A members-only grass field where sport pilots, giant-scale builders, sailplane and heli flyers — and now RC car and truck drivers — share the same quiet stretch of ground.
Our strip sits on private property, away from foot traffic and noise complaints — the kind of place you can trim out a new build, hover a heli at eye level, or just stand at the fence line and watch the pattern for an afternoon.
Take your pick of surface, too — a well-kept grass runway alongside a 300′×45′ fabric runway for crisp takeoffs and clean landings.
Our field is an FAA-Recognized Identification Area (FRIA) — an FAA-approved site, earned through the AMA, where you can fly without onboard Remote ID. Everything from a vintage warbird to a scratch-built foamie is legal to fly here, no add-on broadcast module required.
From ounces to 125 pounds, electric to glow to turbine — the field sees all of it, often in the same afternoon.
Most of our members started right where you are. The club keeps trainer planes and buddy-box systems on hand, so you can fly with an experienced member on the controls before you buy a thing — and instruction is free, one member helping another.
…then a quick proficiency check and the flight line is yours. Go at your own pace — kids and adults alike, year-round, including indoor winter sessions.
Our newest addition gives off-road drivers a home at the field alongside the flying line — same club, same property, same welcome.
Track access runs under the same rules as the airfield: current AMA membership is required to run, and every vehicle on course must be electric — no glow or gas. Cars and trucks are welcome up to 1/8 scale, and motorcycles up to 1/5 scale.
Modelers have been flying together around Joliet since the 1940s, and in October 1975, seven of them made it official by chartering the Joliet Radio Control Club as we know it today. Long before radio control became common, local enthusiasts gathered to fly free flight, control line, and gas-powered tether models. As technology evolved, so did the club, embracing each new generation of aircraft and pilots.
Those founders wanted something simple: a safe place to fly, a place to learn, and a community willing to share its knowledge. As radio control transformed the hobby, the club welcomed everything from reed radios to today's computerized transmitters, along with sport aircraft, giant scale models, warbirds, sailplanes, helicopters, EDF jets, turbines, multirotors, and indoor aircraft.
The club's flying field has evolved just as much as the airplanes. Over the years, members flew from several locations throughout the Joliet area. When Chicagoland Speedway development eventually claimed one of those fields, the club didn't disappear. Instead, members came together to build a new home almost entirely through volunteer effort. They cleared and seeded the runway, relocated the shelter from the previous field, and donated equipment, materials, and countless hours of labor to create the flying site members enjoy today. Local landowners and friends of the club generously opened their property, donated materials, and supported the club every step of the way. Their generosity, combined with the determination of dedicated members, ensured the club would continue to thrive.
That same spirit extended beyond the flying field. Club picnics, Christmas parties, educational speakers, family events, and countless evenings spent helping one another became just as important as the airplanes themselves. Lifelong friendships were formed, experienced pilots mentored newcomers, and every generation helped preserve the club for the next.
Today, that tradition continues. Whether you're flying your first foam trainer, building a giant-scale masterpiece, exploring helicopters, EDF jets, FPV, gliders, or scratch-building from a box of balsa, you'll find members who are happy to answer questions, lend a hand, and share what they've learned.
The airplanes have changed dramatically over the decades, but the reason people join the Joliet RC Club has remained remarkably consistent: great flying, lasting friendships, and a community built by people who genuinely enjoy helping one another.
A few from the club's own archive: formation warbirds, a JetCat on the grass, and a lineup of helis waiting their turn.
Third Sunday, club business and hangar talk.
The club's signature summer event, out at the field.
Open to members whenever conditions allow.
Guests are welcome at every one of our events.
Come spectate, say hello, and see what the club's all about. We'd love to have you out.
Gated and members-only outside of scheduled events.
Every member can share the aircraft they fly, the technologies they enjoy, the projects they build, and the skills they're willing to share. Search the roster to connect with members who have experience with the equipment you're considering, or the techniques you want to learn. When knowledge is easy to find, every member benefits.
Members-only — unlocked when you joinSearch by name or interest — a few results, illustrated.
Private land, gated and members-only. Fly dawn to dusk, all year.
One member on the controls with you, all the way to your first solo.
Share the field with family and friends before they're ready to join.
A members-only library that grows with the club.
