By Scott Drew
In 1980, five people who were interested in R/C model aircraft joined together and formed the AM sanctioned “CLEARLAKE MODELRS CLUB, AMA #1275”.
Those first members were:
Chesley “Chet” Common, flight instructor and master modeler;
Bill Gresham, Retired business owner, master modeler;
Jerry Holman, hobby shop owner in Clearlake Oaks, new pilot;
Ron Trammel, self employed, new pilot;
Dave Porshine, hobby shop owner in Clearlake.
The Club’s first flying site was on the privately owned High Valley Ranch, where they were flying from a packed dirt runway used by William Penpatrick, who flew a full scale P-51D Mustang from that field, that he later crashed above the ranch, killing himself. The classic “High Speed Stall” pulling out of a dive.
Early in 1981 the Club moved its flying site to the old abandoned Hoberg’s Airport on Siegler Canyon Road. This was a great place to fly, with a paved runway and a good-sized over-fly area. The Club flew there for the next couple of years, adding several members. Chet was the primary flight instructor during this time.
In 1982 or ’83, the Club built a new flying field on a privately owned ranch at the end of Dam Road near the City of Clearlake. The Club continued to add new members.
In 1984 or ’85, the ranch sold, and the new owners didn’t want our Club using their land for a flying site. So Ray Carman, then the President of the Club, located a flying site on the S Bar S Ranch, and we built our present field on that ranch. During this time the Club started hosting an annual Sea Plane Fun Fly event as its annual revenue generator. The first fun flies were held at a resort over in Lakeport; later ones were held in the City of Clearlake.
In the early 1990’s, Chesley “Chet” Common passed away. At a Club meeting, the Club voted unanimously to name our flying field on the S Bar S Ranch “Chesley Meadows” in honor of Chet, and all the time and patience he had put into teaching most of us how to fly and enjoy the sport of R/C. He was always there to lend a helping hand to anyone who needed it.
Early in 2000, the threat of a land sale involving the S Bar S Ranch caused the Club to start looking for another flying site. One was located on land owned by the County of Lake, near Highland Springs Reservoir, and the Club got a free 25-year lease from the County for the use of this land as our flying site.
Money was spent building the field, and making a paved entrance into the field from the Highland Springs Road. To help fund the move, a donation program was initiated within the Club, where members could sign up to make monthly donations that would be used to construct the new field. One of our club member’s father, Linmore Baker, who always used to come out to watch his son and others fly, passed away; and his son Randy made a $1,000.00 donation to our Club’s new field fund in his name. At a Club meeting, it was unanimously voted to name the new field “Baker Field” in honor of Randy’s father.
The S Bar S Ranch property did indeed sell, but the new owners allow our Club to continue to fly there.
In early 2008 a new metal shade cover was purchased and installed over the pit and spectator seating area, making a wonderful addition to our flying site! Thanks go to our President Jay Carey, and all of the other helpers who made this project complete!
