Model airplane club soars to new heights | Flying field gets new runway, makeover

After two years of hard work and dedication, Hood County’s model airplane club finally has a field to call home.

Members of the Western Area Modeling Society just finished putting in a 30-foot by 300-foot landing strip last month, officially designating the field at 3400 Calico Court as ready-to-use.

As a “thank-you” for its help in acquiring the land, the Academy of Model Aeronautics and the WAMS Club presented a plaque and certificate to the city of Granbury on July 18.

“The most important thing we've got here is the city,” said Lawrence Harville, AMA District 8 vice president. “Without the city, this field wouldn't exist, so it's a symbiotic relationship. The WAMS Club will be forever thankful to the city of Granbury and the city leaders who are helping to bring modeling to Granbury.”

FIELD SEARCH

Ever since the Brazos Buzzards, Hood County’s former model airplane club, lost its field 10 years ago and the Weatherford Arrow Modeling Society lost its field five years ago, David “Doc” Moore made it his goal to find a new field for both model airplane clubs.

“I was a member of both clubs but nobody was actively trying to find a new place, and I had just about given up because everywhere I talked, it was a dead end,” he said.

Moore used funds from both organizations and combined the two clubs. Thus, the Weatherford Arrow Modeling Society became the Western Area Modeling Society.

Feeling like he had exhausted all efforts, Moore was ready to give up in his search for a flying field — but it was through the help of a total stranger that Moore’s goal finally became a reality.

“My wife and I were sitting there at Pearl Street Station, and I made the comment, 'I'm ready to throw the towel in and go join another club,’” Moore recounted. “One of the customers said, ‘What are you looking for?’ I said, ‘I'm looking for land that we can fly our model airplanes on.’ She said, ‘How much land do you need?’ I said, ‘Well, a bare minimum 20 acres.’ She said, ‘I know where there's 40.’”

The woman — whom Moore has not been able to find since this encounter to thank her — told him that there were 40 acres off of FM 4 that were formerly used as a landfill that had since closed in the 1990s.

“I drove out here, climbed over the gate, walked in to look at it and went to the city,” he said. “The City Council members didn't even know it was here. It had been closed since ‘98. None of them were here then.”

Following a brief hiatus due to COVID-19, the Granbury City Council approved the request from Moore in February 2021 to use the open field for the WAMS Club.

"The grass here was seven feet tall and we spent days mowing, so there was a lot of work before we ever got to fly airplanes out here,” Moore said. “We spent $16,000 on the runway and it’s only a month old, but the next thing will be trying to get something permanent for shade instead of these canopies. We’re now going into the third year to get it (the field) to this point.”

RECRUITING MEMBERS

Moore, who has been flying model airplanes for 70 years, said he is actively trying to recruit new club members.

“Out of the 30 some-odd members on paper, we've got a dozen that are active,” he said. “The more members we get, the more money we have to spend on improvements. We are the cheapest club that I know of. If you're over 65, our annual dues are $15. If you're under 65, our annual dues are $40. Most of the clubs run from $75 to $150.”

He said he meets local residents all of the time who fly model airplanes and have no idea the club existed.

“I just (ran) into one just recently. He lives here. He flies airplanes. He's driving all the way to Fort Worth to fly because he didn't know we were here,” Moore said. “That's the reason we're trying to get as much publicity out as we can, to let the people know we're here.”

CLUB INFO

Members of the club meet at the field every week to fly their models, which are powered by electric battery, gasoline or methanol alcohol. The model planes range in size from having wing spans of 24 inches to 102 inches.

“They're all radio-controlled,” Harville said. "They're all sanctioned by the AMA, which is sanctioned by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration). We go by the FAA rules just like the big planes.”

The WAMS Club meets the third Tuesday of every month at a restaurant in the evening, alternating between meeting in Weatherford and Granbury — as members reside in both towns.

PLANS

Moore said the club members are talking about creating a youth model airplane club in which current members can work with high school and junior high students to try to inspire the younger generation to take up the hobby.

“Our big thing is, the membership is old,” he added. “If we don't recruit the younger people in here, as we get to the point that we can't do this anymore or we die off, this hobby is gonna die. Getting the youth involved in this is the only thing that's going to save this hobby.”

Individuals who are interested in joining the club can follow the Facebook page, WAMS, for updates on future meetings and more information.