A New Flying Field?

Last Saturday morning, when I arrived at Entradero about 8:30, I discovered it already populated with baseball players. This was not a big surprise and I had decided that if flying wasn't going to be possible there, I would head over to the Cal State Dominguez Hills campus to check out a field recently mentioned by fellow club members. At the last club meeting, someone reported success flying off an open field on the southeast portion of the campus, so I decided to check it out. This turned out to be a most fruitful endeavor!

The field is, indeed, ideal in some respects. It's much larger than the Entradero field and has no fencing to clear on any side. Furthermore, the spaces adjacent to it are basically unpopulated, with a parking lot to the west, a nursery to the east, a road to the south and some campus housing on the north. As a result, it's not the sort of place people frequent, so there's no foot traffic around it, to speak of. The surface is a bit rougher than the Entradero infield, but smoother than most of the outfield. There's a slight down slope from east to west, but it's not significant and, in fact, might prove useful when attempting to land a faster model. Simply land west to east and take advantage of the upslope to slow the bird down.

To keep the sun out of your eyes, park in the ample lot on the west side and carry your gear to the middle of the field. I took my Trex 450 helicopter and my yellow aerobatic pattern flyer out and really enjoyed the wide open space. The attached panorama was shot from the access road bordering the field on the south. It gives you a good idea of the whole layout. I'm also happy to report that the local police seem to have no problem with someone flying there. While I didn't speak directly to anyone, at least 6 patrol cars drove by without stopping or making any sign that I shouldn't be there.

All in all, I'm very glad someone mentioned this site. It was well worth the trip and I think I'll be returning when Entradero is once again unusable.

View CSDH Flying Site in a larger map