Dave Gee | Safety Comes First [email protected]
Propeller injuries top the hit parade
Also included in this column:
• Club training makes contact
• Does your transmitter have
a throttle lock?
• To repeat: fingers in
propellers equals bad
Rapier rocket power is fun. Rob Cobb says that these motors are easier and more reliable
than the old Jetex types, and you can’t cut your hand on one.
Navy Captain Tom Huff spoke at the AMA Expo and then relaxed
with a Delta Dart. He knows to avoid a spinning propeller, so no
injuries occurred.
Catapult Gliders have no propellers, so Will Woods doesn’t worry
about the arc when launching his Indoor aircraft.
WHAT IS SO appealing about propeller
strikes? Sticking a hand into a spinning
propeller is very popular, but I don’t
understand why. Is it the pain? The
embarrassment? The blood-soaked
bandages?
Propeller accidents are the most common
cause of injury in our hobby, despite the fact
that we all know about the danger. I’ve
gotten a lot of e-mail messages lately with
information and advice about propeller
safety. Too many pilots have had bad
experiences and want to avoid any future
ones.
Other countries take this “pro-strike”
situation more seriously than we do. Great
Britain simply did away with propellers
many years ago and has equipped its flying
machines with airscrews instead. Now that’s
a commitment to safety!
Jerry Hahnfeld, who lives in the US
where we still use propellers, wrote about
the steps his local club has taken.
“The Midland R/C Modelers Club has
significantly reduced the number of
propeller injuries at the field by emphasizing
that the only safe area is behind the
propeller. We emphasize that the pilot
should spend as little time as possible in
front of the plane.
“After a gas or glow engine is started,
the pilot should move behind the plane
before tuning the engine. With an electric
June 2010 95
06sig3.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 4/23/10 9:31 AM Page 95
plane, it is important to always work from
behind the propeller.
“There are three reasons that this
emphasis has significantly reduced injuries
in our club:
“1) The pilot has no reason to reach
through the propeller to tune the engine or
adjust the aircraft. All controls are on the
same side of the propeller as the pilot.
“2) Most prop hazards occur at or in
front of the arc of the prop. Broken parts can
eject in the arc of the propeller or to the
front of the propeller. Perhaps more
importantly, the pilot is not in danger of
injury from a plane that lurches forward due
to inadequate tethering. Working behind the
prop protects the pilot from the spinning
propeller, broken propeller parts, and an
unrestrained plane.
“3) If the pilot’s hand comes in contact
with the prop from behind the prop, the hand
will first contact the trailing edge of the prop.
This often will act as a warning and result in
little or no injury. Contact with the leading
edge of the prop almost always results in
injury—often serious. A pilot is much less
likely to be injured from the trailing edge than
the leading edge of the prop.
“Since we have started this emphasis, the
number of hand injuries has decreased
significantly.”
Jerry’s club is on the ball with its
prevention program. Who knows how many
injuries will be avoided because of this
carefully thought-out education effort?
Saving your friends from getting hurt is
heroic, even if you do it by giving a talk at
your club meeting.
If your club has a successful safety
program or maybe an unsuccessful one, a
close-call story, or if you think I’m all
wet about something, please let me know.
E-mail or paper letters work fine. I offer
anonymity or fame, whichever you
prefer.
I receive reminders from readers relating
that how we hold a model has much to do
with the risk of propeller hits. A “hot,”
ready-to-fly electric aircraft should be held
from the rear whenever possible. Reaching
over the propeller to pick up the model is a
bad idea, whether it is a gas-powered
airplane that is idling or an electric aircraft
that is motionless but “armed.”
There are two common situations that I
hear about far too often. Some gas-power
fliers like to reach through the propeller disc
to tune the throttle, and some electric pilots
have the motor unexpectedly spring to life
when a body part is inconveniently located.
Again, it isn’t as though we don’t all know
how bad it is to touch a moving propeller.
