Darke County Aero Modelers members volunteered to build safety benches for use at the IAC. L-R: club Vice
President Mel Hocker, Jason Stump, Derek Corbly, Secretary Wayne Long, Field Marshall Kem Stewart,
Newsletter Editor Steve Blakeley, Keith Dawson, President David Poole, Club
Photographer Mike Dunevant.
A safety bench outfitted
with all the equipment it usually
takes to prepare a model for flight. Charlie Meyer photo.
THE AUGUST 2002 MA featured an article detailing a field safety
bench designed by Charlie Meyer: a member of the Meroke RC
Club (MRCC) on Long Island, New York. Charlie was the club’s
safety officer in 2001 when club secretary Joe Di Prima approached
him about designing and constructing a bench that could be used to
help restrain models during engine start-ups.
The Merokes had experienced a rash of incidents when members
were starting their engines, some of which resulted in serious injuries.
Joe was looking for a way to reduce the number of mishaps.
Charlie went to work, and it wasn’t long before he had his
concept on paper and had it approved by the club membership.
Since that time using the bench has resulted in a major reduction of
incidents at the MRRC field.
Today, as a result of that 2002 article, Charlie’s bench or a close
derivative thereof can be found at hundreds of AMA chartered club
fields throughout the United States. In addition he has received E-mail
messages from clubs in several other countries, including Canada,
Belgium, Australia, England, Panama, and South Africa, claiming that
they too had built and use the bench.
I was invited to speak at a meeting of the MRCC. While there
Charlie and I had a conversation about his bench and the value it
provides to clubs who use it. He suggested that it might be valuable to
have several benches for use at the International Aeromodeling Center
(IAC) in Muncie, Indiana.
As chairman of AMA’s Insurance Committee, it occurred to me
that not only would this bench be of value in Muncie, but it might be
Meroke RC Club (Long Island NY) member Bob Meyer fires up his trainer using proper
safety techniques. Meyer photo.
Building safety benches for your flying site can be a fun weekend project with the help of several club members.
time again to remind AMA members of this
popular design.
Although most insurance claims are
relatively small, it’s clear from reviewing the
data that the majority of claims AMA receives
each year results from a member being injured
when starting a model. And these claims aren’t
necessarily limited to airplanes powered by
internal-combustion engines.
More of a safety issue than an insurance
issue, the committee has always felt that the
best way to reduce claims is to have a proactive
loss-prevention program that lets our members
know where risks lie. A simple reminder every
once in awhile can go a long way in saving a
member the aggravation, inconvenience, and
even the pain of being stuck by a spinning
propeller.
The MRCC shares a facility with several other
AMA clubs on Long Island at Cedar Creek
Aerodrome, which is a Nassau County park in
Wantagh, New York. In 1999 Charlie and his
brother Bob Meyer decided to form the
volunteer group “Friends of Cedar Creek
Aerodrome” to make some improvements at the
field.
One of their major concerns was safety at
the field. It was through this group that Charlie
set out to build safety benches for use at the
flying facility.
Photography by the Darke County Aero Modelers Association unless otherwise noted
Charlie Meyer demonstrates the value of the safety bench, which
holds the model securely while he adjusts the needle valve. Meyer
photo.
Because there are multiple runways at the field, the Friends of
Cedar Creek Aerodrome felt that it would need at least 10-12
benches, costing roughly $40 each. Before the group went to the
various clubs that use the Aerodrome asking for donations, the
members decided to approach a local building-supply store to see if
they would be offered a discount on materials.
To Charlie’s surprise, they didn’t get a discount. All the materials
needed to build the benches were donated at no charge!
The moral here is that many times community businesses are
more than happy to make small donations to help local groups. In
some cases clubs return the favor by printing the company’s name
that donated materials on the side of the bench. The club wins by
getting a safety bench for nothing other than the cost of labor, and
the business wins by getting the advertising space.
