134 MODEL AVIATION
AS WE ENTER the 2004 RC Combat
season, it is a good time to step back and
reflect on the 2003 season, what we want to do
differently, and what goals we should set for
improvement.
The 2003 season was a banner year. We
flew more events, more fliers joined in the fun,
and ideas evolved for new classes that have
broadened the appeal of RC Combat to more
modelers. In retrospect, it was a great season
and I can’t believe we could have had any
more fun, but we can improve on last year by
making 2004 the safest year in RC Combat.
Last year did not have a poor safety record,
but there were a few incidents and close calls
that serve as a reminder that we have room for
improvement. We did well with our safety
record considering the quantity of events, the
number of fliers, and all of the “Combat
sorties” flown last year, but we can do better.
I like to think of RC Combat fliers as
having three “nets,” or three levels of safety
rules that help us maintain safety during
events. The first level is the AMA Safety Code
which needs to be followed by all RC fliers.
The second level is the safety guidelines
written right into the event rules. The third and
most important level is the simple common
sense that the Combat fliers should use while
flying.
Perhaps the most important rule in the
AMA Safety Code is the first one. Listed
under General rules, it states, “I will not fly my
model in sanctioned events, air shows, or
model-flying demonstrations until it has
proven to be airworthy by having been
previously, successfully flight tested.”
This is the first rule in the AMA Safety
Code for a good reason. A flightline full of
Combat fliers is no place to test-launch a new
Greg Rose, 1312 NW 196th St., Edmond OK 73003
RADIO CONTROL COMBAT
As I reported in the May column, the new LanierRC Slasher and Ripper RC Combat kits
are popular and are expected to be seen doing battle this year.
Open B Combat competition at the Ponca City, Oklahoma, meet was great fun! Don
“Ten-Man” Howard flew his Scale Fulmars in Open Class in the event.
Don Howard was tough to beat last year
with his Fulmars, and his Douglas TBD
Devastator flies even better!
07sig5.QXD 4/23/04 10:04 am Page 134
or rebuilt model to see if it flies. If you
haven’t flown it first, don’t even think about
using it in a contest. If you didn’t take the
time to test-fly your model it can be
frustrating, but a flier should not consider
breaking or even bending this cardinal AMA
safety rule.
Another important rule—specific to RC
Combat—in the AMA Safety Code is Radio
Control rule 6. This rule states, “For Combat,
distance between combat engagement line and
spectator line will be 500 feet per cubic inch
of engine displacement. (Example: .40 engine
= 200 feet.); electric motors will be based on
equivalent combustion engine size. Additional
safety requirements will be per the RC
Combat section of the current Competition
Regulations.”
(The rules I’ve skipped are important, but
they are outside of the area I’m covering. You
still have to perform range checks and follow
all of the other safety rules whether you are
flying Combat or flying for sport.)
I wanted to include this rule because it
specifically refers to RC Combat and it is the
only rule in the AMA Safety Code that does
so. As far as I have seen, this rule has been
closely followed at AMA events so we need
to keep up the good work. As a reminder to all
Combat fliers, the CD may choose to increase
the distance between spectators and the
combat-engagement area if prevailing
conditions such as a stiff wind blowing
toward the spectators merit doing so.
The next safety net for Combat are the
event rules established by the Radio Control
Combat Association (RCCA). These may
have the highest percentage of safety
regulations written into the rules compared to
any other sanctioned event. (Of slightly more
than 4,400 words in the RC Scale Combat
rules, roughly 46% address some aspect of
safety.)
It’s a good idea to read the rules on a
regular basis to refresh your memory. If you
don’t have them readily available, you can
download a copy at www.rccombat.com, the
Web site for the RCCA.
Reading and understanding the safety
rules can help make events safer. Because of
some experiences we had in 2003, it is a good
idea to brush up on section 4.6 dealing with
Interround Safety Inspections and section 6.2
which covers the procedures followed after a
model is involved in a midair collision.
Unlike the “preplanned” safety issues such as
safety line placements, both of these sections
require the CD’s judgment.
While we are on the subject of the CD, an
important line in the AMA Combat rules
states, “The judgment of the CD on safety
matters shall not be protested.”
The most important aspect of safety, not
only in RC Combat but for all of
aeromodeling, is the common sense that a
flier has to use to ensure safe operation of the
model. Did you check your aircraft after that
last midair collision? Was there any damage
from that most recent hard landing?
