Weekend Update & Fw: Balloon Fiesta Park - Weekly Events for week: March 2 - 8, 2026

[President - DCEF]

Hi All,

Weekend Update:  The Balloon Fiesta Park is OPEN this week.  Do RESPECT the Firefighters walking around the roads in the park.  They should not be on our Runway.  They WILL be on Key Grab and down near the intersection of the Runway and Key Grab.  Keep good distance from them.  If you see them at the end of the Runway, it may be better to wait if you have a faster machine.  They are in their annual training phase which could last a month or two. 

   Saturday the park is CLOSED in the morning until after the balloons vacate the field.  Should be 10:30am, but you never know.  DO NOT fly if they are on or above the field.

   Sunday, Adult Soccer will be in D3 again.  Please use common sense and keep the planes on the smaller size.  Watch for folks crossing or walking the Runway.  Courtesy when you talk to them as they probably don't know what we're doing or of the danger.  DO NOT fly over D3.  Thanks

BFP Weekly Forecast:  Weather Underground 10 Day

Daily Reminders:  Don't forget to visibly hang your Gate Card from your rearview mirror while you are at the Park.  Check the 2 Runway Barriers/Signs for center position with the signs facing out to block each end of the Runway.  Do respect the Balloonists if they are up and give them full airspace.  Watch for and avoid other park users.  Refrain from flying in the airspace above them.  Remember that the airspace over the Golf Training Center (Driving Range) is a NO FLY ZONE.  Clean up your Area (cigarettes/trash) or Crash Site (all pieces/parts) when you're finished, as well as all broken prop blades.  If you see a broken prop, even if it is not yours, please pick it up and throw it away.  Thanks.

Flight Awareness:  Stand 25' back from the Runway to allow for a Safety Margin and so all Pilots have a clear visual perspective.  All turns from the Runway shall be away from the Pits.  (Always fly to the west of the Runway over D6)  The prevailing wind directs the Flight Pattern.  (North Wind effects a Left Pattern and South Wind effects a Right Pattern at BFP)  Call out Take-Offs, Landings, and any Maneuvers that could affect another Flyer.  Use common sense if performing an unusual Flight Plan or Maneuver.  Communicate with others if flying large or fast aircraft.  Try to stay north of Key Grab (E/W road) so as not to interfere with the gliders.

   Unless everyone agrees otherwise, AIRCRAFT may NOT be flown in or from the Infield (D7 between the Blue Awning and the Runway) while others are using the Runway.

It is OK to fly from the Pits only IF:

A.  You are alone, just you and your plane.

B.  Everyone else agrees, understands, and is doing the same.

   As soon as anyone goes to fly from the Runway, Infield Flying and any Infield Agreement STOPS.  Even if you are already flying, land safely or move to the Runway.  MICROS may use the Infield to the north or south of the North Blue Awning when the Runway is occupied and there is agreement with everyone flying.  However, remember that BFP is primarily for bigger, faster planes because of its fantastic Runway and grass.  Please keep these little wonders well behind the Runway and NOT over any Pilot.  Refer to Protocol.

Los Lunas Indoor Flying:  Unfortunately, no flying in Los Lunas this Friday.  The good news is that John will be moving the Indoor Flying to the Senior High School the following Friday.  This is a much bigger gym!  Stay tuned for more information coming soon!

Cumberland Heights Presbyterian Church Indoor:                 This Thursday nite...

When:  1st and 3rd Thursday of each month from 6:30-8:30pm

Where:  Heights Cumberland Presybyterian Church

            8600 Academy Rd NE (SE corner of Moon and Academy)

            Park/Enter on North end along Academy Rd.

What:  Anything that fits in the gym: airplane, drone, heli.

Note:  AMA required (sign-up sheet requires your AMA number)

Questions:  Neall Doren - ne...@haughtmail.com

Call/Text:  Neal Doren (505) 681-5998

Cheers,

Greg Rullman

President

Duke City Electric Flyers

Hint of the Week:  Here's a little write up about "C" Ratings from MSCGUY on RCGroups' Battery Load Test Comparisons that I copied down a while back and post here.  Just in case you really wanna compare batteries real "C" Rating.

   Btw...  Joe always keeps the graphs on Page 1 up to date.  The charts try to keep similar batteries together as in weight and Amp draw.  Notice these are all 6s Lipos and LiHVs we're comparing here.  But, it gives you an idea of who is being honest!  I like the LPB (LiPo Power Band) column which is usually highlighted and is how all of the batteries are ranked.  These exceptional charts compare the better manufacturers in our hobby... and some bad ones too!

   Anyways...  From Joe:

On Page One the "A=C*Ah" formula we've been fed is clearly and definitively debunked. But that doesn't mean 'C' isn't a real controlling factor in Lipo performance, it's just been misrepresented to the RC community in a way which has played us all for fools. IR measurements provide a window into the health and caliber of a Lipo but a study of performance shows it ceases to be a factor within 5-10 seconds under load as internal temperature increase reduces IR dynamically. This makes a formulation's temperature coefficient a more dominate factor. 

Here's a simple and effective way to compare the performance 'C' of one battery to another. It relies on understanding that a property, or impact of 'C' will restrain the drop in voltage under load. In other words a higher 'C' pack will use up more MAH maintaining a given voltage level then a lower 'C' pack will. It only requires a plane, common cell checker and battery. Almost all of a batteries milliamps (capacity) should be expended when it's voltage averages 3.5v/cell (21v for a 6S lipo). So connecting a cell checker to a battery and running it's voltage down to 3.5v at WOT is all it takes to test a pack. Afterwards measure the battery voltage and the one having the lowest voltage at rest used up more capacity maintaining it's voltage level so it's real 'C' is higher than the battery having the higher residual voltage at rest after the same process.

A battery having a 3.5v resting voltage has a 'C' value which perfectly matches the load applied. An excellent battery will bounce back to something under 3.6v while and good battery ends up around 3.7v. A totally crap POS will wind up near 3.8v and if it climbs back any higher see if you can get a refund. 

Joe

To unsubscribe, please reply to this newsletter with UNSUBSCRIBE in the Subject Box…  Thanks!  g

----- Forwarded Message -----

From: Rice, Susan <asr...@cabq.gov>

To: Rice, Susan <asr...@cabq.gov>

Cc: Gonzales, Sarah <sarahg...@cabq.gov>; Martinez, Jimmy <jimmym...@cabq.gov>

Sent: Friday, February 27, 2026 at 02:00:57 PM MST

Subject: RE: Balloon Fiesta Park - Weekly Events for week: March 2 - 8, 2026

Hi all,

 

You may have noticed the construction in the East Parking Lot – the main lot for the grass field. This will be the only planned construction at the Balloon Fiesta Park this summer.

Construction will continue through the summer and Gate 12 will remained closed.

Restroom #2 is just inside gate #9, the main entrance from the East Parking lot. It will be open.

 

Thanks,

 

 

SUSAN RICE

recreation services division manager

o  505-768-6050

m 505-228-3144

e  asr...@cabq.gov

cabq.gov/parks