This bench’s design promotes safety. Vertical wing restraints
keep a model from moving forward, even with the engine at full
throttle. Running full throttle without walking around to the side of
the bench and holding the airplane from one side is not
recommended.
The bench provides a place to put a transmitter, starter, and glowstarter
battery, keeping everything clear of a spinning propeller. It
also allows the pilot to stand behind the engine when making
adjustments to a running engine. A pilot does not have to lean over
the model to pick it up and carry it to the runway.
An unintended benefit of the bench is that it has made flying
much more enjoyable for some members who have trouble kneeling
down to start their models. In addition, the design allows the bench
to sit on uneven ground without rocking.
The benches are light enough for two men to carry easily if they
have to be moved. Since the benches at the IAC continually need to
be relocated for various events, we added wheels to ours for extra
convenience.
The “Standard Safety Bench” can hold a wide variety of RC
airplanes. They have been used for most airplanes in the .049-1.60
size range, and perhaps larger.
If you need a bench for some of the bigger aircraft, Charlie has
designed a larger variation called the “1/4 Scale Safety Bench.” Its
lower table height places the spinner at the right height for turning
over the engine. It also makes the wing restraints longer for the highwing
Cubs and biplanes. This larger bench can be used for all the
smaller airplanes as well.
Both versions of the bench use the same amount of materials and
the cost is the same. Models that are larger and heavier than 1/4 scale
are better handled from the ground.
Building these safety benches for your field with a few club
Local Club Builds Safety Benches for the IAC
When we were developing plans for this article, Charlie Meyer contacted clubs in the Muncie, Indiana, area asking if they would be
willing to volunteer time and labor to build several safety benches for the International Aeromodeling Center. He spoke with Dave Poole—
president of the Darke County Aero Modelers Association in Greenville, Ohio—who immediately stepped up and offered the club’s services.
The Darke County Aero Modelers was founded in 1968. Jack Lowder was elected to be the first president of the association. Finding a
permanent site was difficult as a new club. The group flew from land that is now a state highway, farmland that continued to produce crops,
and the present site in Greenville. The club has been home to many types of flying, supporting FF, CL, and RC. Members fly sport, 3-D, and
Giant Scale.
Today the club field is located on City Water Department property. Bob Ryan and Jim Doseck were instrumental in establishing this
location and renovating it for flying.
Initially little more than a swamp pit, the land was filled and the ground was mowed in hopes of somehow producing a flying field.
Eventually the city council granted permission for the club to establish a permanent flying site. Today field amenities include a shelter house
with a concession area, picnic tables, benches for spectators, a well-defined pit area, and a 150-yard runway.
The Darke County Aero Modelers holds an annual Learn-To-Fly Day at the field. The event is advertised, and the public, city officials,
and local businesses are invited to come out and try to fly an RC model. This has been a great success through the years and continues to be
one of the members’ favorite events. An annual swap meet held at the Youth Building at the fairgrounds, club picnics, and just getting
together on Sunday afternoons round out the club’s activities.
This site is now dedicated to the late Raymond Landis, who was one of the original club members. He played a giant part in the success
of this field and the club.
If you are in or around the Greenville, Ohio area, the Darke County Aero Modelers invite you to visit. Landis Field is located just off
Chestnut Street. MA
—Dave Mathewson
members’ help is a “weekend project.” Saving just one incident
will more than offset the time spent on their construction.
You can find plans for Charlie’s bench on the MRCC Web site
at www.meroke.com. There you will also find a complete package
you can print out that includes the bench’s features and other
important, useful information.
If you’d prefer, you can contact me by E-mail or by US Mail at
7271 State Fair Blvd., Baldwinsville NY 13027. I would be happy
to send you a printed copy of the complete package.
