Safety Comes First
John Preston
Would you believe . . . that some diet soft drinks can cause impairment of your reflexes? A C/L model is zapped by a power line. More.
A New Artificial Sweetener
The monthly magazine Sport Aviation, produced by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), contains a regular column titled "Sport Pilot Medicine," written by Dr. Stanley R. Mohler, MD. In the February 1985 issue, Dr. Mohler had some things to say about aspartame which I feel are of benefit to model airplane pilots.
Aspartame is marketed under the brand name NutraSweet and is found in a number of diet soft drinks. One of its advantages is that (from my experience) it doesn't have that metallic aftertaste associated with some other artificial sweeteners. However, in response to some questions concerning aspartame, Dr. Mohler states that he did some checking and "...I found that there are numerous reports by persons who have experienced visual impairment, dizziness, loss of equilibrium, or disorientation following its use. Reports of these findings have appeared in the scientific literature (see W.C. Monte, 'Aspartame: Methanol and the Public Health,' Journal of Applied Nutrition, 36:1, 1984)."
Dr. Mohler went on to state: "Apparently, when aspartame breaks down, methanol, the scourge of the 'bathtub gin' era, is produced, to the extent that it may be a major cause for the above-reported symptoms. Methanol is also known as methyl alcohol or wood alcohol. It damages the eye (especially the retina) and can cause dizziness, vertigo, and headache, among other symptoms. Aspartame can chemically deteriorate during storage of beverages, thereby yielding methanol. Apparently aspartame can also yield methanol through metabolic actions in the body. Methanol in the body is changed to formaldehyde and formic acid. Formaldehyde is considered a major cause of the retinal damage produced by methanol."
"There is a lesson in the above for sport pilots who often are outdoors for long periods and, especially in hot weather, experience periods of dehydration. I recommend caution in consuming anything in large quantities that is not naturally derived. This applies especially to artificially-sweetened beverages."
It appears that individual susceptibility to an adverse reaction from a substance such as aspartame may vary considerably. As with modelers who have written to me about allergic reactions to epoxy or cyanoacrylate glue, some of you may be sensitive to small amounts of aspartame. I'm not advocating that you avoid diet soda—but if you develop headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, or other symptoms, these may be associated with the diet drink. Just be aware of this.
I think most of you would agree that a dizziness attack while piloting a full-scale aircraft is more likely to have serious consequences than if you are piloting an RC model. Nevertheless, keeping your model under control requires concentration, since things can happen pretty quickly.
Reaction Time and Model Speeds
An article in The Corsair, newsletter of the Joint Military RC Fliers Club (Editor: Marlin Kinning), attempted to illustrate how long one has to react when an aircraft gets into trouble. The article was lifted from Aviator News, Davison, MI (Don Parks, editor) and had the following to say:
"Considering the fact that most of our models' flight speeds fall in the 50 to 60 mph range, let's talk a little about reaction time.
"If one is traveling at 60 mph (88 ft./sec.), at treetop height (40 feet) and gets a glitch or other problem, there's not much time to react. Of course, we know that glitches always make a model come straight down. If someone ever figures out why models always come straight down, please let the rest of us know. One would think that the law of averages would make a troubled model go straight up from time to time. Maybe Murphy's Law intercedes.
"Back to the 60-mph model flying at 40 feet. When the model starts down, it gathers a lot more speed quickly. All things considered, a pilot has less than a third of a second to figure out what needs to be done and then do it before Mother Earth gobbles him up. Try that same thing at 100 mph, and one has less than one-fifth of a second to correct the problem and save his bird.
"Keep in mind that it is only 58 feet from the runway centerline to the pit area. Trouble on those low passes down the centerline can get you into the pits in less than six-tenths of a second."
The message is that piloting an RC model requires constant, split-second decision-making, so don't let anything interfere with the concentration it demands.
When Safety Fails (prop accident)
Another newsletter article, this time in the Guy Wire, Daytona Beach RC Association (editor: Bill Bradford), reminds us that you don't have to be flying your model to have an accident as a result of inability to concentrate. Extracts from the article titled "When Safety Fails" follow:
"Recently, as a close friend fired up his bird, I heard that unmistakable sound of a prop slicing through human flesh. Without even looking up, the handkerchief was pulled from my back pocket as I dashed the 15 yards distance, yelling for assistance.
"Fast, tight application of the hankie slowed the flow of blood as another friend approached with a first aid kit and the professional expertise to deal with the emergency. All prop accidents look extensive, and this one was no exception. The other friend suggested a trip to the emergency room of a nearby hospital—pronto! A few whiffs from an ammonia capsule administered to the victim helped him retain his wits.
"As I understand it, the wound required 12 stitches, and my injured friend is now getting along nicely. He is a competent pilot, extremely safety-conscious, and thoroughly reliable. He proved that, YES, IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU—and it does, with alarming regularity.
"Later, at my friend's house, we looked back at the cause of this accident and in his own words, 'The Cause' will be worth remembering. He related that he was overly tired prior to going to the field. Additionally, the thought of getting to visit his daughter, soon, distracted him from complete concentration on the job at hand. He admitted that he should not have gone flying that morning."
The message I'm trying to convey is that you are responsible for the safety of your activities. If you don't feel well, don't fly!
Power Lines and Control Line Flying
In several previous columns, I've mentioned the electrocution hazard of flying Control Line models near overhead power lines. Since more modelers have lost their lives from this cause than from any other model-related activity, I'm going to continue to warn you about this potential hazard. An article in the July 1985 issue of the Navy Carrier Society newsletter graphically illustrates that overhead power lines and Control Line flying don't mix. The article (apparently written by editor Leroy Cordes) related this story:
"One more safety story and I'll let you get on to more enjoyable reading. The second contest of the season was held in Rockford, Illinois. The contest site was on a local school property bounded on the west by a highway and on the east by a railroad track and berm. On the other side of the tracks there is a series of power lines at a much greater distance from the flying area than safety requires.
