Safety Comes First Dave Gee | [email protected]
A virtual disaster waiting in the wings
Also included in this column:
• Sky Harbor hoop covers
• 2.4 GHz jamming devices?
• Cooperation and courtesy
equals safety
That’s a beefy test stand! Martin Bueno consults with pilot Jason Burg during an Extra
330L run-up.
George Crabtree’s Sky Harbor keeps
models out of basketball hoops so modelers
don’t have to climb up to untangle things.
A pair of Smoothies in formation. Steve Schiff and Steve Sobel make multiple-model
flying look easy with their cooperative pit technique.
JUST WHEN YOU think all the safety
topics have been covered, something new
pops up! I love computer-simulated RC
flying programs, but there is a sinister new
aspect to digital flying that may be news to
you; it has to do with the continued
improvement of the background-scenery
software.
Some of the manufacturers have reached
extremely high levels of detail and are now
adding simulated spectators to the screen
view. This is a big change and could present
a big problem! We should take great care to
fly our models in a way that protects
spectators from risk, but it is much more
difficult to do this on a simulator screen
when you cannot always see the locations of
virtual people.
Readers who are familiar with my
notorious lack of piloting skill can only
guess how many imaginary aircraft I have
destroyed through the years. Now imagine
the virtual carnage that could result from
one of my average simulator flights if the
field were lined with unsuspecting digital
spectators!
I raised this point with a supposedly
April 2008 97
04sig4.QXD 2/25/08 10:10 AM Page 97
reputable manufacturer and was unable to
get a serious and proper response. The
factory rep told me that the company would
consider producing a software add-on
package with an EMT crew and virtual
lawyers. I was not amused.
Although software companies will bear
much responsibility for whatever simulated
incidents occur, another dangerous aspect of
computer flying is related to users and their
hardware. Many pilots “fly” their programs
using the keyboard rather than a fake
transmitter on a cable. With the advent of
laptop computers, this brings the operator’s
hands much closer to the monitor screen.
I have seen modelers fly helicopter
simulators on a laptop computer, with their
fingers on the keyboard mere inches from
spinning digital rotor tips! One false move
can send these binary choppers careening
out of control, and I specialize in false
moves.
Would you really want to have your
hands so close to a flying shard of pixelated
rotor? It is only a matter of time before a
virtual disaster strikes some unsuspecting
simulator pilot.
And by the way, happy April Fools’ Day.
On an almost serious note, George Crabtree
is an active member of the Los Angeles-area
Old Farts Flying Club (OFFC): a subgroup
of the famously eccentric Black Sheep
Squadron. The OFFC, true to its name, is
composed mainly of retirement-aged
modelers.
The group meets at Stonehurst
Recreation Center, where the members fly
outdoor models on the ball field and indoor
models in the cozy gym. There are plenty of
obstacles in this room. A long pole can
rescue models from the cables and ledges,
but someone has to climb up and untangle
things manually when an airplane lands in a
basketball net.
George was worried about his seniorcitizen
friends tottering on chairs and
stepladders, so he designed and built a set of
unique “Sky Harbor” covers for the hoops.
They are simple cardboard disks that sit on
top of the basketball hoops and prevent
models from falling into them. A clever
socket tube on each disk allows George to
install and remove them with a pole, and he
made them nest together neatly for storage.
The ingenious Sky Harbor system is
credited with saving uncounted models from
damage and has prevented a risky situation
for the pilots, allowing them to keep their
feet safely on the ground. George produces
some mighty fine models too!
Several modelers have E-mailed me about a
new tech issue, and I am asking for
knowledgeable readers’ help to get to the
bottom of the matter. It seems that there are
purpose-designed jamming devices available
on 2.4 GHz frequencies. They are meant to
disrupt telephone and TV signals, but they
may also affect our RC systems.
I know little about such things, but an
Internet search showed that these radio
jammers come in the form of plans or kits
with a warning that building the device will
violate assorted laws. Since prison food
disagrees with me, I did not order one; I
consulted two RC experts instead.
