porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

Because that insight is so much more keen?

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

Ounce again Read the Regs on Full Scale and Minium Safe Altitudes


Sec. 91.119

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[TD="width: 50%"]Subpart B--Flight Rules[/TD]
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Sec. 91.119

Minimum safe altitudes: General.

Except when necessary for takeoff or landing, no person may operate an aircraft below the following altitudes:
(a) Anywhere. An altitude allowing, if a power unit fails, an emergency landing without undue hazard to persons or property on the surface.
(b) Over congested areas. Over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any open air assembly of persons, an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft.
(c) Over other than congested areas. An altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.
[ (d) Helicopters, powered parachutes, and weight-shift-control aircraft. If the operation is conducted without hazard to persons or property on the surface--
(1) A helicopter may be operated at less than the minimums prescribed in paragraph (b) or (c) of this section, provided each person operating the helicopter complies with any routes or altitudes specifically prescribed for helicopters by the FAA; and
(2) A powered parachute or weight-shift-control aircraft may be operated at less than the minimums prescribed in paragraph (c) of this section.]
It's the responsibility of the full scale pilot to except for Take Off and Landing to keep his air craft high enough to avoid People and Objects on the ground ... Figure at 800 fpm best glide how high U must be over a large city with to comply with FAR 91.119 (a)

Drones are here like it or not better get used to it. Other country's have no problem Why should we

Propworn

My Feedback: (3)

As far as names in their models most here in Canada do as it’s a requirement for insurance coverage. Ours being first party coverage at 7.5 million per incidence you bet your bippy most have their names, address and MAAC number inside. With our coverage our home owners insurance never hear about a claim. I think MAAC covers the first 5 or 7 thousand out of pocket to eliminate nuisance claims that would drive up premiums.

I have to ask if you are going to be a problem child when you fly your drone/UAV or are you going to do your utmost to be safe. From your posts I take it your part of the latter group of responsible flyers and as such the post is not referring to you in any way. Unless of course I am wrong in my assessment of your character.

Dennis

Silent-AV8R

FOr those in SOCAL don't forget that the First Annual AMA Drone Expo.... I mean AMA Expo, will be at the Ontario, CA convention center this coming weekend. There will be tons of drone stuff, mostly drone related speakers, and likely a few actual model hobby vendors there!!

http://amaexpo.com/attractions/exhibitors/

rcmiket

It really needs to be renamed to AMA Drone Expo. Might as well rename the magazine as well. It will be interesting.
Mike

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

Originally Posted by Silent-AV8R
FOr those in SOCAL don't forget that the First Annual AMA Drone Expo.... I mean AMA Expo, will be at the Ontario, CA convention center this coming weekend. There will be tons of drone stuff, mostly drone related speakers, and likely a few actual model hobby vendors there!!

http://amaexpo.com/attractions/exhibitors/








Same thing happened when Electric started to be come poplar, Fomeies first the bigger aircraft, then Dummys cloging up the air space over the runway with their 3D junk.and Heliocopitters, Now it Drones or Quads,Hex's or Octipi depending on the number of arms. The problems I see it with DRONES is two flod, first those that don't participate in a certain discipline don't want others to either. Second these flying objects car as capable of being flown just about anywhere because of their ease of operation and The majority are flown by people out side the disipline of the AMA, that just don't know or don't stop to reason things through. Much like the people that tried to fly choppers in public parks.
But we have to get used to it and FPV there are here to stay ... as to what part or proportion of the hobby/sport the will occupy is yet to b determined. Look at the top add on RCU for sale Page

rcmiket

The same thing happened .........REALLY? I don't remember the FAA getting involved or every news venue on the planet covering all the near misses and the need for regulation . Give me a break. What we have to get used to is the hobby as we know it will change due to the FPV/Quad "craze" and not for the better.

Mike

Rob2160

I was at a party on New Years Eve at my brothers house with all the regular family and friends (around 80 people)

These same people have ignored my planes and helicopters for years but when I brought out a large quadcopter it was the topic of discussion for the next hour and everyone wanted to see it fly.

I found it interesting how many people show interest in a drone yet previously had no interest in anything RC. .

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

LOL...too funny, you've hit the trifecta of complaints about the progress of the hobby, Foamies, Helis, and 3D flying.

Why can't we just go back to the good 'ol days when we scratch built, flew nitro, and got crazy with our control line stunts. Ya! Oh, and I forgot, fly our pattern with our SIGs and Cubs and Mustangs.

Change...the only constant. In addition to complaints....

Jaybird

In the "good old days" it was free flight. The planes went as far and high as the winds and their power systems would take them based on how they were trimmed on the ground before takeoff.

