicopters, multi-rotors, rubber and CO2.
Club meetings are held once a month, usually the second Monday of the month, and will be announced on this web site. We conduct our business first and time permitting we have a short demonstration about some aspect of building or flying airplanes. Weather permitting during the summer months we have various fun flies such as night flying, sailplane soaring, landing and target competitions, etc.
Guests & Non-Members
Guests and non-members are welcome at any time at our meetings or at the flying site. Guests must be AMA members to fly by themselves. All others can fly with an instructor on the buddy box. We do have a system where newcomers can experience the joy of flying using an instructor airplane and the buddy box system.
Board Members
| President: | Michael LaBruno | |
| VP: | Todd Hohlenkamp | |
| Secretary: | Jim Ferguson | |
| Treasurer: | Andrew Weaver | |
| Trustee: | Allen Satur |
Phone: (970) 765-0599
Mailing address:
Montrose Model Aircraft Association
PO Box 491
Montrose, CO 81402
Email: mmaaflyer@gmail.com
The name Olathe Centennial Field comes from its tie to the Centennial of manned flight when MMAA acquired title to this property. Today this is an 83 acre site with 900x40ft main, and 400x40ft cross runways of packed adobe clay. The field is 5 air miles northeast of Olathe, Colorado. It is completely surrounded by BLM land, and adjacent to the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area. Our site caters to the powered or non-powered RC flyer. There is also a very nice slope on the East side of the field suitable for slope flying with strong west to northwest winds. During the hot summer months numerous thermals can be caught in the entire area. Flying at our site takes place year-round. Driving Directions: From Highway 50, turn east onto Carnation Road just north of Olathe (2.2 miles north of the highway stoplight for Olathe). Follow Carnation Road about 3.3 miles until you reach a ‘T’ with 6200 Road. Turn left on 6200 Road. In approximately 1.1 miles you will see a small log home on the left. About 100 yards past that home, 6200 Road makes a hard left and runs along the Selig Canal, shortly after that it makes a hard right across the canal. IMMEDIATELY AFTER CROSSING THE CANAL make a left onto a dirt access road. The flying field is about one half mile down the road on the right, where you will see the property fence, gate and sign. Drive along the road next to the fence and keep going until you get to the parking area and cabanas. The UTM coordinates for the field are: Zone 13, 246095 m. E, 4282931 m. N. The Latitude and Longitude are: 38° 39' 31.21"N, 107° 55' 04.53"W (NAD27) Field Elevation=5,512 ft
The Montrose Model Aircraft Association (MMAA) is a tax exempt organization which owns its own flying site. It all began in 1971 when the Montrose Mini-Flyers was formed by a loose group of twelve modelers. The Mini Flyers first flying site had a major county road to the west and an airplane eating canyon to the east. Over the next 26 years, triggered by vandalism, and increasing development pressure, the club moved from one location to another.
The current name of Montrose Model Aircraft Association (MMAA) was adopted, corporate papers filed, and tax exempt status granted in March of 1996. AMA sanction occurred in 1997.
In 1996, an informal lease on private land south of Montrose was obtained. This was a scenic location, with no obstructions, airplane eating hills, or canyons. The search for another more permanent site continued. At that time members developed a vision for the club that included education, community involvement and a first class facility.
Today, MMAA’s Mission Statement stresses an emphasis on educational activity within the community, as well as within the association, and welcomes model aviation enthusiasts of all ages and interests. By the year two thousand the membership had grown to over fifty, largely sport flyers, with participation in radio control, free flight, and control line. Since 1998, basic model building classes have been offered through the Montrose Recreation District. Educational activities have also been conducted at after school venues, juvenile detention facilities, and other locations. MMAA also established an RC pilot training program. With the help of an anonymous donor, donations from Partners, Delta Montrose Electric Association, and MMAA members a model aviation academy, targeted primarily toward “at risk” children was initiated in 2004.
In 1997, MMAA held its first annual Youth Aviation Day, offered to local “at risk” children in cooperation with the local Partners organization. This annual event has been expanded to offer the experience of flying a radio controlled airplane to Foster Children and other local youth. By 2003, nearly one hundred children attended the event. During a typical day the children fly an RC model, are given basic instruction in what makes an airplane fly, and given a balsa glider which they use to participate in a contest. Each child and parent or senior partner are provided lunch and drinks, and each child also wins some kind of aviation related prize, ranging from small dollar toys, to flying electric models. The full size aviation community participates, with fly by’s of a Bell 47 helicopter, an Air Tractor, a Varga Kachina, a Long-Eze, Smith Miniplane, and a Stemme motor glider. The audience is provided with a commentary on the name, origin, use, and specifications for each aircraft. We have also had a full size sailplane and ultra-light aircraft on site. Photos of this event can be found in the photo archive section of the MMAA web site.