One said there is nothing to worry about.
The other said that the military uses these
jammers to explode roadside bombs at a
moment that is convenient to our soldiers
and inconvenient to the enemy. He also said
that such jammers would absolutely
interfere with 2.4 digital spread spectrum
(DSS) RC systems.
So do we worry about some nut with a
soldering iron shooting down our DSS
models? Neither of my experts has ever seen
or tried an illicit 2.4 jammer, but I’ll bet that
some readers know all about them and will
set me straight on the subject.
Please be patient. MA has a long lead
time, and it will be a few months before you
see more information here. I realize that
anyone who has the know-how we need may
have skirted the law. I will protect my
sources from the authorities, if it comes to
that, and then we can sell the TV rights to
our sordid story.
Anyone with knowledge about illegal 2.4
GHz jammers can contact me via E-mail or
send a note to Box 7081, Van Nuys CA
91409. In fact, anyone can do the same. If
you have a good question or comment, I will
include it here and make you famous.
Please mention MA magazine in the Email
subject line so I know you’re not a
spammer. They send me messages, too.
98 MODEL AVIATION
I’m still getting lots of E-mail about my
theory of cooperation and courtesy as a
way to improve safety in the air at RC
fields. Some fliers chafe at the thought
of having to wait their turn while
someone of lesser ability flies a trainer
or slowpoke model. Others didn’t know
what I was referring to because their
fields are so uncrowded that nobody ever
has to wait.
100 MODEL AVIATION
Our hobby tends to make people feel
powerful and in charge because we make
all the decisions regarding our individual
aviation empires. We decide what model to
build or buy, what color and design, what
engine, and then we prepare to take
command in the air.
After all this autonomy it can be tough
to deal with a packed frequency board at
the field, and it’s even worse to be at the
mercy of some other pilot who (we feel)
flies a lesser type of aircraft but gets to go
first.
Many of us have seen pilots who deal
poorly with these situations, and sometimes
they push things into a hazardous
condition. Impatience and arrogance at an
RC field can be dangerous!
In any sport there will be somebody
who is faster and better than you are and
somebody behind you who is still learning.
I urge everyone to remember that this is
supposed to be a hobby, which we do for
fun and relaxation. Please be sure to
include those ingredients when you head to
the field!
I visit many flying sites, and the ones at
which people are having the most fun are
those where there is a mood of polite
courtesy on the flightline. Not
coincidentally, these places are often where
I see the fewest close calls and scary
situations. A low-pressure environment
gives you the extra time you need to look
around and avoid problems, even if you
have the latest in hot-rod flying machines.
Look at the photo of the two Smoothie
CL airplanes zooming by in formation.
Their O.S. .35 Stunt engines are
screaming! The pilots are Steve Sobel and
Steve Schiff (no relation to one another).
Not shown is Stan Kitzes, who was
pitting for them while waiting for his turn
to fly.
I watched these guys work together to
get their machines started and launched,
and it was cool to see how smoothly they
did the job. They each watched out for the
others and almost unconsciously doublechecked
each other’s work as the models
were readied for flight. They are
experienced and skilled modelers, but the
cooperative method they use is available
to anyone who wants to look like a pro.
Across the field I snapped another
photo; it shows Jason Burg running up his
big Extra 330L. His smile conceals the
fact that he was having a bit of trouble
with his airplane at that moment, but he
never let it distract him from safe
procedures. Martin Bueno is helping out,
just to have a second set of eyes on
things.
How do you like that sturdy test rack?
Jason made sure his model was secured at
all times and that he was able to
concentrate on engine diagnosis without
worrying about runaways in the pits. I have
seen pilots who, unlike Jason, let things get
to them, and the results can be bad!
Next month I get to tell you about the keen
safety stuff I saw at AMA Convention
2008. Nothing is more dangerous than
letting a columnist with a camera and a
checkbook loose among the booths! MA
04sig4.QXD 2/25/08 10:10 AM Page 100
Edition: Model Aviation - 2008/04
Page Numbers: 97,98,100
Edition: Model Aviation - 2008/04
Page Numbers: 97,98,100
Safety Comes First Dave Gee | [email protected]
A virtual disaster waiting in the wings
Also included in this column:
• Sky Harbor hoop covers
• 2.4 GHz jamming devices?
