Weekend Update & Fw: Balloon Fiesta Park - Weekly Events for week: January 12 - 18, 2025

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President - DCEF

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Jan 13, 2026, 2:11:27 PM (4 days ago) Jan 13

Hi All,

Weekend Update: The Balloon Fiesta Park is OPEN this week & Saturday. BFP D2 & D3 are CLOSED to flying this Sunday. Soccer will be using those 2 panels, so keep things slow and away from the patrons out using the park. 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 right lane 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 or Crash Site 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, Micros may NOT be flown in or from the pits while others are using the Runway. Micros may use the D7 grass to the north or south of the North Blue Awning when the Runway is occupied. Refer to Protocol.

Duke City Electric Flyers: The next club meeting is scheduled for this Wednesday, January 14th at the North Domingo Baca Multi-Generational Center from 7-9pm. Address is 7521 Carmel NE, Albuquerque, NM 87113.

Bring your newest aircraft, project, or question for discussion. Remember, DCEF members get an extra discount at Hobby-Proz! Just show your card.

I have included the DCEF Application as a download. Remember, you may also apply down at Hobby-Proz. The apps are underneath the magazines. Just fill it out and leave it and $10 with Ray or one of the guys. They always make sure I get them every time I visit the store.

Los Lunas Indoor Flying: Friday night flying, sponsored by the Belen Area Radio Controllers (BARC), takes place in the Los Lunas Middle School gym on the 1st and 3rd Friday of every month from 6-10pm. Don't forget your AMA card.

119 Luna Ave SE, Los Lunas 87031. Park across the street from the gym in the skinny parking lot just south of the ball field.

Please remember that they sometimes have to cancel at the last minute (or have delays) due to unknown sporting events or practices. John will usually e-mail that day to let anybody know of delays or cancellations. His phone number is (505) 975-0321 if you would like to call and check before you load up your vehicle and head out here. If you're running late, do give him a call as he will leave if no one shows up.

As a reminder, this is just for small, indoor, electric, fixed or rotary winged aircraft, hover crafts, and even RC cars. The cars can not leave marks on the floor.

Cumberland Heights Presbyterian Church Indoor:

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: 'Tis the cold season! Keepin' busy in the shop.

One thing that seems to always need doing is hanging airplanes. For me, it gets them off the floor or table and taking up space. I like to hang them from the ceiling instead of the wall (the wall is definitely easier), as it looks like they're flying. Hanging up there also frees up the wall space for pictures, tools, shelves, etc. A good spot is important if you plan on flying them constantly. Easy to get to and get down. A step ladder is crucial. I also use a notched wooden 1x2 stick to lift strings off a ceiling hook. That actually works quite well. Between the ladder and the stick, I have no problem loading them up for a days flying, then putting them away.

The latest patient was the smaller F-14. I noticed a spot behind the Phantom and right above a picture of my old carrier. Thought it would be cool to have it doing a streaking knife edge pass underneath the F-4D.

On foam planes, as I've posted before, you want to find hard points to attach string. Looping the string around the foam fuselage will just give the plane a deep crease over time. I've tried thicker, softer cotton clothesline and while it works better around the foam, it still will leave an indent, even taking off paint.

Be sure to always check the load strength of the string you buy/use. Use multiple strands or stronger material to get the weight of the a/c safely carried by the string. Whatever you attach the string to needs to be round and smooth. Over time, even better line can fray with a sharp edge. When I hang a plane, it needs to last as long as I will!

I couldn't help but notice that the Tomcat balanced perfectly from the main gear and no battery. Ahh... hard point. ;) Freewing likes to reinforce the L.G. with metal plates. Just needed a modified plate. A half hour later...

The hole drilled in the bracket is a little thin for string. I fashioned an "S" hook out of a finish nail to complete the connection and to make it easy to hook/unhook. The string is nylon 8lb test, so I used 4 lengths for safety. The jet balances nicely at this point, so with only the one line, it's easy to put up and take down.

Btw... notice the Phantom. The nose cone is fiberglass, so the string simply wraps around that with no problem. The aft string is looped around the stabilizer pivots on each side. I take it down by first lifting the tail slightly and using the fin, I push the string off the ceiling hook. Holding the jet, just unloop the forward string and bring her down. Going up, I attach the aft string around the 2 pivots, then rest the upper part of the string over the fin. Carry the jet up the step ladder and guide it so the hook catches the string sticking out over the fin. Loop the forward string and done.

All my planes use these and other methods to "fly" from the ceiling.

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----- 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: Thursday, January 8, 2026 at 02:39:47 PM MST

Subject: RE: Balloon Fiesta Park - Weekly Events for week: January 12 - 18, 2025

Hi All,

Please don’t forget to stay off the grass if it has frost on it.

Thanks!