Glider pilots are yawning now, but more
of them are using electric power to get their
airplanes into the air. If you’re not used to
having a propeller on the nose of your
model, you’re much more aware of the
hazard.
The motors I’ve seen on those
“powered” gliders are extremely strong. The
pilots don’t want to wait around for their
airplanes to get to altitude. That is all the
more reason to treat those blades with care.
Alan Buckner wrote in about an
unpleasant incident he had, and the clever
solution he uses now.
“I was working on an electric plane and
managed to reverse the throttle while the
motor was hot. I stopped it from hitting me
with my left hand, causing some extensive
nerve and tendon damage in the process, but
it could have been a lot worse.
“Since then, I’ve been urging people
getting into electrics to use a throttle-lock
function whenever possible. There are a
couple of ways to do this with many of the
computerized systems in use now.
“The easiest method is to use the heli
program instead of the airplane one, if the
transmitter offers it and the airplane itself is
fairly simple. You then configure the
Throttle Hold function so that it shuts off the
motor when engaged and disable the other
heli-related functions.
“Sometimes you can achieve the same
thing in airplane mode using a switchactivated
throttle-to-throttle mix. Red
Scholefield talked about this idea in his
MA column and included the
programming that I sent him.”
Alan has the right idea. I like
mechanical or electronic solutions that
reduce the chance for trouble to occur.
Sometimes I do dumb, inattentive things
and it would be nice to have my equipment
set up to anticipate my foolishness.
Check out Red’s columns for
information or e-mail him and ask for the
throttle-lock attachment.
Do you want some real avoidance? Try
sailplanes and ducted fans. This month’s
photos have a common thread, showing
facets of our hobby that have little danger
of propeller injuries.
The man shown launching a Rapierpowered
FF model is Rob Cobb. Did you
ever meet a real sparkplug-type person?
That’s Rob.
His enthusiasm is sky-high, and he has
a great time whether his airplane flies well
or not. That little rocket flew too well for
the field and he had to fetch it out of a
tree. You should have seen the grin on his
face!
Rapier motors are the modern
equivalent of Jetex, but they are lighter,
simpler, and more reliable. They won’t
slice your finger as a propeller will, but I
have explored the possibilities of mishaps.
They include minor burns from the hot
motor casing, the hot exhaust plume, and
the electronic cautery element used for
ignition.
I’ve learned not to touch any of those
things, because if I do get burned and let out
a yelp, Rob comes over and giggles at me.
Sending fire skyward on an
uncontrolled aircraft requires care and
good judgment. Here in brushfire-prone
California, the fliers know that there are
seasons and locations where these motors
are not okay.
Another approach to propeller-strike
prevention is illustrated by Will Woods,
wearing dapper shorts, sending an Indoor
Catapult Glider zooming toward the
ceiling. Hand-Launched Gliders (HLGs)
are great fun but are surprisingly hard on
the joints of us older people.
Our bodies weren’t designed to make
vertical throws, and shoulder injuries are
too common among serious HLG pilots.
Indoor and Outdoor Catapult launch has
exploded in popularity, because it offers
the excitement of Glider flying without the
need for physical therapy afterward.
When he is not showing his skill with
small, unpowered aerial vehicles, Will
publishes the Black Sheep Squadron’s club
newsletter—one of the world’s finest. He
wouldn’t want to risk his two typing
fingers with a dangerous spinning
propeller, so Indoor Catapult Glider is
what he flies.
The man launching a rubber-powered
Delta Dart is Captain Tom Huff, a
distinguished guest speaker at the 2010
AMA Expo and commander of the Naval
Test Wing Atlantic. He is also a modeler
who got a kick out of flying a classic
Indoor Rubber model with a propeller that
is anything but hazardous.
Tom is a great person and I was
delighted to get to meet him. I printed the
Dart covering with his picture on it. After
he flew and signed the model, we gave it to
the winner of a mass-launch contest in the
kids’ make-and-take area.
