On Orange County Route 12, six miles south of Route 17M near Middletown, New York. For those coming from New York City on Highway 17, the exit onto 17M is exit 123, labeled Middletown. You then go 3.5 miles to reach County Route 12 (on the left, shortly after the Cancun Mexican Restuarant on the right). Then 6.3 miles to the field. It is on the left, shortly after Gardnerville road on the right. Turn left at the low silo at the edge of the field, then drive onto the farm road. For winds from the West we will be near that edge of the field. Otherwise, look for us in the middle of the field.

Recognize and respect that the farmers may have specific farming needs that may restrict launch access to particular portions of the fields at certain times (e.g., recently planted or sprayed crops, or tall grasses, soon to be harvested). Launch only from the Barron sod, Dean Ford short or medium height grasses, or farm roads. Provided we are deferentail to the farmers and crops there should be no problem retrieving from any of the Barron or Ford fields. It is available!

Motorcyles and cars are permitted to assist in retrieval. However they are restricted to the relatively abundant farm roads, at slow speeds. Golf carts may also be used and they are permitted on the sod.

Engine running is restricted to one minute on the ground and fifteen seconds in the air (per request by Robert Ford). Be sensitive to the presence of homes along Lower Road, CT RT 12. For warming up an engine or for lots of power pattern tests with short DT, go out further in the field.

No radio control flying is permitted, as it is against the intended use of the field and would be at odds with frequency use by two RC clubs one a mile or two to the northeast and one a mile to the southeast. [An exception is Radio DT for FF practice and F1C competition which is distinquished by code rather than frequency and does not affect RC.]

With 278 acres owned by Barron Field, 340 acres owned by Dean Ford and Sons (including 60 in the southern corner), and 200 acres owned by Robert Ford and Sons, overall these fields (to the west of the canal) total 818 acres. [A square mile has 600+ acres.] There is comparable size on the east side of the canal, and we have permission to use also the sod field there owned by Shuback. For really long flights (e.g. Mulvihill), it is hard to imagine a better site because (though cut up somewhat by trees along the streams and canal) the fields continue for several miles to the northeast, east, and south, with a reasonable supply of farm roads. Moreover, this whole black dirt region of Orange County, New York is very flat. Also there are no power lines for several miles.

The name Flying Barrons (other than reference to a certain WW-I ace) goes back to newspaper reports on Bryton, Ella, Bebe, and Roger Barron and their extensive travel to free-flight contests everywhere east of the Missippi in the 1950s. Loan from Roger and Gayle Barron and gifts from (now deceased) John William Young (Gayle's father) to me and each of the Great-Grandkids (John, Peter, Timothy, Michelle, and Julie) are instrumental in the acquisition.

In years past the NorthEast has hosted three America's Cup contests (the Skyscraper FAI Challenge, the Skyscraper Annual, and the Eastern States Free Flight Championships). With the loss of Galeville, the Annual and the ESFFC have moved to a nice home at Higgs Farm in Maryland (four or five hours to the south). A new America's Cup contest was initiated at Geneseo (four or five hours to the west, seven hours away for those of us in south central Connecticut). The Skyscraper FAI Challenge, with a long history going back to 1966, was temporarily discontinued with the loss of Galeville. It is here resurrected as part of the Free Flight Challenge described below. By copy of this to the America's Cup administrator I am inquiring whether the resurrected FAI Challenge may indeed continue the tradition it had of being an America's Cup event.

The field is on Orange County Route 12, in Wawayanda, six miles south of Route 17M near Middletown, NY. Nearby airports include Newburg, NY (30 min from field) or White Plains, NY; Hartford, CT; LaGuardia, NY; Albany, NY; Newark, NJ; or Wilks-Barre Scranton, PA (all of which are less than 2 hours from the field).

DIRECTIONS:

From New York city, take I-87 to Highway 17 to exit 123 (labeled Middletown), west on 17M for 3.5 miles, to Orange County Route 12 (at the New Hampton, Town of Wawayanda sign), then turn left, heading south 6.3 miles. After Gardnersville Road, the Barron and Ford fields are on the left at the Grain Silo-- drive onto the Barron farm road to pass through the corn field. The sod farm is 3/4 mile ahead. [This takes about one hour from the Tappan Zee bridge.]

From New England and from upper New York, take I-84 to exit 3, Rt. 17M, go east 1.5 miles, then south (right) on County. Rt. 12 for 6.3 miles. Field is on the left. [About thirty minutes from Newburg.]

From Western New York take Route 17 to I-84, south 3 miles to exit 3, Route 17M, go east 1.5 miles, then south on County. Rt. 12 for 6.3 miles. Field is on the left.

From Pennsylvania and points south, take I-84 to exit 2, turn left off the ramp and then go one mile to the northeast on Route 6, turn right at the sign pointing toward Pine Island (onto County Route 1), go six miles east on County Route 1 (through Westtown), then veer left at the sign for New Hampton onto County Route 12. Go one mile north on County Route 12. The field is on the right at the Grain Silo. Drive in on Barron Farm road 3/4 mile to go past the corn to the sod-farm.

From Northern New Jersey (Sussex County) and nearby parts of New York there are various short cuts on back roads which take one to Pine Island Turnpike (county route 1) via Warwick, Pine Island, or Westtown. Consult your favorite detailed map to plot your course. From Pine Island Turnpike (county route 1) turn north onto County Route 12 and go one mile north to the field on the right. The field is only about 4 miles from the New Jersey border.

A field map can be accessed at Wawayanda

HOTELS:

Days Inn on 17M in Middletown, exit 3, east, off I-84. 845-374-2411. Price approximately $70. Good quality. Closest to the field.

Global Budget Inn of America on 17M, also exit 3 off I-84. 845-374-3020. Price between $50 - $60. Reasonable quality, though credit card does not guarantee room with late arrival.

Holiday Inn at exit 4, east, off I-84, exit 122 off Highway 17. 845-343-1474. Price approximately $90.

Hampton Inn at exit 4, east, off I-84, exit 122 off Highway 17. 845-343-3400.

Super 8 at exit 120 off Highway 17 (exit 4, west, off I-84). 845-692-5828.

Middletown Motel on Rt. 211, exit 120 off HWY 17 (exit 4 off I-84). 845-342-2535. Price approximately $70.

Howard Johnsons Motel, Rt. 211, exit 120 off HWY 17.

There are also several Hotels at exits off I-84 to the southwest (Port Jervis, exit 1) and northeast (Walden, exit 5), each about 30 minutes from the field.

Plus a bed and breakfast in Warwick (at the intersection of Route 1 and Route 94).