"It seems that there was a Combat match flying, and two pilots got into trouble. Due to one thing and another, both handles were released. One of the planes crashed, and the other began the often-seen and always-dreaded 'flyaway.' However, the flyaway handle snagged the 'crashed' handle and dragged the nonflying airplane along on its journey east. As is usual in these circumstances, the engine ran flawlessly in its freed state. Nearly all contestants watched as the combo crossed the railroad tracks, approached the power lines, and, yes, the flying lines contacted them.
"It was at this point that I became aware of the event, as I had been timing an official Carrier flight up to this time. I heard a fearful sound that seemed to come from behind me. It sounded just as if somebody had started a Dynajet at my feet! I looked around in time to see a cloud of smoke extending from the ground up into the air to about 40 feet above the power lines. My thought at this point was that someone must have launched a huge rocket that malfunctioned. But, no; it was what we have been warned about since the beginning of time, the fatal meeting of flying and power lines.
"What I had not seen (but many described to me) was the ball of fire that preceded the smoke that I saw. All who saw it were suitably awed and impressed with the necessity of all the warnings that we have heard over the years. Believe me, it was awesome. Though I don't think I ever have in the past, I will never even remotely think of flying anywhere near power lines and will err on the safe side.
"At a later contest, Art Johnson told us that the entire area served by these lines was hit with a serious power brownout as a result of this occurrence. My only wish is that everyone who flies Control Line could have witnessed this, as it surely puts teeth in the warnings. DO NOT FLY NEAR POWER LINES."
You have been warned.
RC Helicopters and Rotor Blade Safety
Last month I attended a scale contest run by the DCRC and bumped into an old friend, Glen Scillian. Glen is into RC helicopters in a big way and asked if I had received any correspondence concerning weights in rotor blades. I responded that I had only received one letter on this issue and, since I have never attempted to fly an RC helicopter, I was not qualified to express an opinion on whether use of weights in rotor blades should or should not be permitted. Glen then showed me a short scar on his leg that was the result of an unweighted rotor blade being thrown off one of his models. I'm relating this story to remind helicopter pilots that there is a lot of energy in the main rotor and, should a blade-attachment fail, beware — it can cause a serious injury. Fortunately, Glen's model was at a low level when it shed a blade. Had it been at head or neck level, the story might have been quite different.
Noise
A lot has been written on the subject of noise emitted from model airplanes. No doubt more will appear in the future. It appears, from the summary of AMA Executive Council meetings included periodically in the AMA News section of this magazine, that District IV VP Howard Crispin has questioned why promised articles dealing with noise abatement have yet to materialize. It was also suggested that this Safety column should appear bi-monthly to permit space for a column on noise abatement, which would also be bi-monthly.
Is noise a safety problem? At this point I don't have an answer that I can support with positive rationale. Most certainly, prolonged exposure to sounds above about 90 dB can result in permanent hearing impairment. But how prolonged does the exposure have to be before it causes hearing damage? That's the question I cannot answer. My opinion is that, if the only loud noises you are exposed to are those emitted by your model engines, I doubt that you will be a victim of hearing impairment.
If your club wants more information about prevention of hearing loss, do as the Rochester Aeromodelling Society (RAMS) did. Stan Gutowski, the club's safety officer, contacted an audiologist and had him speak on this issue at a club meeting. One thing the club learned from this talk was that cotton and cigarette filters are very ineffective as ear protectors. The RAMS club did purchase some effective ear protectors for free distribution to all members. These are manufactured by the Cabot Corporation under the trade name E.A.R. and have previously been mentioned in this column.
Reprint: "Noisy Aeroplanes" (The Aeroplane, August 1934)
To wind up this month's column, I'm reproducing an article titled "Noisy Aeroplanes" that appeared in The Aeroplane magazine (published in England) in August 1934. It was sent to me by H.A. Farrar, a modeler from Bethpage, NY. The article concerns full-scale aeroplanes.
"At the meeting of the British Medical Association at Bournemouth in July, the danger to health from the noise of aeroplanes was mentioned while the council was discussing the Association's approval of the Anti-Noise League.
"Dr. Bone, in moving a resolution, mentioned that some years ago, when Mr. Neville Chamberlain was Minister of Health, a deputation waited upon him to urge the danger to health from noise. Mr. Chamberlain asked what evidence the deputation had to prove the assertion that noise is a danger to health. Dr. Bone said that they could not produce the necessary evidence, but he thought that the Association should now approve of the purposes of the Anti-Noise League.
"Dr. E.H.T. Nash said that the special noise created by aeroplanes in the rapidly-extending aerodromes set up by the Government and municipal authorities was going to be very serious. He lived near the second-largest airport in the country, and he had complaints—particularly from women who had to stay home all day—of the worry from the incessant noise of the aeroplanes. Particularly around an instructional aerodrome when they were stunting, the noise was of a very irritating kind.
"Two of the South Coast reports had recently established aerodromes close to big public schools, and he did not hesitate to say that the noise from the aeroplanes would be a serious menace to the teaching in the school.
"The Association adopted the resolution."
Have a safe month and consider using a muffler on your model's engine if you aren't already using one. You don't want the Anti-Noise League coming after you, do you?
John Preston 12235 Tildenwood Dr. Rockville, MD 20852
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