Did you check all of the controls before
each flight? Not every belly landing is as
smooth as silk; servos and linkages have been
known to break loose. Are the wing and
fuselage tethered in case of a midair collision?
Did you “wag that tail” before the model left
your hands to ensure that the radio was on?
Most important, are you confident that you
will have positive control of the model as
soon as it leaves your or your launcher’s
hands? The worst incident that I witnessed in
2003 involved someone launching under
windy conditions which caused a rapid loss of
control.
The rules are there to minimize our
chances of injury, but common sense is still
required if we are going to have an injury-free
season. Don’t launch into a wind you can’t
handle; adjust the trim slightly down on any
hand-launched model to avoid a free-flight
runaway. Wag that tail to ensure that the radio
is on before you launch, and position the
receiver switch where you can’t accidentally
shut it off during the launch.
Think safety first, Combat second, and
remember my credo: nobody has fun if
anybody gets hurt. (My wife reminded me
that I should include some sage advice about
keeping your fingers out of the running
propeller, apparently based on her belief that
those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.)
Without a doubt, 2004 is going to be the
best, the biggest, and the most enjoyable year
in RC Combat ever. Let’s all work to make it
the safest year too.
That’s all for this issue. Until next time, fly
safely, fly Combat, and be sure to check your
six! MA
July 2004 135
Do you fly Profile or FunFly 3D planes?
Do you want to compete at the 2004 AMA NATS?
2004 FUN FLY NATIONALS
July 11-13 in Muncie, IN
www.ncffafunfly.org
Sportsman and Masters Classes
FunFly & Unlimited Events
Special Modeltech Magic Event on 7/12
NCFFA is an AMA Special Interest Group promoting Fun Fly Competition.
NCFFA membership is not required to enter this event. AMA membership is required.
For contest events and rules visit our website.
Obtain NATS entry forms from AMA headquarters.
Did You Know …
That any donation you make
to AMA is tax-deductible?
AMA is a 501(c)(3), not-forprofit
association. This
means that any funds you
donate beyond your regular
membership dues can be
deducted from your taxes.
Please consider donating to
AMA. Your gift will help us
continue our efforts to
improve your organization.
07sig5.QXD 4/23/04 10:04 am Page 135
Edition: Model Aviation - 2004/07
Page Numbers: 134,135
Edition: Model Aviation - 2004/07
Page Numbers: 134,135
134 MODEL AVIATION
AS WE ENTER the 2004 RC Combat
season, it is a good time to step back and
reflect on the 2003 season, what we want to do
differently, and what goals we should set for
improvement.
The 2003 season was a banner year. We
flew more events, more fliers joined in the fun,
and ideas evolved for new classes that have
broadened the appeal of RC Combat to more
modelers. In retrospect, it was a great season
and I can’t believe we could have had any
more fun, but we can improve on last year by
making 2004 the safest year in RC Combat.
Last year did not have a poor safety record,
but there were a few incidents and close calls
that serve as a reminder that we have room for
improvement. We did well with our safety
record considering the quantity of events, the
number of fliers, and all of the “Combat
sorties” flown last year, but we can do better.
I like to think of RC Combat fliers as
having three “nets,” or three levels of safety
rules that help us maintain safety during
events. The first level is the AMA Safety Code
which needs to be followed by all RC fliers.
The second level is the safety guidelines
written right into the event rules. The third and
most important level is the simple common
sense that the Combat fliers should use while
flying.
Perhaps the most important rule in the
AMA Safety Code is the first one. Listed
under General rules, it states, “I will not fly my
model in sanctioned events, air shows, or
model-flying demonstrations until it has
proven to be airworthy by having been
previously, successfully flight tested.”
This is the first rule in the AMA Safety
Code for a good reason. A flightline full of
Combat fliers is no place to test-launch a new
Greg Rose, 1312 NW 196th St., Edmond OK 73003
RADIO CONTROL COMBAT
As I reported in the May column, the new LanierRC Slasher and Ripper RC Combat kits
are popular and are expected to be seen doing battle this year.
Open B Combat competition at the Ponca City, Oklahoma, meet was great fun! Don
“Ten-Man” Howard flew his Scale Fulmars in Open Class in the event.
Don Howard was tough to beat last year
with his Fulmars, and his Douglas TBD
Devastator flies even better!
07sig5.QXD 4/23/04 10:04 am Page 134
or rebuilt model to see if it flies. If you
haven’t flown it first, don’t even think about
using it in a contest. If you didn’t take the
time to test-fly your model it can be
frustrating, but a flier should not consider
breaking or even bending this cardinal AMA
safety rule.
