Jim Messer

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Hello All:

Just got to reading these threads on hovering. Thought you might be interested in the following:

Event in Western NY - summer of 2001. I witnessed a pilot from Rochester, NY (don't know his name) do the following. He started his model - a 40 size trainer - held it with his left hand in a vertical position - then with his right hand he operated the transmitter to rev the engine until the plane hovered. the airplane was now flying. From there he flew the plane around in normal manner - doing loops, rolls, etc. Then he brought the plane close to him on a landing approach - put it back into a hover position - lowered it down slowly and reached out and grabbed it once again with his left hand.

The plane never touched the ground. Anyone else ever seen this done?

wgeffon

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I do it with my Sledge.......Probably not the smartest thing to do with a model airplane but its fun.....
I launch and catch with my right hand though. Left hand is always on the throttle/rudder.

FlyingTyger

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I have nothing against hovering or aerobats, but this last year at the Dayton show, I was NOT impressed by how they handled to whole issue. Yes, hovering over the runway when there are 4 other airplanes in the pattern should be stoppedand most of the aerobat pilot were courteous in this way. It's sudden unpredictable manuevers that cause problems. I was flying over a hovering aerobat when my spotter instructed me to turn left because he was starting a vertical climb out. just as I started turning, the aerobat pilot kicked in rudder and flew out knifedge missing my plane by no more than a foot or two. Later on during the fly-in, my engine died and My spotter called for a dead stick landing. The aerobats hovering over the runway never moved. I was on final approach engine out and was forced to dive at the ground to avoid hitting the hanging rudders. Nothing was said to the pilots from the CD or flightline cordinator. Events like this continued to happen all weekend. Therefore, alot of us warbird pilots decided that maybe it was time to forget about going to Dayton.

gfinan

Warbird pilot,

I agree with those who feel that hovering should not be done when other people are flying the pattern. There is a time and place for everything. What does scare me is the 6 month pilot trying to learn to hover with a full pattern and 40 pilots on the flight line on a Sunday afternoon. It is just not safe! Courtesy goes a long way. (I guess I got my 2 cents in this mess now) Happy Flying. Greg

jerrysu29

Hey Guys Every body seems to forget WE ARE THE AMA so I can't understand why we would ban Ourselfs from hovering Our aircraft if (WE THE AMA)do so choose to fly 3D. This is a free country you know?? I believe Hoveralot said it all in a few KEY WORDS Use A Little CUORTESY For some of these guys they find it hard to be humble becuase THEY fly Expensive AIRCRAFTWELL I GOT news for you so is mine. JUST MY .02cents

h82crash

While its a good idea to be safe, it's just risk management by another insuance company. This hobby is still self regulated, there is no law that says we need to be AMA members. Only local ordinances prevent flying at (most)school yards. I have the hardest time trying to explain to my friends outside the hobby why we have AMA and follow the rules. I think its a good thing, but if Mile Square Park were still open (no AMA required) and I lived close to it, I would fly without it. I don't like being around when someone is flying unsafely with or without AMA.

Bill Vargas

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Mile Square Park was a Great Place ,,, in its last couple of years that I flew there, Park rules were posted up there on the bulletin board and AMA was required,,, no one really checked,,, but its neither here or there now,,,

Damn Shame it lost out to a stupid golf course

BV

raistlin12

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It appears this thread is now moot, as the AMA has issued its 2003 Safety Code. Rule #9, under the RC section, states that under no conidtions may a pilot, or anyone else, touch a plane while in flight. The original proposal, linked to in the initial post, never said anything about banning hovering, quite the opposite! It was only a topic of discussion regarding proximity to spectators, and being touched while in flight. We now have the new rule provide an out to AMA on coverage for those of you who hover, and retrieve your aircraft from that hover.

No, I don't hover, don't really want to try, at least not at this point. I'm still content with taking my plane home in two pieces...wing and fuselage assemblies.

jerrysu29

Well any good Lawyer will tell you that touching and recovering are infact not even closely related. (it all depends on what the meaning of the word is. is!!!!) ahh where have I heard that one before?

raistlin12

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Boy! do you like to split hairs?! How you gonna retrieve it from the hover iffen ya don't touch it? The rule says touch, and, silly me, I assumed that included the "extended touch" required to retrieve, as well.