Safety Comes First

John Preston LL 4025 Peppertree La Silver Spring MD 20906 column provided address items concern regarding safety aspects model aviation activities Content column however opinion author does necessarily represent official position Academy Model Aeronautics Pinched battery leads couple hot pockets Gentle Lady HOT POCKET Boise Area Radio Kontrol Society BARKS member Claude Tanner several regular contributors letters keep column alive Claudes recent letter described incident could have resulted very serious fatal injury fellow club member Claudes own words heres what happened Several weeks ago two BARKS members Rube Wilski Harley Forstner beaded club flying field way stopped local gun club sight-in Rubes new pistol Upon completion task proceeded flying site After usual chat members already flying field assembled models flight Rube fired up engine picked up model transmitter headed taxiway instant loud explosion Rube fired-up model hand transmitter other seen wildly jumping around same time trying set model radio ground now have probably guessed what happened few leftover rounds ammunition prior target shoot pocket As soon models engine started put glowdriver same pocket safety cap headlock headlock slid over casing rounds just seconds exploded rather cooked-off round first thought bullet penetrated thigh As turned out wound caused exploding casing bullet lay ground feet could have worse wound powder burns bad enough enclosed photo furnished Rube shows torn pants pocket powder burns exploded shell casing spent bullet have witnessed fliers getting hot pocket glowdriver headlock encountered keys incident first hope will serve warning guess moral story always replace protective cap headlock glowdriver after use Did hear say cant because lost Well forewarned Claudes account Rubes misfortune youre habit keeping glowdriver pocket could also short across something field box possibly cause fire fully charged Ni-Cd has lot energy can generate much heat shorted Supposedly F 4 L Q II% RUNNIN ENGINa IN THE ITSP. VOL4E LLACFY ALL OL& LOST WA NOUR FANTS ds have vents prevent exploding shorted wouldnt want test effectiveness feature safety barriers Claude Tanners letter also pointed out reason BARKS club installed six-foot-high chain link fence between its pits runway see discussion BARKS safety barriers April 1991 Safety Comes First column previous four-foot-high snow fence adequate stop quarter-scale biplane caused injury young person behind barrier supposed Claude said few models have tried penetrate chain link barrier success Pinched battery leads Cincinnati modeler Jack Whitaker admits being old-timer hobby following letter 17-year-old Aeromaster concerning loss signal directed new kids Its also another illustration heat can generated shorted Ni-Cd battery Due muddy winter runway HAWKS Hamilton Ohio field elected put away hot Pattern aircraft dust off 17-year-old Aeromaster can flown off wet grass Yesterday lost signal plane crashed luckily away spectators because leads 1200 mAh battery crushed between fuselage lower wing subsequent short circuit resulting minor internal fire could have disaster aircraft headed toward pits spectator area Careful attention protection battery pack wiring special concern because potential release fair amount heat energy could ignite both structure fuel Avoid frayed insulation kinks sharp bends installation could result wires becoming abraded crushed start engine clubs have rules prohibit taxiing model through pit area others also prohibit engine starting pit area Read recent issue Flighrline newsletter Wilson RC Modelers Association editor Dave Hockaday following say subject Safety Officer has talked about have printed before also example practicing what preach about starting engines pits couple weeks ago flight box set up Out front shelter fired up Continued page 14 July1991 13 SPORT/PATTERN FLYING FOR ENGINE OR MOTOR SIMPLE TO BUILD TO FLY DESIGNS Featuring extensive pre fabrication including pre cut f use lage sides tail feathers accurately die machine cut parts HAMMER 20 Pocket size pattern ship 20-30 engines 25 size electric motors Wing span 50s 400 sq area 3/2-4 lbs flying weight Symmet rical airfoil tapered wing generous side area superb pert mance Has unique simplicity design quick accurate con struction 4 28 KITS TO CHOOSE FROM IAVEY675 TOWER LANE m mYSTEMS WEST CHESTEI PA 19380 ORPORATION 215-430-8645 engine Hots just have scores times before engine disconnected glowdriver idling reached over pick up transmitter Just did thumb bumped throttle lever sent piped 45 screaming life plane lunged forward milling l-in-deep 4-in-wide slot through 1A-in thick plywood sheet metal starter module/power panel grabbed plane engine still running shut down found prop glass-filled nylon nicked What hit knee foot could just easily have missed power module gone shelter Im believer Starting engines pits unsafe practice should done Start engines barriers field Thanks cant add anything Daves advice other say agree him not-so Gentle Lady Kevin Green 13year-old Joelton Tennessee modeler Kevins recent letter following message am writing concerning getting hit model Glider fellow fliers out Friday afternoon flying Gliders about hour stupidly walked out onto runway As turned around hit Gentle