Looking for launch area in the Ft. Worth/Tarrant Co. area of N. Texas

TexasAndy · Feb 18, 2016

Greetings, to all. I am new to this forum and trying to get back into rocketry after a 20+ year hiatus. I got a nice email back from our local fire marshal giving me the go ahead within the city but I am having difficulty finding a decent enough launch area with adequate space and without large amounts of trees. I was hoping someone might live in the Ft. Worth area and might suggest some spots. I am aware of the DARS(Dallas area Rocket Society) but the locations they post on their site are just too far. Thanks in advance for any suggestions gentlemen.

I failed to mention that right now I am going to limit myself to low power so I can gain some experience and improve my construction skills, etc.

grouch · Feb 18, 2016

Too far for rocketry? That's blasphemous.

pyrobob · Feb 18, 2016

DARS is going to be your best bet at regularly scheduled model rocket launches. I know a number of guys that commute from Ft. Worth to their Frisco and Gunter sites. They also have a site in Corsicana that's both low and high power. Shy of that, HOTROC's has a site outside of Waco. It's most excellent. Last but not least, check the Piedmont Rocketry guys out in OK https://piedmontrocketry.shutterfly.com/ Looks like a great group.

Maybe some of the Fort Worth guys have a line a site for you? If so I'm sure they'll comment.

samb · Feb 18, 2016

Welcome to the forum TexasAndy. Getting the Fire Marshall's approval is fantastic and I'm curious how you approached him. A cold call; "Hi, can I fly a model rocket here?" ? So now you need a suitable patch of land (1000ft by 1000ft or so) and land owner permission, which might be easier to come by for individual flying as opposed a standing club launch. Our big selling point with the club is we can offer the landowner insurance for damages that occur during launch operation. Tarrant County is a big place, care to narrow your location for us just a bit ? There was a fellow with the handle "Powderburner" that used to post here quite a bit. I might try getting his attention with a PM. Start zooming around Google Earth is the only other thing I can think of now.

tab28682 · Feb 18, 2016

I am in Fort Worth as well, but I do all my launching at the DARS sites and at other organized launches in Asa and Hearne, TX. I fly more mid and high power than low power.

What part of FW are you in? I have, years back, launched a little bit of low power in areas of south FW near North Crowley high school.

Many moons ago FW had a NAR section, but it disbanded back in the mid 1990s.

TexasAndy · Feb 18, 2016

pyrobob said:
DARS is going to be your best bet at regularly scheduled model rocket launches. I know a number of guys that commute from Ft. Worth to their Frisco and Gunter sites. They also have a site in Corsicana that's both low and high power. Shy of that, HOTROC's has a site outside of Waco. It's most excellent. Last but not least, check the Piedmont Rocketry guys out in OK https://piedmontrocketry.shutterfly.com/ Looks like a great group.

Maybe some of the Fort Worth guys have a line a site for you? If so I'm sure they'll comment.

I spend my day in the car because of my job so a long drive is really not that appealing for me. I am aware of Bob Woodruff park in Plano but it is 54 miles one way through heavy traffic so we are talking an hour and half drive time each way. I am primarily looking for a site to just launch some low power stuff at a nearby field or park if I can find and I will probably do this alone or maybe with my wife.

TexasAndy · Feb 18, 2016

samb said:
Welcome to the forum TexasAndy. Getting the Fire Marshall's approval is fantastic and I'm curious how you approached him. A cold call; "Hi, can I fly a model rocket here?" ? So now you need a suitable patch of land (1000ft by 1000ft or so) and land owner permission, which might be easier to come by for individual flying as opposed a standing club launch. Our big selling point with the club is we can offer the landowner insurance for damages that occur during launch operation. Tarrant County is a big place, care to narrow your location for us just a bit ? There was a fellow with the handle "Powderburner" that used to post here quite a bit. I might try getting his attention with a PM. Start zooming around Google Earth is the only other thing I can think of now.

I live in N. Ft. Worth in the Alliance area off of 35W so I can get to anywhere in Tarrant County pretty easy. I have heard from my local HobbyTown store that some guys use the TCC North West campus but I am worried about being hassled by University cops. I have also considered Marine Creek lake but I'm not sure if there is enough land there. In regards to the response from the Fort Worth FDP I simply went to their website and hit the contact button and asked them if there were any ordinances or laws against shooting model rockets in the Ft.Worth area and I got a nice response from them explaining the law and that hobby level rockets were perfectly legal.

TexasAndy · Feb 18, 2016

tab28682 said:
I am in Fort Worth as well, but I do all my launching at the DARS sites and at other organized launches in Asa and Hearne, TX. I fly more mid and high power than low power.

What part of FW are you in? I have, years back, launched a little bit of low power in areas of south FW near North Crowley high school.

Many moons ago FW had a NAR section, but it disbanded back in the mid 1990s.

Thanks for the info I have also heard that people have done it at Benbrook lake but I don't know the area down there that well. I appreciate any information you can send my way. I'm really just looking for a place I can shoot some Estes or Quest rockets with probably nothing bigger than a C or D engine.

UhClem · Feb 18, 2016

Arlington updated their ordinances a while back. While before there was no written rule (pretty much everything was prohibited) that you could launch model rockets in city parks, now there is. The catch being that you must get a permit.

I have no idea how that process works and the city web site is no help. I do know that in the past I have helped with outreaches at Vandergriff Park and that was rumored to be the only park that you could get a permit for. Every once in a while I think about getting a permit but the total lack of information on the web site always slows me down.

If there were a decent site available in Tarrant county I know that DARS would support regular launches at it.

tmacklin · Feb 18, 2016

You might want to check with the Denton Parks and Recreation Department in Denton. At one time I had a letter from the director stating that so long as one followed the NAR Model Rocket Safety code and common sense, model rockets in Denton parks were permitted without any specific permitting requirements. This policy may have changed as my inquiry was at several years ago and I could never find the time to sneak away from work for a launch. There is a large park complex on Bonnie Brae about one mile north of University Drive (US 380) where model aircraft are flown and there is also a large soccer field area.

Good luck!

tmacklin · Feb 18, 2016

Here is the person I contacted in Denton, Texas in 2008 about flying model rockets in Denton city parks:

Amanda Green
Superintendent of Business, Leisure and Customer Service
Denton Parks and Recreation
601 E. Hickory Ste B
Denton, Texas 76205
940 349-7462

That was 7 1/2 years ago so both the rules and the officials in charge may have changed. At the time, the reference was to the Model Rocket Operational Requirements of the Denton Fire Department.

Looking for launch area in the Ft. Worth/Tarrant Co. area of N. Texas

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