Field Rules

In order for us to fly at the sod farm, and all other authorized sod farm fields, we must adhere to the following rules. Please use common sense, respect the property and the owner of the sod farm, and follow the AMA safety guidelines.

1. The fields are open for sport flying only to members of the MVSA. We have been asked by the owners to be sure that only MVSA members fly at the fields. If you see someone who is not in the club flying at the field, please politely introduce yourself and invite them to join the club.
Note 1: Club contests are open to all paid AMA members who show their AMA cards.
Note 2: The dog training club also has permission to use the field, If they are there at the same time as we are, please try and work out a friendly use sharing arrangement.
2. No flying should take place over or beyond Hwy 79 for safety reasons. Timers should advise their pilots if they accidentally stray into this safety area. Please respect this safety boundary at all times. Also, no power flying will be allowed except for electric powered sailplanes.
a) Field setup on all occasions needs to be such that the area behind and beside the launch and landing areas be clear of all spectators and pits.
b) The pits should be setup so that they are behind the flight line and sufficiently off to one side of the winches. Landing zones should be set up to the opposite side of the winches from the pits, or behind the winches, so that no overflight of spectators or the pits is likely to occur. (see AMA Soaring Rule Book p. 36 for an example field layout.)
c) When multiple winches or high starts are in use, there needs to be sufficient separation between them to prevent interference or crossing of lines.
d) The only time anyone should be in front of the flight line is for retrieval of chutes or repair of lines. Launching should not take place while anyone is in front of the flight line without them being safely out of the way and being completely aware of the launch.

3. When winches and Hi-starts are set up, it should be done in such a manner that the launch area is near the edge of the field.

4. Be prepared to show your MVSA membership card to the landowner or their employees while you are using the field.

5. Guests will be allowed to fly in the presence of an MVSA member only if the guest has a verified AMA license. After two non-contest trips to the field, the guest must join the MVSA, if he/she wishes to continue to fly at the field. Participation in contests shall not be limited by this 2-trip rule.

6. If the dirt roads are soft enough to make ruts, don’t drive on them. Making ruts causes the roads to hold water which keeps them soft. If they are just soft enough to leave tracks, your car will get dirty. That is OK. Use your judgment as to what is a rut and what is a track and err in the sod farm’s favor. If you make ruts in the road, or in a field, please go back and repair the damage. Remember, we are guests.

7. If you walk onto the sod and it is wet enough for your feet to leave footprints on the sod, do not use the field. If the grass bends over and does not spring back, do not use the field. When footprints are left, the roots are compressed and will cause a dead area in the harvested sod.

8. If you hear the grass “crunch” due to frost, do not use the field. When the temperature is above freezing, it will spring back, when there is frost on the grass or it is frozen, then the blades of grass break because of ice with them. Do not go on the grass than as the damage is permanent. This is critical on days with low morning temperatures. If there is frost on the field, we must wait until it has burned off and the grass blades have thawed before we go on the field.

9. VERY Important: The sod is occasionally cut with a reel-type mower, which means we absolutely cannot leave anything laying on the field when we are finished for the day. All winch turnarounds and Hi-start stakes should be marked in some manner so that they can be located in case of a line break. We cannot take the chance of not being able to locate a turnaround after the line is pulled in. A stake left on the field will damage a reel-type mower.

10. Occasionally someone from the sod farm will be mowing or doing other work on the field. They have priority. Do not interfere with their work or expect them to work around them.

11. Please remember that we do not pay for the use of the field and are guests of the owners. Thanks.