After many years of flying radio airplanes I have enjoyed many moments and have been horrified be quite a few. I have been witness to everything from a cut finger to complete loss of hands and a leg.

The RAMS have been extremely lucky over the years, as there has been only minor and rare instances. I see many close calls at the fields and they often just get laughed off and forgotten about I think its tame for us to really take a good hard look at the subject As a large dub with continuing growth in both membership and events, we should do what ever as necessary to continue our good fortune. Someone said, “Safety Is no accident”.

Please give the enclosed your careful consideration and Iet’s work to reduce the possibilities of any unnecessary bad stuff.

I.  SOME THOUGHTS ON THE SAFE FLYING PRACTICE OF RADIO CONTROLLED MODEL AIRPLANES

“IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO ASSURE THE AIRWORTHINESS OF HIS CRAFT, and no one else”.

“A PERSON MAY NOT OPERATE AN AIRCRAFT AS PILOT IN COMMAND UNTIL HE DEMONSTRATES KNOWLEDGE OF THE AMA AIRCRAFT AND FIELD RULES”.

The Federal Aviation Agency controls who may operate a full-scale aircraft. Safely guiding a radio-controlled model airplane requires similar mental preparation for the pilot and physical preparation of the aircraft. Therefore, the RC Pilot should generally be familiar with, and be prepared to follow, two cardinal rules.

RULE NUMBER ONE: THE RC AIRCRAFT MUST BE AIRWORTHY.

RULE NUMBER TWO: THE RC PILOT MUST BE SKILLED.

Part of piloting skills is the ability to recognize the need for the adoption of certain safe practices, on the ground and in the air.

First, it is the responsibility of the Pilot in Command to assure the operational AIRWORTHINESS of the aircraft. Second, the Pilot in Command must conduct safe GROUND OPERATIONS. Finally, the Pilot in Command will demonstrate skill piloting the craft resulting in both satisfying and safe AIRBORNE OPERATIONS, which is the end result we all desire in this hobby. The following is the minimum framework of actions necessary to achieve our goals.

Ø       ARRIVAL: The pilot must make certain that the transmitter(s) are turned off and store all transmitters in the impound area.  Each transmitter must be marked with the appropriate frequency flags for the bans and a tag indemnifying the frequency (channel) the transmitter is to be operated with.

Ø      PREFLIGHT: The Pilot must first, before any other action, obtain the FREQUENCY CONTROL PIN. The Pilot in Command must assure aircraft is AIRWORTHY including that the battery is adequately charged in both receiver and transmitter. All control linkages, clevises, control horns must be secure. Servos must be securely mounted. Hinges are secure. Engine shaft threads not exposed. Prop nut secure.  Fuel tank full. Control surfaces free and with travel in correct direction.  Range check verified.

Ø       ENGINE START: The Pilot in Command should watch for any adverse effect on any other aircraft in the air as the transmitter is turned on, preventing problems due to interference. Engine start is conducted at the Pad or at the designated engine break-in area only. Tie down restraint of aircraft is recommended. The Pilot in Command must make sure that the aircraft is situated in such a way that no spectator, spotter or other pilot is in line with the propeller arc.  Preference is to use “Chicken Stick” or Electric Starter to start engine. Make sure all loose clothing and transmitter straps are secured out of the way. If using Electric Starter, assure that engine is not over choked into a “hydro-locked” condition by manually rotating the propeller through the compression stroke twice with the glow or ignition system off. Once the engine has been started, remove glow plug igniter by positioning yourself behind rotating propeller. NEVER REACH OVER THE PROPELLOR ARC.  When verifying the needle adjustments by pointing the aircraft skywards and toward the ground, the Pilot in Command must not expose others to the prop arc.  Should the engine not start in a reasonable timeframe, or should adjustments to the aircraft be required, the Pilot in Command must move his equipment back to the pit area or the designated engine test area to effect the repair.

Ø       RAMP OPERATION: Recheck that CONTROL SURFACE MOVEMENT direction is proper. Remove restraint. Taxi to Runway. Observe the current active runway and traffic pattern for take off and landing approaches. Observe any other activity and location of airborne aircraft. Pedestrians, then landing aircraft have runway priority.

Ø       TAXI: The Pilot in Command is to announce intentions to taxi by shouting “Taxi”. Other pilots should acknowledge they heard by shouting back “Clear”. Taxi upwind to the end of the active runway. Proper TAXI is conducted at a TAXI SPEED that assures continuous

DIRECTIONAL CONTROL and ground contact until aircraft position and hold location is achieved at Runway End.

Ø       TAKE OFF: Pilot in Command must recheck the wind direction and for any airborne aircraft. The Pilot in Command then announces intentions by shouting “TAKE OFF”. Other pilots or spotters should loudly announce any problem, if one exists.  Pilot in Command opens throttle, maintains runway directional stability, achieves lift off speed, rotates, climbs out, turns away from the pits to a safe altitude. It is mandatory to turn the aircraft away from the “Pits” or spectators.

Ø       FLIGHT TRIM: Climb the aircraft to a safe altitude and adjust the trims for as required to achieve stable flight.

Ø       TRAFFIC PATTERN FLYING: The Active Runway is determined by the current Wind Direction and agreed by the pilots using the flying field.  No change of the active runway can be made until all pilots agree.  Only ONE active runway is allowed. 

Ø       AEROBATIC FLYING: Free form or flying aerobatic maneuvers should be performed away from the pattern.

Ø       LOW PASSES: A “Low Pass” is flight over the centerline of the Active Runway, below Pattern Altitude, often at a high rate of speed. A “Low Pass” should be announced prior to execution and, preferably, when no other Pilots are operating aircraft.

Ø       DEAD STICK: Dead stick is aeronautical term for engine stoppage. Pilot in Command should immediately announce “Dead Stick.” Other aircraft in the air are to climb away from the Runway. The pilot with “Dead Stick” is given landing priority. However, the Pilot in Command must always control his aircraft, such that safety of persons and property is not compromised. The ultimate condition of the aircraft is always secondary to these safety concerns.

Ø       MAXIMUM AIRCRAFT FLYING: No more that four aircraft are to be operational in the air at any one time. With three or four in operation, it is recommended that a spotter be in attendance with each Pilot in Command.

Ø       NORMAL LANDING: The Pilot in Command is to announce his intentions by shouting “Landing”. ”Other pilots should acknowledge they heard by shouting back “Clear”. The landing aircraft then has priority for the runway, excepting if there is an aircraft on the runway threshold awaiting takeoff. The landing craft must await that aircraft takeoff.

Ø      RETURN TO PIT AREA: The Pilot in Command will land the aircraft, or announce a “FLY BY” or “GOING AROUND” should the approach not be safe.  Once on the ground, the Pilot in Command must taxi in a safe, but expedient manner back towards the pit area.  The engine must be shut down at the entrance to the Pit area.  NO taxiing is allowed in the pit area on the return leg ever.

Ø Once the engine had been stopped, the radio equipment should be shut off, all equipment removed from the pad area (regardless of the number of pilots) and the transmitter returned to the impound area.  The obtain the FREQUENCY CONTROL PIN must be returned to its home location for others to use.

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