Either way, consider building some of these benches for your
club. It’s a fun project that will most assuredly pay dividends. MA
Dave Mathewson
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/04
Page Numbers: 59,60,61
Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/04
Page Numbers: 59,60,61
Darke County Aero Modelers members volunteered to build safety benches for use at the IAC. L-R: club Vice
President Mel Hocker, Jason Stump, Derek Corbly, Secretary Wayne Long, Field Marshall Kem Stewart,
Newsletter Editor Steve Blakeley, Keith Dawson, President David Poole, Club
Photographer Mike Dunevant.
A safety bench outfitted
with all the equipment it usually
takes to prepare a model for flight. Charlie Meyer photo.
THE AUGUST 2002 MA featured an article detailing a field safety
bench designed by Charlie Meyer: a member of the Meroke RC
Club (MRCC) on Long Island, New York. Charlie was the club’s
safety officer in 2001 when club secretary Joe Di Prima approached
him about designing and constructing a bench that could be used to
help restrain models during engine start-ups.
The Merokes had experienced a rash of incidents when members
were starting their engines, some of which resulted in serious injuries.
Joe was looking for a way to reduce the number of mishaps.
Charlie went to work, and it wasn’t long before he had his
concept on paper and had it approved by the club membership.
Since that time using the bench has resulted in a major reduction of
incidents at the MRRC field.
Today, as a result of that 2002 article, Charlie’s bench or a close
derivative thereof can be found at hundreds of AMA chartered club
fields throughout the United States. In addition he has received E-mail
messages from clubs in several other countries, including Canada,
Belgium, Australia, England, Panama, and South Africa, claiming that
they too had built and use the bench.
I was invited to speak at a meeting of the MRCC. While there
Charlie and I had a conversation about his bench and the value it
provides to clubs who use it. He suggested that it might be valuable to
have several benches for use at the International Aeromodeling Center
(IAC) in Muncie, Indiana.
As chairman of AMA’s Insurance Committee, it occurred to me
that not only would this bench be of value in Muncie, but it might be
Meroke RC Club (Long Island NY) member Bob Meyer fires up his trainer using proper
safety techniques. Meyer photo.
Building safety benches for your flying site can be a fun weekend project with the help of several club members.
time again to remind AMA members of this
popular design.
Although most insurance claims are
relatively small, it’s clear from reviewing the
data that the majority of claims AMA receives
each year results from a member being injured
when starting a model. And these claims aren’t
necessarily limited to airplanes powered by
internal-combustion engines.
More of a safety issue than an insurance
issue, the committee has always felt that the
best way to reduce claims is to have a proactive
loss-prevention program that lets our members
know where risks lie. A simple reminder every
once in awhile can go a long way in saving a
member the aggravation, inconvenience, and
even the pain of being stuck by a spinning
propeller.
The MRCC shares a facility with several other
AMA clubs on Long Island at Cedar Creek
Aerodrome, which is a Nassau County park in
Wantagh, New York. In 1999 Charlie and his
brother Bob Meyer decided to form the
volunteer group “Friends of Cedar Creek
Aerodrome” to make some improvements at the
field.
One of their major concerns was safety at
the field. It was through this group that Charlie
set out to build safety benches for use at the
flying facility.
Photography by the Darke County Aero Modelers Association unless otherwise noted
Charlie Meyer demonstrates the value of the safety bench, which
holds the model securely while he adjusts the needle valve. Meyer
photo.
Because there are multiple runways at the field, the Friends of
Cedar Creek Aerodrome felt that it would need at least 10-12
benches, costing roughly $40 each. Before the group went to the
various clubs that use the Aerodrome asking for donations, the
members decided to approach a local building-supply store to see if
they would be offered a discount on materials.
To Charlie’s surprise, they didn’t get a discount. All the materials
needed to build the benches were donated at no charge!
The moral here is that many times community businesses are
more than happy to make small donations to help local groups. In
some cases clubs return the favor by printing the company’s name
that donated materials on the side of the bench. The club wins by
getting a safety bench for nothing other than the cost of labor, and
the business wins by getting the advertising space.