Then it all changed.......

Jaybird

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

I stand corrected.....

Hossfly

Not exactly, Mr. Jaybird. Did you ever fly any powered Free Flight? I did, for several years, including both AMA Competitions and USAF Competitions along with various Texas events when I was based at Laredo AFB, TX . Time era of all was in the 1963 to 1975 time period. I did some when in my teens, 1948-1954, but this time period was not competitive, just fun. I NEVER mastered any rubber competition. A friend, a Mr. John Valls, tried his best to teach me however I just never got the ability to make a rubber powered competition type to perform. One-half A, A, and "C" FF was my thing. Winning 1st places at AAA events such as a USAF class C, along with the Chicago Aero-Nuts big annual FF contest at Bong Field each year. Got both class A and several HL glider events back then year 1968. I flunked out of the winners at the 1970 and 72 NATs but my 2 young boys did well. (That is even better, )
Trim was both a built-in and additional redoing things after a flight, then try again in flight. Power runs were definitely set to the second. Climb maneuvering was set, reset, built-in and close keeping eye on the power run to assure the next flight would be even better tuned. Of course the engine run time was set to a second.
Gliders, tow or throw, were trimmed to the Nth degree, but there were times when that was NOT good enough.
I can never forget: Last AMA NATs at Glenn View NAS, I told my timer that my old rough model would not be official, just checking the air. When I felt the hair on my open shirt, I threw it. Rolled out on top jus perfectly and was easing up. I yelled "Official" (I had 2 officials, a third would get me in the run-off) The model went straight up rolled out beautifully and in several seconds it wobble , then pitched over and went straight down into the concrete. The other one was still floating and bumping and finally out-of-sight eastward probably over Lake Michigan. .
I have been giving some thought to building a few sport FF models just to show some of these newbies what real MODELING is all about.

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

Real Modeling is whatever each individual person wants it to be, and is comfortable with, be they noobs or not. I would never presume to tell another person what they do is or isn't "real", or part of "modeling".

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

I thought the expo was later this week........did you get a pre-view?

4ptroll

My Feedback: (35)

GOOD LUCK.... it will never happen. As much as I don't like what's happening it won't stop until someone flies into a full scale aircraft and kills somebody.
And even then it won't stop.

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

Chicken Little "the sky is falling the sky is falling"

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

Just another Drone Hatter because they don't do it ... If anything the FAA will require a License to fly every where except AMA fields.

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

Chicken little says pot meet kettle......

airega1

My Feedback: (204)

Do you mean drones or gnomes, gnomes are little people who won't hurt anyone

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

Make It Wearable Finalists | Meet Team Nixie

Wearable quadcopter that can follow you

Wearable Quadcopter Drone Makes for Next-Level Selfies


Get this 1/2 Million dollars for inventing small Quad.
TAG Intel, Team Nixie, Nixie Quadcopter, wearable technology Wristband drone grabs Intel Make It Wearable challenge $500,000 top prize

Quads are here and they are here to stay .... so is FPV

bradpaul

Got out my crystal ball...................... Asked about the future of RC aviation. Answer was:

80% drone/autonomous
19% ARF planes
1% all else
Hobby shops have disappeared and you buy online from Asia
Everything is electric as the "tree huggers" have got IC engines banned
Hoss has still not won a AMA election

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

U forgot all cars trucks and planes are completely autonomous and stop lights (Round-A-Bouts) & Air traffic control no longer exists
But Half the worlds Population is still living in Mud huts and eating bugs and cooking with Camel Dung.
OH! OH! OH! We fly our R/C Space Planes with Mind Control ....

init4fun

"And I still can't find my flippin bind plug" .......

Jaybird

No, Mr. Hossfly, I have not.

Jaybird

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

A good job to be in: U get to Break things and Shoot bad guys


Subject: U.S. Drone Fleet at ‘Breaking Point,’

Exclusive: U.S. Drone Fleet at ‘Breaking Point,’ Air Force Says

Too many missions and too few pilots are threatening the ‘readiness and combat capability’ of America’s unmanned Air Force, according to an internal memo.

