Flying Site Assistance - 2009/10
Guidelines for a good spotter — communication and teamwork are the key factors.
Joe Beshar | [email protected]
For the purpose of safe flying, spotters are often required by club rules when flying. The purpose of a spotter is to increase the safety of fellow members and spectators. A spotter does not have to be a good flier; however, the spotter should have some knowledge of model aviation and sufficient training that goes along with the responsibility. Communication and teamwork are the key factors.
I trust you will find the following spotter's guidelines helpful.
- Observe the airplane. Is it in good condition? Are there backed-out screws, loose hatches, etc.? When getting ready for the first flight, assist the pilot with a range check and test the proper response of all control surfaces.
- The pilot should inform the spotter about his or her intentions for the flight, such as practicing certain maneuvers and the expected duration of the flight.
- Does the pilot have the proper frequency pin? Alert the pilot to anything out of the ordinary. Observe the type and number of aircraft flying in the pattern.
- If possible, assist the pilot with starting the engine. Proper hearing protection might be needed. Ensure that downwind of the propeller (the prop wash) is clear, and warn any people standing in the propeller arc to stand back. Observe the position of the throttle stick on the transmitter, always keeping your eyes on the pilot when handling the transmitter. Be prepared for a fast full throttle.
- After the aircraft is started, observe the final functional check on the surfaces for proper deflections. Is the antenna extended?
- Check the runway departure end, crosswind, downwind, and base legs for traffic before calling taxi out and before taking off.
- After takeoff, the pilot will feed the spotter information concerning his intentions and planned moves. The spotter will inform the pilot of all activity that is out of the pilot's line of sight.
- After the pilot clearly indicates his intention to land, the spotter will call out loudly, "Landing" or "Coming in." Make sure the runway is clear. After landing, check the final leg as the pilot taxis off or as the airplane is being recovered on the field, alerting pilots of other aircraft who are landing or taxiing out.
- From the time the spotter is on the flight line until the engine is shut down and the aircraft is removed from the flight line, he or she must maintain situational awareness of the surroundings.
What can a hobby shop do for hobby-shop promotion, AMA membership, and flying sites?
Clarence Ragland, hobby shop owner in Lockport, New York, outlines his success:
"Due to my promotion program, there will be several new flying sites created in our area this year. We moved our hobby shop August 1 of last year to our new address.
"You see, I ask literally every customer who steps into my hobby shop if they would like to fly RC aircraft. Many say they aren't interested, but once I persuade them to take the sticks for a few minutes, suddenly they become very interested.
"I don't take 'no' for an answer and insist that they at least take a few minutes on the sticks; it doesn't matter if they say they aren't interested or cannot afford it, or whatever reason they come up with.
"As a result, at least four of those I talked to this year are indeed interested and plan on acquiring or already have airplanes, own a large amount of property, or are good friends with someone who does. One customer says he is good friends with someone who owns a small, abandoned airport.
"I am on call to give them flight instruction and they plan on possibly creating flying clubs in their areas. All proposed flying sites are enough miles apart for safety. Maybe they will create a private club, as there might be some who don't want a lot of strangers using their field. It's up to the owner of the field who they let in.
"Possibly what club instructors can do is focus on attracting and providing specific flight instruction to people who might own large tracts of land. It will be well worth the effort if a new flying site is created this way.
"Also, try to get school teachers into the hobby and club. Teachers are in contact with their students, parents, and other teachers, and many others on a sometimes-daily basis. Who knows who might own a large amount of unused property? Imagine if the now teacher-turned aeromodeler desperately wants to create aeromodeling classes in his school.
"If anyone wants to know more about how my plan works, please e-mail me at [email protected] and/or check out my Web site: www.abchobbyshop.com.
"If anyone wants to at least witness how my unique teaching method works, it would be well worth the time, money, and effort to come to my area for a demonstration. I am ready, willing, and even eager to teach anyone to use this very efficient promotion/teaching technique. The quicker someone learns, the quicker he or she will become an instructor."
I invite other hobby shop owners to write to me about their experiences in support of flying sites.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
