Our activities

The Club's activities vary according to the place of practice:

• Plain flight on the terrain of the "Grands-Prés" of Levens
• Slope flight mainly from Mont-Chauve
• Indoor flight in the hall of the M.I.N. Saint- Augustin, Nice.

Levens

MAC Nice is the only club allowed to use this field. We practice the glider (pure or electric), the airplane and the electric helicopter. Thermal engines are prohibited here (by municipal decree), because of the immediate proximity of many villas (noise of the engines). Similarly, out of respect for the neighborhood, we prohibit all models that are too noisy (for example flying wings with ducted fans or jet turbines). The same goes for potentially dangerous models (speed or oversize aircraft).

The "glider" activity includes the "pure" glider, towed up by an electric winch (the Club has one). This discipline, very popular a few years ago, has lost its activity recently, gradually replaced by the motor-powered glider, which offers greater ease of use. The glider is in this case equipped with an electric motor which allows it to climb, before being cut to allow gliding. Advantage compared to the "pure" glider: no winch to install, greater autonomy, possibility to put the engine back up and extend the flight.

However, in the "pure" glider category an activity is developing in the Club, it is the "hand-launched". Here, no winch or engine, the model is launched by hand, with a particular technique (one catches the model by a wing tip, and then, thanks to a momentum resembling a discus throw in athletics , it is propelled to about fifty meters of altitude). We are many to practice this discipline. The Club has two "hand-launched", models: one of classic size (1m50 wingspan) and a smaller one for initiation.

For electric powered airplanes, any *park-flyer or larger model can fly to Levens, with the restrictions already mentioned above (noise or danger potential).
It should not be forgotten that this land is a common, open to all. We do not have a private runway, surrounded by fences. This situation requires us to be very careful with other users of the field.

Mont Chauve

The site of Mont-Chauve is dedicated to the flight of slope, so gliders, pure or equipped with an electric motor to avoid a "descent to the hole". The landings there are quite "sporty" (into the bushes), the "big feathers" (more than 3 m) are not advised, but the decision is up to you  ...

Mont Arpasse

Magical site in a grandiose setting, located a few kilometers from Levens, also dedicated to the flight of slope like the Mont Chauve.
is little harder to find alone, it would be better to contact us before.
Gliders of up to 4 meters can be flown without a problem.

Indoor

As the title suggests, indoor models are designed to be flown indoors. The Club’s Indoor site is the hall of the M.I.N. (Markets of National Interest) 67 Route de Grenoble, Nice. Only indoor models are allowed. The regulation of M.I.N. limits the size of helicopters to a rotor diameter of 750 mm (450 class) but recent progress makes it possible to have fun with 300 class, or even smaller, models.

* Park flyer

The term "park flyer" refers to a class of small, radio-controlled, usually electric- powered aircraft so named because their size allowed them to be operated inside a large public park. This was true, two decades ago but now it is strictly forbidden to fly in a public park! Inquire before doing so, be responsible. Smaller "park flyers" are called "indoor" planes and are slow and docile enough to fly in an enclosed space such as a gymnasium.