Tom also tried his hand at indoor RC,
demonstrating considerable skill with a 3-D
electric model. I happened to be standing
next to another distinguished man: former
astronaut Robert “Hoot” Gibson (space
shuttle commander, pilot, Top Gun
graduate, etc.). Hoot pointed to Tom’s
impromptu display of indoor aerobatics and
said “Now that’s something I can’t do.”
Later I let Hoot fly an Old-Timer-style
RTF, although he had never flown indoor
RC. After half a lap he did better with the
little foamie than I ever will. It’s humbling
to hang out with guys such as those.
Brace yourself for a shameless plug, not
directly related to safety. That great little
RTF I mentioned is a Flyzone Playmate,
and I have had tremendous fun with mine
indoors and out. It is an excellent trainer
that can also do mild aerobatics.
The classic 1930s styling with modern
radio equipment inside makes for an
appealing airplane, and I highly
recommend it. MA
Sources:
Dave Gee
Box 7081
Van Nuys CA 91409
Red Scholefield
[email protected]
Black Sheep Squadron newsletter:
[email protected]
Flyzone
(800) 637-7660
www.flyzoneplanes.com
Rapier motors:
Shorty’s Basement
(740) 225-8671
www.shortysbasement.com
Edition: Model Aviation - 2010/06
Page Numbers: 95,96,97
Edition: Model Aviation - 2010/06
Page Numbers: 95,96,97
Dave Gee | Safety Comes First [email protected]
Propeller injuries top the hit parade
Also included in this column:
• Club training makes contact
• Does your transmitter have
a throttle lock?
• To repeat: fingers in
propellers equals bad
Rapier rocket power is fun. Rob Cobb says that these motors are easier and more reliable
than the old Jetex types, and you can’t cut your hand on one.
Navy Captain Tom Huff spoke at the AMA Expo and then relaxed
with a Delta Dart. He knows to avoid a spinning propeller, so no
injuries occurred.
Catapult Gliders have no propellers, so Will Woods doesn’t worry
about the arc when launching his Indoor aircraft.
WHAT IS SO appealing about propeller
strikes? Sticking a hand into a spinning
propeller is very popular, but I don’t
understand why. Is it the pain? The
embarrassment? The blood-soaked
bandages?
Propeller accidents are the most common
cause of injury in our hobby, despite the fact
that we all know about the danger. I’ve
gotten a lot of e-mail messages lately with
information and advice about propeller
safety. Too many pilots have had bad
experiences and want to avoid any future
ones.
Other countries take this “pro-strike”
situation more seriously than we do. Great
Britain simply did away with propellers
many years ago and has equipped its flying
machines with airscrews instead. Now that’s
a commitment to safety!
Jerry Hahnfeld, who lives in the US
where we still use propellers, wrote about
the steps his local club has taken.
“The Midland R/C Modelers Club has
significantly reduced the number of
propeller injuries at the field by emphasizing
that the only safe area is behind the
propeller. We emphasize that the pilot
should spend as little time as possible in
front of the plane.
“After a gas or glow engine is started,
the pilot should move behind the plane
before tuning the engine. With an electric
June 2010 95
06sig3.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 4/23/10 9:31 AM Page 95
plane, it is important to always work from
behind the propeller.
“There are three reasons that this
emphasis has significantly reduced injuries
in our club:
“1) The pilot has no reason to reach
through the propeller to tune the engine or
adjust the aircraft. All controls are on the
same side of the propeller as the pilot.
“2) Most prop hazards occur at or in
front of the arc of the prop. Broken parts can
eject in the arc of the propeller or to the
front of the propeller. Perhaps more
importantly, the pilot is not in danger of
injury from a plane that lurches forward due
to inadequate tethering. Working behind the
prop protects the pilot from the spinning
propeller, broken propeller parts, and an
unrestrained plane.
“3) If the pilot’s hand comes in contact
with the prop from behind the prop, the hand
will first contact the trailing edge of the prop.