• Cooperation and courtesy
equals safety
That’s a beefy test stand! Martin Bueno consults with pilot Jason Burg during an Extra
330L run-up.
George Crabtree’s Sky Harbor keeps
models out of basketball hoops so modelers
don’t have to climb up to untangle things.
A pair of Smoothies in formation. Steve Schiff and Steve Sobel make multiple-model
flying look easy with their cooperative pit technique.
JUST WHEN YOU think all the safety
topics have been covered, something new
pops up! I love computer-simulated RC
flying programs, but there is a sinister new
aspect to digital flying that may be news to
you; it has to do with the continued
improvement of the background-scenery
software.
Some of the manufacturers have reached
extremely high levels of detail and are now
adding simulated spectators to the screen
view. This is a big change and could present
a big problem! We should take great care to
fly our models in a way that protects
spectators from risk, but it is much more
difficult to do this on a simulator screen
when you cannot always see the locations of
virtual people.
Readers who are familiar with my
notorious lack of piloting skill can only
guess how many imaginary aircraft I have
destroyed through the years. Now imagine
the virtual carnage that could result from
one of my average simulator flights if the
field were lined with unsuspecting digital
spectators!
I raised this point with a supposedly
April 2008 97
04sig4.QXD 2/25/08 10:10 AM Page 97
reputable manufacturer and was unable to
get a serious and proper response. The
factory rep told me that the company would
consider producing a software add-on
package with an EMT crew and virtual
lawyers. I was not amused.
Although software companies will bear
much responsibility for whatever simulated
incidents occur, another dangerous aspect of
computer flying is related to users and their
hardware. Many pilots “fly” their programs
using the keyboard rather than a fake
transmitter on a cable. With the advent of
laptop computers, this brings the operator’s
hands much closer to the monitor screen.
I have seen modelers fly helicopter
simulators on a laptop computer, with their
fingers on the keyboard mere inches from
spinning digital rotor tips! One false move
can send these binary choppers careening
out of control, and I specialize in false
moves.
Would you really want to have your
hands so close to a flying shard of pixelated
rotor? It is only a matter of time before a
virtual disaster strikes some unsuspecting
simulator pilot.
And by the way, happy April Fools’ Day.
On an almost serious note, George Crabtree
is an active member of the Los Angeles-area
Old Farts Flying Club (OFFC): a subgroup
of the famously eccentric Black Sheep
Squadron. The OFFC, true to its name, is
composed mainly of retirement-aged
modelers.
The group meets at Stonehurst
Recreation Center, where the members fly
outdoor models on the ball field and indoor
models in the cozy gym. There are plenty of
obstacles in this room. A long pole can
rescue models from the cables and ledges,
but someone has to climb up and untangle
things manually when an airplane lands in a
basketball net.
George was worried about his seniorcitizen
friends tottering on chairs and
stepladders, so he designed and built a set of
unique “Sky Harbor” covers for the hoops.
They are simple cardboard disks that sit on
top of the basketball hoops and prevent
models from falling into them. A clever
socket tube on each disk allows George to
install and remove them with a pole, and he
made them nest together neatly for storage.
The ingenious Sky Harbor system is
credited with saving uncounted models from
damage and has prevented a risky situation
for the pilots, allowing them to keep their
feet safely on the ground. George produces
some mighty fine models too!
Several modelers have E-mailed me about a
new tech issue, and I am asking for
knowledgeable readers’ help to get to the
bottom of the matter. It seems that there are
purpose-designed jamming devices available
on 2.4 GHz frequencies. They are meant to
disrupt telephone and TV signals, but they
may also affect our RC systems.
I know little about such things, but an
Internet search showed that these radio
jammers come in the form of plans or kits
with a warning that building the device will
violate assorted laws. Since prison food
disagrees with me, I did not order one; I
consulted two RC experts instead.
