Don't put model aircraft in a bad light
Dave Gee [email protected]
Sometimes I am asked, "Don't you ever worry about running out of safety topics?" Unfortunately for us (but lucky for me), our hobby always has plenty of ways for the unwary to get burned, cut, bruised, gouged, stung, or inflamed. All it takes is a moment of inattention for a newbie or an experienced pilot to get caught. The fact that this sport has such a small injury rate is evidence that we modelers take our fun seriously. Careful pilots keep those numbers low, but even lower would be better!
Thanks to alert AMA members, I often get the latest information about new things for us to watch out for. Jim Cook told me about some television commercials that put model aircraft in a bad light. The ads showed models being flown irresponsibly, or even in deliberately harmful ways. This was supposed to be funny and make us buy a product. I wasn't laughing, or buying.
It made Jim and me want to take serious action against the jerks who produced the spots, but that would be the wrong response. They say that there is no such thing as bad publicity, and an organized protest would just get the ads played for free on the evening news! A better response is to write the sponsor and say, in a polite and diplomatic way, something such as,
"You dummkopfs better have plenty of other customers because after seeing your irresponsible ad, my family is never spending another nickel on your raggedy products."
Every company has competitors, and darned if I will support some outfit that promotes dangerous model flying after we all work so hard to attain such a safe reputation for our sport.
Beware of Spam
Concerning supporting advertisers, I recently received another wave of email spam from unscrupulous hobby marketers. These mugs buy lists of email addresses stolen from aeromodeling websites, and use them in lieu of legitimate promotion.
If you have ever logged onto an RC chat room with your email address, or are listed somewhere as a club officer, you might be targeted as well. You'll have no way of knowing whether a spammer is aboveboard or just a front for harmful malware or phishing scams. Watch out for that! Bad things can be downloaded onto your computer, and/or your personal information can get into the wrong hands. No way am I going to do business with spammers.
There have been occasions in which the AMA presented third-party offers to the membership as a fundraising tool. The business partners are forthcoming and honest. This is far different, and I treat these deals as chances to support the organization.
Blair Spray Clear
I occasionally do some marketing, and here is another product plug. The maker will be surprised to find modelers using its products, since the item is an art spray designed to protect charcoal drawings. The product is called Blair Spray Clear, and it comes in gloss and matte finishes.
It was once possible to buy clear dope in handy spray cans. Now, it is forbidden (apparently because it was destroying the planet), but the Blair product is a good substitute. It is not fuel-proof, but works great for rubber, CO2, and electric models. I've used it to finish domestic and Japanese tissue with fine results.
If there is no specialized art store near you, you'll have to track it down online and place your order with an Internet dealer. It is worth the effort if you are a stick-and-tissue builder.
Mystery Aircraft Contest
Neil Dennis (better known online as Wombat) is a stick-and-tissue builder from way back. He was familiar with the famous Delta Dart model, and wanted to further develop it. His latest streamlined version is called the Denny Dart Mk VI. This little aircraft has less drag and weight than the original beginner's model. You'll find that it builds quickly and flies well, especially when finished with Blair art spray.
You'll need the plans, and that leads us to another mystery aircraft contest. Guess the name of the flying machine in this month's cropped photograph, and I will email you digital plans for the Denny Dart Mk VI. Wombat drew it to be printed directly onto tissue, but you can also build it from the plans in the conventional way.
If you can't get the answer but want the plans anyway, just ask. This is an email-only offer; no printed plans are available. The last mystery aircraft was a Japanese Baka Bomb, although many readers guessed a P-39.
Target Fixation Problem
Lance Novak sent me a story from the good old days. He says it is funny now because of the passage of time and the fact that nobody got hurt. Lance said the person in question was a great pilot.
"He started his plane and immediately realized that the throttle servo was reversed and it was at full throttle with the stick down. He immediately pushed the stick all the way up and the glow engine went to idle.
"He then let go of the plane, stood up, and reset the throttle servo-reversing switch on the transmitter. Of course, the plane immediately went to full throttle and shot across the pits. He managed to stop it before anyone was harmed. Everyone had a good (nervous) laugh over the incident."
This sounds like a classic case of "target fixation." The pilot figured out the problem and a solution, but became so focused on implementing it that he forgot his own temporary fix. Losing control of a powerful model can be serious!
Gas models and electrics are different in terms of propeller hazards. The gassers are inert unless they are making a lot of noise, and even so, we still manage to get propeller strikes.
This seems to be an area where new pilots are safer than experienced ones, who are accustomed to the noise and fuss of an internal combustion engine in motion. That propeller disc is always there—ready to cause trouble if we forget about it for just a second. Fresh trainees see little else, until they get jaded and relaxed.
Mike's List Grows
Remember Mike's List, the growing collection of wise advice based on a suggestion by Mike Hausner? The nuggets of wisdom have been rolling in, including one from the man himself. Mike wrote:
"After priming a four-stroke motor with glow heat on, I would move the prop into position to give it a flip. On many occasions, the hot glow plug would ignite the fuel in the cylinder and kick the prop unexpectedly. Ouch!
"So my tip is this: whenever positioning the prop, grip it with your whole hand, like you would a hammer. That way, if it kicks it won't have a chance to come around and bite you."
John Hudspeth from Amarillo, Texas, contributed another gem: "My safety suggestion is to wear eye protection when starting an engine. Ordinary eyeglasses or sunglasses are better than nothing. I knew a guy who lost the use of one eye when a prop touched the pavement and shattered."
Protect Those Eyes
Longtime readers know how strongly I feel about eye protection around machinery and chemicals, especially in pit areas. Please consider getting some cool-looking, impact-resistant sunglasses and put the odds in your favor.
I am partial to the Zurich USA line, which is well-suited to outdoor model flying. Zurich is not the only maker of fine-quality eye protection products, but I have been satisfied with my glasses.
Justin Poole wrote to me about eye hazards; now is a great time for his story:
"Our sport is so much fun that it is easy to forget that there are dangers lurking. Many years ago I was using an early cyanoacrylate adhesive and the tip of the Teflon applicator tube became stuck to the work. When I pulled it free, a small drop of glue was flung into my eye.
"It required a trip to the eye doctor to have it removed and probably accounts for my personal interest in eye safety. It is also the reason that I always wear glasses when applying adhesives.
"When I do get something in my eye I have tried to use my wife's saline solution (she wears contacts) but the bottle only squirts when it is pointed down, not up like an eye wash station. I separated the nipple from the bottle and found that it would be easy to insert a length of plastic tube into the nipple from the inside.
"I found an appropriate size of tubing, shoved it in, and trimmed it to just clear the bottom of the bottle. Now the bottle will squirt saline solution right into the eye when held upright.
"After a short discussion, I went to the store and bought my wife a new bottle of saline so I could keep the modified one with my medical kit."
The idea of squirting saltwater into my eyes sounds awful! Apparently, this is only because I'm a wimp, since people who wear contacts do it all the time.
Justin figured out an inexpensive way to rig a portable eyewash system, but I hope he (and I) never needs it!
SOURCES
- Zurich USA
(800) 533-5665 www.extremeglaresunglasses.com
- Blair Spray Clear
www.amazon.com/Blair-Spray-Clear-matte/dp/B004BN9500
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