This often will act as a warning and result in
little or no injury. Contact with the leading
edge of the prop almost always results in
injury—often serious. A pilot is much less
likely to be injured from the trailing edge than
the leading edge of the prop.
“Since we have started this emphasis, the
number of hand injuries has decreased
significantly.”
Jerry’s club is on the ball with its
prevention program. Who knows how many
injuries will be avoided because of this
carefully thought-out education effort?
Saving your friends from getting hurt is
heroic, even if you do it by giving a talk at
your club meeting.
If your club has a successful safety
program or maybe an unsuccessful one, a
close-call story, or if you think I’m all
wet about something, please let me know.
E-mail or paper letters work fine. I offer
anonymity or fame, whichever you
prefer.
I receive reminders from readers relating
that how we hold a model has much to do
with the risk of propeller hits. A “hot,”
ready-to-fly electric aircraft should be held
from the rear whenever possible. Reaching
over the propeller to pick up the model is a
bad idea, whether it is a gas-powered
airplane that is idling or an electric aircraft
that is motionless but “armed.”
There are two common situations that I
hear about far too often. Some gas-power
fliers like to reach through the propeller disc
to tune the throttle, and some electric pilots
have the motor unexpectedly spring to life
when a body part is inconveniently located.
Again, it isn’t as though we don’t all know
how bad it is to touch a moving propeller.
Glider pilots are yawning now, but more
of them are using electric power to get their
airplanes into the air. If you’re not used to
having a propeller on the nose of your
model, you’re much more aware of the
hazard.
The motors I’ve seen on those
“powered” gliders are extremely strong. The
pilots don’t want to wait around for their
airplanes to get to altitude. That is all the
more reason to treat those blades with care.
Alan Buckner wrote in about an
unpleasant incident he had, and the clever
solution he uses now.
“I was working on an electric plane and
managed to reverse the throttle while the
motor was hot. I stopped it from hitting me
with my left hand, causing some extensive
nerve and tendon damage in the process, but
it could have been a lot worse.
“Since then, I’ve been urging people
getting into electrics to use a throttle-lock
function whenever possible. There are a
couple of ways to do this with many of the
computerized systems in use now.
“The easiest method is to use the heli
program instead of the airplane one, if the
transmitter offers it and the airplane itself is
fairly simple. You then configure the
Throttle Hold function so that it shuts off the
motor when engaged and disable the other
heli-related functions.
“Sometimes you can achieve the same
thing in airplane mode using a switchactivated
throttle-to-throttle mix. Red
Scholefield talked about this idea in his
MA column and included the
programming that I sent him.”
Alan has the right idea. I like
mechanical or electronic solutions that
reduce the chance for trouble to occur.
Sometimes I do dumb, inattentive things
and it would be nice to have my equipment
set up to anticipate my foolishness.
Check out Red’s columns for
information or e-mail him and ask for the
throttle-lock attachment.
Do you want some real avoidance? Try
sailplanes and ducted fans. This month’s
photos have a common thread, showing
facets of our hobby that have little danger
of propeller injuries.
The man shown launching a Rapierpowered
FF model is Rob Cobb. Did you
ever meet a real sparkplug-type person?
That’s Rob.
His enthusiasm is sky-high, and he has
a great time whether his airplane flies well
or not. That little rocket flew too well for
the field and he had to fetch it out of a
tree. You should have seen the grin on his
face!
Rapier motors are the modern
equivalent of Jetex, but they are lighter,
simpler, and more reliable. They won’t
slice your finger as a propeller will, but I
have explored the possibilities of mishaps.
They include minor burns from the hot
motor casing, the hot exhaust plume, and
the electronic cautery element used for
ignition.
I’ve learned not to touch any of those
things, because if I do get burned and let out
a yelp, Rob comes over and giggles at me.
Sending fire skyward on an
uncontrolled aircraft requires care and
good judgment. Here in brushfire-prone
California, the fliers know that there are
seasons and locations where these motors
are not okay.