Buy and sell with the people you fly beside.
Most of this happens online in a single evening. The one part that doesn't is the best part, coming out to meet us.
The best first step is to come see the place for yourself. Head out with a member who can sponsor you, or visit as a guest. Join us at a club meeting or event, or contact us to schedule a time. We'd love to show you around.
Current AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics) membership is required to fly or drive RC equipment at the field. It carries your liability insurance, so it's the first thing to line up. Enroll with the AMA and you'll get a membership number to add later.
After acquiring your AMA membership number, press Get Started below to create your Joliet Radio Control Club account, your home base for everything that follows. We'll email you a link to confirm your address; click it and you're ready to log in.
Fill in your details: contact info, your AMA number, and the flying and building you're into. Then review and agree to the club handbook. It all lives on one page.
Pay your dues to activate your membership for the year. We keep it approachable with both adult and youth (18 and under) rates, and members' children are covered by the family membership at no additional cost.
Before flying on your own, you'll do a short proficiency check with an active instructor, a quick demonstration that you can take off, fly the pattern, and land safely. Seasoned pilots usually just need a brief sign-off. Then grab your transmitter and come find us at the flight line.
New to the club or just curious? Here's what most people ask before they come out. Still stuck? Get in touch — we're happy to help.
Not at all — most members didn't when they started. The club keeps trainer planes and buddy-box systems on hand, so you can learn with an experienced member on the controls before spending a dime on your own gear. We'll pair you up for radio setup and time on the buddy box all the way to a first solo, at your own pace, then help you choose the right equipment when you're ready. More on learning to fly.
Current AMA membership is required — it carries your liability insurance — and everyone flies under the AMA National Model Aircraft Safety Code and applicable FAA rules. The short version: fly only in the designated area and within line of sight, and never over the pits or people, stay behind the flight line, announce your intentions (“taking off,” “landing,” “on the runway”), and yield to any full-scale aircraft. Keep the pits safe — props and EDFs pointed away from people, batteries connected only in the pit area. Be courteous, keep it family-friendly, clean up after yourself, and no illegal activity. On the off-road track, power is electric only. New members get the full field rules when they join.
No hard minimum — young flyers are welcome on the buddy box alongside a parent or an experienced member. Youth 18 and under have their own membership rate, and members' children are covered under the family membership at no additional cost.
Yes — our field is an FAA-Recognized Identification Area (FRIA). In plain terms, you can fly here without fitting a Remote ID broadcast module to your aircraft, which is one of the real perks of an established AMA club field. (Remote ID rules still apply if you fly elsewhere, so it's worth understanding for off-site flying.)
Modern 2.4 GHz systems are the standard and always welcome, as are today's long-range 900 MHz systems — both manage their own frequencies, so there's nothing to coordinate. Legacy 72 MHz gear is rare these days, but it's still welcome — it just runs under the club's frequency-control system so two pilots never share a channel. Ask a member and we'll get you set up.
Please do. Come meet us at a club meeting or event, or reach out to set up a time. Guests can fly or drive on a day pass with current AMA coverage and a signed waiver — a quick read-through of the field and safety rules — alongside a member. It's the best way to see if the club's a fit before joining.
Just about anything RC — foam park flyers, giant scale, warbirds, sailplanes, helicopters, turbines and EDF jets, and FPV. On the off-road track: electric cars and trucks up to 1/8 scale and motorcycles up to 1/5 scale.
We're on private ground in Joliet, just southeast of the Chicagoland Speedway, behind a locked gate — so it's not a drop-in. The best way to see it is to come out to one of our events, or reach out and we'll schedule time to meet together. Once you join, you'll get your own gate access.
Membership is billed annually. One adult membership covers your children at no additional cost — the youth rate is for a young flyer joining in their own right, without a parent in the club:
Rates shown are for cash or Zelle; paying by card is a little higher. The full walkthrough — from your AMA number to your first flight check — is in How to join.
The local shops that keep our flight line — and our workbenches — well stocked. Stop in and tell them the club sent you.
Run a shop and want to support the club? Get in touch.
You don't have to join, and you don't need to own anything. The club has AMA Introductory Pilots who can take you up on a buddy box — two transmitters linked together, with an instructor able to take over any moment. Leave your details and one of them will get in touch.