The U.S. Air Force’s fleet of drones is being strained to the “breaking point,” according to senior military officials and an internal service memo acquired by The Daily Beast. And it’s happening right when the unmanned aircraft are most needed to fight ISIS.
The Air Force has enough MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper drones. It just doesn’t have the manpower to operate those machines. The Air Force’s situation is so dire that Air Combat Command (ACC), which trains and equips the service’s combat forces, is balking at filling the Pentagon’s ever increasing demands for more drone flights.
“ACC believes we are about to see a perfect storm of increased COCOM [Combatant Commander] demand, accession reductions, and outflow increases that will damage the readiness and combat capability of the MQ-1/9 enterprise for years to come,” reads an internal Air Force memo from ACC commander Gen. Herbert “Hawk” Carlisle, addressed to Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh. “I am extremely concerned.”
“ACC will continue to non-concur to increased tasking beyond our FY15 [fiscal year 2015] force offering and respectfully requests your support in ensuring the combat viability of the MQ-1/9 platform,” Carlisle added.
In other words, the Air Force is saying that its drone force has been stretched to its limits. “It’s at the breaking point, and has been for a long time,” a senior service official told The Daily Beast. “What’s different now is that the band-aid fixes are no longer working.”
In the internal memo, Carlisle noted that the Air Force’s current manning problem is so acute that the service will have to beg the Pentagon to reconsider its demand for 65 drone combat air patrols, or CAPs, as early as April 2015. (Each CAP, also known as an “orbit,” consists on four aircraft.)
But senior military leaders in the Pentagon have been pushing back hard against any reduction in the number of drone orbits, particularly as demand has surged in recent months over Iraq and Syria because of the war against ISIS. In fact, the Pentagon is so fervent in its demand for more Predator and Reaper patrols that the top military brass made an end run to bypass regular channels to increase the number of drone orbits, the ACC alleges.
“The reduced offering of 62 CAPs (plus a 60-day Global Response Force) has been submitted to the Joint Staff; however, the Joint Staff has indicated their desire to circumvent normal processes while proposing their own offering of 65 MQ-1/9 CAPs,” Carlisle wrote. “This simply is not an option for ACC to source indeterminately.”
Carlisle writes that the Air Force would want a crew ratio of 10 to one for each drone orbit during normal everyday operations. During an emergency that ratio could be allowed to drop to 8.5 people per orbit. However, the Air Force is so strapped for people that the ratio has dropped below even that reduced level.
“ACC squadrons are currently executing steady-state, day-to-day operations (65 CAPs) at less than an 8:1 crew-to-CAP ratio. This directly violates our red line for RPA [remotely pilot aircraft] manning and combat operations,” Carlisle wrote. “The ever-present demand has resulted in increased launch and recovery taskings and increased overhead for LNO [liaison officer] support.”

“It’s at the breaking point, and has been for a long time. What’s different now is that the band-aid fixes are no longer working.”

The Air Force has been forced to raid its schools for drone operators to man the operational squadrons that are flying combat missions over places like Iraq and Syria. As a result, training squadrons—called Formal Training Units (FTU)—are being staffed with less than half the people they need. Even the Air Force’s elite Weapons School—the service’s much more extensive and in-depth version of the Navy’s famous Top Gun school—course for drone pilots was suspended in an effort to train new rookie operators.
Overworked drone crews have had their leaves canceled and suffered damage to their careers because they could not attend required professional military education courses.
The result is that drone operators are leaving the Air Force in droves. “Pilot production has been decimated to match the steady demand placed upon the RPA community by keeping ‘all hands’ in the fight,” Carlisle wrote. “Long-term effects of this continued OPSTEMPO are manifested in declining retention among MQ-1/9 pilots, FTU manning at less than 50%, and enterprise-wide pilot manning hovering at about 84%.”
The Air Force has about seven pilots for every eight drone pilot slots, in other words.
But it takes more than just pilots to operate the drone fleet. In addition to the pilots who “fly” the MQ-1s and MQ-9s, there are sensor operators who work the cameras and other intelligence-gathering hardware onboard the unmanned aircraft. Further, there are maintenance crews who have to fix those drones. Perhaps most crucially, drones require hundreds of intelligence analysts who have to comb through thousands of hours of video surveillance footage to understand what the flight crews are watching.
“Some have looked at this as a problem with just RPA pilots and the number of them required for these CAPs, but that ignores the tail required for supporting RPA operations,” a senior Air Force official said. “This tail requires hundreds of man-hours to support every hour of flight in forward operations, maintenance, and most starkly in the processing, exploitation, and dissemination of the intelligence that RPAs create.”
The problem for Carlisle and the Air Force is that even as the demand increases on the drone fleet, fewer new troops enter the ranks while more and more veteran operators vote with their feet.

Gary Clark
Colonel USAF(Ret)
Chairman
Polk County Veterans Council

1509 South Florida Avenue
Lakeland, Florida 33803
863-688-1725
[email protected]
Polkveteranscouncil.com
“When the American spirit was in its youth, the language of America was different: Liberty, sir, was the primary object.” Patrick Henry