Western Carolina Radio Club
"SKYHAWKS"
NEW FIELD PROGRESS
Western Carolina Radio Club known as WCRC “SKYHAWKS” was founded in 1964. We functioned as a R/C Flying Club in the same location since inception some 54 years. On December 31, 2018 we lost our field after 54 years due to the property’s purchase. A contractor purchased the property and plans to develop a housing community.
This area of the website is dedicated to those that are not members of the club and can not access the members area of the website; but are interested in how our flying field search and development is progressing. I am happy to announce; that we have focused on a location and are in the process of making this project a reality. Below you will find some preliminary drawings, and photos of our future plans. This project, however doesn’t come without cost; in which we NOW have a way for those who wish to donate. You can now click on the donation button below to make a donation. You can donate a preset amount or you can put in the amount you wish to donate. Or you can mail a check or money order to the following:
Thank you for considering to help us in this project!
Our Mailing Address Is As Follows:
WCRC
2607 Woodruff Rd. STE. E PMB #106
Simpsonville, SC. 29681
We would greatly appreciate any donation to help us reach our goals. Click the donate button below.
WCRC Skyhawks New Sports Turf Runway
Western Carolina Radio Club (WCRC Skyhawks) are happy to annouce as of June 10, 2023 we have a 350′ x 30′ artificial turf runway and we currently maintain two crosswind grass runways. It is arguably considered the best RC Aviation club in the upstate of South Carolina and possibly in the United States.
We are located at 1311 Anderson Ridge Road in Greer, South Carolina. Located on the Enoree Tranfer Station Property(Old Landfill). The Enoree River runs on the north end of the property hence Enoree Transfer Station. We are not located in Enoree. We are just yards across the Spartanburg County Line into Greenville County and are right on the Simpsonville, Greer and Reidville Township Lines. A perfect central location especially for those two counties and three townships. We are a mile off the main road which provides for a beautiful and wildlife rich environment, regularly seeing deer, turkey, rabbits, hawks and other wildlife. We usually have at least two Fly-Ins a year and are open to visitors anytime our gates are open. Members have access 24/7. We invite you to come out and visit us.
CLICK HERE SEE OUR NEXT FLY-IN
WCRC's First Fly-In at the New Field October 16,2021
see photos below
For more photos and videos follow us on our FaceBook page. Click the button below to see our Facebook page!
WCRC New Field Photos As of September 12, 2021
See Photos below
Photos Below Taken November 2020
Directly below you can view WCRC’s New Flying Field Progress. Click on the Photo to enlarge for better viewing. We have added 41 loads of fill dirt, added a shipping container improved the gravel driveway and parking area and have laid down 25 ft wide and 300+ feet long of temporary runway matting. These shots were take by Roberto using his drone on June 17th 2020. You can also view more details and videos by visiting our Facebook page at the following address: https://www.facebook.com/SkyhawksFlyingClub/
Below are some short video clips of the New Flying Field. The general layout has been mowed, however; due to it being a closed landfill we need fill dirt where the landfill has settled and gravel for the long driveway. The property will have to be filled in certain areas and everything must be brought in and all improvements must be made on top of the surface, no digging or grading on orders from Enoree Landfill Engineers.
Due to the weather and Covid-19 and the restrictions we have been delayed ,not stopped, in our progress.
WCRC has decided to open the new flying field to members on a temporary basis, effective immediately. The runway is UNFINISHED and is most suited to Helis, Drones, STOLs, Gliders, Belly Landers, and generally anything that can be flown “out of the weeds”. However, you may fly anything you wish (that falls within AMA and FAA guidelines) AT YOUR OWN RISK. Also, please note the section of road on our part of the landfill is a little rough. It is passable in a standard 2-wheel drive vehicle (I have taken my sedan down it), but this will also be AT YOUR OWN RISK. We will be finishing the road and smoothing it down after the dirt is brought in for the runway. Once final construction begins on the runway we will need to close the field to flying activities in order to build it, I will send out updates and schedules as they become available. Currently, we will have to fly during business hours for the Landfill, that’s 7am-6pm Tuesday-Saturday (Closed Sunday & Monday). Please be sure to exit the landfill BEFORE 6pm so that you do not get locked in by the staff. While at the field we ask that you please be respectful of others space and follow the current distancing guidelines. Many of our members are in at-risk categories and our goal is to provide a safe space to fly for those of you who wish to get out of your house.