This bench’s design promotes safety. Vertical wing restraints
keep a model from moving forward, even with the engine at full
throttle. Running full throttle without walking around to the side of
the bench and holding the airplane from one side is not
recommended.
The bench provides a place to put a transmitter, starter, and glowstarter
battery, keeping everything clear of a spinning propeller. It
also allows the pilot to stand behind the engine when making
adjustments to a running engine. A pilot does not have to lean over
the model to pick it up and carry it to the runway.
An unintended benefit of the bench is that it has made flying
much more enjoyable for some members who have trouble kneeling
down to start their models. In addition, the design allows the bench
to sit on uneven ground without rocking.
The benches are light enough for two men to carry easily if they
have to be moved. Since the benches at the IAC continually need to
be relocated for various events, we added wheels to ours for extra
convenience.
The “Standard Safety Bench” can hold a wide variety of RC
airplanes. They have been used for most airplanes in the .049-1.60
size range, and perhaps larger.
If you need a bench for some of the bigger aircraft, Charlie has
designed a larger variation called the “1/4 Scale Safety Bench.” Its
lower table height places the spinner at the right height for turning
over the engine. It also makes the wing restraints longer for the highwing
Cubs and biplanes. This larger bench can be used for all the
smaller airplanes as well.
Both versions of the bench use the same amount of materials and
the cost is the same. Models that are larger and heavier than 1/4 scale
are better handled from the ground.
Building these safety benches for your field with a few club
Local Club Builds Safety Benches for the IAC
When we were developing plans for this article, Charlie Meyer contacted clubs in the Muncie, Indiana, area asking if they would be
willing to volunteer time and labor to build several safety benches for the International Aeromodeling Center. He spoke with Dave Poole—
president of the Darke County Aero Modelers Association in Greenville, Ohio—who immediately stepped up and offered the club’s services.
The Darke County Aero Modelers was founded in 1968. Jack Lowder was elected to be the first president of the association. Finding a
permanent site was difficult as a new club. The group flew from land that is now a state highway, farmland that continued to produce crops,
and the present site in Greenville. The club has been home to many types of flying, supporting FF, CL, and RC. Members fly sport, 3-D, and
Giant Scale.
Today the club field is located on City Water Department property. Bob Ryan and Jim Doseck were instrumental in establishing this
location and renovating it for flying.
Initially little more than a swamp pit, the land was filled and the ground was mowed in hopes of somehow producing a flying field.
Eventually the city council granted permission for the club to establish a permanent flying site. Today field amenities include a shelter house
with a concession area, picnic tables, benches for spectators, a well-defined pit area, and a 150-yard runway.
The Darke County Aero Modelers holds an annual Learn-To-Fly Day at the field. The event is advertised, and the public, city officials,
and local businesses are invited to come out and try to fly an RC model. This has been a great success through the years and continues to be
one of the members’ favorite events. An annual swap meet held at the Youth Building at the fairgrounds, club picnics, and just getting
together on Sunday afternoons round out the club’s activities.
This site is now dedicated to the late Raymond Landis, who was one of the original club members. He played a giant part in the success
of this field and the club.
If you are in or around the Greenville, Ohio area, the Darke County Aero Modelers invite you to visit. Landis Field is located just off
Chestnut Street. MA
—Dave Mathewson
members’ help is a “weekend project.” Saving just one incident
will more than offset the time spent on their construction.
You can find plans for Charlie’s bench on the MRCC Web site
at www.meroke.com. There you will also find a complete package
you can print out that includes the bench’s features and other
important, useful information.
If you’d prefer, you can contact me by E-mail or by US Mail at
7271 State Fair Blvd., Baldwinsville NY 13027. I would be happy
to send you a printed copy of the complete package.
