Dear MA went flying today sort like other time Ive gone flying 20-year RC career day started eye opening experience bears retelling possibly prevent others having same experience fly Whittier Narrows Park South El Monte California local RC club San Gabriel Valley R/C Flyers oversees operation public field think excellent job Over years have tried improve frequency control situation erecting various types impound areas pit arrangements facilitate general public type mix flies latest version professional somewhat self-explana tory dont care read pro cedures clearly posted area see Im tell some discipline common cour tesy well-intended facilities will work First let tell what happened arrived set up pit area saw frequency pin channel active position board fre quency impound area placed radio pin clearly marked required frequency flags etc directly under pin board shelf designed transmitter impound continued assemble aircraft fueled preflighted flier channel still hadnt come back pits So wandered down line look some airplanes plenty struck up conversation some other fliers observing activity waiting went nearly 25 minutes still hadnt seen flier channel return pits asked gents talking knew frequency didnt know got up walked across field flightline survey frequen-cies Only radio four five frequency flag nobody flying channel Now started wonder anybody else really channel Comments made double-check back pit area walked back far end started asking various groups about frequency got everything dumb looks vigorous head-shaking Once other end went back down line again asking case someone didnt hear misunderstood Still no response given pin still board returned bench gents sat another five eight minutes time beginning feel sure someone left pin board left day Total time point about 40 minutes Finally stood up told fellows going see really channel waited until aircraft visible reasonably high flipped transmitter antenna fully extended Nothing fell went wildly out control gentlemen bench nodded agreement appeared nobody affected radio transmission returned airplane after having re moved pin board tried range check radio Another flier starting taxi out nearby appeared radio swamping extended antenna stop jitter airplane heard loud thump What happened. across field burning realization shot someone down stung Almost fast fliers wife leaped up off bench yelling husband An observer quickly pointed out culprit hiss disapproval heard immediate crowd disbelieving pilot stunned such thing would occur myself stunned because sure nobody field frequency quickly offered pay damages profusely offered apologies gratefully accepted no animosities growing out situation perhaps new friendship After exchanging phone numbers finally got fly As did reviewed what happened am quite sure pilot shot down set himself up disaster arrived field frequency himself put up pin went flying turn began teach ing beginner fly own aircraft somewhere point arrived Evidently sat chatted involved training beginner went field inquire about frequencies either walking back pit area asked others asked airplane channel didnt clue instructors frequency indeed listening case instructor finished flying lesson returned skies own aircraft channel managed miss extensive search owner frequency pin shot him down destroyed airplane So whats cause problem Three things 1 courtesy 2 doubt 3 discipline basic thing would have pre vented accident would have shot-down flier remove pin board wasnt flying would have negated need go wild goose chase determine frequency 25 airplanes field time basic courtesy wasnt addressed innocent situation led doubt part entire rest group present just worked way through various levels doubt doing what logical situation eliminate doubt end gambled felt minimized risk So some discipline involved flying aircraft big small Procedures weren t followed outlined flying field rules courtesies extended lack frequency flags removing frequency pin apathetic attitudes doubt created lost Im paying freight new airplane soothe ruffled feathers shot-down pilot two lost time labor went construction airplane Everyone field three situations tend aggravate sensibilities hard-core group pilots dominate flying fields Im sure will known pulled boner shot down another good ol boy hope pilot lost aircraft understands innocence actions doesnt hold forever low esteem result actions Clint Brooks Long Beach California August1992 11 Safety Comes First column provided address items concern regarding safety aspects model aviation activities Content column however opinion author does necessarily represent official position Academy Model Aeronautics So whats cause problem Three things 1 courtesy 2 doubt 3 discipline