Bernal Flying Site - Pleasanton CA
The Diablo Valley Soaring Society has an agreement with the City of Pleasanton to use a portion of the Bernal Community Park to fly sailplanes. This is a wonderful site with stellar thermals, few trees, wide open spaces and generally soft landings.
The site is located on Valley Ave, across Bernal Avenue from the Alameda County Fairgrounds. It is part of a developed sports park that features a flush toilet bathroom, water fountain and paved parking lot. At the top of this page is a Google map to the parking lot for this park, near the intersection of Valley Avenue and Laguna Creek Lane in Pleasanton.
Please review the following questions and answers for more information about flying at this site:
What is the Bernal Flying Site? The Bernal Site is part of a large public park near Highway 680 and Bernal Avenue on the western edge of the City of Pleasanton. The park includes several baseball fields, a playground and grassy recreation areas. Significant portions of the park are not yet developed. The DVSS flying site is located in the undeveloped field portion of the park, between the baseball diamonds and Bernal Ave. While the entire Bernal Park is large, it is bordered by homes to the west and two schools to the east.
What are the conditions at the site? Thermal activity at the site is strong and consistent. Most thermals start west of the launching area and travel downwind toward the east. The area authorized for sailplane activities had been used for growing hay. There is no longer any agricultural activity on the site. The ground is primarily covered by the remnants of the hay cultivation and seasonal grasses typically found in the Tri-Valley. The City of Pleasanton maintains this portion of the Bernal Park by occasionally mowing the native grasses. The city does not irrigate the portion of the park where sailplanes are flown.
Where do you launch and land models at the site? We have flown in a few different locations depending on park usage, but it is always in the large dry grass field between the parking lot and Bernal Ave. Recently we have been setting up just past the batting cages by the baseball diamond. Launching is toward Bernal Ave, and landing is generally to the left of the launch area. Before launching, if you are unsure, please ask for guidance as to where to land and what the landing approach pattern should be.
What kinds of models may be flown at the Bernal Site? The Diablo Valley Soaring Society has a formal agreement with the City of Pleasanton to fly both unpowered and powered sailplanes at the site. Examples of “powered” sailplanes are limited-motor-run (LMR) or Altitude-Limited Electric Soaring (ALES) models.
Who can fly at the site? The Bernal Site is part of a large City of Pleasanton public park. Currently the City of Pleasanton allows members of the general RC community to fly powered models near a parking lot adjacent to the DVSS site. However, to fly with the Diablo Valley Soaring Society,a pilot must be a current member of the Academy of Model Aeronautics.
Are there any rules or restrictions related to the Bernal Site?
1. No-Fly zones: The undeveloped portions of the Bernal Park are large enough to accommodate thermal-duration flying. There is no reason or need to fly over any developed areas of the park. Part of the agreement between the DVSS and City of Pleasanton is to honor the following no-fly zones:
3. Gliders only. According to the agreement with the City of Pleasanton, DVSS flying activities are limited to “pure” sailplanes and LMR/ALES sailplanes. DVSS club members will not fly powered park flyers, helicopters, ducted fan planes, hotliners or similar models during club flying sessions.
4. AMA membership: The agreement with the City of Pleasanton requires DVSS members and guest pilots to have a current AMA membership.
5. Frequency Conflicts: The DVSS will be instituting a requirement for all pilots to fly with 2.4 gHz radios. This transition will take place in 2014.
What about other RC activities at the Bernal Park? When encountering non-club members, park flyer pilots, or other interested parties, the following guidelines should be followed:
Come out and join us!
We still have access to the old Alameda County Fairgrounds site, and may still fly there, depending on future Bernal site usage or development. If you show up at Bernal Park and it is overrun with baseball groups or other activities, try across Bernal Ave. in the fairgrounds parking lot, we might be there instead.
To find out when we are flying, please use the contact form.
The site is located on Valley Ave, across Bernal Avenue from the Alameda County Fairgrounds. It is part of a developed sports park that features a flush toilet bathroom, water fountain and paved parking lot. At the top of this page is a Google map to the parking lot for this park, near the intersection of Valley Avenue and Laguna Creek Lane in Pleasanton.