Another important rule—specific to RC
Combat—in the AMA Safety Code is Radio
Control rule 6. This rule states, “For Combat,
distance between combat engagement line and
spectator line will be 500 feet per cubic inch
of engine displacement. (Example: .40 engine
= 200 feet.); electric motors will be based on
equivalent combustion engine size. Additional
safety requirements will be per the RC
Combat section of the current Competition
Regulations.”
(The rules I’ve skipped are important, but
they are outside of the area I’m covering. You
still have to perform range checks and follow
all of the other safety rules whether you are
flying Combat or flying for sport.)
I wanted to include this rule because it
specifically refers to RC Combat and it is the
only rule in the AMA Safety Code that does
so. As far as I have seen, this rule has been
closely followed at AMA events so we need
to keep up the good work. As a reminder to all
Combat fliers, the CD may choose to increase
the distance between spectators and the
combat-engagement area if prevailing
conditions such as a stiff wind blowing
toward the spectators merit doing so.
The next safety net for Combat are the
event rules established by the Radio Control
Combat Association (RCCA). These may
have the highest percentage of safety
regulations written into the rules compared to
any other sanctioned event. (Of slightly more
than 4,400 words in the RC Scale Combat
rules, roughly 46% address some aspect of
safety.)
It’s a good idea to read the rules on a
regular basis to refresh your memory. If you
don’t have them readily available, you can
download a copy at www.rccombat.com, the
Web site for the RCCA.
Reading and understanding the safety
rules can help make events safer. Because of
some experiences we had in 2003, it is a good
idea to brush up on section 4.6 dealing with
Interround Safety Inspections and section 6.2
which covers the procedures followed after a
model is involved in a midair collision.
Unlike the “preplanned” safety issues such as
safety line placements, both of these sections
require the CD’s judgment.
While we are on the subject of the CD, an
important line in the AMA Combat rules
states, “The judgment of the CD on safety
matters shall not be protested.”
The most important aspect of safety, not
only in RC Combat but for all of
aeromodeling, is the common sense that a
flier has to use to ensure safe operation of the
model. Did you check your aircraft after that
last midair collision? Was there any damage
from that most recent hard landing?
Did you check all of the controls before
each flight? Not every belly landing is as
smooth as silk; servos and linkages have been
known to break loose. Are the wing and
fuselage tethered in case of a midair collision?
Did you “wag that tail” before the model left
your hands to ensure that the radio was on?
Most important, are you confident that you
will have positive control of the model as
soon as it leaves your or your launcher’s
hands? The worst incident that I witnessed in
2003 involved someone launching under
windy conditions which caused a rapid loss of
control.
The rules are there to minimize our
chances of injury, but common sense is still
required if we are going to have an injury-free
season. Don’t launch into a wind you can’t
handle; adjust the trim slightly down on any
hand-launched model to avoid a free-flight
runaway. Wag that tail to ensure that the radio
is on before you launch, and position the
receiver switch where you can’t accidentally
shut it off during the launch.
Think safety first, Combat second, and
remember my credo: nobody has fun if
anybody gets hurt. (My wife reminded me
that I should include some sage advice about
keeping your fingers out of the running
propeller, apparently based on her belief that
those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.)
Without a doubt, 2004 is going to be the
best, the biggest, and the most enjoyable year
in RC Combat ever. Let’s all work to make it
the safest year too.
That’s all for this issue. Until next time, fly
safely, fly Combat, and be sure to check your
six! MA
July 2004 135
Do you fly Profile or FunFly 3D planes?
Do you want to compete at the 2004 AMA NATS?
2004 FUN FLY NATIONALS
July 11-13 in Muncie, IN
www.ncffafunfly.org
Sportsman and Masters Classes
FunFly & Unlimited Events
Special Modeltech Magic Event on 7/12
NCFFA is an AMA Special Interest Group promoting Fun Fly Competition.
NCFFA membership is not required to enter this event. AMA membership is required.
For contest events and rules visit our website.
Obtain NATS entry forms from AMA headquarters.
Did You Know …
That any donation you make
to AMA is tax-deductible?
AMA is a 501(c)(3), not-forprofit
association. This
means that any funds you
donate beyond your regular
membership dues can be
deducted from your taxes.
Please consider donating to
AMA. Your gift will help us
continue our efforts to
improve your organization.
07sig5.QXD 4/23/04 10:04 am Page 135