One said there is nothing to worry about.
The other said that the military uses these
jammers to explode roadside bombs at a
moment that is convenient to our soldiers
and inconvenient to the enemy. He also said
that such jammers would absolutely
interfere with 2.4 digital spread spectrum
(DSS) RC systems.
So do we worry about some nut with a
soldering iron shooting down our DSS
models? Neither of my experts has ever seen
or tried an illicit 2.4 jammer, but I’ll bet that
some readers know all about them and will
set me straight on the subject.
Please be patient. MA has a long lead
time, and it will be a few months before you
see more information here. I realize that
anyone who has the know-how we need may
have skirted the law. I will protect my
sources from the authorities, if it comes to
that, and then we can sell the TV rights to
our sordid story.
Anyone with knowledge about illegal 2.4
GHz jammers can contact me via E-mail or
send a note to Box 7081, Van Nuys CA
91409. In fact, anyone can do the same. If
you have a good question or comment, I will
include it here and make you famous.
Please mention MA magazine in the Email
subject line so I know you’re not a
spammer. They send me messages, too.
98 MODEL AVIATION
I’m still getting lots of E-mail about my
theory of cooperation and courtesy as a
way to improve safety in the air at RC
fields. Some fliers chafe at the thought
of having to wait their turn while
someone of lesser ability flies a trainer
or slowpoke model. Others didn’t know
what I was referring to because their
fields are so uncrowded that nobody ever
has to wait.
100 MODEL AVIATION
Our hobby tends to make people feel
powerful and in charge because we make
all the decisions regarding our individual
aviation empires. We decide what model to
build or buy, what color and design, what
engine, and then we prepare to take
command in the air.
After all this autonomy it can be tough
to deal with a packed frequency board at
the field, and it’s even worse to be at the
mercy of some other pilot who (we feel)
flies a lesser type of aircraft but gets to go
first.
Many of us have seen pilots who deal
poorly with these situations, and sometimes
they push things into a hazardous
condition. Impatience and arrogance at an
RC field can be dangerous!
In any sport there will be somebody
who is faster and better than you are and
somebody behind you who is still learning.
I urge everyone to remember that this is
supposed to be a hobby, which we do for
fun and relaxation. Please be sure to
include those ingredients when you head to
the field!
I visit many flying sites, and the ones at
which people are having the most fun are
those where there is a mood of polite
courtesy on the flightline. Not
coincidentally, these places are often where
I see the fewest close calls and scary
situations. A low-pressure environment
gives you the extra time you need to look
around and avoid problems, even if you
have the latest in hot-rod flying machines.
Look at the photo of the two Smoothie
CL airplanes zooming by in formation.
Their O.S. .35 Stunt engines are
screaming! The pilots are Steve Sobel and
Steve Schiff (no relation to one another).
Not shown is Stan Kitzes, who was
pitting for them while waiting for his turn
to fly.
I watched these guys work together to
get their machines started and launched,
and it was cool to see how smoothly they
did the job. They each watched out for the
others and almost unconsciously doublechecked
each other’s work as the models
were readied for flight. They are
experienced and skilled modelers, but the
cooperative method they use is available
to anyone who wants to look like a pro.
Across the field I snapped another
photo; it shows Jason Burg running up his
big Extra 330L. His smile conceals the
fact that he was having a bit of trouble
with his airplane at that moment, but he
never let it distract him from safe
procedures. Martin Bueno is helping out,
just to have a second set of eyes on
things.
How do you like that sturdy test rack?
Jason made sure his model was secured at
all times and that he was able to
concentrate on engine diagnosis without
worrying about runaways in the pits. I have
seen pilots who, unlike Jason, let things get
to them, and the results can be bad!