Another approach to propeller-strike
prevention is illustrated by Will Woods,
wearing dapper shorts, sending an Indoor
Catapult Glider zooming toward the
ceiling. Hand-Launched Gliders (HLGs)
are great fun but are surprisingly hard on
the joints of us older people.
Our bodies weren’t designed to make
vertical throws, and shoulder injuries are
too common among serious HLG pilots.
Indoor and Outdoor Catapult launch has
exploded in popularity, because it offers
the excitement of Glider flying without the
need for physical therapy afterward.
When he is not showing his skill with
small, unpowered aerial vehicles, Will
publishes the Black Sheep Squadron’s club
newsletter—one of the world’s finest. He
wouldn’t want to risk his two typing
fingers with a dangerous spinning
propeller, so Indoor Catapult Glider is
what he flies.
The man launching a rubber-powered
Delta Dart is Captain Tom Huff, a
distinguished guest speaker at the 2010
AMA Expo and commander of the Naval
Test Wing Atlantic. He is also a modeler
who got a kick out of flying a classic
Indoor Rubber model with a propeller that
is anything but hazardous.
Tom is a great person and I was
delighted to get to meet him. I printed the
Dart covering with his picture on it. After
he flew and signed the model, we gave it to
the winner of a mass-launch contest in the
kids’ make-and-take area.
Tom also tried his hand at indoor RC,
demonstrating considerable skill with a 3-D
electric model. I happened to be standing
next to another distinguished man: former
astronaut Robert “Hoot” Gibson (space
shuttle commander, pilot, Top Gun
graduate, etc.). Hoot pointed to Tom’s
impromptu display of indoor aerobatics and
said “Now that’s something I can’t do.”
Later I let Hoot fly an Old-Timer-style
RTF, although he had never flown indoor
RC. After half a lap he did better with the
little foamie than I ever will. It’s humbling
to hang out with guys such as those.
Brace yourself for a shameless plug, not
directly related to safety. That great little
RTF I mentioned is a Flyzone Playmate,
and I have had tremendous fun with mine
indoors and out. It is an excellent trainer
that can also do mild aerobatics.
The classic 1930s styling with modern
radio equipment inside makes for an
appealing airplane, and I highly
recommend it. MA
Sources:
Dave Gee
Box 7081
Van Nuys CA 91409
Red Scholefield
[email protected]
Black Sheep Squadron newsletter:
[email protected]
Flyzone
(800) 637-7660
www.flyzoneplanes.com
Rapier motors:
Shorty’s Basement
(740) 225-8671
www.shortysbasement.com
Edition: Model Aviation - 2010/06
Page Numbers: 95,96,97
Dave Gee | Safety Comes First [email protected]
Propeller injuries top the hit parade
Also included in this column:
• Club training makes contact
• Does your transmitter have
a throttle lock?
• To repeat: fingers in
propellers equals bad
Rapier rocket power is fun. Rob Cobb says that these motors are easier and more reliable
than the old Jetex types, and you can’t cut your hand on one.
Navy Captain Tom Huff spoke at the AMA Expo and then relaxed
with a Delta Dart. He knows to avoid a spinning propeller, so no
injuries occurred.
Catapult Gliders have no propellers, so Will Woods doesn’t worry
about the arc when launching his Indoor aircraft.
WHAT IS SO appealing about propeller
strikes? Sticking a hand into a spinning
propeller is very popular, but I don’t
understand why. Is it the pain? The
embarrassment? The blood-soaked
bandages?
Propeller accidents are the most common
cause of injury in our hobby, despite the fact
that we all know about the danger. I’ve
gotten a lot of e-mail messages lately with
information and advice about propeller
safety. Too many pilots have had bad
experiences and want to avoid any future
ones.
Other countries take this “pro-strike”
situation more seriously than we do. Great
Britain simply did away with propellers
many years ago and has equipped its flying
machines with airscrews instead. Now that’s
a commitment to safety!