Lady doing about 20 mph hit fell left bruise hurt feelings see people airfield walking onto runway time someone hit gas model could probably kill seriously injure So rememberSafe flying everyones business Yes Kevin safe flying indeed everyones business Fatalities have resulted being struck powered model airplane Crash title article spotted ago issue newsletter Chicagoland RC Modelers edited Lee Parlow article written Floyd Lawrence previously appeared another newsletter ARCS Flypaper Only two things cause crashesa mechanical structural failure airplane failure pilot judgment lack skill Take care of will crashbut neither easy Mechanical Inspection good time inspect mechanical condition airplane during wipe-down after flying session Youre going over airplane clean up youre doing check items 1 screws particularly engine muffler servo ensuring snug Locktite good idea engines mufflers Replace servo screws good solid 2 control surfaces see solid hinges arent loose control horns Kwik Links internal linkage loose 3 Fuel leakage inside fuselage particularly around battery pack receiver same time check clunk tank falling freely 4 plugs servos battery pack Tape should place should no signs wires chafing stressed wires things shifting inside fuselage 5 Any signs stress structural failure particularly have made hard landing 14 Model Aviation HAMMER 40 Big brother Hammer 20 attributes- plus larger size wing span 60 620 sq area 4-5 lbs flying weight 35-45 two-cycle 40-60 four-cycle engines 40 size motors Does pattern manuevers can still fly like docile trainer CESSNA 150 real pretty sport scale copy famous trainer 20-30 two cycle 30-40 four-cycle engines 25 size electric motors Wing span 50s 410 sq area 3/2-4 lbs flying weight semi-symmetrical airfoil optional flaps wide speed range realistic performance ivor IKON NWST Kit n world wide finest scale kits during flying session fact its wise check immediately after hard landing once wing fold after landing didnt look hard Pre-Flight Checklist defects corrected back Out field ready fly again day has spoiled forgotten transmitter antenna checklist reviewed before leave field can prevent disappointment Before leave home 1 Use checklist items will need 2 Perform range check radio driveway back yard sure operating properly servos respond normally 3 sure have done things said going following last wipe-down check field arrive flying field obtain frequency pin continue pre-flight checklist follows 1 Re-confirm range airplane assembled 2 Check wheels freely turn dirt oil can congeal cause ground loops 3 Open needle valve slightly ensure rich setting upon starting engine Lean just two-cycle full throttle confirm setting holding nose model vertical 4 Go idle least 20-30 seconds check control surface operation direction go full throttle again re-confirm full throttle control operation careful prop blast isnt directed others take no time really necessary avoid being noise nuisance Crash proof flying begins understanding flying airplanes dont crash can course flown ground As plane builds airspeed rudder becomes effective first elevator followed ailerons controls stall reverse order means can pull airplane air elevator flying wing airplane Unless airplane has flying speed cannot controlled Thats take-off dangerous maneuver landing next dangerous both cases airplane passes through stall Moral Dont lift off doubt about airspeed Instead cut throttle abort takeoff Once have lifted off climb out gently turning until have attained safe altitude Keep airspeed up landing approach until close enough ground flare stall safe touch-down Dont afraid use throttle doubt about landing approach go around try again Its much safer land little hot run off weeds stall six feet middle field Think throttle times get trouble air cut throttle first try figure out difficulty Cutting throttle may give time think will lessen impact else fails Think sky funnel field bottom further away fly higher should true both standpoint visibility control because possible engine failure Altitude will allow glide back field Getting trouble low altitude far field sure way court disaster Learn mistakes something about airplane surprises land try figure Out what happened key try identify what airplane trying tell flight Reading messages teaches what can ask airplane what cannot Use flight plan want improve flying need ask airplane questions well means creating learning situation flight planning what going during flight before take off Without flight plan will progress quickly because will either make same mistakes fail try new things example uncomfortable about something say right-hand traffic pattern approach practice safe altitude doesnt matter much sky have above model comes recovering difficult situation its amount sky beneath model counts Floyd started article stating two things cause crashes mechanical/structural problems pilot error Maybe includes radio problems mechanical category us vulnerable outside interference can minimized using narrow-band equipment knowing what sources possible interference vicinity flying field Remember RC Deer Decoys last safety column Hope dont experience hot pockets Till next month have safe July1991 15 WACO UPF7 115 SCALE 72 STINSON SR-S 1/5 SCALE 100 WACO TAPER WING 1/5 SCALE 72 MONOCOUPE 90A 1/4 SCALE 96