Either way, consider building some of these benches for your
club. It’s a fun project that will most assuredly pay dividends. MA
Dave Mathewson
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/04
Page Numbers: 59,60,61
Darke County Aero Modelers members volunteered to build safety benches for use at the IAC. L-R: club Vice
President Mel Hocker, Jason Stump, Derek Corbly, Secretary Wayne Long, Field Marshall Kem Stewart,
Newsletter Editor Steve Blakeley, Keith Dawson, President David Poole, Club
Photographer Mike Dunevant.
A safety bench outfitted
with all the equipment it usually
takes to prepare a model for flight. Charlie Meyer photo.
THE AUGUST 2002 MA featured an article detailing a field safety
bench designed by Charlie Meyer: a member of the Meroke RC
Club (MRCC) on Long Island, New York. Charlie was the club’s
safety officer in 2001 when club secretary Joe Di Prima approached
him about designing and constructing a bench that could be used to
help restrain models during engine start-ups.
The Merokes had experienced a rash of incidents when members
were starting their engines, some of which resulted in serious injuries.
Joe was looking for a way to reduce the number of mishaps.
Charlie went to work, and it wasn’t long before he had his
concept on paper and had it approved by the club membership.
Since that time using the bench has resulted in a major reduction of
incidents at the MRRC field.
Today, as a result of that 2002 article, Charlie’s bench or a close
derivative thereof can be found at hundreds of AMA chartered club
fields throughout the United States. In addition he has received E-mail
messages from clubs in several other countries, including Canada,
Belgium, Australia, England, Panama, and South Africa, claiming that
they too had built and use the bench.
I was invited to speak at a meeting of the MRCC. While there
Charlie and I had a conversation about his bench and the value it
provides to clubs who use it. He suggested that it might be valuable to
have several benches for use at the International Aeromodeling Center
(IAC) in Muncie, Indiana.
As chairman of AMA’s Insurance Committee, it occurred to me
that not only would this bench be of value in Muncie, but it might be
Meroke RC Club (Long Island NY) member Bob Meyer fires up his trainer using proper
safety techniques. Meyer photo.
Building safety benches for your flying site can be a fun weekend project with the help of several club members.
time again to remind AMA members of this
popular design.
Although most insurance claims are
relatively small, it’s clear from reviewing the
data that the majority of claims AMA receives
each year results from a member being injured
when starting a model. And these claims aren’t
necessarily limited to airplanes powered by
internal-combustion engines.
More of a safety issue than an insurance
issue, the committee has always felt that the
best way to reduce claims is to have a proactive
loss-prevention program that lets our members
know where risks lie. A simple reminder every
once in awhile can go a long way in saving a
member the aggravation, inconvenience, and
even the pain of being stuck by a spinning
propeller.
The MRCC shares a facility with several other
AMA clubs on Long Island at Cedar Creek
Aerodrome, which is a Nassau County park in
Wantagh, New York. In 1999 Charlie and his
brother Bob Meyer decided to form the
volunteer group “Friends of Cedar Creek
Aerodrome” to make some improvements at the
field.
One of their major concerns was safety at
the field. It was through this group that Charlie
set out to build safety benches for use at the
flying facility.
Photography by the Darke County Aero Modelers Association unless otherwise noted
Charlie Meyer demonstrates the value of the safety bench, which
holds the model securely while he adjusts the needle valve. Meyer
photo.
Because there are multiple runways at the field, the Friends of
Cedar Creek Aerodrome felt that it would need at least 10-12
benches, costing roughly $40 each. Before the group went to the
various clubs that use the Aerodrome asking for donations, the
members decided to approach a local building-supply store to see if
they would be offered a discount on materials.
To Charlie’s surprise, they didn’t get a discount. All the materials
needed to build the benches were donated at no charge!
The moral here is that many times community businesses are
more than happy to make small donations to help local groups. In
some cases clubs return the favor by printing the company’s name
that donated materials on the side of the bench. The club wins by
getting a safety bench for nothing other than the cost of labor, and
the business wins by getting the advertising space.
