Bob Underwood Box 40, St. Peters, MO 63376
NewComers
Everywhere you look, you find terse little safety warnings in bold print. They seem to spring like dandelions from instruction manuals and packaging for all types of products.
Persons of retirement age remember when these warnings were far less common, and individuals relied on the so-called common-sense approach to safety. This is not to suggest that people today necessarily possess a lesser degree of common sense; rather, our approach to the issue of safety practices has changed.
Unfortunately, we now often approach safety from the viewpoint of not personally being responsible for our actions. It's sort of like the person saying, "Nobody told me that the piece of wood or plastic whirling about at 12,000 rpm was dangerous, ergo the responsibility for my missing finger is someone else's, not mine!" On that cheery note, let's consider the issue of safety for a newcomer.
The Academy maintains an official safety code for flying model airplanes. It's a very general document and is designed to be supplemented with club rules that fill the needs for a specific site and local conditions. These are the easier items to police, because they are before us at all times; having an intimate knowledge of these items is often a prerequisite for using a flying site. Notice we didn't say that they are always followed; just that they are there to be followed.
The more difficult aspect is those so-called common-sense safety rules and the ones not easily recognized. They are the ones that get you, because you are not aware of them or you are careless and sloppy in your operational techniques.
A small child may have to be informed a time or two that an object is dangerous. By the time the individual is old enough to build and fly a model, there should be no need to instruct them concerning the dangers of a spinning prop. There is a need to inform concerning certain more esoteric safety issues, however.
Consider the individual who purchased a plastic prop at the local hobby shop, went directly to the field on a very cold day, put the prop on an engine more powerful than it was designed for, and proceeded to start the engine. The prop came apart, severely injuring the individual. Whose fault was it? If you say that it was the prop manufacturer or hobby dealer, you must do so knowing that the modeler ignored at least two written warnings handed to him with the prop, and a verbal warning issued by the shop owner.
What are we saying to you as a newcomer?
- Read all those admonitions provided to you by the product manufacturer. The chances are very good that they are in the instructions because of a past problem. (Usually "past problem" suggests "past litigation.")
- Make a conscientious effort to list potential safety areas in operating a model. Those are different for each model type and each individual. For instance, an older person wearing bifocals (or trifocals) may encounter a vision shift through the lens change.
- Ask questions of your fellow modelers.
- Develop a specific routine and try not to vary from it.
Less-obvious "finger-in-the-prop" issues
- Flying any kind of model outside when there is a nearby electrical storm.
- Flying control line near overhead wires or in close proximity to high-tension lines.
- Checking tie strings on jackets or transmitter lanyards when starting a model.
- Having the model firmly secured is important, but be careful where or how it is secured. A rope around the stab, tied to a fence, has been known to pull the stab off if the stab was not properly glued.
- Painting prop tips a bright color helps describe the prop arc.
- Electric motors start differently and develop full rpm almost instantly at full throttle.
- Never assume that a model operating incorrectly will heal itself. A significant number of insurance claims arise from incidents away from the actual flying site or home.
Additional safety points
- Know where you are going.
A. Identify center of control-line circle to help prevent wandering. B. Exercise caution walking around a flying RC model. C. Know the terrain when going for a free-flight retrieval.
- In RC, take a walk through the pit area before you arrive to see who else is on the frequency. Keep checking.
- When walking through the control-line area always assume the model has lines attached.
- Using the wrong tool for a job can cause accidents.
Last month's column was occasioned by a letter from a modeler who shifted nonpowered models to glow engines and was concerned about the fact that the engine's needle-valve adjustment is very close to the prop. As a machinist he wondered whether we might produce a device to use in adjusting. Remember, placing anything near the prop is a problem; the best bet is to get the needle valve away from the prop.
Fortunately some progress has been made in this direction. Most four-stroke engines have the needle valve at the rear of the engine, resulting in several inches of additional space. Some two-stroke engines have introduced slanted remote needle-valve assemblies. There are also a few aftermarket remote units that can even be actuated via the RC transmitter and a servo.
The critical issue for newcomer safety is not to relegate it to a secondary position in the scheme of things. It is so easy to allow enthusiasm for getting started to override not only your usual thoroughness in reading and following directions and warnings, but to cast common sense to the wind. Don't allow that to happen to you!
Think carefully, develop a well-thought-out set of procedures, and stick to them religiously. A list of safety recommendations can be found on page 3 of the Membership Manual, directly under the Safety Code.
I must insert a plea that you accept a proper degree of personal responsibility. It is impossible to develop a set of "rules" that will cover all contingencies. Be willing to accept the consequences of your actions. While it's true that there are accidents (that is, unplanned incidents), many so-called "accidents" are not! Technically they are caused through our lack of preparation or proper execution. We know, but we do not do the things necessary to operate safely.
Education Committee
As this was written in early September, we are pleased to report that on September 30 the first meeting of the newly formed Education Committee will be held in Muncie. Many items are on the plate for discussion and action. Next month's column will bring news of that meeting and the direction and plans to be implemented in the near future.
The members of the committee are active modelers and educators, either by profession and/or by working in the field:
- Dr. Gordon Schmuel, a school superintendent from Connecticut
- Charles Kelley, leader in the 7–12 Model Aviation Youth Academy, from California
- Travis McGinnis, a former teacher/administrator and Executive Council member from Colorado
- Charlie Bauer, Vice President of District VI, involved with higher-education activities
- Bob Underwood, a former elementary teacher and AMA Technical Director
Supplementing this committee at the first meeting will be three other individuals very much involved or interested in model aviation education activities:
- Chuck Larsen, Education Director from the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA)
- J.J. Levine, founder of Modeling 101
- Tom Sanders, who has been involved in introducing modeling as a tool for school instructional purposes
We have high hopes for the development of viable, purposeful modeling educational activities. There will definitely be more information to follow.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