See Video Below and/or follow our facebook page- click here: https://www.facebook.com/SkyhawksFlyingClub/
At our resent club meeting on February 17, 2020 one of our members ask me to stop by his house to show me something. I assumed it was a new plane. To my surprise Freddie and his wife Linda had made us a New Flight Station for the club in anticipation of our new field opening in the near future. They plan on making a total of five of these for the club. Linda is financing them and Freddie is building them. The table top 54″ X 32″ and the long runner 68″. Thank you so much for your tremendous donation of time, hard work and money. SEE PHOTOS BELOW! Click on photo to enlarge for better viewing.
As of January 26, 2020 due to excessive rain these last couple of weeks and the rainfall pattern continues our project has slowed down. We have had some areas in excess of 10+ inches above the average rainfall. We are allowing the landfill area to absorb the excess rainfall and dry out some. We plan on getting back to the task at hand SOON!
A lot of work has been going on since our last photos. From January 14, 2020 until January 24, 2020 these photos were taken of the work progress the club has made both rain and shine and also cold! Great Job Guys, Thanks! You are looking at the dumping of gravel, packing with a roller and grading of the 600 ft. + of driveway across the landfill to the future airstrip.
A Special thanks to Steven Bayne for the hard work done on the email as well as at the new flying field location. It is much appreciated. Below the email; I have added some extra photos of the work at the field from 1/11/2020. Thanks to all for everything you have done and are doing!
We have more good news. Don a mutual friend heard of a company that was closing down. He made contact with them on our behalf about material to use for placing down on the landfill surface prior to adding gravel for the road and parking area. This is to help keep the gravel from sinking into the landfill and will aide in a firm foundation. They had some excess in their warehouse that was closing and it was donated to our club. In the pictures below is Dave, Mark, Steven and myself. Myself and Dave went on 12/20/2019 and picked up the material and the younger and stronger guys, Mark and Steven, came and helped unload it. Thanks to all!
Below is a model we made of our vision of the finished new flying field done in a scale of 15/16 = 5′. Keep in mind this is our finished goal. We will have to complete it in phases. Each phase will be completed as funds are available. Phase one will be the gravel driveway of 600+ feet to the flying field area as requested by the landfill engineers,(not shown). The runway as shown is 450′ x 50′ and the fill dirt some 65, 20 ton truck loads (Determined by Survey Crew who laser shot the runway to bring it level), and 1800 square feet of parking. That is a 30′ x 60′ foot section of gravel. Phase two will consist of 1800 more square feet of parking and the former parking is where the shipping container and lean-to will be placed. Phase three will be an additional 1800 square feet of parking. Phase four will be the final parking area for visitors and spectators. This is just a general idea of the phases, in between these phases will be the need of power, water etc. which neither are readily available. We will move forward in this fashion as funds are made available. We may have to begin flying with only phase one, funds will dictate. Phase one being driveway to area small parking area and runway, no shelter,(Lean-To) or shipping container.
Click on the photos below for enlarging and better viewing.
Below you can see Dave and myself signing the license agreement with the county landfill at our club meeting on 9/16/2019. We also had a WCRC Congratulations Cake for the members present at the club meeting. Several of the photos show the club meeting that evening, Great turnout! Sorry some had to sit in the adjacent room. We have remedied that situation.We will be holding our next meetings at Carolina Fine Food 625 SE Main St Simpsonville, SC 29681. Their meeting room will hold 50-75 people very comfortably. The restaurant is on HWY 101 just before town. The meeting time will be from 6:30 pm. – 8:30 pm. Food and fellowship at 6:30 pm. business meeting starts at 7:30 pm.
You can click here to go to Carolina Fine Food 625 SE Main St Simpsonville, SC 29681.
We also followed with a flying field survey group (Photos Below) the following Saturday 9/21/2019. For those who were not able to make that trip, we plan on having another in the near future watch your email for the date and time.