In 1997, Montrose County partnered with MMAA to locate and establish a “permanent” facility through a Recreation and Public Purposes Act lease with the U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The ensuing public controversy caught MMAA by surprise. It appeared that no support was forthcoming from the community. Attempts to work with citizens groups to find an acceptable alternative site made no progress. In the midst of all of this a local resident, Richard Harding, approached the MMAA and offered to sell MMAA an 83 acre private parcel completely surrounded by public lands. As it happened, populations of a plant listed as Endangered by the Federal Government were discovered on the property. One or two Association members, as well as Mr. and Ms. Harding felt that the plant presented an opportunity, rather than a liability, and began to pursue a conservation easement on the property. Included in this proposal would be the protection of the endangered plant (the clay loving wild buckwheat, Eriogonum pelinophilum) and its environment, construction of a model airplane flying site, and construction of an outdoor earth science facility for the local schools.
Those involved with MMAA were surprised when community opposition to the original proposal, west of Olathe, carried over to this site as well. There were complaints about potential trash, traffic, noise, damage to the environment, and so on. Through persistent efforts of MMAA and the Hardings, all the issues were resolved.
Permits from Montrose County were obtained for the construction and operation of the flying site in 2002, and by 2003 conservation easements for both forty acre parcels were completed. The tax benefits and other compensations from these easements offset Mr. and Ms. Harding’s debt on the parcel. By the spring of that year construction of Olathe Centennial Field began.
MMAA is fortunate in receiving support from: the Colorado Department of Transportation (recycled cabanas, guard rail, and other materials), community members (equipment and personal time), Blueline Engineering (surveying and design), Delta Montrose Electric Association (grants), AMA (grants and other support), and the former property owners. Photos of work crews, and field development projects can be found on this the photo gallery on this web site.
On the Centennial of Flight in 2003, Mr. Harding and his wife Debra signed a quit claim deed to 40 acres of the property transferring title to MMAA for a ten dollar fee. In November of 2005, Mr. and Ms. Harding transferred the remaining 43 acres. This put MMAA in the unique position of owning a facility surrounded by public land (see the Flying Site Assistance articles in the June 2004 and February 2005 issues of Model Aviation Magazine for more information). The Association remains indebted to the generosity of Ms. and Mr. Harding.
The vision of its members has carried the Association toward a future of educational activities, community involvement, security, and participation in the facets of Model Aviation that its members enjoy.
Academy of Model AeronauticsRC Field Etiquette Do's and Don'ts while out there having fun
Montrose Model Aeroclub Scotland
Currently, small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) may be operated for hobby and recreational purposes under specific safety guidelines as established by Congress. Small UAS flown for recreational purposes are typically known as model aircraft.
Under the Special Rule for Model Aircraft, recreational UAS must be operated in accordance with several requirements, including a community-based set of safety guidelines and within the programming of a nationwide community-based organization such as the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA). Operators not operating within the safety program of a community-based organization should follow the FAA’s guidance here.
As of Dec. 21, 2015, the Federal Aviation Administration requires all owners of small unmanned aircraft, or drones, weighing between 0.55 and 55 pounds to register online before taking to the skies.
What is recreational use of sUAS?
The recreational use of sUAS is the operation of an unmanned aircraft for personal interests and enjoyment. For example, using a sUAS to take photographs for your own personal use would be considered recreational; using the same device to take photographs or videos for compensation or sale to another individual would be considered a commercial operation. You should check with the FAA for further determination as to what constitutes commercial or other non-hobby, non-recreational sUAS operations.
What are the safety guidelines for sUAS recreational users?
Users of commercial and recreational UAS should be aware that in remote, rural and agricultural areas, manned aircraft, including fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, may be operating very close to ground level. Pilots conducting agricultural, firefighting, law enforcement, emergency medical, wildlife survey operations and a variety of other services all legally and routinely work in low-level airspace. Operators controlling UAS in these areas should maintain situational awareness, give way to, and remain a safe distance from these low-level, manned airplanes and helicopters.
For more safety information, please download the Know Before You Fly brochure here.