Jerry Hahnfeld, who lives in the US
where we still use propellers, wrote about
the steps his local club has taken.
“The Midland R/C Modelers Club has
significantly reduced the number of
propeller injuries at the field by emphasizing
that the only safe area is behind the
propeller. We emphasize that the pilot
should spend as little time as possible in
front of the plane.
“After a gas or glow engine is started,
the pilot should move behind the plane
before tuning the engine. With an electric
June 2010 95
06sig3.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 4/23/10 9:31 AM Page 95
plane, it is important to always work from
behind the propeller.
“There are three reasons that this
emphasis has significantly reduced injuries
in our club:
“1) The pilot has no reason to reach
through the propeller to tune the engine or
adjust the aircraft. All controls are on the
same side of the propeller as the pilot.
“2) Most prop hazards occur at or in
front of the arc of the prop. Broken parts can
eject in the arc of the propeller or to the
front of the propeller. Perhaps more
importantly, the pilot is not in danger of
injury from a plane that lurches forward due
to inadequate tethering. Working behind the
prop protects the pilot from the spinning
propeller, broken propeller parts, and an
unrestrained plane.
“3) If the pilot’s hand comes in contact
with the prop from behind the prop, the hand
will first contact the trailing edge of the prop.
This often will act as a warning and result in
little or no injury. Contact with the leading
edge of the prop almost always results in
injury—often serious. A pilot is much less
likely to be injured from the trailing edge than
the leading edge of the prop.
“Since we have started this emphasis, the
number of hand injuries has decreased
significantly.”
Jerry’s club is on the ball with its
prevention program. Who knows how many
injuries will be avoided because of this
carefully thought-out education effort?
Saving your friends from getting hurt is
heroic, even if you do it by giving a talk at
your club meeting.
If your club has a successful safety
program or maybe an unsuccessful one, a
close-call story, or if you think I’m all
wet about something, please let me know.
E-mail or paper letters work fine. I offer
anonymity or fame, whichever you
prefer.
I receive reminders from readers relating
that how we hold a model has much to do
with the risk of propeller hits. A “hot,”
ready-to-fly electric aircraft should be held
from the rear whenever possible. Reaching
over the propeller to pick up the model is a
bad idea, whether it is a gas-powered
airplane that is idling or an electric aircraft
that is motionless but “armed.”
There are two common situations that I
hear about far too often. Some gas-power
fliers like to reach through the propeller disc
to tune the throttle, and some electric pilots
have the motor unexpectedly spring to life
when a body part is inconveniently located.
Again, it isn’t as though we don’t all know
how bad it is to touch a moving propeller.
Glider pilots are yawning now, but more
of them are using electric power to get their
airplanes into the air. If you’re not used to
having a propeller on the nose of your
model, you’re much more aware of the
hazard.
The motors I’ve seen on those
“powered” gliders are extremely strong. The
pilots don’t want to wait around for their
airplanes to get to altitude. That is all the
more reason to treat those blades with care.
Alan Buckner wrote in about an
unpleasant incident he had, and the clever
solution he uses now.
“I was working on an electric plane and
managed to reverse the throttle while the
motor was hot. I stopped it from hitting me
with my left hand, causing some extensive
nerve and tendon damage in the process, but
it could have been a lot worse.
“Since then, I’ve been urging people
getting into electrics to use a throttle-lock
function whenever possible. There are a
couple of ways to do this with many of the
computerized systems in use now.
“The easiest method is to use the heli
program instead of the airplane one, if the
transmitter offers it and the airplane itself is
fairly simple. You then configure the
Throttle Hold function so that it shuts off the
motor when engaged and disable the other
heli-related functions.
“Sometimes you can achieve the same
thing in airplane mode using a switchactivated
throttle-to-throttle mix. Red
Scholefield talked about this idea in his
MA column and included the
programming that I sent him.”
