ABOUT RAAID
Radio Aeromodellers' Association Ipswich District
Location
Our flying field is located at Haigslea, on the Warrego Highway about 20 minutes
drive from central Ipswich.
When
We get together to fly on Sunday mornings from about 8 am. Some members also fly
through the week, and for safety it is required that there are at least two people
present.
Planes
There are two main types of model planes flown at the field - electric powered and
nitro powered. Many members have one or more of each type.
Membership
Membership is invited from interested enthusiasts and is paid on a financial year
basis.
FLYING SITE
The flying field is a large north-facing field located within a rural property at
Haigslea.
As the photos show the field varies between lush-green and crispy-brown depending
on the rainfall, or lack-thereof.
Members can elect to be part of a roster to mow the field, and receive a reduction
in membership fees.
Weather Station
There is a weather station very close to our field at Sprenger's Farm.
Click here to see the current weather.
The actual wind speed and direction may vary due to the location of the weather station being near trees, and the field being more exposed.
EQUIPMENT
Both Electric and Nitro powered planes are flown at the field.
Electric Powered
Electric powered planes are very easy to operate and the battery typically lasts
about 10 minutes.
Care needs to be taken with the storage and charging of the Lithium-Polymer (LiPo)
batteries that power electric planes.
Members can assist beginners with the safety procedures and there is also a lot
of information available on-line.
Nitro Powered
Nitro powered planes take more work to setup and maintain but the reward is the
sweet smell of nitro!
Fuel for nitro-powered planes can either be purchased pre-mixed, or many members
like to mix their own from methanol, nitromethane and oil.
Engines can be either two or four-stroke, and some model engines are designed to
use straight-petrol.
[More information]
Radio Transmitter
Regardless of how your plane is powered, the same radio transmitter is used.
Modern transmitters can operate hundreds of different models, which are all stored
with their own settings such as trim and switch functions.
MEMBERSHIP
Membership is invited from interested hobbyists, no matter your experience level.
Once approved, all memberships become due for renewal on July 1.
The club has members who are keen to train beginners of any age, and this is usually done using a buddy-box
setup where the student pilot's radio is connected to the instructor's radio.
In this way the student can gradually gain experience with controlling the plane
and without much risk of crashing the plane as the instructor always maintains control.