Next month I get to tell you about the keen
safety stuff I saw at AMA Convention
2008. Nothing is more dangerous than
letting a columnist with a camera and a
checkbook loose among the booths! MA
04sig4.QXD 2/25/08 10:10 AM Page 100
Edition: Model Aviation - 2008/04
Page Numbers: 97,98,100
Safety Comes First Dave Gee | [email protected]
A virtual disaster waiting in the wings
Also included in this column:
• Sky Harbor hoop covers
• 2.4 GHz jamming devices?
• Cooperation and courtesy
equals safety
That’s a beefy test stand! Martin Bueno consults with pilot Jason Burg during an Extra
330L run-up.
George Crabtree’s Sky Harbor keeps
models out of basketball hoops so modelers
don’t have to climb up to untangle things.
A pair of Smoothies in formation. Steve Schiff and Steve Sobel make multiple-model
flying look easy with their cooperative pit technique.
JUST WHEN YOU think all the safety
topics have been covered, something new
pops up! I love computer-simulated RC
flying programs, but there is a sinister new
aspect to digital flying that may be news to
you; it has to do with the continued
improvement of the background-scenery
software.
Some of the manufacturers have reached
extremely high levels of detail and are now
adding simulated spectators to the screen
view. This is a big change and could present
a big problem! We should take great care to
fly our models in a way that protects
spectators from risk, but it is much more
difficult to do this on a simulator screen
when you cannot always see the locations of
virtual people.
Readers who are familiar with my
notorious lack of piloting skill can only
guess how many imaginary aircraft I have
destroyed through the years. Now imagine
the virtual carnage that could result from
one of my average simulator flights if the
field were lined with unsuspecting digital
spectators!
I raised this point with a supposedly
April 2008 97
04sig4.QXD 2/25/08 10:10 AM Page 97
reputable manufacturer and was unable to
get a serious and proper response. The
factory rep told me that the company would
consider producing a software add-on
package with an EMT crew and virtual
lawyers. I was not amused.
Although software companies will bear
much responsibility for whatever simulated
incidents occur, another dangerous aspect of
computer flying is related to users and their
hardware. Many pilots “fly” their programs
using the keyboard rather than a fake
transmitter on a cable. With the advent of
laptop computers, this brings the operator’s
hands much closer to the monitor screen.
I have seen modelers fly helicopter
simulators on a laptop computer, with their
fingers on the keyboard mere inches from
spinning digital rotor tips! One false move
can send these binary choppers careening
out of control, and I specialize in false
moves.
Would you really want to have your
hands so close to a flying shard of pixelated
rotor? It is only a matter of time before a
virtual disaster strikes some unsuspecting
simulator pilot.
And by the way, happy April Fools’ Day.
On an almost serious note, George Crabtree
is an active member of the Los Angeles-area
Old Farts Flying Club (OFFC): a subgroup
of the famously eccentric Black Sheep
Squadron. The OFFC, true to its name, is
composed mainly of retirement-aged
modelers.
The group meets at Stonehurst
Recreation Center, where the members fly
outdoor models on the ball field and indoor
models in the cozy gym. There are plenty of
obstacles in this room. A long pole can
rescue models from the cables and ledges,
but someone has to climb up and untangle
things manually when an airplane lands in a
basketball net.
George was worried about his seniorcitizen
friends tottering on chairs and
stepladders, so he designed and built a set of
unique “Sky Harbor” covers for the hoops.
They are simple cardboard disks that sit on
top of the basketball hoops and prevent
models from falling into them. A clever
socket tube on each disk allows George to
install and remove them with a pole, and he
made them nest together neatly for storage.
The ingenious Sky Harbor system is
credited with saving uncounted models from
damage and has prevented a risky situation
for the pilots, allowing them to keep their
feet safely on the ground. George produces
some mighty fine models too!
Several modelers have E-mailed me about a
new tech issue, and I am asking for
knowledgeable readers’ help to get to the
bottom of the matter. It seems that there are
purpose-designed jamming devices available
on 2.4 GHz frequencies. They are meant to
disrupt telephone and TV signals, but they
may also affect our RC systems.
I know little about such things, but an
Internet search showed that these radio
jammers come in the form of plans or kits
with a warning that building the device will
violate assorted laws. Since prison food
disagrees with me, I did not order one; I
consulted two RC experts instead.
