The greatest threat to losing existing flying fields in the past 20 years is, of course, the noise or volume that we generate when flying our model aircraft. The second greatest threat is the proliferation of soccer, but we’ll deal with that later.
Dealing with clubs’ sound problems is roughly 25% of my job. This includes talking with club officers or their neighbors about ways to control, eliminate, or soften the impact of the noise.
I’m often chastised for not having an absolute set of rules or regulations pertaining to sound, and so has the AMA. Sound is regulated throughout the US by the zoning ordinances of municipalities, cities, and towns. Each of the towns or cities is able to set its own sound limits, leading to inconsistencies in limit numbers and how those limits are enforced.
If the AMA was to put a number out there as a guideline or rule, you can imagine the problems that would arise. The clubs would think that our guideline was the legal limit and act accordingly, only to find that the local limit is different, etc.
The other problem with setting guidelines is the impossible task of putting a number on perception. How a model sounds in the air is completely different than how it sounds on the ground. There are also so many factors that work together to create the sound you hear in a model such as the propeller, the engine, the engine carburetor, the muffler, the airframe, and I can go on and on.
AMA has a document of several pages that is helpful in understanding the issues and how to cope with them and the authorities. That document can be found at http://www.modelaircraft.org/files/927.pdf.
To be as helpful as possible, I always steer the clubs to their local authorities to determine the decibel level that is allowed to cross the organization’s property line. That level can be found in local zoning ordinances. Clubs should locate the boundaries of their flying sites and, as a reference, set up a simple Radio Shack decibel meter at the property line and take some readings.
This should be done several times, with several models, and with different atmospheres. Sound can change depending on humidity, clouds, sun, etc.
Knowing whether or not a club is operating within the noise limits can give it a leg up in a dispute. But, when it comes to politics, residents will most always win out over modelers, so schmoozing can come in handy when the going gets tough.
If your club does the testing and finds out it has a problem, don’t wait until the authorities contact you or your club. Address the issues and get it under control now. Often, by the time law enforcement shows up, it’s too late. It’s always best to be proactive rather than reactive.[
Edition: Model Aviation - 2013/04
Page Numbers: 153
