Club History

Dale Lockhart was the first President of FAWs in 1972. During his presidency the flying field was at Ronler Acres, near what is today Orenco Station. The club was renting a number of unused home plots at an empty field, but later it was discovered these lots were part of a land scam, as all lots were too small for a septic tank and no sewer was available. The property stood idle until purchased by Intel. Dale began flying with a single channel radio, enjoyed pattern flying and eventualy competed in the semi-nationals in Spokane, Washington. The club averaged 30-40 people, and club meeting took place at the ESI company, eventually moving to the Sunset High School swimming pool building.

Jack Becker became President in 1991 during a time when there was a large jump in membership. Independent RC fliers who used a street near Intel were shut down and as a result, begin to use the field. Membership went up to average 150 pilots, requiring a cap to be put in place for a while. Members from that era remember meeting in a back room of the Hillsboro hobby shop, or at one of the pubs in Beaverton.

The original flying site had been the club’s home for over 17 years, but Fly-A-Ways lost their field to development in 2009.  Sensing the site was in jeopardy, club leadership had proactively been looking for a new place to fly even before they received notice that their old site was to be shut down. It took three years of intensive searching and talking with landowners throughout Washington County before they found the new field with 80+ acres of farmland, owned and operated by the same family. A lease was signed in September of 2010, with Oregon land use permits approved in December of 2010. 

Fly-A-Ways’ site development was funded by generous donations from many members, raffles, and an AMA field development grant. The runway opened to its members in April 2011 with Grand opening ceremonies held on July 23, 2011, to include a ribbon cutting ceremony, a 3D heli demo, and a parachute drop where kids gathered up chutes to take home. There was a fly over of a full scale RV-4 and sailplane, with rides awarded by sold raffle tickets during the day. 

The club today enjoys a membership of approximately 200 pilots, that routinely volunteer on projects and raise funds, having improved the infrastructure of the field to include two parallel runways, one grass and one surfaced with geotex. Runways are 34’ x 550’ long, and are oriented for pilots faceing north so blinding sun is never a problem. Pilot stations are set back from the runway consistent with AMA recomended field layout and safety guidelines, with the pit area having 16 work benches, 6 safety start-up benches, and in-ground tail traps for larger models.  A gravel parking lot, shaded shelter with ample seating, BBQ area, weather station, web cameras and a pilot ID kiosk round out the field.

1972 - Dale Lockhart 

1973 - Carl Fetty 

1974 - Bob Brenner & David Fleming 

1975 - Ken Green & Glenn Van Ortwick  

1976 - Don Knowlton 

1977 - Robert Peschka 

1978 - Phil Bolen 

1979 - Norm Friedman 

1981 - Jim Roob 

1983 - Jan Anderson 

1984 - Robert Mark 

1986 - Jim Geddies 

1988 - Jim Roddy 

1989 - Tom Tucker 

1989 - Tom Honeycutt 

1989 - Kelly Cook 

1991 - Jack Becker  

1993 - Mike Rebsamen 

1995 - Hugh Christian 

1996 - Al Couch 

1997 - Wayne Thrall 

1999 - Rod Moore 

2000 - Rick Dunn 

2003 - Hugh Christian 

2004 - Brett Hadley 

2006 - Tedd Traynor 

2007 - Scott Enochs 

2016 - Scott Pélot