One said there is nothing to worry about.
The other said that the military uses these
jammers to explode roadside bombs at a
moment that is convenient to our soldiers
and inconvenient to the enemy. He also said
that such jammers would absolutely
interfere with 2.4 digital spread spectrum
(DSS) RC systems.
So do we worry about some nut with a
soldering iron shooting down our DSS
models? Neither of my experts has ever seen
or tried an illicit 2.4 jammer, but I’ll bet that
some readers know all about them and will
set me straight on the subject.
Please be patient. MA has a long lead
time, and it will be a few months before you
see more information here. I realize that
anyone who has the know-how we need may
have skirted the law. I will protect my
sources from the authorities, if it comes to
that, and then we can sell the TV rights to
our sordid story.
Anyone with knowledge about illegal 2.4
GHz jammers can contact me via E-mail or
send a note to Box 7081, Van Nuys CA
91409. In fact, anyone can do the same. If
you have a good question or comment, I will
include it here and make you famous.
Please mention MA magazine in the Email
subject line so I know you’re not a
spammer. They send me messages, too.
98 MODEL AVIATION
I’m still getting lots of E-mail about my
theory of cooperation and courtesy as a
way to improve safety in the air at RC
fields. Some fliers chafe at the thought
of having to wait their turn while
someone of lesser ability flies a trainer
or slowpoke model. Others didn’t know
what I was referring to because their
fields are so uncrowded that nobody ever
has to wait.
100 MODEL AVIATION
Our hobby tends to make people feel
powerful and in charge because we make
all the decisions regarding our individual
aviation empires. We decide what model to
build or buy, what color and design, what
engine, and then we prepare to take
command in the air.
After all this autonomy it can be tough
to deal with a packed frequency board at
the field, and it’s even worse to be at the
mercy of some other pilot who (we feel)
flies a lesser type of aircraft but gets to go
first.
Many of us have seen pilots who deal
poorly with these situations, and sometimes
they push things into a hazardous
condition. Impatience and arrogance at an
RC field can be dangerous!
In any sport there will be somebody
who is faster and better than you are and
somebody behind you who is still learning.
I urge everyone to remember that this is
supposed to be a hobby, which we do for
fun and relaxation. Please be sure to
include those ingredients when you head to
the field!
I visit many flying sites, and the ones at
which people are having the most fun are
those where there is a mood of polite
courtesy on the flightline. Not
coincidentally, these places are often where
I see the fewest close calls and scary
situations. A low-pressure environment
gives you the extra time you need to look
around and avoid problems, even if you
have the latest in hot-rod flying machines.
Look at the photo of the two Smoothie
CL airplanes zooming by in formation.
Their O.S. .35 Stunt engines are
screaming! The pilots are Steve Sobel and
Steve Schiff (no relation to one another).
Not shown is Stan Kitzes, who was
pitting for them while waiting for his turn
to fly.
I watched these guys work together to
get their machines started and launched,
and it was cool to see how smoothly they
did the job. They each watched out for the
others and almost unconsciously doublechecked
each other’s work as the models
were readied for flight. They are
experienced and skilled modelers, but the
cooperative method they use is available
to anyone who wants to look like a pro.
Across the field I snapped another
photo; it shows Jason Burg running up his
big Extra 330L. His smile conceals the
fact that he was having a bit of trouble
with his airplane at that moment, but he
never let it distract him from safe
procedures. Martin Bueno is helping out,
just to have a second set of eyes on
things.
How do you like that sturdy test rack?
Jason made sure his model was secured at
all times and that he was able to
concentrate on engine diagnosis without
worrying about runaways in the pits. I have
seen pilots who, unlike Jason, let things get
to them, and the results can be bad!
Next month I get to tell you about the keen
safety stuff I saw at AMA Convention
2008. Nothing is more dangerous than
letting a columnist with a camera and a
checkbook loose among the booths! MA
04sig4.QXD 2/25/08 10:10 AM Page 100