This bench’s design promotes safety. Vertical wing restraints
keep a model from moving forward, even with the engine at full
throttle. Running full throttle without walking around to the side of
the bench and holding the airplane from one side is not
recommended.
The bench provides a place to put a transmitter, starter, and glowstarter
battery, keeping everything clear of a spinning propeller. It
also allows the pilot to stand behind the engine when making
adjustments to a running engine. A pilot does not have to lean over
the model to pick it up and carry it to the runway.
An unintended benefit of the bench is that it has made flying
much more enjoyable for some members who have trouble kneeling
down to start their models. In addition, the design allows the bench
to sit on uneven ground without rocking.
The benches are light enough for two men to carry easily if they
have to be moved. Since the benches at the IAC continually need to
be relocated for various events, we added wheels to ours for extra
convenience.
The “Standard Safety Bench” can hold a wide variety of RC
airplanes. They have been used for most airplanes in the .049-1.60
size range, and perhaps larger.
If you need a bench for some of the bigger aircraft, Charlie has
designed a larger variation called the “1/4 Scale Safety Bench.” Its
lower table height places the spinner at the right height for turning
over the engine. It also makes the wing restraints longer for the highwing
Cubs and biplanes. This larger bench can be used for all the
smaller airplanes as well.
Both versions of the bench use the same amount of materials and
the cost is the same. Models that are larger and heavier than 1/4 scale
are better handled from the ground.
Building these safety benches for your field with a few club
Local Club Builds Safety Benches for the IAC
When we were developing plans for this article, Charlie Meyer contacted clubs in the Muncie, Indiana, area asking if they would be
willing to volunteer time and labor to build several safety benches for the International Aeromodeling Center. He spoke with Dave Poole—
president of the Darke County Aero Modelers Association in Greenville, Ohio—who immediately stepped up and offered the club’s services.
The Darke County Aero Modelers was founded in 1968. Jack Lowder was elected to be the first president of the association. Finding a
permanent site was difficult as a new club. The group flew from land that is now a state highway, farmland that continued to produce crops,
and the present site in Greenville. The club has been home to many types of flying, supporting FF, CL, and RC. Members fly sport, 3-D, and
Giant Scale.
Today the club field is located on City Water Department property. Bob Ryan and Jim Doseck were instrumental in establishing this
location and renovating it for flying.
Initially little more than a swamp pit, the land was filled and the ground was mowed in hopes of somehow producing a flying field.
Eventually the city council granted permission for the club to establish a permanent flying site. Today field amenities include a shelter house
with a concession area, picnic tables, benches for spectators, a well-defined pit area, and a 150-yard runway.
The Darke County Aero Modelers holds an annual Learn-To-Fly Day at the field. The event is advertised, and the public, city officials,
and local businesses are invited to come out and try to fly an RC model. This has been a great success through the years and continues to be
one of the members’ favorite events. An annual swap meet held at the Youth Building at the fairgrounds, club picnics, and just getting
together on Sunday afternoons round out the club’s activities.
This site is now dedicated to the late Raymond Landis, who was one of the original club members. He played a giant part in the success
of this field and the club.
If you are in or around the Greenville, Ohio area, the Darke County Aero Modelers invite you to visit. Landis Field is located just off
Chestnut Street. MA
—Dave Mathewson
members’ help is a “weekend project.” Saving just one incident
will more than offset the time spent on their construction.
You can find plans for Charlie’s bench on the MRCC Web site
at www.meroke.com. There you will also find a complete package
you can print out that includes the bench’s features and other
important, useful information.
If you’d prefer, you can contact me by E-mail or by US Mail at
7271 State Fair Blvd., Baldwinsville NY 13027. I would be happy
to send you a printed copy of the complete package.
Either way, consider building some of these benches for your
club. It’s a fun project that will most assuredly pay dividends. MA
Dave Mathewson
[email protected]