Please review the following questions and answers for more information about flying at this site:
What is the Bernal Flying Site? The Bernal Site is part of a large public park near Highway 680 and Bernal Avenue on the western edge of the City of Pleasanton. The park includes several baseball fields, a playground and grassy recreation areas. Significant portions of the park are not yet developed. The DVSS flying site is located in the undeveloped field portion of the park, between the baseball diamonds and Bernal Ave. While the entire Bernal Park is large, it is bordered by homes to the west and two schools to the east.
What are the conditions at the site? Thermal activity at the site is strong and consistent. Most thermals start west of the launching area and travel downwind toward the east. The area authorized for sailplane activities had been used for growing hay. There is no longer any agricultural activity on the site. The ground is primarily covered by the remnants of the hay cultivation and seasonal grasses typically found in the Tri-Valley. The City of Pleasanton maintains this portion of the Bernal Park by occasionally mowing the native grasses. The city does not irrigate the portion of the park where sailplanes are flown.
Where do you launch and land models at the site? We have flown in a few different locations depending on park usage, but it is always in the large dry grass field between the parking lot and Bernal Ave. Recently we have been setting up just past the batting cages by the baseball diamond. Launching is toward Bernal Ave, and landing is generally to the left of the launch area. Before launching, if you are unsure, please ask for guidance as to where to land and what the landing approach pattern should be.
What kinds of models may be flown at the Bernal Site? The Diablo Valley Soaring Society has a formal agreement with the City of Pleasanton to fly both unpowered and powered sailplanes at the site. Examples of “powered” sailplanes are limited-motor-run (LMR) or Altitude-Limited Electric Soaring (ALES) models.
Who can fly at the site? The Bernal Site is part of a large City of Pleasanton public park. Currently the City of Pleasanton allows members of the general RC community to fly powered models near a parking lot adjacent to the DVSS site. However, to fly with the Diablo Valley Soaring Society,a pilot must be a current member of the Academy of Model Aeronautics.
Are there any rules or restrictions related to the Bernal Site?
1. No-Fly zones: The undeveloped portions of the Bernal Park are large enough to accommodate thermal-duration flying. There is no reason or need to fly over any developed areas of the park. Part of the agreement between the DVSS and City of Pleasanton is to honor the following no-fly zones:
- All developed portions of the park including baseball fields, playgrounds, picnic areas and parking lots.
- Residential neighborhoods located near the western boundary of the park.
- School sites located near the eastern boundary of the site
3. Gliders only. According to the agreement with the City of Pleasanton, DVSS flying activities are limited to “pure” sailplanes and LMR/ALES sailplanes. DVSS club members will not fly powered park flyers, helicopters, ducted fan planes, hotliners or similar models during club flying sessions.
4. AMA membership: The agreement with the City of Pleasanton requires DVSS members and guest pilots to have a current AMA membership.
5. Frequency Conflicts: The DVSS will be instituting a requirement for all pilots to fly with 2.4 gHz radios. This transition will take place in 2014.
What about other RC activities at the Bernal Park? When encountering non-club members, park flyer pilots, or other interested parties, the following guidelines should be followed:
- Club members are ambassadors for both DVSS and the hobby.
- Welcome questions about RC soaring from other park users. Emphasize the club's rich history of safely promoting the hobby, including the fact that the club is an AMA chartered and insured entity.
- While it is not the club's role to impose or enforce the DVSS safe flying guidelines on non-DVSS RC flyers at the Bernal Park, Club members are encouraged to stress the common sense safety of not flying over the ball park, parking areas, neighboring homes and schools.
- Avoid referencing the club's agreement with the City of Pleasanton except in the context of the city's support of DVSS as a sanctioned AMA RC glider club.
- Never infer that DVSS has either control of or exclusive use of Bernal Park as an RC flying site.
- Important note: when we encounter flying activity which clearly violates these guidelines, our agreement with the city is such that we should not confront non-member pilots. Instead, we are asked to report any such activity through our city contacts, if necessary.
Come out and join us!
We still have access to the old Alameda County Fairgrounds site, and may still fly there, depending on future Bernal site usage or development. If you show up at Bernal Park and it is overrun with baseball groups or other activities, try across Bernal Ave. in the fairgrounds parking lot, we might be there instead.
To find out when we are flying, please use the contact form.
Bernal Flying Photos