Sloping at Jeff Blatnick Park in Schenectady County

New York Slope Flying Sites
Thanks to Dave Garwood for this info.

Location: The Capital District of New York State. Just east of General Electric Knolls Atomic Power Lab on River Road in Niskayuna. From Exit 9 on I-87, the Adirondack Northway: 1. Westbound on State Route 146 for about 6 miles 2. LEFT at traffic light where SR-146 turns southbound 3. Cross the Mohawk River in Town of Rexford 4. LEFT at light at top of hill, eastbound on River Road 5. Continue through rotary in front of General Electric. 6. You’ll pass GE Knolls Atomic Power Lab 7. LEFT into Jeff Blatnick Park 8. Drive past two baseball diamonds 9. Go to end of parking lot, climb the hill.

 

 

Jeff Blatnick Park
Town of Niskayuna
Schenectady County, NY

This HLG and slope flying site is a capped landfill overlooking the Mohawk River, now used for walking, bike riding, roller blading. The hill is about 120 feet tall and about 400 feet long between tree lines at the ends of the field. It’s clear out front down to a partial tree line at the river bank. The hill face and the top is a large grassy meadow so landing is easy, as is recovering a downed plane.  Pleasant view, too.

The main problem is it needs EAST wind, an unusual direction, but it’s a public park so no problem with access. The Town has rules posted; one of the most interesting is “Animal traps not to be set within 200 feet of the centerline of the paved bike path.”  Pack out your trash, be courteous to the walkers and skaters, and we should be able to fly here for years.

This flying site achieved 15 minutes of fame in the soaring community when a Dave Garwood photo of Traveling Soaring Writerman GordySoar Stahl catching a Vaquero sailplane Ninja style appeared on the cover of OCT 1997 R/C Soaring Digest. http://www.b2streamlines.com/RCSD.html

Written by Dave Garwood, APR 2002.

 

Traveling Man GordySoar catches a Vaquero Ninja Style at Niskayuna site, about 90 feet over the Mohawk River. Thanks to RCSD Magazine for use of the photo.