Safety Comes First
MERRY CHRISTMAS! It's that time of year again; time to tear shopping hints from modeling magazines and leave them posted in obvious places around the house! If you really want attention, try sticking the ad for something you want for Christmas on the bathroom mirror; trust me, your "better half" will get the message! On the top of my wish list this year is a computer flight simulator program (keeps winter rust off of the flying skills), a new Radio Glove to protect hands from frostbite, or a foam glider (grin). Okay, maybe I'll settle for a few of my favorite glow plugs, a couple of propellers, and a case or two of reliable fuel. Guess I'm just an optimist! Who knows, maybe I can count on glow plugs?
Safety Comes First
TAXI IN the Pits? In contrast to recent summers, I spent a fair amount of time at the field this year, with a number of new student pilots. When teaching another to fly, my style has always been to set a good example through adherence to field rules and the AMA Safety Code. During several recent trips to the field, I've noticed that it's become somewhat standard practice to land a model and taxi it back to the car. The field I commonly go to has a paved runway to which vehicles can pull up. It's convenient and safe, provided pilots respect a yellow line that runs near the center line that separates runway from pits. If you cross that line, it puts you behind the flightline-a no-no in most clubs.
Safety Comes First
MORE THAN You Can Handle: It's a common mistake made, even by those who have been in the hobby for years. Maybe it's the magic of size, the thrill of speed, or watching a specific type of model fly that attracts us, but the truth is that almost all of us have bitten off more model to build than we're able to fly. Developing safe-flying skills takes time and requires self-discipline. That doesn't mean that simply being involved with the hobby for a number of years makes you a better flier. But it does mean you're more likely to choose something to fly that requires more piloting and/or building skills than you possess.
Safety Comes First
CHECK IT OUT: I've been modeling for many years, but it wasn't until I began full-scale flying that I learned to appreciate the purpose of using checklists. In full-scale flying, checklists are used to ensure that pilots conduct a review of aircraft systems and/or procedures prior to each flight. Using them in this manner almost always guarantees an airworthy aircraft, in that anything deemed as not meeting standards during the preflight (general terms) either gets fixed or the airplane doesn't go in the air. How nice it would be if modelers followed the same path and taught similar values to newcomers.
Safety Comes First
CYA GLUE PRECAUTIONS: In my May 1999 and August 1999 columns, I wrote about the precautions one should take when using cyanoacrylate (CyA) glues, and described a few ills that could potentially develop if they're used haphazardly. The mail I received after the publication of the May issue (the mailbox filled up) revealed many modelers who had apparently experienced ill effects during the use of CyA. Most said that they had experienced one type of health effect or another, and some indicated that they followed label warnings. Well, most of the time. Common symptoms Fokker D. VII-the first time with CyA and accelerator since last year. That evening, I awoke with atrial fibrillation again. I will once more have to undergo an electrocardioversion. The cardiologist has done extensive testing and I have absolutely no cardiovascular disease; in fact, I typically jogged about three to four miles every other day before this.