Alan has the right idea. I like
mechanical or electronic solutions that
reduce the chance for trouble to occur.
Sometimes I do dumb, inattentive things
and it would be nice to have my equipment
set up to anticipate my foolishness.
Check out Red’s columns for
information or e-mail him and ask for the
throttle-lock attachment.
Do you want some real avoidance? Try
sailplanes and ducted fans. This month’s
photos have a common thread, showing
facets of our hobby that have little danger
of propeller injuries.
The man shown launching a Rapierpowered
FF model is Rob Cobb. Did you
ever meet a real sparkplug-type person?
That’s Rob.
His enthusiasm is sky-high, and he has
a great time whether his airplane flies well
or not. That little rocket flew too well for
the field and he had to fetch it out of a
tree. You should have seen the grin on his
face!
Rapier motors are the modern
equivalent of Jetex, but they are lighter,
simpler, and more reliable. They won’t
slice your finger as a propeller will, but I
have explored the possibilities of mishaps.
They include minor burns from the hot
motor casing, the hot exhaust plume, and
the electronic cautery element used for
ignition.
I’ve learned not to touch any of those
things, because if I do get burned and let out
a yelp, Rob comes over and giggles at me.
Sending fire skyward on an
uncontrolled aircraft requires care and
good judgment. Here in brushfire-prone
California, the fliers know that there are
seasons and locations where these motors
are not okay.
Another approach to propeller-strike
prevention is illustrated by Will Woods,
wearing dapper shorts, sending an Indoor
Catapult Glider zooming toward the
ceiling. Hand-Launched Gliders (HLGs)
are great fun but are surprisingly hard on
the joints of us older people.
Our bodies weren’t designed to make
vertical throws, and shoulder injuries are
too common among serious HLG pilots.
Indoor and Outdoor Catapult launch has
exploded in popularity, because it offers
the excitement of Glider flying without the
need for physical therapy afterward.
When he is not showing his skill with
small, unpowered aerial vehicles, Will
publishes the Black Sheep Squadron’s club
newsletter—one of the world’s finest. He
wouldn’t want to risk his two typing
fingers with a dangerous spinning
propeller, so Indoor Catapult Glider is
what he flies.
The man launching a rubber-powered
Delta Dart is Captain Tom Huff, a
distinguished guest speaker at the 2010
AMA Expo and commander of the Naval
Test Wing Atlantic. He is also a modeler
who got a kick out of flying a classic
Indoor Rubber model with a propeller that
is anything but hazardous.
Tom is a great person and I was
delighted to get to meet him. I printed the
Dart covering with his picture on it. After
he flew and signed the model, we gave it to
the winner of a mass-launch contest in the
kids’ make-and-take area.
Tom also tried his hand at indoor RC,
demonstrating considerable skill with a 3-D
electric model. I happened to be standing
next to another distinguished man: former
astronaut Robert “Hoot” Gibson (space
shuttle commander, pilot, Top Gun
graduate, etc.). Hoot pointed to Tom’s
impromptu display of indoor aerobatics and
said “Now that’s something I can’t do.”
Later I let Hoot fly an Old-Timer-style
RTF, although he had never flown indoor
RC. After half a lap he did better with the
little foamie than I ever will. It’s humbling
to hang out with guys such as those.
Brace yourself for a shameless plug, not
directly related to safety. That great little
RTF I mentioned is a Flyzone Playmate,
and I have had tremendous fun with mine
indoors and out. It is an excellent trainer
that can also do mild aerobatics.
The classic 1930s styling with modern
radio equipment inside makes for an
appealing airplane, and I highly
recommend it. MA
Sources:
Dave Gee
Box 7081
Van Nuys CA 91409
Red Scholefield
[email protected]
Black Sheep Squadron newsletter:
[email protected]
Flyzone
(800) 637-7660
www.flyzoneplanes.com
Rapier motors:
Shorty’s Basement
(740) 225-8671
www.shortysbasement.com
